The United Student Government (USG) held its final in-person meeting of the semester on Thursday, Nov. 19. 

Senator Gabrielle Simporios, FCRH ’24, brought her continued COVID-19 concerns to the attention of the Senate.

A commuter student who tested positive for the coronavirus had been in the Student Lounge of the McGinley Center the day they received their positive test, causing many students to have to quarantine under contact tracing rules, according to Simporios. 

Simporios expressed concerns about how long contact tracing takes since students can see a lot of people in that time. 

She said that she spent time with family and friends before finding out she could have been exposed. USG is hoping to get a more effective contact tracing system for next semester. 

Another COVID-19 concern, brought to the table by Executive President Olivia Quartell, FCRH ’21, is reporting off-campus parties that violate COVID guidelines.

USG and Public Safety are encouraging students to notify Public Safety of an out of guideline party beforehand if anyone is aware it will be happening. 

This goes for the rest of this semester and the start of the spring 2021 semester. 

Senator Teresa Jacobs, FCRH ’23, and the rest of the Diversity Action Coalition (DAC) presented a Land Acknowledgement Proposal.

Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus sits on native lands belonging to two tribes, Lenni-Lenape and Wappinger.

DAC said it hopes to implement an inclusion of the tribes into the freshmen candle lighting ceremony, honoring at the Commencement Ceremony and a formal plaque on campus.

DAC said it understands that these are big goals, but it hopes Fordham can recognize its location on Lenni-Lenape and Wappinger land and help reduce the stigma and racism that Native Americans face. 

The Land Acknowledgement Proposal passed through vote in the Senate and will move to further planning in administration.

Campus Activities Board (CAB) said they moved the remainder of their events online due to a COVID-19 outbreak that was traced back to Fall Fest.

Fordham Flea will finish for the semester at Thanksgiving break. Students should check Fordham Flea’s Instagram to sell and purchase clothes before the end of the semester.