Student Senate held their fourth meeting of the year on Wednesday, Sept. 18 and discussed club affairs and then quickly moved onto the motions portion of the meeting.

Winona State University is putting on a food drive through the Warrior Cupboard, alongside Minnesota State University-Mankato, in a friendly competition.

Donations will be accepted Sept. 23 – 28.

Chair of the inclusion and diversity committee, Jacob Hansen, proposed that the university should acknowledge at events that Winona State is located on the land of the Dakota people.

“The motion was intended to remind us to be mindful of the fact that we are on indigenous land,” Hansen said. “This is already something that is done at other university sponsored events and it should hold itself to the same standards.”

One other motion was passed during the meeting and it was in regard to the Student’s United November conference.

Treasurer Clara Kuerschner proposed that $1,800 of Senate’s budget would be allocated to house members attending the conference at the university’s Tau Center. Kuerschner said all funds will be reimbursed by Student’s United.

The Student’s United November conference helps decide matters on a federal and state level.

“We all get together and we vote on our federal agenda,” Kuerschner said. “So, what do we want to do on a federal level for students, whether that’s textbook affordability, DACA, sometimes its Pell grants and federal grants. We also decide on our state legislative agenda, so things that we want to do on a state level for our students in our system.”

Both motions were passed with a unanimous vote from Senate.