Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: December 7, 2003, No. 8

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. New Business
4. Construction
5. Shuttle Report
6. Green Energy - EON
7. Committee Reports
8. SBC Election
9. Impeachment
10. Announcements
11. Adjournment

Opening of Meeting

The meeting was opened at 8:01 PM.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes approved as corrected.

New Business

No new business.

Construction Services - Jennifer Rosenthal, Manny Cunard, Rob Schmidt

Three workshops took place this fall concerning the master planning construction proposals. The discussions focused on residence hall projects for the class entering in the fall of 2005, which will house two hundred freshmen on Fauver Field, one of the goals being to remove all frosh from the Butterfield dormitories, and move them onto Foss Hill. Seventy to a hundred four-bedroom apartments will be constructed to the rear of Fauver Field, as well as proto-type houses on the corner of Fountain Street and Cross Street, which will replace distant and dilapidated houses.

The group meetings gathered student comments about Wesleyan University's residential and campus facilities, and compared the options to those of other campuses. The workshops also covered the principals of Wesleyan master planning. The construction project's goals are to reduce off-campus housing, consolidate the campus, and eliminate the safety issues in wood-frames.

Specific discussion topics of the freshman residencies included privacy in a one room double, more flexibility through movable furniture, and lounge space (modeled after Clark Hall, one study lounge and one recreational, with natural light and cozy, not institutional, communal kitchen, and one large common room, as well as, a "Weshop Emporium" on ground floor.

The upper-class residency workshop raised a concern that the location of the prototype houses on Warren Street is cite not large enough, and the Vine Street lot was not favored for its disconnectedness from campus and for safety reasons. The students at the workshop voted for the Fauver Field site facing Vine Street. But, the students also considered that this space might be too close to the freshman dormitory.

Stack

• Karen Courtheoux says that it is great to see student involvement in the planning process. She asks, how will the timing of the reduction of off campus housing and construction coincide?
• Jennifer Rosenthal replies that will happen when the new housing opens. She reminds Karen that there are many options to housing group.
• Nora Connor suggests that buildings be energy efficient with as much natural lighting as possible.
• Manny Cunard says that the prototype housing will be function in part with geothermal energy. In fact this is a priority commitment to energy efficiency.
• Linda Dempah asks if the senior houses will be furnished.
• Rosenthal replies, yes.
• Camille Zahniser asks if there are closets in all new housing types.
• Cunard replies affirmatively.
• Daniel Rubin adds that storage was high priority in the students' review.
• Ben Evar asks, why are there only prototype houses for five students and not the option of four or six?
• Rosenthal replies that there are many other current options and this is a trial period for the prototype option. Daniel Rubin informs Evar that five is the most cost effective number, and there is no commitment to that number exclusively for the future.
• Evar asks what the frames are constructed of.
• Rob Schmidt says that none of the shells will be made of wood, and there will be metal frames.
• Sohana says that there is a storage spaces problem with suitcases and boxes.
• Rubin replies that those items have storage space near the laundry room. He says that there will there no longer be singles for frosh.
• Danielle Krudy asks what the interiors look like.
• Cunard says that they will be not cinderblock; they will be sheet rock.
• Anay Shah requests that the buildings are not designed with riot-proof hallways the way High Rise and Butterfields are. He also asks if there will there be basements.
• Rosenthal says no, but all three will be air-conditioned.
• Radoslava Petrova asks if there will be any singles in the frosh dorm, and what size of will the double rooms be?
• Rosenthal says that the Resident Assistants will have single rooms, and the doubles will be larger than those in Clark Hall.
• Nora Connor suggests that there be a creative mural space. She requests that if there will not be dividers in the rooms then the Office of Residential Life should pair-up roommates better.
• Nathan Victoria says that Foss Hill 2 has manageable doubles and suggests that those be a model for the new housing.
• Radoslava Petrova suggests that the dormitories be constructed with large computer lounges.
• Anay Shah would like to have computers, printers and a foosball table in the lounges.

Shuttle Update - Anay Shah

The Office of Auxiliary Services will create a department of transportation to prevent Marianne Wiggins from cutting the shuttle program. The first proposal is hiring full-time adult staff and a few student staff. Students could be shift managers and student drivers. Auxiliary Services will buy two Earth and Environmental Science Department vans and one more van. The program will redefine the purpose of the shuttle program, as well as work with the Middletown Area Transit to get an addition to the loop that circulates Main Street. Pacho Carreño and Ben Evar are working with E&ES who are getting new vehicles, so that Student Groups can use the vans with a trained student driver. The best reason for hiring student drivers is the subsidized work-study labor for reducing cost; furthermore, 11 or 12 pm would be the last shift of the night for student drivers on week nights, who would not drive at all on Friday or Saturday night. Finally, if the program is logistically set-up over the spring semester, it can be ready for the fall of 2004.

Stack

• Georgi Radev asks if the shuttle will run when there is snow in the winter.
• Manny Cunard says yes, that that would be the best time for its operation.
• Anay Shah adds that the program could just add the cost of chains for tires.
• Nathan Victoria suggests that ResLife staff be trained to drive.
• Sohana Punithakumar says that student drivers have driven for other university events and we can therefore trust the training program.
• José Marantes asks how many vans there will be.
• Shah says that there will be two shuttles and one escort, as well as, two for student groups from E&ES
• Cunard says that Auxiliary Services will respond to the demand this program and let program grow to support student needs.
• Shah says that this will be a collaborative process with Student Budget Committee.
• Becca Solow supports the employment of more labor through the program.

Wesleyan Green Energy - Environmental Organizers' Network

New England Campus Climate Pledge to Reduce Greenhouse gasses is a statement of commitment from the New England college presidents. To date, seventeen schools in Connecticut have signed on to the pledge. President Bennet replied to Governor Roland saying there was not enough student support for the Pledge at Wesleyan. With this resolution we will show President Bennet that there is. EON has recreated the Green Energy Resolution because the 2003 Resolution vanished.

Stack

• Ali Gomer says that Wesleyan University does not we not have renewable energy because the former provider went out of business.
• Nora Connor points out that purchasing twenty percent renewable energy means that the University buys a certificate for an amount of energy to run in the power grid.
• Allison Burson asks why EON requests the amount of twenty percent renewable energy.
• Connor responds that EON chose a number that the administration would be likely to agree to and since have a positive environmental impact. The additional cost to normal energy consumption will be an additional fifty thousand dollars.
• Camille Zahniser says that the University is looking to cut cost everywhere because next year the school will be suffering financially. Zahniser suggests that EON pitch the Resolution to the Administration saying that it will increase alumni donations.
• Sohana Punithakumar says that when the WSA advocated a ten percent commitment last year the additional cost was the same as this year's twenty percent request. Punithakumar suggest that EON follow Trinity and Connecticut Colleges, whose graduating class gifts funded their renewable energy purchase.
• Connor says that EON is considering holding an alumni drive.
• Punithakumar suggests that EON also collect money from Wesleyan parents as well as graduating seniors.
• Karen Courtheoux says that EON has been in touch with Kenneth McGraw of Physical Plant who told them that the proposal is not far fetched, but in order to secure it as long term the monetary commitment has to be fundraised.
• Jesse Watson asks what the difference between green and renewable energy is.
• Connor says that green energy is the hip lingo for renewable that excluding coal and oil. And, Wesleyan buys coal as the primary fuel, which is the most noxious option.
• Becca Solow asks if there are any conservation measures available to Wesleyan.
• Connor says that the University can undergo an energy audit to tabulate how and where energy is being used and identify weaknesses.
• José Marantes suggests that energy would be saved will if more automatic light switches were installed in halls and bathroom in residencies.
• Courtheoux offers a point of information, the Library Committee recommended having automatic switches installed in the library.
• Danielle Krudy states that heat in her dormitory, Nicholson Five is always on high.
• Nathan Victoria says that, on Physical Plant's Major Maintenance list, the radiator dials in the Butterfield Dormitories will be fixed.

First Draft
Final Draft
Motion to approve the resolution.
The resolution is approved unanimously.

Committee Reports

1. Independent Projects Committee (IPC)

   Danny Rodriguez, IPC Chair, reports:
   The Career Resource Center Advisory Committee met. So far this semester, the CRC interacted with a total of 902 students, of which 61 percent were seniors, 22 percent juniors, 26 percent sophomores, and 13 percent freshmen. The committee will meet again on February 4, 2004 at 5 pm. Greg Heller is still in the process of updating the WSA site, which, once completed, will be advertised with a mass e-mail. The Senior Class Officers held Cocktails on December 4th with a Fire and Ice theme; the next event will be sometime February.

2. Student Affairs Committee (SAC)

   Rebecca Solow, SAC Chair, reports:
   The Undergraduate Residential Life Committee reached a consensus on the recommendations from the External Review and presented the more controversial ones to the Student Life Committee. As far as these go, the URLC rejected the report's implication that program housing is discriminatory, decided to keep some sort of HR-like position, and will to assess the changes in the judicial/policing role of student staff that already occurred this year before moving any further. This review went smoothly and none of the problematic recommendations will happen. I will meet with Maureen Isleib and Dean Mike next week to do program housing evaluation; the committee will also be hearing program house proposals at our last meeting of the semester. The Campus Center Menu Review Committee met. A number of changes have been and will be implemented. As well as an improved menu, there will be new signs and a review of the Chinese window. I will meet with Tim Reiss on Monday to discuss dates for a trial run of off-campus points this semester. During reading week and finals week the third floor of the Campus Center will not be open. Pi will be serving late because the Science Library will be open twenty-four hours a day.

   The Student Life Committee gave initial feedback on the OBHS review. A sub-committee with Dean Rick will evaluate and implement that review. The chairs of the SJB offered their feedback on the review of the Code of Non-Academic Conduct and the Honor Code. SLC also reviewed a rough draft of the new sexual misconduct policy.

3. Finances and Facilities Committee (FiFac)

   Nathan Victoria, FiFac Chair, reports:
   That Major Maintenance will be controlled by the executive administration.

4. Educational Policy Committee (EPC)

   Karen Coutheoux, EPC Chair, reports:
   The Library Student Advisory Committee met for the first time this past Friday. Per an EPC suggestion, Deans Rutherford and Culliton added to their website pages for students with physical or learning disabilities. (Link: www.wesleyan.edu/deans/disabilities.html) The EPC will be meeting with Dean Rutherford on Thursday, December 11 to discuss similar issues. There is a prospective Environmental Studies Majors' meeting on Thursday night with Professor Barry Chernoff to discuss aspects of the current certificate program and possibilities for change. The bookstore advisory committee will be having its first meeting next week.

5. Community Outreach Committee (COCo)

   Rafael Medrano, COCo Chair, reports:
   COCo is working on perfecting the student packet. A meeting with Frank Kwan is scheduled for Thursday. Next semester, COCo will be e-mailing student groups with WSA related news. Congratulations to Anay Shah for his excellent work this semester.

6. Coordinating Committee (CC)

   Sara Mirsky, Coordinator, reports:
   The WSA member of the week title goes to Rebecca Solow, kids' rights extraordinaire and gung-ho Executive Committee member. Appointments will happen at the beginning of the semester. Representatives should let Sara know if they are either going abroad or not returning to the WSA next semester so CC can plan accordingly.

7. Student Budget Committee (SBC)

   Camille Zahniser, Treasurer, reports:
   The SBC met and gave out money. Large allocations were:
   
   • 1200 dollars for Jonathan Fishman.
   Winter Carnival will be some time on Tuesday, the SBC decided not to fund the seven thousand dollar act. The Social Committee has secured one thousand dollar band. Their budget is capped at ten thousand dollars.

   Stack

   • Danny Rodriguez says that the Social Committee has given the WSA a run around, and thinks that it is a good thing the SBC is not funding them because of their negligence.

SBC Election Discussion and Vote

For possible noncompliant actions during the current SBC election the Assembly discusses and votes on the legitimacy of the results. The Executive Committee found out that a candidate used an official WSA student group leader e-mail contact list to campaign for the election. Because, the WSA has regulated that candidates not poster near the computer labs, nor use certain lists for campaigning purposes, and because election lasted three days instead of the constitutionally prescribed five day duration, the Assembly will decide whether or not to nullify the results and hold another election, in which case current candidates will remain on ballot in the spring.

Stack

• Pacho Carreño asks for a clarification of what list-serves candidates are not allowed to use.
• Sara Mirsky gives an example; members of COCo have access to certain contact lists. The list wrongly used in the election was from academic year.
• Sohana Punithakumar says that the WSA cannot codify all electoral practices. If the Constitution is viewed with a loosely constructionist view, then the election should be redone.
• Mirsky says that the problem arose from miscommunication.
• Zach Kolodin asks how did the election happen to be scheduled for only three days.
• Mirsky says that it was an oversight of the election committee.
• Arijit Sen says that the election could have resulted differently if it had been conducted properly, but he is still confused what the official violation was.
• Punithakumar says that Student Group Leader Contact List was never used in the past, and it should never be used for election e-mails in the future. And, while voter apathy is a concern when possibly holding a January election, the issues of having a 3-day election outweigh this.
• Sara Mirsky says that this is not the case of a candidate mailing his platform to the list-serve of an organization he or she is a member of. The student group leaders are upset that they were contacted, and did not find a suitable way to request removal from the list considering that the potential winner of the election would be deciding the amount of money their group is allocated.
• José Marantes suggests that the list-serve issue not be considered in the decision because the duration is the only literal constitutional violation.
• Georgi Radev suggests that the election be extended two days longer next week so that candidates will not have to campaign more in the spring.
• Punithakumar says that would not comply with constitution, because the election must be held for five consecutive days.
• Radev says that a January election would have the candidates pay for the mistake of the voting committee.
• Karen Courtheoux agrees that list serve issue should be a separate debate; including the way candidates learn campaign policies
• Radev motions for a secret ballot vote to extend the election for two days, because the constitution does not specify that the election be held on five consecutive days.
• Punithakumar says that the updated constitution states that the election can be invalidated by two-thirds of the Assembly.
• Nathan Victoria says that the SBC Election winners might be accused of being elected through an unconstitutional process.
• Becca Solow suggests that the Assembly be fair to all candidates making sure that they have equal opportunity and resources during the campaign.
• Nathan Victoria asks if the e-mail was sent to a list-serve or a compiled list of names.
• Punithakumar says that the list was a compiled list for WSA members. EC found this out because the list contained group leaders that already graduated.
• José Marantes suggests that if the e-mails were public information, the student group leaders should have the option to leave their contact information off the web site.
• Mirsky states that she e-mailed a person on the WSA while campaigning last spring, and that person wrote a Wespeak about her for harassment.
• Punithakumar motions to vote by secret ballot that WSA hold the election again during the second week of classes in the spring semester on the basis that election took place over three days.

23 Yes, 6 No and 2 nullified votes. The motion passes.

Solow gives a point of information; the results of previous election will be destroyed never to be known.

Impeachment Proceedings of Elizabeth Schambers

Elizabeth Schambers defends her case stating that she was absent twice, and came late or left early two or three times. She once had to return home for a family emergency and on another occasion had to leave early for a test. She has since quit her work-study job. Next semester, she will be taking fewer than her six classes this semester. She was unaware of the policy at first, but now asks for the chance to improve her attendance.

Stack

• Sara Mirsky says that she tried contacting Schambers about the problem, and received a response yesterday for the first time.
• Elizabeth Schambers replies that she found the procedural directions were unclear.
• Camille Zahniser asks what Schambers's contributions to the WSA will be next semester.
• Schambers says that she will work with COCo to engage the Middletown community, she will also be involved with the identity groups who she is assigned to, and that she coordinate an activity or service like miniature golf or cleaning a river.
• Karen Courtheoux asks if Schambers enjoys her position on COCo.
• Schambers replies that she has not had as much as time to be as involved as she likes.
• Courtheoux asks if it is true that there were e-mails she did not respond to.
• Schambers admits that she did not submit her excuses for absences until yesterday.
• Georgi Radev asks if she would she would run again next semester if she were recalled.
• Schambers say she probably would not.

Closed discussion of the case.
Recall vote: Elizabeth Schambers is not recalled.

Announcements

No announcements.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Juan Sebasti—n Moreno, WSA Secretary