During the South Dakota State University Students’ Association meeting Jan. 25, senators were addressed by the 2022 Hobo Day Committee and the History Club. The Senate also swore in four new senators.

Hobo Day Committee

The 2022 Grand Poobah, Regen Wiederich, and assistant poobah of the parade, Benjamin Connor, reported to the Senate about the success of Hobo Day 2021. Attendance was pleasing, Wierderich said, and increased over recent pre-pandemic years. According to Connor, there were 111 different entries in the 2021 parade, with 2,150 students represented at the event, which was a 65% increase from before the COVID-19 pandemic.

History Club

The History Club President True Thorne and Treasurer Derek Lieser addressed the Senate about the status of their club and upcoming events.

The club has around 20 active members who normally show up to events and around 60 that receive emails, according to Lieser.

“For fall 2022, we are planning on participating in the Northern Great Plains History Conference in Fargo. It’s a great way for students to get their papers evaluated at a high academic level,” Thorne said.

The club is also planning another book sale, which in the past have been donated by History Club adviser Graham Wrightson.

Other business:

Four new student senators took the oath of office at Monday’s meeting: Taylor McMartin; Jessica Kott; Nicholas Grote; Alex Saether.

The University Programs Council announced they had 135 students attend their last bingo event. Tickets to attend their next event, a trip to Mount Kato, will be available until at 2 p.m., Jan. 28.

The Senate unanimously passed five new resolutions Monday.

21-14-R was in support of Senate Bill 84, which will allocate $6 million from the general fund to the Board of Regents for the “design, renovation and construction of a multi-purpose facility at the Cottonwood Field Station” in Jackson County.

21-15-R was in support of a 6% salary increase for state employees and subsequent balancing measures.

“We want to fight tuition increases where we can,” Vice President Rachel Schoon said. “It could come as soon as next year. … We encourage the salary raise, but discourage the tuition raise.”

Senator Garrett Satterly supported the increase because he said it would help attract help to SDSU.

“We’re down custodial workers here on campus,” Satterly said. “We have to outsource a lot of it. We’re about $2 behind what USD offers their custodians.”

The Senate also passed 20-16-R in support of Senate Bill 72, which defines hazing and classifies three different types of it, 20-17-R, which supported legislation addressing cybersecurity and agriculture, and 20-18-R, which supported legislation to provide $5 million to build an indoor rodeo arena on campus. Currently, the rodeo team rents space in the Swiftel Center.