Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: February 23, 2003, No. 15

WSA Officers

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

Opening of Meeting

The meeting was opened at 8:05 pm.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes were approved unanimously.

Meeting Agenda and Business

• Discussion with EON
• Committee Reports
• New Business and Announcements

Environmental Organizers’ Network (EON) Presentation – Jesse Young and Matt Montesano

• See attachments 15A and 15B.
• Mr. Young and Mr. Montesano discuss the use of battery eggs on campus. Battery eggs are produced by hens in battery cages. The cages hurt and, many times, kill the hens. Most hens die after 1/10 of their natural life span. These cages are used in massive poultry farms; the male chickens are thrown out, while the female chickens are debeaked and packed together in battery cages even though it is their natural behavior to roam. Chickens become agitated and their natural behavior is stunted. Aramark is prohibited to use free range eggs in served food, so they are therefore using factory farmed pasteurized eggs. EON is trying to get Aramark to reduce the number of factory farmed eggs sold in WeShop and to provide students with more free range eggs. The Campus Center has agreed to increase its use of baked goods using egg substitutes instead of eggs. The organization is working with dining services on the subject, but dining services is requiring a student mandate in order to take action. Wesleyan should not be supporting this industry, seeing as the owners of battery cages use them solely to maximize profit.

Stack

• Joey Wender asks if WeShop currently sells two types of eggs.
• Mr. Montesano informs him that of the eggs that WeShop sells, 75% are factory farmed eggs and 25% are organic eggs. The organic eggs sell out very quickly.
• Mr. Wender asks what the price difference between the two types of eggs is. If the school moves toward using organic eggs, will the cost of food increase?
• Mr. Montesano responds that organic eggs are more expensive, but the Director of WeShop said that with student support, he would get in contact with a free range chicken farmer and make a deal with him.
• Mr. Wender asks why Wesleyan should completely eliminate factory farmed eggs and not provide students with a choice. He suggests educating people instead.
• Mr. Montesano says that the organization does not believe these corporations should be on campus.
• Mr. Wender asks why the organization is focusing on eggs.
• Mr. Montesano responds that the European Union has been phasing out battery cages, and eggs are easy to replace.
• Karen Courtheoux praises EON’s job in raising awareness. She asks why Aramark isn’t allowed to use free range eggs in its food.
• Mr. Young explains that Aramark doesn’t pasteurize organic eggs, which is risky if they were to use them in mass prepared food.
• Matt Lerner asks why EON is advocated egg substitutes and not mass produced organic eggs.
• Mr. Young informs him that it will be a couple of years before Aramark is able to use mass amounts of organic eggs.
• Mr. Montesano explains that they are trying to limit the amount of eggs used in food in general where egg isn’t the main ingredient.
• Mr. Lerner thinks that the resolution is a bit forceful and that EON should advocate the progressive elimination of battery eggs.
• Mr. Montesano explains that they are working with Aramark, so they are not being forceful.
• Jesse Watson asks what items with eggs in them EON is looking to replace.
• Mr. Young responds most baked goods. Aramark has the option of buying from bakeries that do not use eggs.
• Danny Rodriguez asks about the price difference between the two types of eggs.
• Colleen Galbraith informs him that there is a 400% difference.
• Mr. Montesano explains that if WeShop is in contact with a local organic farmer, the price difference will decrease.
• Emily Polak recommends that EON work with the Dining Advisory Committee.
• Sam Franklin asks what the results of passing this resolution would be.
• Mr. Montesano informs him that the owner of WeShop will work harder and take it more seriously if the WSA passes a resolution concerning the eggs.
• Jeremy Abrams advocates a choice for students, especially since there is a big price difference between the two types of eggs.
• Joey Wender thinks that there should be equilibrium due to student choice between the two eggs.
• Sohana Punithakumar suggests that students might feel more comfortable with a pasteurized option.
• Yaw Agyenim-Boateng agrees that choice is very important. He recommends following the buying habits of students so that, eventually, what they do not like will be phased out.
• Emily Polak asks what the economic difference would be if the switch-over in the Campus Center would occur.
• Mr. Montesano does not have figures for that, but EON would probably have been informed if the difference was significant.
• Colleen Galbraith recommends equalizing the prices between the two options in WeShop.

Committee Reports

• Student Budget Committee (SBC)
  • Adam Lachman, WSA Treasurer, reports:
  • Due to the snow, the SBC did not meet on Monday. The Committee will be reviewing the budget for Asian Awareness Month and the West Indian Student Association this week. Also, it is in the process of building a strategy on the College Body Tax.
  • Mr. Lachman met Marcia Bromberg in regards to the WestCo Café. They will be working to solidify cost estimates as well as work Manny Cunard and Joyce Topshe to finalize the proposal.
• Finances and Facilities (FiFac)
  • Ali Gomer, FiFac Chair, reports:
  • Although FiFac didn’t meet last week, each member has been busy with his/her task.
  • Ms. Gomer and Gabe Tabak attended the Campus Master Plan Workshop on Wednesday and heard about ideas for future housing projects. The Master Planners would like to set up a special meeting the next time they come to speak to students; this would be sometime in the evening of Wednesday, March 26.
  • Matt Lerner finished the WestCo Proposal, and it has been sent off to various members of the administration and staff.
  • Sam Franklin is working to address WESU’s request for upgrading various elements of their space.
  • Ms. Gomer met with the University Center Planning Committee and saw the initial ideas for footprints of the new building. Which buildings will remain and how much of them will be used is a major issue which will be addressed over the next week.
• Independent Projects Committee (IPC)
  • Yaw Agyenim-Boateng, WSA Vice President, reports:
  • Danny Rodriguez reports that the Social Committee website will be up next week.
  • Mr. Agyenim-Boateng reports on the IPC’s waste reduction program. He presents the chart of leftover copies of the New York Times in major campus centers where they are distributed ( Exley Science Center, MoCon, North College, and the Campus Center). The IPC recommends: 1) discontinuing the supply to North College; 2) factoring in the number of newspapers taken from the stack but never actually read; 3) further reducing the supply of papers to the University.
• Stack
  • Sohana Punithakumar asks if the University has an agreement with the New York Times regarding the price of the papers and how many we are supplied.
  • Mr. Agyenim-Boateng informs her that the University can decrease the number of papers without decreasing the price per unit.
  • Karen Courtheoux suggests installing a receptacle to reuse papers as students leave MoCon.
  • Jeremy Abrams recommends that instead of eliminating the supply to North College, the papers should be supplied to Summerfield’s or somewhere in the Butterfields.
  • Adam Lachman asks if the school gets a refund for leftover papers.
  • Camille Zahniser informs him that there is a refund.
  • Jeremy Abrams suggests using the leftovers for high school programs.
  • Nathan Victoria insists that we look at the leftovers in terms of percentages.
  • Sohana Punithakumar thinks the IPC should work with the administration, since they pay for half of the papers.
  • Adam Lachman points out we should aim for shortages. Leftovers are a waste of paper, and there are always stacks of leftovers.
  • Jeremy Abrams advocates further examining the amount that need to be reduced.
  • The IPC report continues. Melinda Coro announces that the Senior Class Officers are planning Senior Class Cocktails. She adds that there are many proposals to look over the Snowed In Fund.
  • Brian Byusa announces his project idea that the IPC will be working on. There are huge numbers of students that stay at Wesleyan over the summer. They have to pay $84 per week for housing only. If this trend persists, the school will see more students living off campus because it is cheaper by $300 and has more competitive features, such as air conditioning. On campus housing during the summer is very poor, unsafe, and lacking in a sense of community. Mr. Byusa has set up a meeting with Dean Hill and Mr. Agyenim-Boateng to discuss the issue.
• Stack
  • Joey Wender instructs Mr. Byusa to research how the $84 per week compares to how much students pay during the year. He suggests Mr. Byusa work with the URLC.
• Community Outreach Committee ( COCo)
  • Jeremy Abrams, COCo Chair, reports:
  • COCo is in the final phase of planning Roller Night. They will presell tickets to students because the rink can only hold about 100 people. A band will play, and there will be a shuttle taking students back and forth.
  • PSAC is creating recommendations about the new shuttle route(s). If people have suggestions, they should email Mr. Abrams at jrabrams@wesleyan.edu.
  • COCo is looking into having PSU play on Foss Hill during WesFest.
  • The Student of Color (SOC) Forum is Thursday at 6 pm in the Campus Center. Mr. Abrams presents the agenda that has been put together.
  • In addition, it is important to note that Mr. Abrams defeated both Anay Shah and Joe McGuire in Mario Kart. Although each game was close, Mr. Abrams pulled off a convincing win overall with a score of 4 vs. 2 for Anay and a single game going to Joe. COCo is still examining the results and will have a full report ready for next week’s general assembly in order to better facilitate communicate within the University. Next week, Mario Tennis.
• Stack
  • Matt Lerner encourages keeping the escort service.
  • Mr. Abrams explains that it serves as a taxi service, not an escort.
  • Karen Courtheoux points out that the bus to Middletown will increase access to our campus in ways that maybe aren’t so positive.
  • Leilani Kupo suggests for the SOC forum that the group focus on at least one point very well. They should not spread the conversation too thin.
  • Tina Huang informs her that she will just be organizing the event, and the SOC leaders will take it from there.
• Student Affairs Committee (SAC)
• Emily Polak, SAC Chair, reports:
• The SAC is engaged in various URLC issues, the main concern right now being whether first years should live in X House and WestCo.
• The Committee will hear a dining update on Tuesday regarding proposals for dining around campus from Manny Cunard. They will hear proposals for the immediate future of dining the following Tuesday.
• The topics that will be covered at the next SLC meeting include non-alcoholic activities and an AOD talk by Lisa Farshtey.
• If there is any interest in creating an art show in the lobby of Olin, email Ms. Polak at epolak@wesleyan.edu.
• Coordinating Committee (CC)
  • Jeremy Levinn, WSA Assistant Coordinator, reports:
  • The member of the week is Melinda Coro.
  • The CC will be meeting with Frank Kuan on Thursday to work out the WSA community service project.  
• Educational Policy Committee (EPC)
  • Colleen Galbraith, EPC Chair, reports:
  • Ms. Galbraith met with Marcia Bromberg to discuss the bookstore and President Douglas Bennet to discuss chalking.
  • An electronic drop/add period is being considered. The system would make it easier to reallocate spaces.
• Executive Committee (EC)
  • Joey Wender, WSA President, reports:
  • The CRC Initiative continues with great success. Focus group sessions have already been set up and the charter for the advisory committee is being devised. He urges Committee Chairs to discuss the charter within their committees.
• Stack
  • Jeremy Abrams informs Mr. Wender that he talked to Jen Levine, who was specifically concerned that the CRC does not have enough scholarships for students of color.

New Business and Announcements

• Jesse Watson announces that the Freshman Forum was cancelled last Monday due to snow, but will be held tomorrow night at the same time and place.
• Sam Franklin announces the arrival of his new WSA binder.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:39 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Monica Arduini, WSA Secretary