Wesleyan Student Assembly — Wesleyan University

Minutes: September 30, 2007

WSA Officers

President: Matt Ball

Vice President: Emily Malkin

Coordinator: Izaak Orlansky

Treasurer: Gianna Palmer

Meeting Agenda and Business

1. Roll Call/Approval of New Members
2. Fight Song
3. Approval of Last Week's Minutes
4. Open Forum
5. Agenda Item I: Bon Appetit Labor Issues - WSA Discussion
6. Agenda Item II: WSA Report on Board of Trustees Retreat
7. Agenda Item III: Presentation by President Michael Roth
8. Committee Reports
9. New Business and Announcements
 

Opening of Meeting: 7:06 pm

Attached Documents: Committee Reports

Roll Call/Approval of New Members

Miriam, Jayvan, David, Cesar, Brian, Morgan, Natasha

New members approved unanimously

Approval of Minutes From Last Week

Minutes Approved Unanimously

Open Forum

No non-WSA members spoke.

Agenda Item I: Bon Appetit Labor Issues - WSA Discussion

Stack

• Matt begins by saying it should be kept to 20 min, as to not turn into an argument, reminds assembly no pressure should be felt to do something, brings forward idea of passing a resolution (form small ad hoc committee to draft resolution) that can actually accomplish something, and that there are mechanisms like a dining committee to work on issue
• Mike says we should have a response, and points out our recent successes in: getting seats for dining workers on dining committee. AFC workers in sushi should be resolved
• Emily would like to caution away from using a resolution (tend to be distracting and time-consuming. Should be saved for specific appeals. But resolutions are public, good for PR with student body, but not best way to get things done.)
• Becky says we cant pass anything about AFC because not enough information on matter, Sandy- someone else would be losing those hours too if we gave back, shouldn’t have been done in first place
• AJ back Emily and Becky about legal issues. Important to inform public about some of the issues, a lot of people don’t know what is going on.
• Allison cautions assembly not to rely on dining comm. as a way to solve worker issues. BA expressed doesn't want to deal with worker issues in committee
• Izaak back Allison. Would like to yield timing to anyone who would know if are being compensates
• Becky says are on commission, but have legal wage of current living wage.
• Izaak still has concern with dining workers being on commission
• Margorie says we are rep students, but passing resolution about non-student in specific isn’t our duty. We must continue to raise awareness
• Micah says we don’t have enough info to pass resolution, but if in future, should be cautious about legal issues
• Emily thinks dining will be big deal, right now just testing waters. Acting now on what’s just beginning of bigger fight, student body’s voice will be diminished
• Saul notes option of gathering information w/ regards to diff sushi companies that allow unionization, clear that AFC is inflexible about worker unionization.
• Becky- sushi workers live in New York. New company would lead to these workers losing their jobs, workers going to get hurt on either side. Sandy’s situation: thinks Delmar’s actions were legalized based on contract
• AJ asks if BA could leave
• Saul POI- have 5 yr contract
• Lauren if WSA can position itself to be place where coming to us worthwhile, not necessarily through resolution
• Candace points out other issues like conditions in kitchens and job standards were brought up other than AFC issues. Can gear resolution more towards working environment
• Becky notes some changes have been made. Workers can also technically be moved to other positions according to contract
• Matt proposes report every couple of weeks as to assure WSA monitors and keeps involved with issue

WSA Report on Board of Trustees Retreat

Emily explains retreat and our relationship with Board of Trustees

President of WSA has voting seat on Board of Trustees

Committees: University relations, Finance, Campus Affairs

Wesleyan endowment is currently $710 million (Yale is $22.5 billion!)

 

Stack

• Lauren asks why endowment is so low
• Emily and Alex respond by saying endowment was very impressive, but managed poorly with new buildings built (Foss Hill dorms, Butterfields, etc) should have had massive campaign
• Elyssa asks if we have an actual goal and what in science building to be replaced
• Matt says we haven’t embarked on major campaign to grow endowment
• Old buildings need to be replaced due to lack of labs (out of date) as well as poor building conditions
• Jessie asks what about current labs being removed (where are classes to be held)
• Izaak details that certain plans have been in order for transition periods
• David asks what percentage of money goes to new science building
• Emily says no decision has been made at this point
• Margorie asks why new campus center built when old centers/ cafeterias weren’t completely out of shape and science centers were
• Dean Mike says that sequencing allowed that life science center was secondary to Usdan being built
• Alex about renovations to Exley
• Jacob (on life science building committee) explained
• Izaak adds science center and financial state will become very important issues in the long term and should still be “on our radar.”
• David 1. Wants to know what most money raised in specific campaign (not completely known by assembly) 2. What is estimate of cost for building ($160 million, not including postponement)
• Charlie asks Wes’s annual budget of operation
• Emily confirms (with dean Mike’s help) around $230 million

Presentation by President Michael Roth

Roth says board retreat was time to educate president on workings on board. Instead tried to prepare board on issues key to Wesleyan’s future (no particular order):

1. Facilities enhancement

            Science Life building

            Protection of collections at Wesleyan and allow access to them (not a museum)

            Finishing Davenport center

2. Enhance financial aid, etc

Ask certain areas and choose most important points to engage in specific educational initiatives

            Reduction of student debt

3. Communications

            Assure articulation Wesleyans stance in world of liberal learning

            Hope to coordinate communication initiative various parts of university

Stack

• Mike asks if elimination of student loans viable long term goal
• Roth responds positively. Endowment must be secured first. “We don’t have the money to do that right now.” Trying to bring it down under $20,000.
• Bradley asks if communication initiative motivated by Newsweek World Report, press, etc
• Roth says no. What we do here is distinctive, and trying to reflect that in communication initative, would attract more students
• Bradley asks about long term goal
• Roth would like to double endowment eventually
• Marjorie asks Roth to detail communications initiative
• Roth would like Wes to be recognizable (like a song?)
• Jen wants Roth to explain new curricular initiatives
• Roth throws out idea of “project learning,” working on a project connected to solving problem recognizable outside of campus (ex: global warming) starting Wesleyan initiative on this topic and then issue statement
• Alex asks about not-museum and money raised
• Roth details donations have been made, but key is to safeguard collection, grateful for John Payoletti’s work on this topic, need to make collections accessible without museum
• Jacob asks if any ways in trying to gauge student support of President’s Climate Commitment
• Roth has been meeting with some students, but has to be assured money is being spent appropriately, moving in right direction before he signs everything
• Matt asks Roth when he plans to get involved with issues on campus and major issues on campus
• Roth responds that there are certain responsibilities of president and certain issues are global warming, and he has been meeting with certain groups on campus about this
• Julian asks Roth to detail direction we must are moving in and concrete steps to be taken
• Roth will know after meeting in October, thinks neutrality of impact is interesting goal, but doesn’t understand well enough. Wes must make effort to become more sustainable and less impact on environment. Our primary purpose is education, but how to conduct that education with better climate profile
• Alex asks how to reach out to those who have skewed perception of Wesleyan
• Roth says a lot of people who could bring a lot to this campus have misperception of what Wes is all about. Spotlight accomplishments on faculty and staff and student. Also very interested in international advertisement of accomplishments. Middle East, for example, doesn’t send students to many liberal arts college. Will know more in a few months.
• Bradley notes Wes stresses teaching for faculty as opposed to research, and if should be changed to get more accomplishments out
• No. Roth would not emphasize research more. But must shine brighter light on currents research. We have professional alum in many facets of communications who can help with this.
• Micah offers idea about increasing tuition of those from wealthier backgrounds
• Roth thinks there are other ways to ask for support from. Students do not pay full cost of their education (roughly 2/3); we rely of endowment for the rest. Need to explore concept of allowing those not qualified to go here based on economic factors
• Brandon (sophomore) asks about sustainability
• Roth says sustainability must be in our top priorities. Wants to have good plan before asking community for their financial help.

Committee Reports

Education Policy Committee

Reform of course clusters (actual proposal attached in e-mails)

Course close button changed to be more effective

 

FiFaC

Boycott affected sales much less than estimated by Delmar

Salad-sandwich combo section will be mobile (not make-your-own)

Toppings for ice cream now

Breakfast sandwich is back

BA did not bring in price list to Dining Committee meeting

• Alex asks about gym hours and who can students go to complain about this
• Emily responds with Freeman Advisory Committee
• Lucas specifies about the details about the committee
• Jessie asks about sandwiches at latenight, as well as preset sandwich meat. Also about coffee options here at sushi shop
• Becky says they do, but do not have enough advertisement
• Izaak asks us to stay with structure and ask Becky via email about specific questions
• Cesar asks about point-dollar ration.
• Allison affirms that points are worth more this yea as opposed to $1.30 of previous years
• Becky asks assembly to note how many points spent over next week and report

 

Organization and External Affairs

Appointments went well

NYT not delivered on Friday and Monday of last week due to worker issues with the paper. We were not fined for this

Website will hopefully be place for students to go to find out about issues WSA is dealing with this week. Ex: dining worker contract from Becky will be put up on site.

• JZ asks about Times Select and affect on price
• Does not affect price
• JZ notes about speaker program through NYT utilization and asks for communication with SBC, as well as initiating program with EON about paper usage
• Izaak notes it should not just be our job as the WSA to fund the paper program and that he feels very strongly about this
• Allison asks about commitment to paperback NYT, with online access taken into account
• Robert will be informing about this from now on
• Jen asks of way to gauge better how much readership there actually is on campus
• Emily says there is a guy whose job it is to count papers, and we are not billed got those left unread.
• Releasing fact that program may be cut comes up
• Bradley asks about information regarding speakers and how student groups know about it
• Inslee put it in Student group resource guide

 

Student Affairs Committee

Working on breaking up triples

Ordered three grills, two of which to be installed in Butts

Housing fines appeals process %100 in place before initiation

• David asks about grill sustainability
• Grills will be similar to those on campsites, idea of coals sold at Weshop,
• David also asks about triple rooms that want to stay together, and ResLife only reaching to one of students to leave
• Fludie says rapid HIV testing is now $30
• Lauren asks what can be done to ease frustration due to breakup of Management show at Eclectic due to 2:00 timeframe
• Party policy will be discussed in future meetings, and pushing timeframe back later will be addressed
• Eclectic party was disbanded due to noise complaints

 

Student Budget Committee

Appointed final 2 committee members

Online system should be caught up enough by next week to show budget updates

 

Community Outreach Committee

• Party policy is discussed
• AJ notes that younger kids are loitering at parties, making students uncomfortable
• Darien notes that increase of PSAFE presence connected to student assaults
• Allison notes this is still an open campus
• Melgely asks about student group keys to new building
• Candace notes PSAFE has a Middletown police officer hired on weekends, PSAFE knows select individuals coming on to campus (can recognize them) and having issues on how to deal with that

 

10) New Business and Announcements

• Becky asks for interest in Shuttle Committee, as well as Usdan Advisory Committee
• Matt wants to ask those who expressed interest in Social Justice Day to meet after assembly

Adjournment at 9:48

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Alvarez