On Nov. 5, 2025, the Winona State University Student Senate held their weekly meeting. In this meeting several topics were discussed regarding student life as well as how to have students feel more included on campus.
To start, Student Senate asked for organizational reports; this included entities like the Warrior Entertainment Network, KEAP Council, Communication Director, ASO Director and Executive Assistant telling their reports to the rest of the Senate.
This included updating the senate members with information about board applications for the Warrior Entertainment Network, events that were happening with the Warrior Entertainment Network and the KEAP council, meetings that were upcoming for the ASO director, merch creation for the Senate from the Communications director as well as senate bonding events.
When the chair reports were to be given, there were several motions that were moved to be put in front of Student Senate.
One of these motions was from the Equity and Inclusive Excellence (EIE) chair, Chair Leslie Alvarez. In this motion, it was requested that students be given the option to have their preferred pronouns put on their Student ID. This would include giving the option to incoming students as well as students already enrolled in Winona State.
Alvarez’s committee proposed this to help foster inclusion and respect around campus.
“We felt with this change in our ID cards it would help students feel seen, respected and reduce misgendering, and to create a more welcoming campus for all WSU students,” Alvarez stated.
This EIE committee recommendation was passed in the Student Senate.
Student Services had two motions that they brought in front of Student Senate Nov. 5. One of which was a funding allocation Student Services was recommending for an event about managing the stress of finals with Mantra. This event is to help students manage their mental health during finals, and to help expand usage of Mantra as a mental health resource across campus.
The second recommendation that Student Services brought in front of Student Senate was that Winona State should reenter negotiations for its contract with the City of Winona to give students access to bus services as they have in past years.
The City of Winona and Winona State used to have a contract that allows Winona State students to be provided free bus rides on the city-wide buses. However, this contract was terminated over the summer. The temporary solution to getting students who don’t have cars or a way to get groceries is a grocery bus, but it does not seem to be enough support for some students.
The goal of this motion was not necessarily a solution, but to provide well researched reasoning as to why Winona State should reenter negotiations with the City of Winona on the topic of student transport.
“Student Services believes that all students deserve reliable, accessible public transportation. We understand and acknowledge that not everyone has access to a car or to the funds to pay for a monthly bus pass. Free bus rides for students ensures that they can get around the city freely and safely,” said the Senate Chair of Student Services, Kendra McClure.
After clarifying questions as well as debates and brainstorming possible solutions to this problem, the recommendation passed in Student Senate.
After motions were discussed with Student Services, reports continued. After reports, there was also a revisiting and revision of an old motion regarding funding for a conference trip for members of the campus community.
Lastly, there were comments from community members who were attending the Student Senate meeting, this includes Winona State President Kenneth Janz. He made clarification on statements that the Senate had made during the meeting and assure that the bus fare conflict would be further addressed. Then he was asked by a Senator about plans regarding the OASIS center on campus. To this, there was no comment except for the notion that there will be a budget forum on Nov. 13.
Student Senate has their meetings on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Kryzsko Solarium, and they are open to the public.
