The month of November has been quiet as far as business at the student senate goes. Both Nov. 7’s and Nov. 14’s student senate meetings opened with issue forums that received no response from those in attendance.

During the meeting on Nov. 7, the only business discussed was a vote deciding whether or not a funding request presented to the senate by representatives from WSU’s American Dental Hygiene Association would be approved. This was previously discussed in the senate’s Oct. 31 session.

The funding request met no resistance and was voted into approval by the student senators. The funding granted from the request totaled $3,284 and will help pay for the expenses of dental procedures that will be given to those in need by WSU student dental hygienists.

The fund’s contribution to the WSU community helps dental hygiene students on their path to becoming board-certified and establishes the opportunity to provide dental care to those who are not able to afford it.

The student senate meeting on Nov. 17 featured the introduction of Yudi Lewis, WSU’s newly-hired executive director of Hispanic-serving initiatives. Lewis was hired by WSU back in September in an effort to improve the university’s outreach and communication with Utah’s Hispanic community.

“Right now, we’re formulating how we’re going to move forward, understanding that we cannot do everything at once,” Lewis said.

Lewis explained to the student senators that she’s in the middle of a listening tour and is currently in the process of meeting with students, members of the community, school districts and a multitude of departments on campus.

“The first step is conveying the message of all the great things that Weber State has to offer for all students, and understanding that we need to amplify how we communicate that message to all communities — specifically Latino communities, in this case,” Lewis said.