The University Senate, which includes students, faculty and staff, gathered Thursday for the first meeting of the 2012-2013 academic year.

The meeting began with a swift vote to ratify Yankee Stadium as the site for the 2013 all-school commencement ceremonies.

Then, NYU President John Sexton began answering questions the various committees posed.

He discussed how various higher education institutions, including Yale University, Duke University and Stanford University, are planning to add campuses to their schools, following NYU’s Global Network University model.

Sexton also expressed excitement for the 70 students from NYU Abu Dhabi participating in the study away program at NYU’s Washington Square campus.

The Student Senators Council then questioned Sexton about how the university was working to accommodate the needs of many new international students, especially considering the upcoming new study abroad programs.

Sexton assured the senate that the university is working on new programs to welcome international students and to prepare the Washington Square campus students to go abroad.

Emphasizing the importance of the GNU, Sexton cited a group of NYUAD students whom former President Bill Clinton said were one of his 10 reasons to be hopeful for the future.

Malina Webb, a CAS senior who is the chair of the Student Senators Council and a member of the University Senate, said the senate discusses topics pertinent to university-wide governance.

“There are a variety of senate committees with representation from all of the governing bodies at NYU, including faculty, administration, students and deans,” Webb said.

Mason Dettloff, a CAS junior and senator at-large, urged students to become more involved with university government.

“What is decided here [at the University Senate] directly affects students,” Dettloff said.

Kevin Burns is a contributing writer. Email him at [email protected].