Four students have joined the University Student Senate following the spring 2018 election earlier this February, senators said.
Maftuna Tolipova, Enzo Flores, Kabeer, and Zoe O’Loughlin filled four vacant seats representing The New School’s undergraduate colleges, according to records provided by the USS.
Only four percent of Parsons students voted, along with seven percent of Lang students, according to senate statistics. CoPA had more participation, with 11 percent of the student body voting.
Voter turnout has has remained low in the previous three elections, data shows. Elections are conducted through online submission forms that are sent to the student body via email.
Maftuna Tolipova, a sophomore studying piano at Mannes, was re-elected for CoPA on a platform emphasizing building fellowship at the New School.
“I want to make The New School as one community rather than different separate divisions,” said Tolipova during her campaign.
Enzo Flores, a transfer student studying screen studies, ran uncontested and will represent Lang, which has three seats on the senate. One of Flores’ focuses is funding extracurricular activities, according to his campaign platform.
First-time senator Zoe O’Loughlin, a freshman studying fashion design, was elected for Parsons. Before she was elected, O’Loughlin said she hoped to bring a newer perspective to the USS, describing herself during the campaign as a “relatively new student who can provide a fresh take on things.”
Kabeer, who only goes by one name, was re-elected for Parsons. He is pursuing an MFA in design and technology. As co-chair, Kabeer worked on a menstrual hygiene initiative in the spring semester of 2017, started by former senator Serengeti Timungwa, which he hopes to further expand.
The University Student Senate is the official student government of The New School, with senators meeting with “the senior leaders, the faculty, and the staff to improve the university in all areas,” according to The New School. The USS convenes each Friday, in meetings that are open to the public. Senators award funds to student groups at the school. Members of the USS’ executive board also have the opportunity to meet with President David Van Zandt and other administrators.
The election for this spring semester filled vacancies for each of the undergraduate colleges. The number of senators per college is determined by student population. Parsons has six seats in the USS, as it is the most populated college.
Smaller schools, like the New School for Social Research, have fewer representatives in the senate.
There is no term limit for student senators, but they must be re-elected after serving two semesters.
Photo by Anna Del Savio
