Carnegie Mellon University
Student Government  ›  Undergrad Student Senate  ›  Initiatives

Committee Initiative Tracker

Each committee works on separate initiatives throughout the year, listed below. Where applicable, there are also links to provide your input as a student, such as ways through a survey or by adding your signature to a Senate document.









Major Initiatives

The Tartan Collaborative Commons (TCC) aims to solve one of the main issues students face on campus: increasing the amount of study and meeting space. Senate funded the construction of the TCC in 2015, after student feedback. The TCC is located on the 3rd Floor of the Cohon University Center.

Reserve the TCC Glass Rooms

Starting February 2023, the two TCC Glass Rooms will be available by reservation. Reservations can be made by any CMU student and must be made at least an hour in advance. Please provide your CMU email with the reservation. 

Both rooms have whiteboards, TV screens with HDMI connections, and seats for 7 people. If either room is free, it can be used without a reservation, but priority will be given to anyone with a reservation. 

  • Glass Room 1, nearest to TCC entrance: reserve
  • Glass Room 2, farther from TCC entrance: reserve

Help us improve the TCC

If anything in the TCC is broken or missing, if you have issues with reservations, or if you have any suggestions for improving the space, please let us know here.

Senate funds several programs to expand easy access to the media for undergraduates. These programs are funded by the Media Fee, a $5 fee paid each year by undergraduate students as part of tuition. 

Digital Access

The entire campus community has digital access to The New York Times and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, funded by the Media Fee and generous contributions from the University Libraries.

  • New York Times: To log in to the New York Times, visit accessnyt.com and register using your Andrew email. These accounts are valid throughout your time at CMU and do not need to be renewed on a yearly basis. You can log in from any device. 
  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Detailed instructions here. To log in to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, visit my.post-gazette.com/college. You can create a new account or use an existing account. CMU’s account number is 2758265 and house number is 5000. These are valid only for the 2021-22 academic year, and student accounts will need to be renewed at the start of each academic year. You can log in from any device.

Your CMU email also provides free access to a number of other newspapers. These are not funded by the Media Fee but are available through the University Libraries.

Have any questions, or issues with accessing newspapers digitally? Is there a newspaper you would like to see added to this list? Contact the Business Affairs Committee. 

Print Newspapers

The Collegiate Readership Program (CRP) gives undergraduate students daily access to printed editions of The New York Times, USA Today, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at a number of campus locations. 

There are two types of bins on campus: closed and open bins. Open bins are most often used in dorms and other areas with high undergraduate traffic to ensure that it is chiefly undergrads, those paying the Media Fee, that are using the program. Closed bins are found in areas shared by undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty, and only undergrads have access to closed bins. Swipe your CMU ID to gain access to a closed bin.

For any questions, concerns, or issues with the Collegiate Readership Program, contact the Business Affairs Committee.

The Academic Affairs Committee is working to eliminate mandatory expenses for students. As part of this ongoing effort, we are pressuring courses to move away from paid online learning resources (e.g. iClicker and MyMathLab). We are also working with the College of Fine Arts to provide funding for mandatory material costs. 

In the meantime, Senate has set aside funding to reimburse students for the cost of these resources. While we may not be able to cover the full cost of these resources, we are hoping to alleviate some of the burden. 

If you are taking a course this Fall that requires you to purchase online learning resources or art supplies, apply for reimbursement here. 

Reimbursements are made according to the Academic Affairs Committee’s funding guidelines.  

Questions and comments can be directed to the Academic Affairs Committee. 

In the spirit of Dr. Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture, Senate’s Campus Life Committee invites six graduating seniors every year to deliver their First Lecture to the campus community, talking about what they’ve learned at CMU and what they’d like to pass on to future Tartans.

You can find recordings of previous First Lectures events here. If you have questions about First Lectures, contact the Campus Life Committee. Follow Senate’s social media for updates on nominations for the next series of First Lectures!

Senate, the Graduate Student Assembly, and the Provost’s Office jointly fund free, 20-minute legal consultations for all CMU undergraduate and graduate students. Consultations can cover a wide range of issues, including (but not limited to) civil lawsuits, personal injury, employment, contracts, and landlord/tenant issues. 

For more information about the program please see here. 

Explore Pittsburgh for free! Your CMU ID card guarantees you free admission to several museums and cultural institutions in and around Pittsburgh. A complete list of Arts Pass venues is available here.