Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: January 26, 2002, No. 11

WSA Officers

President: Joey Wender
Vice President: Yaw Agyenim-Boateng
Coordinator: Sara Mirsky
Treasurer: Adam Lachman

Meeting Agenda and Business:

Meeting Opening Approval of Minutes Midyear Committee Reports Career Resource Center Discussion New Business and Announcements Adjournment

Opening of Meeting

The meeting was opened at 3:05 pm.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes were approved unanimously.

Midyear Committee Reports

1. Student Affairs Committee (SAC)
   

   Emily Polak, SAC Chair, reports: (see attachment 11A)

   Stack

   Jesse Watson asks when the review of new program houses takes place.
   Ms. Polak informs him that the review is an ongoing process, but that the houses will be informed of their statues within the next month.
   Ali Gomer points out that Jeff Ederer is coming to next week's meeting. She suggests that any questions about housing be directed to him.
   Patrick Rheaume questions which organizations want to become program houses.
   Ms. Polak responds that one of them is the Buddhist House, but she is not aware of the other one.
   

   Ms. Polak adds that if anyone wants to help with the grand opening of late night dining, contact her at epolak@wesleyan.edu.

2. Student Budget Committee (SBC)
   Adam Lachman, WSA Treasurer, reports: (see attachment 11B)
   Mr. Lachman will be presenting the SBC's midyear report at next week's meeting. This semester, the SBC has continued to manage a surplus, even though requests and allocations have been higher. Furthermore, the SBC worked with the Argus to set more realistic advertisement goals last semester; they were extremely successful in this pursuit. The Committee is working on maintaining better records of student groups' management of their money.
   

   Mr. Lachman also welcomes the new members of the SBC.

3. Finances and Facilities (FiFac)
   Ali Gomer, FiFac Chair, reports: (see attachment 11C)
   FiFac will try to be more proactive than reactive this semester.
   

   Email Gabe Tabak at gtabak@wesleyan.edu about ideas for the placement of new blue light phones.

4. Community Outreach Committee (COCo)
   Jeremy Abrams, COCo Chair, reports: (see attachment 11D)
   

   Tina Huang, COCo Member, reports on Students of Color (SOC). SOC only met once last semester due to lack of leadership, but they will hopefully meet more this coming semester.

   Stack

   Jesse Watson suggests that brief information about group recognition is posted on the Internet. Matt Lerner points out that the unreliability of the escort shuttles is especially bad due to the cold winter. Mr. Abrams states that MaryAnn Wiggin is concerned only with the safety of the shuttles, not the convenience.

   Joey Wender states that the campus should know about the security camera that is being installed. Also, Public Safety should be working more on crime prevention rather than crime solving.

5. Coordinating Committee (CC)
   Sara Mirsky, WSA Coordinator, reports:(see attachment 11E)
   

   The Member of the Week is Anay Shah.

6. Educational Policy Committee (EPC)
   

   Karen Courtheoux, EPC Voting Member, reports: (see attachment 11F)

   Stack

   Jeremy Abrams points out that sometimes it is easier on students to have assignments due during reading week.
   Ms. Courtheoux states that although this may be true, there is a policy restricting professors from collecting assignments during reading week. Professors must abide by this policy.
   Joey Wender suggests that a better course access policy should be an issue for next semester.

   Sam Franklin thinks that WesMaps should be expanded.

7. Independent Projects Committee (IPC)
   

   Yaw Agyenim-Boateng, WSA Vice President, reports: (see attachment 11G)

   Stack

   Adam Lachman asks what has happened to the WSA's connection to the Social Committee now that Maris Yanow is gone.
   Mr. Agyenim-Boateng is in contact with the Social Committee until a new member is appointed.
   Selina Ellis mentions that there is a movement in the LBGTQQ Subcommittee to get United Way off the campus. Mr. Agyenim-Boateng insists that people raise these concerns when the speakers from United Way come to our meeting.
   

   Matt Lerner suggests that Esquid is attached to a greater entity, after the model of the Daily Jolt.

8. Executive Committee (EC)
   Joey Wender, WSA President, reports:
   President Wender first congratulates the Assembly on all of its accomplishments last semester. It took an hour and a half just to review the accomplishments of last semester and the goals of next semester.
   The Assembly has a big semester ahead of it. There are things to consider, such as the future of exam and reading weeks, chalking, the institution of self defense classes, the reworking of group recognitions, putting the book coop online, reinstituting Esquid, creating a sound voting page, getting the Argus reports actually in the papter, and working on the new University Center.
   

   The EC will try to work harder and push the agenda faster this semester.

Career Resource Center (CRC) Discussion – Joey Wender

The issue first surfaced in late December. Improvements of the CRC was mentioned as an issue that has never been discussed. It is under the rubric of University of Relations. President Wender asks the Assembly for suggestions for improvement of the CRC. If people want to work on this mission, contact President Wender at jwender@wesleyan.edu.

Stack

• Colleen Galbraith says that first of all, the CRC needs to get rid of obsolete information. Second, it needs a better system of contact with alumni. Third, there needs to be better on-campus recruiting.
• Sara Mirsky requests better help with resume and cover letter writing; the CRC needs to have more enthusiasm and encouragement. There also needs to be more familiarity with search engines.
• Adam Lachman recommends that the CRC simplifies and categorizes the emails that they send out. It also needs more walk-in hours.
• Joey Wender complains that students have to wait a long time if they make an appointment. Workers at the CRC should be more enthusiastic and willing to help.
• Jeremy Levinn states that the "My CRC" part of the website is totally useless. When he complained of this at the CRC, no one helped him.
• Colleen Galbraith insists that there needs to be better networking and that internships need to be more well known.
• Ali Gomer informs the Assembly that the CRC is moving to the University Center. If there is anything that needs to be physically changed, contact her at agomer@wesleyan.edu.
• Juan Moreno says that it needs to advertise better and create more motivation, especially in freshmen.
• Karen Courtheoux comments on the CRC's lack of information. It needs to expand its information bases for freshmen and sophomores.
• Sam Franklin suggests that one thing that might justify Wesleyan's tuition prices would be a stellar CRC.
• Adam Lachman recommends that we look at other successful CRCs.
• Colleen Galbraith things that there should be more exclusively Wesleyan databases.
• Karen Courtheoux points out that it is difficult to find opportunities that are not on the East Coast.
• Tina Huang complains that the CRC is lacking in many scholarship opportunities, such as opportunities for Asian-American.

New Business and Announcements

Sara Mirsky asks all committee chairs to email their midyear reports to her and Monica Arduini. Also, chairs should inform Ms. Mirsky if their committees need appointments.
Jesse Watson asks all freshmen to respond to his email about the freshman forum. Joey Wender predicts that the Buccaneers will win the Super Bowl.

President Wender also announces that a WSA dinner will be held next Sunday, February 2, at 6:00.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Monica Arduini, WSA Secretary