The Engineering Student Council welcomed its newly elected first-year representatives on Monday night, commencing a meeting where representatives discussed next the upcoming School of Engineering and Applied Science TEDx talk and ongoing discussions in the Student Space Initiative. Jordan Freisleben reports on engineering goings-on.

• Talk, Talk, Talk: ESC President Tim Qin, SEAS ’13, encouraged representatives to come to the TEDx Columbia Engineering talk on Oct. 19. The theme is “Rethinking Normal.” The two sessions, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and from 4 to 5:30 p.m., are free.
• Give Me My Space: Karishma Habbu, CC ’13 and president of Columbia College Student Council, made an appearance to update on the councils’ collaboration on the Student Space Initiative, which is considering repurposing several places around campus to better suit students’ needs. Habbu and Qin said that they are considering spaces like Lerner Student Government Office, dance rooms in Schapiro Residence Hall, and the East Campus second-floor lounge. The presidents said that they would be taking a walk-through of each space this Friday to go over the amenities and discuss places available for student groups to meet. They promised a town hall so that students could have the chance to sound off on how to reimagine each space.
• Speaking of Town Halls: There will be a student-only town hall to discuss the search for the next SEAS dean on Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. in Schapiro CEPSR’s Davis Auditorium. Read today’s story by Margaret Mattes to learn more about the search to permanently replace Feniosky Peña-Mora.
• A Major Decision: Representatives from the Center for Student Advising reported that 40 percent of the undergraduate student body participated in the Center’s most recent survey. With major declaration only a week away for sophomores, the representatives encouraged students to stop by the office for advice on deciding their major. CSA is holding SEAS Major Discovery on Friday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Lerner Party Space.