On Sept. 28, Tulane University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) met for the third session of the 24th Senate. This meeting focused on a quick review for senators on writing and voting on initiatives and legislation as well as reviewing legislation confirming the secretary and historian for the 2021-2022 year.

During the second session, USG appointed most of their cabinet except for the secretary and historian positions that were not filled this summer. After reviewing applications, the executive board came to the decision to recognize Mary Grace Lorino as 2021-2022 Secretary and Michal Rahabi as 2021-2022 Historian.  

USG President Jamie Roa shared the topics of her conversation with Kobe Walker, president of the Graduate Studies Student Association, and Sienna Abdulahad, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. They discussed how to better support students during this post-Ida period. More specifically, Roa emphasized the lack of education regarding emergency weather preparedness for first year students, especially international students. 

Roa believes the situations of Louisiana students were not taken into consideration. The university asked all students to take a COVID-19 test before returning to campus, but there is a shortage of tests available to Louisiana natives, adding to their stress of not being able to return home due to hurricane damage. 

Roa is asking the Tulane administration to better support the health of the greater Tulane community. She would like Tulane to expand the testing program; they initially included Tulane faculty, staff and family but recently that has not been the case. The Louisiana Department of Health announced that certain groups of people can now receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters that many faculty, staff and family fall under the conditions to receive. Further, with flu season approaching, access to flu shots can mitigate the spread of disease.

“Tulane hasn’t been doing enough to support the local New Orleans community,” Roa said. She encouraged everyone to sign up for Tulane Outreach on Oct. 16, to assist organizations hurt by Hurricane Ida.