Student Senate hears Bobcats Helping Bobcats discuss student resources
Ohio University Student Senate met to hear a presentation from Bobcats Helping Bobcats on Wednesday, Nov. 1, where representatives Carly Pabin and Max Burke talked about the services available to students. Following the presentation, Senate passed four resolutions and discussed the projects that senators are working on as the semester progresses.
Bobcats Helping Bobcats is a resource that supports students on the Athens campus experiencing situations or emergencies that could affect their well-being or academic success, according to Pabin and Burke. They walked through the various services offered by the organization including Cats’ Cupboard, the Meal Bank, a Cap and Gown Loan Program, emergency microgrants, help with housing, SNAP and basic need resources.
Cats’ Cupboard is a food pantry located in Baker Center Room 514 for students, faculty and staff. It is a choice-based pantry that offers fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food. It provides produce through partnerships with members of the community. An appointment is necessary to visit Cats’ Cupboard and can be scheduled via a link or a QR code posted on their door in Baker Center. Donations to Cats’ Cupboard can be dropped off at the donation station on the second floor of Baker Center.
Student Senate Vice President Isaac Davis asked if people taking home canned food would need can-openers if they were selecting canned goods. Pabin and Burke shared that canned goods with pop-tabs flew off the shelves faster than other canned goods, but they would accept donations of can-openers.
Senator Rees Morris asked if Cats’ Cupboard needed donations of personal care items such as menstrual products. Pabin said yes, adding that personal care items are a “huge product that we don’t receive as often.”
University Life Commissioner Olivia Kaiser asked if Cats’ Cupboard provided diapers or baby food to assist families in need on campus. Pabin shared that they are not frequently able to provide such products. Families utilize Cats’ Cupboard, and Kaiser asked if they would want donations of diapers and baby food.
“Absolutely,” Pabin said.
Bobcats Helping Bobcats also has a Meal Bank program for members of the Cats’ Cupboard food pantry. The Meal Bank allows students to share their meal plan meals with other students in need. Culinary Services organizes a period of time to collect meal donations from students and distribute them to Meal Bank users’ Ohio ID cards, according to its website.
Emergency microgrants are an emergency financial resource for students experiencing unforeseen and unavoidable expenses, according to the Culinary Services’website. Students in a situation of short-term financial difficulty while dealing with situations like accidents, fires, illness or the death of a loved one, may apply for funds when they have exhausted all other resources. Funding provided by emergency microgrants are provided by donations and do not need to be repaid, but as of Spring 2023, funds are more limited than ever. Still, students have resources beyond these grants.
Other resources provided by Bobcats Helping Bobcats are a Cap and Gown Loan Program, a program to offer housing help to students facing situations that would put them at-risk of displacement, and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Pabin reiterated that many students experiencing food insecurity might be eligible for SNAP without realizing it, and that the utilization of such resources should be destigmatized. Additional resources for students experiencing any manner of difficult situations are available on their website as well.
Pabin and Burke also informed attendees about how they can help anyone experiencing these challenges.
“First and foremost, thank them for sharing with you and then acknowledge the challenges they’re facing,” Pabin said. “You just want to make sure they are feeling heard and comfortable. Then you want to discuss their options for support.”
Such options for support include the many resources listed on their website. Pabin also emphasized the importance of following up with someone experiencing a situation like this and making sure they got the help they need.
When asked what their favorite part about working in the basic needs office is, Pabin shared that she loved the support and community that they receive.
“We have a lot of interaction with the community that has been really great, and then also being able to interact with pantry members and hear how impactful it is for them,” Pabin said.
Burke shared that her favorite part was the hands-on aspects of the job. She appreciated being able to see everything she is working towards as a social work major and watching people take home the food that they need.
Following this presentation, Student Senate passed four resolutions. The first purchased supplies for Finals Fest, which Academic Affairs Commissioner Dylan DeMonte stated was a significant success last year and exists to help students prepare and de-stress as finals approach. The resolution accounted for the purchase of Applebee’s catering, Insomnia Cookies, hot chocolate and stress balls.
The next resolution was for the purchase of office supplies for the Senate office, a resolution that had already passed through Senate last year, but had never come to fruition. The third resolution was for the purchase of Kiser’s Barbeque catering for the upcoming Black Student Celebration.
The fourth resolution was for the purchase of supplies to make more safer sacks, a Women’s Affairs Commission project that was popular among students last year. Senate purchased small tote bags and would pack them with a personal alarm, pregnancy test strips, latex-free condoms, temporary tattoos, dental dams, water-based lube and a nightcap scrunchie. Last year, these sacks were prepared by Senate and distributed outside of Baker Center. It was reported thatsupplies were gone within the first hour of tabling.
The presence of lube in the safer sacks sparked debate within the Senate. On behalf of some religious senators and constituents, Commissioner Dan Gordillo raised the question of spending Senate money and putting their logo on something that some students may be uncomfortable with due to the sexual nature of the product.
Other senators responded, such as Senator Maggie Giansante, who emphasized that the inclusion of lube is for the same purpose as the inclusion of condoms– that it is impossible to prevent the sexual activity of students and it is better to provide them with the resources to guard their own safety.
Women’s Affairs Commissioner Kennedy Huntsman and LGBTQIA+ Affairs Commissioner Willow Downard put forward the arguments that for many students, including women and LGBT+ students, lube is an integral part of safe sex.
Following an extensive discussion evaluating both perspectives and attempt to brainstorm a compromise, Treasurer Reagan Farmer suggested that the Senate double the quantity of all the safer sacks materials except the lube. This would allow for two batches of safer sacks, one with lube and one without. However, this would have to be a separate resolution approved by the budget committee and would be proposed for passage in the upcoming months.
Ultimately, the resolution to purchase safer sacks materials, including lube, was passed with the promise to have another safer sacks tabling event in the future.
During the Commission Reports, DeMonte reminded meeting attendees that the Academic Achievement Center offers a wide variety of resources for students who might need help with their academics as the semester winds down. DeMonte also shared that more surveys about academic wellbeing will be sent out to students in underrepresented colleges, and the gift card raffle for those who complete it will take place Dec. 4 in the Student Senate Office.
Additionally, DeMonte met with a member of the Office of Information Technology to discuss the transition to the learning management system Canvas, and the managing of a new course evaluation platform, hoping to engage more students with their course evaluations.
Gordillo stated that the Issue 1 debate hosted by Senate was a success and he offered a special thanks to the senators who participated. Gordillo also shared that the Governmental Affairs Commission hopes to further engage students across campus from a wide variety of political views.
The Governmental Affairs Commission is also distributing Voter’s Guides and will table outside of Baker Center on Monday from 11 a.m. until noon. The commission also intends to engage with the university about the student fire fee, a bill that was passed in Senate last year, along with making Election Day a university holiday.
Minority Affairs Commissioner Lauren Staigers used her platform to promote mental wellbeing and the normalization of conversations surrounding mental health.
“Many times in our lives, we are forced to fake a smile and continuously overwork ourselves, and this is not ideal,” Staigers said. “Some days, we need to take a personal day and not go to class or other extracurriculars.”
Following this statement, Staigers shared that she is available if anyone is struggling and needs someone to talk to. She also wished everyone a happy International Stress Awareness week, and added that she will be attending an LGBT+ Conference this weekend. Staigers has done research for a potential proposal to partner with the Black Student Affairs Commission and the Residence Life Commission and is attempting to receive grant funding to renovate the Multicultural Center. The Minority Affairs Commission is also working on a town hall for marginalized populations to make their voices heard.
Huntsman researched the implementation of menstrual health days through student opinion surveys and testimonies. Additionally, the Women’s Affairs Commission is preparing for International Women’s Day by contacting potential speakers, performers and department heads to ensure the voices of many women are uplifted.
Black Affairs Commissioner Precious Powell added that she has been preparing surveys to understand the wants and needs of Black students on campus. She has also planned an event in the upcoming spring semester for Black History month. Powell encouragedstudents interested in joining the Black Affairs Commission to reach out.
Environmental Affairs Commissioner Caden Hibbs announced that an event in collaboration with Cats’ Cupboard and the Community Food Initiative to hand out meal kits to students will be held on the fifth floor of Baker Center on Nov. 16 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Downard is aiming to connect with the various LGBT+ clubs on campus to see what the commission can do for them.
University Life Commissioner Olivia Kaiser and her commission have worked on improving some amenities on campus for religious students, brainstorming food and space accommodations, along with improving the snacks provided to some athletic teams. Kaiser also thanked her fellow senators who organized and participated in the Issue 1 debate.
The meeting concluded with reports from the Advisers, encouraging students to have a safe and enjoyable Dad’s weekend and to look after their mental health as the weather gets colder.
