Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: February 15, 2004, No. 12

WSA Officers

President: Sohana Punithakumar
Vice President: Daniel Rodriguez
Coordinator: Sara Mirsky
Treasurer: Camille Zahniser

Meeting Agenda and Business

1. Meeting Opening
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Committee Reports
4. Basketball Court Discussion
5. New Business
6. Appointments Discussion
7. Announcements
8. Adjournment

Opening of Meeting

The meeting was opened at 7:09 PM.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes approved as corrected.

Committee Reports

1. Community Outreach Committee (COCo)

   Jeremy Abrams, COCo Chair, reports:
   The SBC and COCo met, and will present the results next Sunday. The SBC will inform COCo of events, which COCo members will attend. COCo will relay that information to SBC when the group requests money again. The SBC will encourage groups to contact COCo in preparing requests for money. The Student Group Pamphlet will be going out soon. The PSAC will decide next years parking registration. The lighting tour will be on March 21 at 8 pm. Arijit Sen is working on the Book Coop. Jose Marantes is working with leilani on party policy. Johanna Goetzel, Rafael Medrano and Dante Furioso are the new AWARE members. Medrano will also be on the Davenport Advisory Committee. There will be two meetings this week to discuss communication within the Assembly. They will be on Thursday and Friday; one will not include EC members, one will. The first discussion will give a free space for people to talk, second will have EC there to brainstorm with. Information from both meetings will be compiled to form a solution.

2. Coordinating Committee (CC)

   Sara Mirsky, Coordinator, reports:
   The member of week is josh bryant for being a pioneering vegan. The Constitutional Review committee didn't meet last week, but will be meeting this week.

3. Educational Policy Committee (EPC)

   Karen Coutheoux, EPC Chair, reports:
   In addition to significant progress on our individual initiatives, EPC outreach is soon to be under way. EPC has created a short response form for students to fill out. Committee members will table at Mocon next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then at the Campus Center the week after. EPC is trying to get an email address. Most faculty say they are not concerned about grade inflation.

4. Finances and Facilities Committee (FiFac)

   Emily Polak, FiFac Member, reports:
   Contractors are being evaluated for the Fauver Field dorms. There has been discussion about the process of student input in residential decisions. Students need to be more informed about plans. Gabe Tabak is working on financial aid. The first Cafsac meeting is this Thursday at mocon.

5. Independent Projects Committee (IPC)

   Danny Rodriguez, IPC Chair, reports:
   The Senior Class Officers met with the IPC to ensure that future first semester seniors will be allowed into all senior events. To accomplish this, for all events the Officers have complied detailed information about venues and bookings. This information will be shared with future Officers so that they may begin booking venues much earlier and have some more flexibility. This year has been an anomaly in that there have never been this many senior passes purchased. For the remaining senior events all seniors will be allowed to attend. There was a meeting with the Social Committee, Sohana Punithakumar, Director of Student Activities & Leadership Development Leilani Kupo, Dean Rick Culliton, Associate Director of Public Safety David Meyer concerning safety at spring fling. We are currently trying to formulate a plan to make a "good faith effort" to curb underage drinking at the event.
   Dan Stillman reports on E-squid: the site is now on-line. There is an acceptable use policy, please use it respectfully. Faculty do not currently have access but may in the future. www.esquid.com

6. Student Affairs Committee (SAC)

   Rebecca Solow, SAC Chair, reports:
   The URLC met on Thursday. WestCo will determine its own goals and will self-evaluate. 200 Church was also discussed. The URLC might meet with the residents to decide on course of action to take for next year. Summerfield's expanded another half hour for dinner, but will need an hour and a half between closing dinner and opening late night. There will be two more vegan items on late night menu, and all vegetarian options will always be convertible to vegan. Grab and go vegan options are now available at the Campus Center and Pi. The University is considering having hard waiver for health insurance. In the review of the Code of Non-academic Conduct, case brought th the board will include some faculty.

7. Student Budget Committee (SBC)

   Camille Zahniser, SBC Chair, reports:
   The SBC met and allocated funds. SBC aslo met with COCo. The Social Committe wants about 30,000 dollars for headliner bands; this will be negotiated, because that's a lot of money.

Stack

• Justin Christopher asks if old reviews will be posted on E-squid.
• Dan Stillman replies that he will use the past three semesters relevant material.
• Karen Courtheoux says it should be made official that first semester seniors can go to senior class cocktails.
• Sohana Punithakumar replies that would possibly raise capacity issues. And, the locations must vary to prevent people driving drive drunk.
• Courtheoux asks if there are alternate sites for basketball court.
• Jeremy Abrams replies that it is an issue only because it was formerly located there.
• Courtheoux asks why parking stickers cannot be bought by the semester.
• Abrams replies that would require new stickers, which will not happen until next year.
• Arijit Sen says that stack hinders conversation.
• Becca Solow asks if it is possible to have a separate stack on an issue immediately following this one.
• Sara Mirsky says yes.
• Jeremy Abrams says that in addition to his committee report, Danielle Krudy is working on getting more information posted about public safety problems so that students can be more informed.
• Nora Connor asks if there has been any progress on the display case for Summerfields.
• Solow replies that it has arrived, but has not been set up yet.
• Allison Burson motions to add agenda item to talk about basketball court
• The additional item passes.
• Jose Marantes asks if it is possible to have late night hours at Pi Café.
• Solow says she will raise that question with Tim Reiss tomorrow, but union staff will be upset because of adding late night hours.
• Marantes asks what is going on with 200 Church Street.
• Emily Polak says that residents were asked if it would be beneficial to have sophomores live there as well.
• Nora Connor says that sophomores were not found desirable.
• Sohana Punithakumar asks if gratuity will be payable with points at Thai Gardens.
• Solow says she is working on that.
• Punithakumar suggests have stack for each committee report.
• Solow says that the Communications Committee should consider that in their meeting.
• Emily Polak asks how E-Squid is be publisized.
• Danny Rodriguez says that will be an all campus email.
• Camille Zahniser says word of mouth will suffice.
• Emily Polak asks why are EC members are not invited to first meeting of the Communications Committee.
• Punithakumar replies that the hierarchy of wsa can be intimidating, and people should have safe space to voice concerns.
• Annie Heindel says that Summerfield's hours need to be advertised to prevent complication. And, regarding the Social Committee request, it sounds like a lot of money, but that amount is necessary for big names.
• Camille Zahniser says that the SBC budget is unclear because of accounting errors. So, it will be hard to give them an exact number.
• Daniel Rubin suggests WSA weekly emails in html format, and for SBC, student groups should have website training.
• Josh Bryant asks if the bookstore still boycotts apparel made in sweatshops.
• Allison Burson replies yes.
• Zach Kolodin asks if Cafsac is still open to more people.
• Emily Polak replies that it is full.
• Nora Connor asks what the environmental subcommittee is doing.
• Sohana Punithakumar says that it will be a subcommittee of Cafsac. Nathan Victoria will be going to EON to discuss the committee.
• Sara Mirsky welcomes Johanna Goetzel.
• Johanna says she is happy to be here. She says that she works at pi café in mornings between 7 and 9 am when no one is there. She suggests changing those hours.
• Daniel Rubin asks Danny Rodriguez what is going on with making the flow chart of committees and subcommittees?
• Danny replies that that will happen after constitutional review is done.
• Annie Heindel adds that she is working on graphing the hierarchy of administration. Anyone with suggestions should talk to her.
• Danielle Krudy says she would like an should updated list of WSA members.

Basketball Court Discussion

The assembly discusses whether basketball hoops should be constructed next to Summerfields despite possible noise.

Stack

• Danny Rodrigues say that there are many noisy people outside in summer anyway.
• Dante Furioso says that Butterfield residents cannot expect to live in an isolated bubble. People will be outside doing things, so they can just deal with it.
• Annie Heindel says that some people chose to live in the Butterfields because they thought there would be a basketball there.
• Jeremy Abrams says that some people did not get to choose living in the Butterfields.
• Straw poll in favor of a basketball court in Butts: In favor: 18, Against: 1, Abstentions: 4
• Karen Courtheoux says that the court should go where it is the most accessible for students.
• Danielle Krudy says there are noise problems in all dorms. The court would be a good way to draw people to that area of campus.
• Allison Burson says that the residents should make this decision.
• Daniel Rubin says that having late night dining will encourage people to play later.
• Annie Heindel suggests having signs to stop basketball after 11 or 12 pm.

New Business

Stack

• Daniel Rubin asks if the WSA can conduct a review of the Wesleyan website because there have been many complaints.
• Rebecca Solow says that is probably Marcia Bromberg's department.
• Rubin suggest that freshman get a "how-to book" for things like instructions on how to order pizza.
• Emily Polak says that the orientation committee should handle that.
• Sohana Punithakumar says that could go into the handbook freshmen recieve.
• Rubin also want a campus wide facebook.
• Punithakumar says that other schools have that online.
• Rubin thinks that it would be nice to have after graduation; it would be like a student directory with pictures.

Appointments Discussion

Sara Mirsky, Coordinator, introduces the discussion. The proposed appointment procedure includes the Coordinating Committee, President and chair of ommittee with the vacancy all present for the interview. These five members will discuss the candidates, and the Coordinating Committee will vote. At the next general meeting, the Coordinating Committee will give short briefing on candidate. Then, the Assembly will vote to approve or reject the candidate.

Stack

• Danny Rodriguez suggests that the chair have a vote and the President vote in the case of a tie.
• Karen Courtheoux suggests that the candidate come to the following Assembly meeting for a question and answer session, similar to internal elections, before the assembly votes to approve the appointment.
• Allison Burson says that that might make it more intimidating, and the process should be short and simple.
• Rebecca Solow agrees that the chair should vote. Having the candidate answer questions for whole assembly would then be redundant.
• Straw poll on having the chair vote in appointments: the Assembly is in favor of the chair voting.
• Karen Courtheoux suggests that the President vote in case of a tie.
• Emily Polak thinks that gives too much power to one person.
• Solow asks if the assembly should vote.
• Punithakumar says that that might depend too much on who presents the candidate.
• Solow suggests that the committee decide.
• Punithakumar thinks that that might draw it out too much.
• Monica Arduini suggests that the Coordinator vote should go if in the case of a tie.
• Danny Rodriguez suggests that the Secretary not vote.
• Straw poll: the Sectretary does not vote. The Assembly supports it 11-6-9.
• Brittany Mitchell says that committee chair's vote could to count in case of tie, instead of the Coordinator.
• Emily Polak says that whoever sits in should also be codified in the Constitution.
• Solow asks why there is opposition to Danny's plan.
• Zahniser says that takes away Secretary's place as member of coordinator committee, and makes that person solely the secretary.
• Danny Rodriguez says that the Secretary has enough to do already.
• Sara Mirsky says that the Secretary cannot participate as actively in General Assembly meetings because of taking notes. Also, the Coordinating Committee acts as Election Committee, so this is directly tied.

Announcements

Danny Rodriguez announces that there will be WSA member photos taken at next week's meeting.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Juan Sebasti—n Moreno, WSA Secretary