Undergraduate Student Senate discussed replacing a room on the second floor of the Student Center with a new commuter lounge at its first public meeting of the 2006 to 2007 academic year yesterday.

Executive Director Ross Miltner said areas on the second floor, such as the music listening center, are going to be examined for student usage and traffic. Rooms that are already used for other purposes will not be considered for review.

“Commuter students comprise a significantly large and integral segment of the Kent State University Kent campus undergraduate population,” Miltner said in the proposed resolution. “Active, on-campus engagement and supporting of commuter students has repeatedly been realized by the university administration as a difficult goal to achieve.”

Justin Jeffery, senator for community affairs, discussed a resolution to approve the “Complete to Compete” collaboration with Ohio University. Jeffery talked about the benefits of the program that will make additional areas of study only offered at Ohio University available for Kent State students and vice versa.

USS “fully recognizes and endorses” the program, Jeffery said in his resolution. The resolution will be voted on at next week’s meeting.

After adjournment, the senators entered executive session to discuss a personnel addition.

Miltner said the senate approved the hiring of student Annah Trunick to the position of USS programming assistant. Trunick will handle the new USS-sponsored Web site, www.What2DoAtKSU.com, Miltner said.

Miltner also decided to make a change to USS’ public meetings this year. Instead of just asking for weekly reports from the business and finance senator, all senators present are expected to report on what they have done so far.

In yesterday’s meeting, Sean Groves, senator for business and finance, reported that, during the summer, money was allocated for one conference and five programs. The other senators talked about their goals for the semester, including a push for voter registration and preparing for the search for the new provost.

Amy Groya, senator for governmental affairs, said she plans on meeting with members of College Democrats and College Republicans to plan to register students for the midterm elections in November.

Preston Mitchum, senator for academic affairs, was named to the provost search committee Monday. Mitchum said he will further discuss with the senate a requested survey about the search.

Contact student politics reporter Kali Price at [email protected].