The senators, Haviva Kobany and Drew Sheehy, have already joined senate committees and have been active members of the Summer Interim Committee. Despite missing the initial senate training session, both senators were appointed relatively early in the session, which means they will not be far behind, said Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) Associate Director of Marketing Media Amy Koeckes.
Kobany, a 19-year old biology major, said her decision to not run during the original election was based on the assumption that an older student would fill the spot, and that she planned to run the following year.
Sheehy, the other senator, said he did not run for the seat because of legislative inexperience.
“When I learned that nobody was running, I felt a bit disappointed in my fellow students, but I also realized the inherent hypocrisy in my feelings, since I myself had not run.” he said.
Both senators said they would support measures to create a more eco-friendly campus, complete with a plan to decrease energy use and increase recycling rates. Sheehy said he wanted to build a coin-operated duck food dispenser next to Manzanita Lake, because his father, who was also an ASUN senator, was never able to build a dispenser during his term in the senate.
Despite reports about a possible closure or merging into another college, both senators are confident about the future of CABNR.
“The college was facing elimination last year, but now it is adding new faculty, its student count is increasing, and the college has even gained approval to begin two brand-new majors,” Sheehy saId.
However, if additional cuts are made, CABNR may be downsized. Both senators said they would help keep the school and its constituents a priority.