The main topic of discussion at this week’s student senate meeting was the university’s elimination of Fall Break. As students now know, instead of a Fall Break the student body gets the entire week of Thanksgiving off.

However, many students do not want the university to do away with the two days off in October and say they need a break in the middle of the semester. Without Fall Break, students do not have a chance to go home until Thanksgiving.

Senator Taylor Thornley suggested starting the semester two days earlier in order to have Fall Break and a week off at Thanksgiving. Five out of 10 of SMU’s benchmark schools give students a Fall Break.

The senate also talked with the new Director of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Dr. Marguerite McClinton about ways to improve SMU’s student center. McClinton suggested movie nights and bringing in an XBox to encourage students to hang out in Hughes-Trigg. A casual restaurant like Chili’s has been suggested as a good use of the Varsity as well as converting Java City into Starbucks, but these are simply suggestions at this point.

“At first it seems dorky, but you consistently try new programs and eventually students will come,” McClinton said.

Senators Charles Slick and James Longhofer were selected by the student senate to serve on the Student Code of Conduct Revision Committee.

The Organizations Committee gave a positive recommendation to the Robotics Club and the Markets and Culture Club. Next week the senate will vote on the committee’s recommendation.

The senate approved a motion to fund the Environmental Society $33 and the Student Comptroller $200.

Senator Reed Hanson encourages all students to come to CRU tonight at 8 in the Umphrey-Lee Ballroom.