SGA Meeting 10/06/13
Natalie calls the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.
Absent: Anna Kalinsky, Sara Kim, Angela Blatz, Xavia Miles, Chrystyna Colon, Namita Dwarnakanth
Announcements:
Karina Siu ’14: This week there aren’t very many home games except for Saturday. In case you’re here, we have games over fall break. Come hang out with the athletes on the field! We also have Cookie Hour this week.
Pamudu Tennakoon ’15: Lantern Night is October 27th, which is the Sunday after we come back.
Anna Sargeant ’15: The ticket request form will be up on Monday on the Activities website.
Natalie Kato ’14: The next SGA meeting is October 27th. We have 2 weeks off. Also, the President is hosting Coffee Hour from 10-11 AM on Thursday October 11th in TGH.
Lindsey Crowe ’14: The next SGA meeting is October 27th?
Natalie Kato ’14: Yes. We also wanted to let you know that the Seven Sisters Conference is November 1st through 3rd at Vassar. Applications will be sent out shortly. We can take up to two more people. We will find out more about what is going to be discussed and get back to you. Some examples are student leadership, governments on different campuses, and different issues the Seven Sisters have been addressing.
Your Two Cents:
Pamudu Tennakoon ’15: The next SGA meeting will be during Lantern Night. We want to take a vote to change the time. We have the options 12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM, and 7 PM. Does anyone have suggestions?
Karina Siu ‘14: What time does Lantern Night start?
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: 8 PM.
Colin Baumann ‘14: What time does everything else start?
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: 6 PM.
Natalie Zamora ’14: Is there a dress rehearsal earlier that day?
Anna Sargeant ‘15: No, just Friday and Saturday.
Celeste Gambino ‘16: Isn’t there lantern tying from 1-4PM?
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: Yes.
Anna Sargeant ‘15: That’s preparing for the ceremony. We expect people who are volunteers to get there at 6.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Do you have any recommended time?
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: 12, 2, 4 and 7.
Natalie Kato ‘14: This is a representative council vote only because your attendance will matter.
Karina Siu ‘14: If the time gets picked for a time we cannot attend do we get counted as absence?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Yes.
Lucy Gleysteen ‘14: Is it possible to have SGA on a day that’s not Sunday?
Natalie Kato ‘14: No.
Karina Siu ’14: Can I propose 4:15 as a time?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Sure. It can just be at 4…
Mariam Khoudari ‘17: If you’re going to the MUN and miss the rehearsal and maybe SGA would that count as unexcused?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Excused is if you tell the Secretary. Unexcused is if you don’t show up.
Elizabeth Vandenberg ‘16: Everyone is allotted 2 unexcused absences and 2 excused absences per semester.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Any other recommended times?
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: 12, 2, 4, and 7.
12 PM: Carolyn Jacoby, Celeste Gambino, Erin Saladin, Emma Rosenblum, Nina Shmorhum, Odeymarys Garrido, Jennifer Mendez Alba, Colin Baumann
2 PM: Lucy Gleysteen, Elizabeth Vandenberg, Jessica Arbon, Alex Beda, Jancy Munguia, Marian Slocum, Alex Francendese, Natalie Zamora, Phoebe Jordan, Christina Tse, Sarah Lesser, Karina Siu
4 PM: Ivy Drexel, Sofia Oleas, Mariam Khoudari, Sarah Gilmour, Emma Burke
7 PM: None
Abstain: Rhett Richardson, Sarah Lovegren, Karina Siu, Emily Garcia, Noor Masannat
Natalie Kato ‘14: The next SGA meeting will be at 2 PM on Sunday October 27th.
Newly Elected Positions Introductions:
Daniele Arad-Neeman ’14 and Erin Saladin’16: Faculty Representatives.
Ivy Drexel ’14: 2014 Honor Board Representative.
Celeste Gambino ’16: Member-at-Large.
Rhett Richardson ’15: Pensby Center Representative.
Maura Dillon ’14: 2014 Honor Board Representative.
Odeymarys Garrido: Class of 2017 President.
Marian Slocum ’15: Member-at-Large.
Mariam Khoudari ’17: Member-at-Large.
Nina Shmorhun ’15: COPS Co-Head.
Chrsitine Newville ’15: COPS Co-Head.
Christina Tse ’17: Member-at-Large.
Danyelle Phillips ’14: Batten House Res-Co Representative.
Emma Burke ’14: Batten House Res-Co Representative.
Special Events Funding Presentations and Vote:
Natalie Kato ‘14: You should have received a summary and estimated prices for special events funding. We will be voting on the presentations. We have $6000 for funding total. After they present I will explain the voting procedure.
Ola Madamidola ’16: The NAACP Winter Gala will be on Friday, February 7th, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 10 PM in TGH, which has been reserved already. It will be open to the tri-co and the residential community.
Lauren Footman ‘14: We asked the NAACP how we can better serve our community, and decided to offer a scholarship for books. We are looking to give $250 to students interested in social justice issues. We would like to partner with the Civic Engagement Office. We are looking to focus on educational inequities. We want to partner with a Philadelphia high school. We have solicited help of the press, Provost, the Pensby Center, Admissions, Africana Studies, and the Education department.
Ola Madamidola ‘16: We want to invite a keynote speaker who will speak about the inequities in the education system and to share how their careers combat these issues. There will also be a dessert competition with local vendors. We would ask vendors to donate their goods in exchange for free advertising. We would also compile a program booklet with all of the organizations. They can purchase ad space; it’s another way to raise money.
Our itemized budget: we are asking for $5,000 for the speaker, $50 for table clothes from dining services; we will also talk to them about logistics for desserts. $100 for invitations from Office Depot. Another item is awards – we want to award the vendor who has the best dessert and also honor a faculty member at Bryn Mawr who has helped bring awareness to social justice issues.
The timeline of events would be: in October, contacting potential campus partners, speakers, and dining services; select the charity and the high school; and contact vendors.
In November, sign a speaker, finalize vendors that will be willing to donate desserts, create invitations to send to faculty and staff at Bryn Mawr, and meet with Communications to talk about how to go about this efficiently and publicize well.
Lauren Footman ‘14: In December we want to begin advertising to campus and the community, and discuss the layout with Conferences and Events. In January we want to continue advertising and finalize details.
Elizabeth Vandenberg ‘16: What speakers have you been looking into?
Lauren Footman ‘14: Melissa Harris-Perry and Anthea Butler. Once we get the budget we will see who we can book. We want them to be able to speak to issues of inequity.
Elizbaeth Vandenberg ‘16: I think you were talking about partnering with departments and offices. What exactly will they contribute? You’re asking SGA for $5000 so what will the departments offer?
Lauren Footman ‘14: We need the funding for speakers because they will be more than $5000. Different offices help with different parts of our mission. We have placement in Parkway West which is why we’d reach out to the Education department. We want to reach out to the Africana Studies department because of initiatives with educational inequities impacting students of color. The Provost has been interested in helping programs; Pensby is dealing with both issues in diversity and access to education. We have contacted admissinos, Tiffany Shumate, Ellie Esmond, and other offices.
Keshia Koech ’14: Through preliminary conversations have you been able to get the idea of how much you can expect from different offices and departments?
Lauren Footman ‘14: In the past they ask about SGA. We were going to work backwards and select speakers based on financial resources.
Carolyn Jacoby ’14: Are you asking for money from this semester’s special events this semester because the event is so early on next semester?
Lauren Footman ‘14: Yes.
Natalie Kato ’14: Special Events Funding will be held during Plenary on the 23rd, during Hell Week.
Elizabeth Vandenberg ‘16: Is funding every special event an all or nothing deal?
Natalie Kato ‘14: There are four groups. You are going to vote for one, then subtract that money from the total and see how much is left, then vote again and subtract that amount from the total. If one group has a certain amount allotted and we have $3,000 left but that will not fund the entire group, we will offer them the money as long as it is over $1,000.
Danyelle Phillips ‘14: So with the funding from the other campus departments, is that going to the scholarship? With the scholarship – is it high school students or Parkway West students coming to Bryn Mawr?
Lauren Footman ‘14: For a Bryn Mawr student. With the relationship with the high school, we want to see what needs they need to be met and how we could partner with them.
Jelyn Masa ’14: I am on the Committee for the Asian-American Heritage Week. We are asking for a keynote speaker on the first day of the week.
Nicole Soohoo ‘16: It will be on November 11th at 7 PM in Rhoads Dining Hall.
Jelyn Masa ‘14: This is the opening to the entire week. The time would be from 7 to 8:30 PM. It is a keynote speaker and the audience is open to the tri-co and the community. Lisa Lee is an Asian-American media professional; she is the diversity manager at Facebook. We interpreted her job as a CDA for Facebook. She is the co-founder of Thick Dumpling Skin, which is a forum devoted to body image issues in the Asian-American community. She is a writer and pro bono publisher of Hyphen magazine, dedicated to arts, culture, and politics. We want to bring her because she speaks to intersectionality and has experience speaking to a large group of people. She can also speak to her work overall with Facebook and the power of social media and technology with regards to marketing. She can give insight about her personal experiences, career path, and making a living from something she is passionate about.
Nicole Soohoo ‘16: The cost will be $750 for her keynote speech. The airfare from Syracuse to Philadelphia and then back to San Francisco is $764. Taxi service from the airport is $100, the hotel is $140 – the total is $1854.
Jelyn Masa ‘14: We have already contacted her and have confirmed that she is free that evening. We would have to, one month before, do the contract with Bryn Mawr, book the venue (that’s already done) and a couple weeks before the event, start advertising, and organize transportation for her to come here.
Nicole Soohoo ‘16: We will be sending advertising for the whole Heritage Week and also for specific special events during the week right now so that they can get printed.
Colin Baumann ‘14: I was looking for airfare and I found flights for $293. Where did you get $764?
Jelyn Masa ‘14: The time of the flight, and it’s first class.
Emma Rosenblum ‘14: You said you would book airfare later. Have you anticipated the cost changing?
Jelyn Masa ‘14: We will book as soon as possible.
Natalie Zamora ‘14: You talked about Facebook and body image counseling, but I am not getting the Asia-American aspect. Could you explain that aspect of why she’d be a good keynote speaker for Asian-Americans?
Jelyn Masa ‘14: She can speak to her experiences as an Asian-American. This ties into a lot of things she’s promoting. In college she majored in theater and she studied the portrayal of Asians in the media. The stereotypical Asian is slim and petite. She struggled a lot; the blog talks about her own struggles and what she did to try to lose weight. It is part of the Asian-American experience, but it is not only an Asian-American experience. It also ties into her Facebook job because she has crafted a safe space for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders at Facebook. She is a writer, she volunteers for the online Asian-American arts, culture, and politics magazine. She is involved and her message could speak about the Asian-American experience.
Sam Terry ’14: What’s the name of her blog?
Jelyn Masa ‘14: thickdumplingskin.tumblr.com.
Sarah Lesser ’15: I’m in proxy of Melissa Torquato, who is in Japan. I also want to say that this presentation has to do with rape and sexual assault.
Project Unbreakable focuses on issues surrounding sexual assault and healing through art. It’s on Tumblr. She also works a lot with male survivors as well. What they’re going to be talking about is the history of the project and the stories behind the images and they’re going to discuss focusing on consent and prevention. It’s going to be a lot about healing and ways in which we can raise awareness.
This project is run by students. In 2009, when Grace started taking photos, she was 19. She can relate to us. It’s about healing through art, empowering survivors, and giving back a voice.
Why at Bryn Mawr? The conversation should start now. Our school has a close relationship with Swarthmore and I’m sure you know what’s going on there. Swarthmore and Haverford have discussion groups about sexual assault, and Bryn Mawr does not. Bryn Mawr is into activism and empowering people. This program would allow for us to do that by inspiring students. Some of the schools they have spoken at are Vassar and Barnard. It will be on Monday, November 11th in TGH at 7:30. It’s open to the tri-co; it’s something relevant to the entire community. We have been in contact with other groups and Title IX coordinators.
The total cost is $4000. This was negotiated down from $6000, but I don’t know the breakdown.
Keshia Koech ‘14: Is the date of which this event occurs up to negotiation because it conflicts with the other event?
Sarah Lesser ‘14: I’m not entirely sure because of the issue of flying out. That’s why this date was one of the ones that worked better.
Keshia Koech ‘14: Do you know if Melissa has contacted people at Swarthmore and Haverford to collaborate?
Sarah Lesser ‘15: I think Melissa has started contacting people. She has contacted Grace already. I think she’s working on going through Stephanie Nixon, who is Title IX coordinator here.
Natalie Kato ‘14: We did interviews with the SEF applications. Melissa said she had been in contact with the tri-co community.
Jennifer Mendez Alba ‘16: Why is it more beneficial to have an outside speaker? You said Swarthmore and Haverford have student run spaces.
Sarah Lesser ‘15: It is a good starting point for the discussion. They have groups, campus clubs, which we don’t have. We can motivate people to start such a club.
Karina Siu ‘14: Can you repeat the price?
Sarah Lesser ‘15: $4400.
Keshia Koech ‘14: Do you know if there are other places to get money? You spoke about how it went down. Have you contacted Pensby or other places to see if there are funds that could help?
Sarah Lesser ’15: Melissa has contacted Stephanie Nixon. I know that Pensby’s budget is limited and I don’t know what they would be able to do. We will look into it.
Sam Terry ‘14: I’m concerned – I know that the person that runs Project Unbreakable isn’t a trained mental health professional. Would Bryn Mawr have someone as a resource to deal with the repercussions?
Sarah Lesser ‘15: I will talk to Melissa about that if it goes further.
Colin Baumann ’14: The first thing I’m going to do is explain what the Social Committee does. We haven’t had a large campus presence recently. We organize dry fun on campus: Winter formal, Halloween, Spring Fling. We have had a committee of four people recently appointed. This year we are throwing a dry Halloween party in the Campus Center. We have a 250 person capacity when we move the furniture into the pool room and mailboxes. Every year we have been at capacity. Last year we counted the rotating doors and about 400 people attended. We want to offer an alcohol-free attractive alternative to the Radnor party at the same time. It is October 26th from 10 PM to 2 AM. We will be setting up around 8 PM. We will hire a professional DJ who is preferred by Student Activities – we’ve brought him for Fall Frolic and he does Customs After Dark. He has also done Halloween in the past. He brings his own light system. Radnor Halloween is a big deal, and it’s important that we have an alternative that is alcohol-free so that people who are uncomfortable with a wet party, don’t want to attend, or are just bouncing back and forth have an option. We are keeping the college administration happy. The DJ is $575 – he comes with his own light system. The Paid Bouncers club is providing six bouncers. We have food available. Decorations we keep from year to year so we have a minimal budget. And candy.
Lee McClenon ‘14: Is Mary beth and and Student Activities funding any of it?
Colin Baumann ‘14: Last year Hannah Lehman said she wasn’t planning Halloween. The year before that, Adelyn wasn’t elected until September and couldn’t apply for funding. This should go back to SGA, it’s been made clear by the college.
Lee McClenon ‘14: Does SoCo have a budget?
Colin Baumann ‘14: Not this semester.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Vote for one that you want to see. We will subtract that from $6000 and see what is remaining, then vote for second most desired option. We will fund as many as we can in that order.
Emma Rosenblum ‘14: Do we not have enough money to fund all of them?
Natalie Kato ‘14: We have $6000 total.
Keshia Koech ‘14: Are all the events all or nothing?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Sort of. If there are $6000 say we fund two things that are $1000 each. If we have $4000 but the third group asked for $5000 we will offer them $4000 and they can decide if they want it or not. We will offer it as long as it is $1000 or more so it is applicable to SEF bylaws.
Asian-American Heritage Week: Jessica Ferriera, Carolyn Jacoby, Emily Garcia, Lindsey Crowe
NAACP Winter Gala: Emma Burke
Halloween: Rhett Richardson, Anna Sargeant, Colin Baumann, Sarah Lovegren, Elizabeth Vandenberg, Erin Saladin, Celeste Gambino, Karina Siu, Alex Francendese, Alexandra Krusinski, Phoebe Jordan, Sarah Gilmour, Jennifer Mendez Alba, Karunya Venugopal, Noor Masannat, Sam Terry
Project Unbreakable: Jessica Arbon, Alex Beda, Meg Sumner-Moore, Mariam Khoudari, Christina Tse, Sarah Lesser
Abstain: Emma Rosenblum
We will be funding Halloween through SEF. We are left with $4,900. We will give you a couple minutes to consult your co-held position and the next vote will be Project Unbreakable, NAACP Winter Gala, and Asian-American Heritage Week.
Danyelle Phillips ’14: Since we only have $4000 if we vote for Winter Gala will they get the remaining money?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Yes.
Amy Chen ‘14: It just has to be over $1000.
NAACP Winter Gala: Jennifer Mendez Alba, Sarah Lovegren, Carolyn Jacoby, Colin Baumann, Christine Newville
Asian-American Heritage Week: Ivy Drexel, Phoebe Jordan, Rhett Richardson, Pamudu Tennakoon, Celeste Gambino, Erin Saladin, Elizabeth Vandenberg, Emily Garcia, Lindsey Crowe, Karina Siu, Marian Slocum, Sarah Gilmour, Emma Burke, Noor Masannat, Sam Terry
Project Unbreakable: Jessica Arbon, Alex Beda, Sofia Oleas, Alex Francendese, Alexandra Krusinski, Christina Tse, Sarah Lesser, Karunya Venugopal
Abstain: Emma Rosenblum
Asian-American Heritage Week will be funded. Once we subtract that from the total we have $3,046 left. We will vote between Project Unbreakable and NAACP Winter Gala for which we will offer the remainder of the money.
Karina Siu ‘14: Will both of them be able to use the money?
Natalie Kato ‘14: We will offer it. They don’t have to take it.
Jessica Ferriera ‘14: If they accept money but can’t have the event then what?
Natalie Kato ‘14: The money will sit in the pot.
Danyelle Phillips ‘14: It wouldn’t get offered to the other special event?
Natalie Kato ‘14: We could! What we could do is if we at some point find out that one of the groups is unable to use the money we will bring it to another SGA meeting if we want to give it to the next runner-up
Ryan Leitner ‘14: Actually we could hear from the NAACP and Project Unbreakable, if they can respond saying if they can use the money.
Sarah Lovegren ‘14: What’s the amount of money?
Natalie Kato ‘14: $3,046.
Lauren Footman ‘14: We could use it. If we didn’t get money we would go to other funding sources.
Sarah Lesser ‘14: I’m asking Melissa! Yes, we would.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Let’s move to a vote.
Project Unbreakable: Pamudu Tennakoon, Jessica Arbon, Alex Beda, Lindsey Crowe, Meg Sumner-Moore, Alex Francendese, Mariam Khoudari, Christina Tse, Sarah Lesser, Karunya Venugopal, Noor Masannat
NAACP Winter Gala: Sarah Lovegren, Carolyn Jacoby, Colin Baumann, Elizabeth Vandenberg, Erin Saladin, Emily Garcia, Karina Siu, Marian Slocum, Alexandra Krusinski, Phoebe Jordan, Jessica Ferriera, Sarah Gilmour, Christine Newville, Danyelle Phillips, Jennifer Mendez Alba, Sam Terry
Abstain: Emma Rosenblum, Celeste Gambino
We will be giving the remaining money to the NAACP Winter Gala. Thank you to all who applied!
Plenary Discussion/Vote:
Natalie Kato ’14: We did not reach quorum on Sunday September 29th. We were short by about 65 people. We want to have a small discussion about what has happened and what are future steps. We will have a vote about whether there will be Plenary this semester, if not and table resolutions until the spring, or for abstention.
Karina Siu ‘14: Can we hear results from surveys?
Natalie Kato ‘14: Surveys you might have received from class and dorm presidents were individual surveys. There was not an SGA EBoard survey.
Karina Siu ‘14: was wondering if they’d like to share.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Does anybody have results?
Meg Sumner-Moore ‘15: Over 50% of our dorm (Pem East) responded. 60% said we should plan and hold Plenary this semester.. 58% said they would go.
Lindsey Crowe ‘14: We sent a survey to the class of 2014. We received 85 responses. 40 said hold a fall Plenary on an open weekend. 45 said table it until spring.
Danyelle Phillips ‘14: Batten said a suggested time limit. That’s fourteen people. We are in support of Plenary in the fall. And we made a pledge as a house to come to Plenary!
Alex Francendese ‘15: We sent out a survey and got over 100 responses. 44% say they want another plenary this semester, 28% they want spring plenary, 28% they want assembly to vote. We received a bunch of suggestions including a time limit – that’s the biggest one.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Count off by groups of 5. Have one person from that group report back.
Daniele Arad-Neeman ‘14: I am representing Group 3. We talked about whether or not to have a fall Plenary. What does it mean that we didn’t get quorum? Make this sort of an experience that can be thought of positively. It’s more effective to have a thoughtful spring Plenary than a haphazardly planned fall Plenary. How to get people engaged in a conversation – institutionally DLTs will have conversations through dorms and teas to really make sure that people understand what plenary is, why they should come, and how they can make this more productive.
Also, off-campus students still count for quorum. We suggested a Blue Bus sent to the HCAs and other apartments. We also suggested a time limit.
Sofia Oleas ’15: I am representing Group 1. We discussed a fall Plenary but also discussed the fact that we probably need more time to talk about it and why we didn’t get quorum, and the positive effects of having an intense spring Plenary campaign. Also, a time limit.
Colin Baumann ‘14: We agree that we should have it in the spring. We question the constitutionality of fall Plenary. The only weekend would be November 10th because of other events. Also we talked about having teas. We noted that in order to have a time limit we would need a Plenary resolution. Guaranteeing a time limit before the resolution would be passed is stupid
Natalie Zamora ‘14: Bringing plenary in a more positive light – ‘Brought to you by plenary’ posters.
Danyelle Phillips ‘14: We talked about the popularity of the time limit and thinking about how SGA and student-run government is represented even before the application process to Bryn Mawr. We should start advertising SGA at the beginning.
Mariam Khoudari ‘17: We talked about the fact that most of us do not agree that we should have one in the fall. We talked about the time limit popularity and the fact that Plenary as a whole is maybe not as popular because of the SGA concept – there is only 100 of us whereas the community is 1300 people. It is more of a tradition. We talked about the fact that we should advertise what Plenary stands for and what it has done before so that people are aware of what should be advocated for.
Natalie Kato ‘14: We were going to have a larger discussion but this is going to be a continued discussion at future SGA meetings. We are going to move to a vote. We talked to Lisa about when/where to hold Plenary. We could have it in Goodhart on Saturday November 16th but we would have to vacate by 6 PM. We could do it in TGH on Sunday November 17th, or Goodhart on November 17th but we would have to vacate by 6 PM, or Goodhart on Sunday December 1st. We might not be able to get the space on December 1st, but potentially. Keep in mind that if we vote to have it November 17th – that is the date we have scheduled for Big Cheese so either we would just do another vote later to have both Plenary and Big Cheese after or just Plenary. Traditionally we have just Plenary and no SGA meeting after.
We are going to vote on if we’re going to have Plenary this semester, if we will not, or abstain.
Erin Saladin ‘16: December 1st is the end of Thanksgiving break.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Never mind!
Natalie Zamora ‘14: East/West is November 16th.
Natalie Kato ‘14: Keep in mind Big Cheese and East West.
This semester: Mariam Khoudari, Emma Rosenblum, Alex Beda, Kaeun Bae, Marian Slocum, Sofia Oleas, Jessica Arbon, Ivy Drexel, Danyelle Phillips
Next semester: Sarah Lovegren, Carolyn Jacoby, Anna Sargeant, Colin Baumann, Celeste Gambino, Elizabeth Vandenberg, Erin Saladin, Emily Garcia, Rhett Richardson, Sarah Lesser, Lindsey Crowe, Alexandra Krusinski, Christina Tse, Karina Siu, Noor Masannat, Karunya Venugopal
Abstain: Phoebe Jordan, Sarah Gilmour, Sam Terry
Natalie Kato ‘14: We will not have plenary this semester. The resolutions have been tabled. An email will be sent out to student body this week about what the Representative Council decided and what we are going to do moving forward.