SGA Meeting 03/2/14
Syona calls the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.
Roll Call
Introduction of 2014-2015 Executive Board
Charlie Bruce ’16: My goals for the semester are to get the community more involved, so working with the MAL and the OCC to make an SGA video campaign. If you or your constituents are getting involved, please contact me. I’d also like an archival process for institutional memory, and then use that information to collaborate with special collections. Also, I’d like to reinstate the constitutional review committee.
Point of information
Alexis De La Rosa ’15: Class of 2015, Psychology major with a LALIPC concentration. My goals for this semester are to have everyone feel represented in SGA. I want to make SGA more inclusive and welcoming. I want to collaborate with different groups on campus and tie that into the SGA campaign. For appointments, I want to provide as much info as possible to running of appointments. Make sure the duties and responsibilities are known. Increase outreach to groups to participate. I would also introduce info sessions before every round of appointments, Lastly, I’d hold each committee accountable and the campus is informed of their work via report backs in SGA meetings.
Syona Arora ’15: I’m studying anthropology and gender and sexuality studies. My goals for this semester are to encourage and integrate constructive criticism into procedure and to listen to community what is and isn’t working at SGA and why. I want us to ask how can we better meet needs of student body that feel underrepresented at SGA. On top of that, increasing awareness of SGA as a platform of collaboration, a stepping-stone for other resources on campus, different offices, different clubs and different organizations, and also a space in which opinions can be voiced and are welcome. More generally, I want to keep all positions accountable and collaborate with other organizations on campus to demonstrate how self-governance can prepare martyrs for individual and professional success in the future.
Rachel Clark: I’m the treasurer, class year 2016, and geology major. My goals are to uphold efficient communication between clubs, the Student Finance Committee and the treasurer. I’d like to clarify the budgeting process and recent changes to the bylaws. I want to get feedback on budgeting process to discuss what does and doesn’t work. I would like to continue the “I am SGA” campaign to remind clubs of their involvement in SGA.
Melanie Bahti ‘15: I’m the new honor board head. Class of 2016, linguistics major
My goals are to increase visibility and use of Conflict Resolution Committee and incorporate honor board liaisons into DLT and have more dorm programing about the honor code. I’d like to rework honor code reeducation during customs week and during DLT training and refresh and deepen honor code education. Part of that is including honor code education during new faculty orientation. Also I would improve honor code communication between the bico honor boards through bico liaisons. I’d also like to edit honor code to bring it allied w/ current conversation and procedures. And I’d like to start conversations about the honor code in social media.
Announcements
Emma Rosenblum ‘14: Dorm presidents could you hang out for 5-10 minutes after? Thanks!
Rachel Clark ‘16: We just had bico midsemester review. There were three groups to get reviews. Grease Paint asked for 230$ and got full amount. Gym Owls requested 1,430$ got full amount. Model UN didn’t show up to their meeting so they didn’t get funding.
MB: I wanted to bring up and remind you all that during all periods of the academic year, especially hell week and breaks we should all be mindful and respectful of the administrators, staff, professors, and college property. Be mindful of that please, and remind your peers.
Your 2 Cents
Syona Arora could the new inductees of new positions please introduce themselves?
Kate Mulligan ’17: I was elected appointments committee.
Elinor de la Torre ’17: I was elected to appointments.
Gabrielle Smith: I was elected appointments.
Sarah Awad ’17: I was elected appointments.
Molly Mac Dougall ’16: I am the new Elections Head.
Syona Arora ’15: We look forward to working with you this term!
Plenary Recap
On Sunday, February 23rd, the Association passed 3 out of 12 resolutions on February 23, 2014.
The first resolutions was the reaffirmation of the Association’s commitment to self-governance, the Constitution, and the Honor Code. The second was the Constitutional Name Change of the Recycling Committee to the Green Ambassadors Committee. The third resolution was the More Gender Flexible Language in the SGA Constitution. The three resolutions were passed by visual ballot.
Quorum was lost during discussion of the fourth resolution, Inserting Content Warnings in Syllabi. After which a waiting period of one hour elapsed, after that a vote was taken with those in attendance. It was decided to conclude plenary. The remaining eight resolutions will be presented at the fall 2014 plenary at the discretion of the resolution writers.
The full text of the resolutions can be found on the SGA blog
Old Business
Old business is a time when anyone from the representative council can discuss anything from a previous mtg.
Emma Rosenblum ’14 and Anna Kalinsky ‘15: We have info from Tuesday group. We’ve been talking about a smoking policy. We’ve been asking community members for their feedback. Don Abramowitz proposed a new policy that he wants feedback. Our current smoking policy has a lot of loopholes. There are no clear guidelines for smoking outside of the buildings. There’s also a lot of concern about litter with cigarette butts and ecigarettes. Don Abramowitz wrote a proposal for smoking policy that there shouldn’t be smoking in athletic fields, near them, or in college owned vehicles. He also included that smoking would be avoided within (25ft) of buildings. This would avoid smoke getting into ventilation. New smoking policy would change use of cigarette butts. The policy applies to ecigarettes as well because the vapor can affect lungs the same way as smoke does. The policy has definitions provided for what the definition of smoking is or ecigarettes are. We want to open this discussion up to the representative council for discussion.
DRN: A lot of the problems are the arches. I don’t know that it would solve all the problems if people have to throw buts away from the arch. Could there be a disposal system?
Emma Rosenblum ’14: We can bring that up.
Colin Bauman ‘14: I live in Rock. The arches are big issues. Could we have signs in the Arch? Like an official college sign that says “no smoking in the arches”. Something that could actually enforce policy.
Sofia Oleas ‘15; Could there be benches or a marker designate where the space is? A lot of people smoke under arches to protect from rain? Could you provide a cover for smoking?
Emma Rosenblum ’14: If the smoking policy would work, could these suggestions be implemented?
Sarah Lovegren ‘15: What was the policy before?
Emma Rosenblum ’14: It basically says smoking is prohibited in college buildings, campus halls, etc. There are health hazards associated with smoke. The college community has right to access to smoking and non-smoking spaces. We must act with courtesy towards each other regarding cigarette smoke. At public events smokers should smoke away from heavily populated areas.
Sarah Lovegren ‘15: So we’re setting a designated 25 feet away?
Emma Rosenblum ’14: There’s no official policy that its 25 feet away, that’s the practice
Lucy Gleystein ‘15: What are the repercussions? A lot of students and staff smoke.
Emma Rosenblum ’14: So don admitted that they’re working on it. There will be some disciplinary action added to the policy. We’re still working on it. We want it to be something that can be enforced under the spirit of the honor code. You can email either of us if you have any suggestions erosenblum@brynmawr.edu and akalinsky@brynmawr.edu
New Business
Syona Arora ’15: Any new business?
Colin Bauman ‘15: Motion to end the meeting
Representative council votes to end the meeting.