Senate debates health and safety concerns

BY PAIGE COMEAU ’26 STAFF WRITER

On March 7, Student Government Association senate began with the Mount Holyoke land acknowledgment and a reading of the agenda. Next were E-Board updates. The E-Board informed those present that all of the binders ordered by the SGA had been received and they were currently holding extra office hours for people to be able to pick them up.

As for the ongoing discussion of Narcan availability on campus, SGA said that although there was no concrete information available, there is a steady conversation happening between the Five Colleges about Narcan training and availability. Then, hall senators were reminded to distribute the March Newsflush and encouraged to grab a stack on their way out. Following the E-Board updates was open floor.

Open floor began with announcements and updates, where the senators and representatives were invited to publicize any upcoming events or important information.

The representative for the Student Athletic Advisory Committee reported that both soccer and field hockey would have open sessions before spring break. The represen- tative for the Folk Music and Dance Society stated that there would be an Early Spring Folk Sing event on Friday, March 10. The Class of 2024’s senator announced that the date of the upcoming J-Show will be March 24. The event will be held in Chapin Auditorium.

A student speaking on behalf of the All Campus Elections Committee affirmed that the period to declare candidacy and campaign ends March 26. Voting will occur between April 3 and 9. The student also reminded everyone of the Student Conference Committee Survey, which they stressed is incredibly important to fill out, as the results are presented to the Board of Trustees and have a significant impact on the school. Another member of the Senate informed the students of a joint SGA-Marks event: a workshop on legal name change, on March 23 in the Great Room from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30. cording to the National Museum of American History. Massive public attention was garnered toward the issue, and Section 504 was signed into law without any legislative changes. The New York Times writes that this sit-in is often considered the “longest nonviolent occupation of a federal building in American history.”

Her leadership, alongside other key disability rights advocates of the era, led to the writing and adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, according to CBS. Heumann created the Disabled in Action organization, helped lead the Center for Independent Living and co-founded the World Institute on Disability. She served as the first Director for the Department on Disability Services of Washington D.C., was on the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, was the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for the Clinton administration and was the first Special Advisor on International Disability Rights for the Obama administration. She worked so that disabled individuals today can get accommodations in schools, public spaces and on transportation, and the reason disabled people are legally protected from discrimination. Heumann launched the disability rights revolution in the U.S. and then brought it to the international level with her roles in the federal government, writes NPR.

Tributes poured in for Heumann on March 5. Barack Obama wrote on Twitter that “Judy Heumann dedicated her life to the fight for civil rights — starting as a young organizer at Camp Jened and later helping lead the disability rights movement. Michelle and I were fortunate to work with Judy over the years, and are thinking of her family and friends.” Oscar Award-winning Deaf actress Marlee Matlin remembered Heumann for being her hero and friend. “Judith Heumann was a fearless champion for the rights of people with disabilities in our nation and around the world and millions of people who have faced barriers owe her a debt of gratitude,” she tweeted.

Disability justice advocate and mentee of Heumann Anna Landre tweeted, “[Heumann] was larger than life. Her impact on the disability community is incalculable. It felt like she would be here forever. I already miss her. But I know she’ll live on, in every feisty disabled person that fights for our rights & our place.”

Bi-partisan daylight saving bill reintroduced to the US Senate

BY BRYN HEALY ’24 NEWS EDITOR

Last year, a bill to end daylight saving was passed in the Senate. Later, the bill died in the House. According to The New York Times, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida reintroduced the bill to the Senate on March 1.

In the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Republican Representative of the 16th District of Florida Vern Buchanan is quoted saying “[t]here are enormous health and economic benefits to making daylight saving time permanent. Florida lawmakers have already voted to make daylight saving time permanent in my home state and Congress should pass the Sunshine Protection Act to move Florida and the rest of the country to year-round daylight saving time.”

In a show of bipartisan support, the Sunshine Protection Act is co-sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, including Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey. According to NBC, the previous iteration of the bill passed in the Senate unanimously. The bill would make the time during daylight saving, also known as the hours we have during the summertime, the standard yearround.

Numerous groups have come out in favor of abolishing daylight saving time in past years.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine released a statement in 2020 saying that there should be a standardized time year-round in order to reduce the risks of “adverse cardiovascular events, mood disorders and motor vehicle crashes.” According to The New York Times, six U.S. states and territories and parts of Arizona have already abolished daylight saving within regional borders.

64 percent of a sample of 1000 U.S. adults want to stop changing clocks, with 53 percent wanting permanent daylight saving time, according to a YouGov poll in 2022.

The origin of daylight saving time is commonly believed to be for the benefit for farmers in the summer, but this is actually a myth. The change in time bi-annually was enacted in order to save electricity and oil during World War I, NBC explained.

Daylight saving time begins this March 12 at 2 a.m. The clocks will turn forward an hour.