Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: October 31, 2004, No. 6

WSA Officers

President: Emily Polak
Vice President: Jeremy Abrams
Coordinator: Ali Gomer
Treasurer: Pacho Carreno

Meeting Agenda and Business

1. Approval of last week's minutes
2. Approval of new IPC member
3. President Bennet's strategic plan
4. Presentation of resolution on custodial workers
5. SBC report on initial allocations
6. Committee Reports
7. New business and announcements

Opening of Meeting
The meeting was opened at 7:10 PM.

Approval
Minutes approved.
Annie Fox has been approved.

NPresident Bennet

Latest version of the strategic plan is on the web. There will be a lot of changes between now and May. The next steps will be a board meeting in December, a retreat in January and another meeting in March. The plan is about academic excellence, campus life, admissions and financial issues. The times are changing and we need to rethink our purposes in light of dogmatism in society. Right now there is a great opportunity for a liberal arts college to change things. Critical choices on financial issues need to be made-strategic investments need to be made. Wesleyan's relatively small endowment per student must be increased. Other schools have consistently added about two percent per year and we need to compete in order to be successful and in order to prevent tuition costs from rising too much.

Stack

• Evan Simko-Bednarski mentions that there is dogmatism expressed on campus and wonders if there are any methods to introduce more discourse between faculty and students. President responds that the campus is generally good discourse on campus but that we do need to look at the pedagogical element.
• Yaw asks about the endowment; wants to know if there is a target for the future. There will not be another $250 million dollar campaign; rather, there will be yearly increments in order to improve assistance packages and increase faculty. Yaw comments that there is probably a correlation with the experience at Wesleyan-we should look to increase student response in administrative decisions. President Bennet says that this judgment is fair but that the administration is doing an all right job.
• Jeremy Abrams states that one of the biggest changes coming up is that the biggest donor group is in their 50s and that their numbers will be getting larger soon because the 1970s classes were larger. Bennet says that other age groups have been large donors as well.
• Zach Kolodin says that we are going to restructure the liberal arts education. President Bennet responds that it has to do with the expectations of Wesleyan students coming in, primarily those entering.
• Danielle Krudy wants to know how the administration will prioritize its goals, mentions that there are not enough teachers to meet students' needs. Bennet says that the plan is a way of comparing these needs and that it provides for about 5-6 new faculty members to deal with such problems. Krudy says that classes are more important than new buildings. Bennet says that sometimes "things are falling down" and that replacements are necessary. Last time we added 20 new faculty; this time not as much.
• Mike Donnella asks about WESU. Bennet says that we are not going to sell the station but that we will alter the program to fit the educational program.
• Brittany Mitchell asks Bennet to clarify why Wesleyan's liberal arts is so important. Bennet says that liberal arts is so much more important in these days of so much information. He says that someone has to reinvent the political process; gives example of how negative campaigning has become the norm, says that the minds that change this are going to come out of schools like this.
• President Bennet says that what we've done over the past few years has made people change their opinions of Wesleyan. It's not viewed as a second-rate school as it was in the 1970s; now it's seen as top of the line.
• Nora Connor states she was reading a NY Times article that stated there is a diverse experience offered and says that there should be a vision for student engagement. Bennet says he is convinced that Wesleyan's experience is unique. He says that he felt tested when he first came here to uphold that. He says it is no longer interpreted as a diversion from education-it's a part of it. It makes people take leadership initiative. Nora asks if there is a place for this activity outside of the classroom: yes. Bennet says that he was invited to Amherst to talk about volunteering.
• Arijit Sen says that it is important we have more encouragement for people to take sciences. Bennet jokingly says that we are about to make taking science compulsory. Wesleyan is vastly stronger in Jacob Mirsky suggests that we reduce size of the intro science courses. Bennet says that it is important to attract people rather than discouraging them.
• Brian Brotman asks when the radio station will be hosting student programs. Bennet says we will not be doing free form any more because it does not meet our educational goals. We are going to import a signal for about 12 hours a day while NPR will program during the busiest hours. There is also a financial factor. We would get a portion of the factors.
• Nathan Victoria states that we should get more admissions staff out and talk about the passionate student body. Next, he says that entry-level courses are the barriers; we should try to get students who are not strictly science students. Bennet says he agrees, stating that there are many connections between current events and science.
• Matt Ball asks if there is a point at which the endowment will be large enough. President Bennet says he is trying to get people from the Wesleyan alumni community focused on the Wesleyan is paying $49,000 a year per student while other schools are paying more. Among 150 other liberal arts schools, we spend the most on research.
• Anda Greeney asks what the balance between the benefits of a residential community of Wesleyan and the benefits of knowing how to live off-campus. Bennet says that there are serious neighborhood problems with people living off-campus. He hopes that with the new university center and other housing, people will have the opportunities to get a series of housing steps.
• Zach Kolodin asks if there is any thought about creating more requirements. Bennet responds says that with the acquisition of a liberal education, we are actually getting enough done. He says that our comparative standing is quite high in terms of how many get into grad schools.
• Karen Courtheoux argues that we have many potential science students but that we detract people from science-we should focus on pedagogy in the sciences instead of admissions. Bennet says that his view is that we should get more people from inside of the school to join the sciences. Karen asks if we could make science classes more interdisciplinary on the whole.
• Jacob Mirsky asks how many NPR affiliates are in the area now. Bennet says that there are certain ones that would play the same programs. Mirsky asks if this would impinge upon the students' ability to broadcast while they are not in class. Bennet responds that the WESU signal would be there throughout the day but that the busy hours would be taken by NPR. Brian Brotman asks if this would be similar to the Hartford signal: no, it would be more newsy. Brian Brotman asks where the concern about quality from the radio station has come. Bennet says that the real problem is that the student board came to him with concerns about the WESU. He says that this will be a one-year experiment. Mike Donnella says that there is no way that 5-9 is not going to cut student shows. Bennet says that what we are going to do is to make students' computers served by the WESU computers served. Wesleyan announcements will also be given through this broadcast.
• Anda Greeney asks what is the best way for students to interact with the administration. Bennet says that there a large number of mechanisms for taking the WSA's advice forward. SAC is a good way. Where we run into trouble is in situations with a disagreement. The roundtable is another good way of discussing issues. Bennet says that he thinks the administration listens to the students but that it just disagrees with them.
• Matt Ball asks if there would be controls of what students can say on the air. Bennet responds that there would be slight adjustments made to comply with FCC requirements.
• Evan Simko-Bednarski suggests that we should continue the administration's response after the WSA speaks. Bennet responds that we are working on the SLC on the gender-neutral housing issue. The response from the administration is not that "we are right," rather it is that we are in the process of reviewing it in the SLC. We should respond to every WSA resolution, but I don't think the WSA should expect us to respond immediately unless it's a strictly factual matter.

Presentation of resolution on custodial workers

• USLAC member Erin Moore introduces members of the group, Norma and Gloria. Boss, Ziggy, has been unbearable and the custodial workers want him to be fired or relocated to another campus. Ziggy hired two people in his family instead of capable temporary workers who had been there during the summer. He has a history of making racist comments to them and harasses them a lot. For example, he makes two or three women carry trash to dumpsters in the Butts. Four people have been injured, while men are willing to do the work. Norma and some other workers started a petition to send to ABM. Ever since there has been a lot of harassment. ABM finally began a process of interviews, but they were one-on-one and very intimidating. They came with a decision that there wasn't enough evidence to get rid of Ziggy. USLAC wants the administration to take action. Brian Brotman adds point of information: injuries involved hospitalization and serious injury. Gloria adds that some have been bedridden and without compensation for weeks. She wants to find a solution for this problem because they have not found any other ways. Norma says that they are trying to look for a different way to make a change. She also mentions that the trash problem has been unfairly affected the women. Ziggy does not speak Spanish, leading to communication problems. Norma adds that she has been working here for five years with four different supervisors and that Ziggy is the only one who has been discriminative.
• The resolution is read by Emily Polak.

Stack

• Jacob Mirsky asks what is ABM's defense. ABM thinks that there is not enough evidence. This was because
• Karen Courtheoux wants to know how to pressure ABM and what they would like from the WSA; wants to know "what I'm signing up for." Erin Moore says that we could have a rally, that we could write a letter to ABM, we could be part of investigation conferences. We want a foundation of support.
• Arijit Sen states that he is wary of what the other side has to say, suggests that we should hear both sides before we pass the resolution. He also asks if they want to make this issue public. Erin More says that the workers want to do whatever they can now to do make the issue public.
• Yaw states that saying has made racist remarks is a serious claim and that we need more evidence to support that claim. A USLAC member says that a worker named Sonia was yelled at by Ziggy. Another worker named Maria was also yelled at and called "negras susia" (dirty black woman) in Polish. Pacho Carreno says that the workers have been called lazy and bitch, also in Polish. Gloria says that there was a girl who got a fridge and Ziggy said, "Why did you get a fridge when there is no light in your country?"
• Nathan Victoria asks if there are specific requirements in their contracts for translators; asks about complaints to ABM. Norma replies that ABM was going to change him but that they were going to give him another chance. He promised to the workers that he wouldn't abuse them any more. After two or three months, he was back to his former self. Nathan Victoria asks if this proposal has gone to the administration's eyes: no, the workers have just decided to go public with this. Norma clarifies that they don't want ABM to fire him; we want him to be transferred.
• Josh (non-assembly member) wants to act as a translator not only to help them but also to hear what ABM's response is.
• Brian Brotman offers a new "whereas" statement on collective bargaining being the right of every Wesleyan employee.
• Ben Evar asks if there is a negotiator: Manny Cunard.
• Brittany Mitchell suggests that we work on
• Josh Ente wants to know what USLAC has done. A USLAC member responds that the company has not been responding well to the company.
• Jeremy Abrams suggests that the workers perhaps should not be so kind to Ziggy. Norma says that they are not bad people. They know that he has to support a family. ABM does not want to fire him, but they might remove him.
• Pacho Carreno suggests that the resolution ask for more demands to conduct a full investigation with translators because the resolution as it stands would be largely ineffectual. Erin Moore responds that the workers want to add such a demand.
• Matt Ball asks if we know anything about what Ziggy's replacement would be like. Gloria thinks that because of the problems we have had, Ziggy would be replaced by a better one.
• Jacob Mirsky, Evan Simko-Bednarski and Brittany Mitchell address issues of the unsubstantiated claims.
• Jeremy Abrams suggests that we should add some "legalese," saying that the points are "alleged."
• Arijit Sen suggests that the workers could speak to the Office of Affirmative Action about the racist remarks and lack of communication to make sure that the administration knows about this issue.
• Jeremy Abrams wants to make sure that everyone understands what we are saying.
• Nora Connor proposes several amendments to improve the language.
• Danielle Krudy adds that no matter what path we choose, we should make sure there is some immediacy in the process. Could we have someone come in now and make sure that everything is OK. Brian Brotman says that we should work on the wording so that we can pass something tonight. Arijit Sen questions if it is possible to move Ziggy due to the language barrier.
• Emily Polak states that our main concerns are whether or not the claims are substantiated and how the WSA reacts to the resolution. Emily offers a friendly amendment and it is accepted by USLAC.
• Nathan Victoria suggests that we focus on what specifically we will do to help the workers. Norma says that the most important thing would be to help the administration to send a letter to ABM.
• Nora Connor reviews her friendly amendments and makes several changes.
• Emily Polak motions that we table the amendment until next week and take all the necessary actions to make it a more powerful statement. It would put us in a better position to make the strongest case.
• Elaine Garven suggests that we should make an effort to engage the administration in a debate.
• The motion does not pass.
• Alan (a non-member) reminds us that the injuries are not addressed. The kinds of work are not addressed either.
• Anda Greeney asks if we want the resolution to say that Ziggy should be removed. Evan Simko-Bednarski requests that we first request an investigation.
• Pacho Carreno asks if the "investigation" amendment is resolved: yes. Jeremy questions if we know whether Wesleyan can actually investigate the problem. A non-member says that it would be hard.
• Zach Kolodin offers some friendly amendments and then decides to retract his amendments.
• A non-member offers an amendment.
• Jeremy Abrams motions that we have a small committee work on the resolution and that the general assembly meet during the week. Motion not passed.
• Erik Gonzalez motions that we translate the resolution into Spanish so that we can get input from the workers. Motion approved.
• Dave Woo suggests that we find a group of people to work on the issue.
• Zach Kolodin motions to reapprove Emily's motion.
• Pacho Carreno motions to pass the resolution. Seconded.
• Erin Moore reads the resolution. The motion passes with a majority vote.
• Brittany Mitchell motions to create a group of people interested in this issue to deal with it.
• Nathan Victoria suggests that the WSA should alert the issue to the administration.
• Karen Courtheoux suggests that we ought to ease the order.
• Anda Greeney requests that USLAC consults with lawyers and writes letters.

Presentation of the SBC budget

• WSA's total operating budget is $662,362
• More stats can be found online.
• We typically allocate about 2/3 of our budget in the first month or so.
• We have not used special events fund at all.

Stack

• Anda Greeney asks if there is any talk of endowment: no. Brittany Mitchell says it would be unfair to use student activities for future years.
• Elaine Garven mentions that the WESU board was granted some money but that such money was not allocated. We have set aside $6,000 for WESU to bring student bands from other places. Three such bands have been given money.
• Karen Courtheoux questions why a group was given more than they had requested: Pacho will get back to her. Karen asks why Argus was not given money. Pacho says we will see that figure soon; it wasn't given out in the first week.
• Arijit Sen asks about whether the money out of the general balance is enough for the student groups: yes.
• Nora Connor requests that we make sure that people are aware of how the initial process works. Ben Evar says that the SBC widely publicized the meetings.
• Anda Greeney asks what were the criteria for getting money. Brittany Mitchell responds that there was a criteria sheet and she will send it to Anda.
• Arijit Sen says that some requests are ridiculous; what will be done about this? Pacho replies that this is due to the reputation of the SBC to underbudget; they really have no means of changing this.

Committee Reports

Jeremy Abrams motions to table this item until next week; motion passes.

New Business and Announcements

• Nathan Victoria says that USLAC is meeting in PAC 001 tomorrow night.
• Anda Greeney requests that we adequately prepare for meetings by reading WSA emails.

Adjournment
The meeting is adjourned at 10:39 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Arie Eernisse, WSA Secretary