Sunday, October 27th
Syona calls the meeting to order at 2:10 PM
Agenda:
Roll Call
Announcements
Your 2 Cents
BACaSO Budget Presentation
Big Cheese Discussion
Old Business
New Business
Roll Call:
Present: Anna Kalinsky, Sofia Oleas, Anna Sargeant, Pamudu Tennakoon, Molly MacDougal, Mikah Farbo, Swetha Narasimhan, Makala Forster, Grace Kim, Chanel Williams, Aleja Newman, Odeymarys Garrido, Lindsay Burak, Rachel Feynman, Lyntana Brougham, Jessica Bernal, Leigh Peterson, Angie Koo, Gabrielle Crossnoe, Sneha Bendapudi, Jillian Moroney, Carly Breen, Olivia Hollinger, Elaine Holehan, Rebecca Cook, Julie Henrikson, Mikala Forster, Prerana Vaddi, Linh Tran, Kristian Sumner, Xavia Miles, Rhea Manglani, Ava Hawkinson, Brenna Levitan, Connie Lam, Rachel Bruce, Matison Hearn-Desautels, Julia Kim, Angela Motte, Shaina Robinson, Miranda Smith, Nkechi Ampah, Alexis McDonald, Modupe Olufemi,
Absent: Heidi Gay, Pam Gassman, Dijia Chen, Marian Slocum, Ann Tran, Catherine Wagner, Stephanie Montalvan, Shakari Badgett, Dani Weismann,
Announcements
Molly Mac Dougall ’16: I’m head of the Elections Board. Nominations for the LILAC CPD position are open until 7pm tonight. Candidates’ forum is this Thursday at 8:30pm in the Campus Center.
Brenna Levitan ‘16: Update on the plenary resolution of Content Warnings on syllabi: Emmett and I met with the curriculum committee and on November 27th we’re going to meet with the faculty.
Angela Motte ’16: I’m a Member at Large. Matison Hearn-Desautels ‘18, Rachel Bruce ‘18, and I are working on a new poster campaign. The goal of this campaign is to increase the accessibility of the duties of SGA roles to the Bryn Mawr Community. Each poster will feature different appointed and elected positions. Information on the poster will include a picture of the student, a description of the student’s role, and a few quotes from the student about the position. If you would be interested in this please raise your hand and give me your name and email address.
Rachel Bruce ‘18: Before we take a straw poll, does anyone have any questions?
Aleja Newman ‘18: Straw polls are for Your Two Cents.
Angela Motte ’16: If you want to contact, email me amotte@brynmawr.edu. Give me a quote and stuff.
Shaina Robinson ‘17: One of the most principal forms of growth is learning from the past. It’s important that we try and create systems where students can record important and significant events. We are aiming to create both a digital and physical collection of items that will help contribute to the history of Bryn Mawr. Does anyone from the community have any other ideas to help make this project more accessible, or anyone who we should consider contacting to pursue this?
Angela Motte ’16: If anyone would like to help us, contact us at amotte@brynmawr.edu and srobinso99@brynmawr.edu
Odeymarys Garrido ‘17: On Thursday there’s going to be a 2017 class tea! It’ll be Thursday 8-10pm in DVR in Haffner.
Nkechi Ampah ‘15: Remind everyone Radnor Halloween is this Friday, October 31st at 10pm.
Anna Sargeant ‘15: The social committee is hosting a party this Friday at CC 10pm-2am. There will be costume contest this Friday at the campus center. There will be veggie trays!! Be there, have fun, and enjoy.
Anna Kalinsky ‘15: Will there be hot pretzels?
Pamudu Tennakoon ’15: We’re still working on food on this.
Nkechi Ampah ‘15: Radnor Halloween will have hot pretzels.
Namita Dawarkanath: Mid-semester reviews will be this upcoming week, and I’ll send out an email about this later today.
Kristian Sumner ‘17: I’m the faculty rep. I was at a recent meeting, and there were a few topics that were discussed. One was a reminder mindful with social media and professors. Provost Osirim already sent out an email about that, but this is just a reminder. The textbooks on reserve plenary resolution is being put into effect. They’re in the process of making a uniform form for requesting textbooks. They’re also talking about changing bookstore so options will be cheaper.
Mikala Forster ‘15: The first senior cocktail is Nov 1st! Emails for it are going out shortly. Please donate to the juice fund!
Sofia Oleas ‘15: Where do we donate?
Mikala Forster ‘15: Send them to me or Marian Slocum ’15. I’ll send out more info soon.
Syona Arora ’15: Big cheese next week in lieu of normal SGA meeting.
Anna Sargeant ‘15: An announcement from the Senior Gift committee: we’re going to start our collections for senior gift at the campus center and Erdman this Friday. I think we’re going to be all day until 4:30. If you donate $20.15+, you will be getting a free item. We’ll be sending out a survey on what people want.
Sofia Oleas ‘15: The Resco Co-heads, Anna Kalinsky and I wanted to inform everyone about the trick or treat happening this Thursday October 30th. East, West, Merion, Denbigh, Rock, Radnor, the Roads, you will be getting trick or treating signs.
Anna Kalinsky ’15: Remember to pick up signs DPs!
Sofia Oleas ‘15: It’s also in Thomas Great Hall from 6-7pm. Please participate in the clean up and break down as well. Get excited! There will be stickers.
Anna K: If you want to give candy, you will get it to give out at the door. If you want the trick or treaters to stop by your room, buy candy and put a sign on your door.
Sofia Oleas ‘15: DPs stick around afterwards for announcements.
Rachel: Even if your dorm isn’t one of the ones listed?
Sofia Oleas ‘15: We have announcements.
Kristian Sumner ‘17: Could someone talk about how Campus Safety invited the police department for Halloween?
Anna Kalinsky ‘15: Officer Frank talked to DPs at Resco. Campus Safety and Lower Merion Township will be on campus for Halloween. They’re there if there’s a situation that needs the police, they can be on scene and deal with the situation more quickly. They do this every year.
Sofia Oleas ‘15: The main purpose for the police are here, then they can do rounds and take care of students who might be passed out.
Anna Kalinsky ‘15: This is a good time to remind you that open containers are illegal as is possession of a fake id, lying about being of age, providing a minor with drugs and/or alcohol, and driving while intoxicated.
Aleja Newman ‘17: Does that mean you can’t carry the container around campus and have it your room?
Sofia: You shouldn’t be outside of your room with alcohol. It’s just not ok outside of a student’s room. Campus is a public space.
Molly Mac Dougall ‘16: Point of clarification: technically, since the campus is private property, they can’t arrest you.
Sofia Oleas ‘15: But Bryn Mawr is open to the public, so the police officers can give you a citation for it. Just don’t be obvious with open wine bottles.
Charlie Bruce ’16: Announcement! If you have ideas about how to make improvements to SGA kitchen, send me an email at cebruce@brynmawr.edu
Aleja Newman ‘17: Speaking of SGA kitchen, for those of you who shop at acme, there’s a sticker that you can put in a coupon book, point is if you get a certain amount of stickers, you can get a Cuisinart. If you have a bunch of stickers, you should give them to me or the Eboard.
Your 2 Cents
Matison Hearn-Desautels ’18: We’re going to do a straw poll about SGA advertisement posters.
Melanie Bahti ‘16: What’s the question you’re asking?
Angela Motte ‘17: We want SGA to be more accessible, so they have a better understanding about what roles students have and how they can help. We thought it would be a good idea with role description and name. If you are in favor of this idea, raise your hand.
Anna Sargeant ‘15: How is this different from SGA things where they highlight a position already?
Angela: Could you be more specific?
Anna Sargeant ’15: The Mawrk notes.
Charlie: The problem is that it deals with one position once a month, whereas this would explain multiple positions throughout the year.
Pamudu Tennakoon ’15: How is this different than the appointments committee posters, where they had a photo of a person?
Charlie Bruce ’16: It’s similar in that we have a photo and position of students, but these will include a description of their role.
Aleja Newman ’17: What are the Mawrk Notes?
Charlie Bruce ’16: Their informational posters that go up in the dorm and have fun facts and interesting things about SGA.
Angela: Raise your hands if you are in favor!
Everyone was in favor.
Shania Robinson ‘17: Regarding institutional memory we were talking about this earlier. We were wondering if anyone has ideas of who might help with project?
Brenna Levitan ‘16: I would recommend coordinating with the Greenfield Digital History Center and Special collections.
Aleja Newman ‘17: Traditions mistresses have stuff in storage. SGA house has older things that take up space. I’m not sure about all of the details.
Syona Arora ‘15: We’ve turned over all the papers that we have to prior to 2012 to special collections.
Shaina Robinson ‘17: Thanks everyone!
Syona Arora ‘15: We started a hot topic called your Two Cents, and we haven’t had one recently, but we’re going to return to hot topics in two weeks, after big cheese forum, aka November 9th. That week’s hot topic will be Social Media. The Eboard thinks that is an important thing because there’s a lot of conversation about social media. For example, the email from provost Osirim shows how the Admin cares. Please spread the word about Hot Topics to your friends.
Rachel Feynman ‘15: I’m representing the student body on the Information Stewardship Council, which is a council about how the college mandates data and information. This conversation took up a lot of our recent meting. It’s going on with faculty and staff but also the lawyers.
Syona Arora ‘15: That makes it even more important! I’m glad there’s a space where student and staff talk about it. There’s a lot to think and talk about.
Aleja Newman ‘17: I feel like everyone has something they want to change about the campus community. I have an idea about hosting a forum for specific class years. People in each class can discuss something that they want to fix. Once a year, 2 classes would have a forum with their class presidents. There would be a list of general topics and students make suggestions. This would provide a space for students to say things about topics. So people could talk about parade night and lantern night.
Angela Motte ‘17: is this encompassing of everything or just traditions?
Aleja Newman ’17: I haven’t thought about specific topics that wouldn’t be suggested by students.
Rachel Bruce ‘18: Since the first year presidents don’t take office after plenary, who would represent them?
Aleja Newman ‘17: I haven’t thought about it, if anyone has a suggestion, please speak up.
Mikala Forster ’15: I think that’s a really interesting ideas and I’d be curious about how that develop. I’ve mentioned to the seniors that we have office hours in the campus center, and the only folks who stop by are my friends. I would like to have that kind of forum on a one on one basis, but it’s not happening.
Aleja Newman ‘17: I appreciate that comment. I think that this space is different from an office hour because it would provide a larger discussion. People could do pros/cons, where the whole student body/class would give their input.
Pamudu Tennakoon ‘15: What is going to happen with information that is gathered? How is it going to be gathered and shared?
Aleja Newman ‘17: It would be class presidents’ responsibility to take suggestions of those students, and do something with it, since they’re the channel between the Rep Council and the rest of the undergraduate body.
Sofia Oleas made a motion to extend time until the end of speaking order, which was four people.
Mikah Farbo ‘15: I’m a little confused because I think that some of the issues are being covered in hot topics. And everyone has the opportunity to come to hot topics. How would class discussions be different? As a first year last year, these are things that I want to see changed on campus, there would be a set time to only talk about things only to time to fully discuss them. I feel like this space doesn’t provide as much time
Aleja Newman ’17: I didn’t realize last year as a first year that I could come to SGA and contribute my voice. Also SGA meetings aren’t long enough to facilitate a long discussion.
Preranna: As a follow up, could we just be better about increasing awareness to first years because what your proposing is for all four classes, if we
Aleja: I wouldn’t want to just focus on first years, everyone on campus has something that they’re curious about. It would be a space for people who want to come to come, it would also give students their own sense of responsibility. There would be a chance for students to have the responsibility themselves to give their tow cents, and then know that they could go to give their info, it would be more focused on a class rather than the student body
Rhea: I just want to give the suggestion, do two juniors and seniors, and then do sophomores and first years half way through the semester, because they could contribute more.
BACaSO Budget Presentation
Namita Dawarkanath ‘15: It’s time for the BACaSO Budget representation! The slides will be included in the minutes. If anyone has questions for Fiona, please ask now.
Elaine Hollahan ‘16: Could you explain the breakdown of the fashion show?
Fiona Gambanga’15: I don’t understand your question.
Elaine: Like talk about what it is.
Fiona Gambanga’15: The fashion show will be the closing event, so we need money for food.
Sofia Oleas ‘15: So the event will be a weeklong event?
Fiona Gambanga’15: Yes.
Brenna Levitan ‘16: Do the movies not cost money?
Fiona Gambanga’15: We are asking money through the Bryn Mawr film series and an independent option.
Namita Dwarakanath ‘15: The options are yes, I approve, no I do not approve, or I abstain.
The whole representative council approved this budget.
Big Cheese Planning
Syona: A couple of updates: next week is big cheese. Big cheese forum is a time when administrators come to talk about topics of student interest. We have been talking about what topics we would like presented at this conversation, I’m going to walk through what it’s like. There are a couple of ground rules. This year we’re going to have an open layout/discussion, we’re going to have the cheeses to sit around in chairs, and then students will have runners for mikes, it is more of a discussion rather than Q & A. A couple of rules: if you are interested in having a statement and if you have a follow up, we’re going to limit that to one student at a time, Alexis will be keeping speaking order. We’re going to have a time limit and enforce it. As an update: I know that last week, we talked about some topics, and in regards to dining services, and we’re going to have a separate event for it rather than bring it to big cheese.
I have a tentative list of the people who will be in attendance for SGA big cheese forum. Dean Balthazar, Jerry Berenson, president Cassidy, Pelema Morrice (CEO), Kari Fazio (CFO). Kari is here just to meet people, since she was just hired. They are all confirmed. Also invited are Reggie Jones, Vanessa Christman, Stephanie Nixon, Tom King, Lillian Burroughs are all invited but not confirmed. Last thing is that because we are doing topics for discussion instead of Q&A, we thought it might be appropriate for students to introduce each topic; I would love it if students from the representative council would volunteer and would love to take up that responsibility. The topics are access to mental health, Perry house, admissions, conversation about the flag, if anyone is interested a 30 sec introduction to summarize concerns please email sga@brynmawr.edu to express interest, so we can determine who holds what role.
Topics:
Title IX
Mental Health
Admissions
Perry
Response Confederate flag
Please come up to us if you know someone who would be interested to make a 30 second introduction, please email us at sga@brynmawr.edu.
Anna Sargeant ‘15: will you have cheese that I’m not allergic to?
Micah Farbo ‘15: When you read the title of response to confederate flag, you didn’t include Athletics specifically, when it was specifically athletics at the last meeting.
Syona Arora ‘15: We wanted to make it more broad so more people could contribute to the conversation.
Mikah Farboh ‘15: is Cathy Tierney not invited?
Brenna Levitan ‘16: When are we getting more information if it’s been taken off the list of topics for Big Cheese?
Syona Arora ‘15: I don’t have an answer?
Brenna Levitan ‘16: When are we getting more information up to athletics?
Micah Farbo ‘15: The athletics decision hasbeen made its up to students to send out info.
Brenna Levitan ‘16: I second Anna Sargeant’s question about allergies.
Syona Arora ‘15: If you have specific allergies, contact sga@brynmawr.edu.
Kristian Sumner ‘17: So just to be clear, at big cheese, we shouldn’t ask questions about the athletic department?
Syona Arora ‘15: There wont be anyone representing athletics.
Aleja Newman ‘17: Is there a potential that we could give each cheese a different cheese name?
Syona Arora ‘15: We can have them write their favorite type of cheese on their nametag. If you’re interested in presenting the topics, contact the EBoard. If you want to make a summary about the topics, please email us at sga@brynmawr.edu
Old business
Sofia Oleas ‘15: Update to the punching bag. I met with Kathy Tierney, and she’s in conversation with staff, faculty. We’ll be in conversation with folks about having a class about the punching bag.
New Business
Charlie Bruce ‘16: I’m trying to make the minutes more legible. I would love it if folks emailed me at cebruce@brynmawr.edu. If you have ideas, please email me. Also, if you make announcements, please write them beforehand and send it to me.
Syona Arora ‘15: Is this like what students do at Plenary?
Charlie Bruce ‘16: yes
Namita Dwarakanath ‘15: I’ve been in conversation more about special funding has been done in relation to affinity goups. I’ve been in conversation with Stephanie Nixon to change the format. If you have ideas about making different funding for culture shows that is separate from special events, please email me. I would like your feedback on how to make the funding as inclusive and as supportive as possible.
Anna Kalinsky made a motion to end the meeting. The Meeting was adjourned at 3:01 PM.