We've all seen drinkin' time (bottom), but this one gives it some serious competition.
Yellow Book Prank (Tufts)
(click to watch)
Drinkin' Time (Dartmouth)
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
GA Minutes 10 Apr 07
Proposal to Fund and Support “Collis-Up-All-Night”
Sponsored by: Lawton Leung ’10, Ashley Cartagena ’10 and the Communications Committee
WHEREAS the Dartmouth Student Assembly has, in the past, held successful “Collis-Up-All-Night” events
WHEREAS the event has provided a fun and safe alternative for social interaction;
WHEREAS the event will bring together a variety of organizations and representatives of the Student Body including performance groups and programming organizations, thus fostering cooperation and community;
WHEREAS there is a lack of alcohol-free events for the student body that last for the duration of a night;
WHEREAS “Collis-Up-All-Night” will be on the night of Friday, April 13th, 2007 during the hours of 7 PM to 2 AM;
WHEREAS an event such as “Collis-Up-All-Night” will be a positive addition to the successes sponsored by the Assembly;
WHEREAS the Communications Committee has found some alternate funding by working with Programming Board and Collis Governing Board and is implanting inexpensive activities to decrease costs;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $3,000 for the execution of this event to be divided among the following expenses:
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that student organizations including Face Aids, Habitat, and Grassroots Soccer, will have tables providing information and requesting optional donations throughout Collis during the event.
LET IT FINALLY BE RESOLVED that the Communications Committee will be accountable for the responsible use of allocated resources and the successful execution of the event.
Statement in Support of Syllabus Accessibility
Statement in Support of Syllabus Accessibility
Sponsored by Adam Halpern-Leistner ’10, Corey Chu ’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS course syllabi provide accurate information about courses that can be beneficial to students during course selection;
WHEREAS copyright concerns prohibit the posting of syllabi on non-secure websites;
WHEREAS the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) is working on limiting the Blackboard website so that syllabi posted there will only be available to the Dartmouth community, but with the expected release of a new version of Blackboard, this project will not be completed until after next fall;
WHEREAS using the Dartmouth Web Authentication system, academic departments can easily post course syllabi that will be viewable only by the Dartmouth community;
WHEREAS the Dean of Faculty’s office has called the process of uploading syllabi onto department websites a “trivial” task;
WHEREAS the Government Department has used this system to post past syllabi and has reported very positive feedback;
WHEREAS course syllabi provide a way to learn about a course that is more comprehensive than course listings and more objective than Course Guide reviews.
WHEREAS course syllabi provide information such as reading lists that can be useful to students not taking the class but interested in the subject;
WHEREAS the accessibility to course syllabi during course selection may decrease the adding and dropping of classes during the first two weeks of the term;
WHEREAS syllabus accessibility can assist professors in publicizing their courses;
LET IT BE STATED that the Student Assembly inform departments about the importance of making course syllabi accessible;
LET IT FURTHER BE STATED that the Student Assembly encourage departments to use the Dartmouth Web Authentication system to post syllabi online with professors’ consent.
Statement of Concern Regarding Computing Services Cable Box Distribution Plans
Sponsored by: Cory Cunningham ’10, Harshil Shah ’09, Corey Chu ’08, Neil Kandler ’08,
and the Student Services Committee
WHEREAS the Department of Computing Services at Dartmouth College administers the cable television network for students living in on-campus housing;
WHEREAS the current coaxial cable system that provides television free of charge will be deactivated at the end of the Spring 2007 term;
WHEREAS commencing with the Summer 2007 term, in order to receive cable television in on-campus housing, students must either use DarTV, which is only available on computers, or an STP cable box;
WHEREAS in order to watch television on a regular television set, students must use an STP cable box to convert cable from an Ethernet port to a coaxial cable;
WHEREAS Computing Services is currently intending on requiring that students purchase these STP cable boxes outright at a cost of approximately $300;
WHEREAS $300 is a significant sum for many Dartmouth students to be forced to pay if they wish to have television in their rooms on a traditional television set;
WHEREAS nearly all of Dartmouth’s peer academic institutions provide cable television service to students as part of their regular housing fees;
WHEREAS Computing Services intends on partnering with Evolving Vox, an organization not affiliated with the College, in order to allow students to rent cable boxes at a fee which is unnecessary;
WHEREAS given that Evolving Vox does not fall under the jurisdiction of the College, there is no guarantee that this will be a successful and fair program for ensuring the appropriate reuse of said boxes;
WHEREAS there are a variety of other methods that the Department of Computing Services can make said STP boxes available to students while still ensuring responsible use of the units;
LET IT BE STATED that the Student Assembly issue the following statement of concern regarding the Department of Computing Services plans for distributing STP cable boxes:
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Services Committee and the Student Assembly at large share its concerns with the Department of Computing Services in an effort to improve the plans for purchase and distribution of the STB boxes to develop a plan that is fair and equitable to both the students and administration.
Sponsored by: Lawton Leung ’10, Ashley Cartagena ’10 and the Communications Committee
WHEREAS the Dartmouth Student Assembly has, in the past, held successful “Collis-Up-All-Night” events
WHEREAS the event has provided a fun and safe alternative for social interaction;
WHEREAS the event will bring together a variety of organizations and representatives of the Student Body including performance groups and programming organizations, thus fostering cooperation and community;
WHEREAS there is a lack of alcohol-free events for the student body that last for the duration of a night;
WHEREAS “Collis-Up-All-Night” will be on the night of Friday, April 13th, 2007 during the hours of 7 PM to 2 AM;
WHEREAS an event such as “Collis-Up-All-Night” will be a positive addition to the successes sponsored by the Assembly;
WHEREAS the Communications Committee has found some alternate funding by working with Programming Board and Collis Governing Board and is implanting inexpensive activities to decrease costs;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $3,000 for the execution of this event to be divided among the following expenses:
Food: $1000
Student Performance Groups (Including Final Cut, Rockapellas, Dodecs,
Decibelles etc.): $200
Advertising: $25
Activities and games: $1475Poker Tournament: $100
Pong paddle painting: $750
Movies and popcorn: $25
Prizes (including iPods for poker and bingo): $600
Maintenance, building fees, discretionary funds: $300
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that student organizations including Face Aids, Habitat, and Grassroots Soccer, will have tables providing information and requesting optional donations throughout Collis during the event.
LET IT FINALLY BE RESOLVED that the Communications Committee will be accountable for the responsible use of allocated resources and the successful execution of the event.
Statement in Support of Syllabus Accessibility
Statement in Support of Syllabus Accessibility
Sponsored by Adam Halpern-Leistner ’10, Corey Chu ’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS course syllabi provide accurate information about courses that can be beneficial to students during course selection;
WHEREAS copyright concerns prohibit the posting of syllabi on non-secure websites;
WHEREAS the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) is working on limiting the Blackboard website so that syllabi posted there will only be available to the Dartmouth community, but with the expected release of a new version of Blackboard, this project will not be completed until after next fall;
WHEREAS using the Dartmouth Web Authentication system, academic departments can easily post course syllabi that will be viewable only by the Dartmouth community;
WHEREAS the Dean of Faculty’s office has called the process of uploading syllabi onto department websites a “trivial” task;
WHEREAS the Government Department has used this system to post past syllabi and has reported very positive feedback;
WHEREAS course syllabi provide a way to learn about a course that is more comprehensive than course listings and more objective than Course Guide reviews.
WHEREAS course syllabi provide information such as reading lists that can be useful to students not taking the class but interested in the subject;
WHEREAS the accessibility to course syllabi during course selection may decrease the adding and dropping of classes during the first two weeks of the term;
WHEREAS syllabus accessibility can assist professors in publicizing their courses;
LET IT BE STATED that the Student Assembly inform departments about the importance of making course syllabi accessible;
LET IT FURTHER BE STATED that the Student Assembly encourage departments to use the Dartmouth Web Authentication system to post syllabi online with professors’ consent.
Statement of Concern Regarding Computing Services Cable Box Distribution Plans
Sponsored by: Cory Cunningham ’10, Harshil Shah ’09, Corey Chu ’08, Neil Kandler ’08,
and the Student Services Committee
WHEREAS the Department of Computing Services at Dartmouth College administers the cable television network for students living in on-campus housing;
WHEREAS the current coaxial cable system that provides television free of charge will be deactivated at the end of the Spring 2007 term;
WHEREAS commencing with the Summer 2007 term, in order to receive cable television in on-campus housing, students must either use DarTV, which is only available on computers, or an STP cable box;
WHEREAS in order to watch television on a regular television set, students must use an STP cable box to convert cable from an Ethernet port to a coaxial cable;
WHEREAS Computing Services is currently intending on requiring that students purchase these STP cable boxes outright at a cost of approximately $300;
WHEREAS $300 is a significant sum for many Dartmouth students to be forced to pay if they wish to have television in their rooms on a traditional television set;
WHEREAS nearly all of Dartmouth’s peer academic institutions provide cable television service to students as part of their regular housing fees;
WHEREAS Computing Services intends on partnering with Evolving Vox, an organization not affiliated with the College, in order to allow students to rent cable boxes at a fee which is unnecessary;
WHEREAS given that Evolving Vox does not fall under the jurisdiction of the College, there is no guarantee that this will be a successful and fair program for ensuring the appropriate reuse of said boxes;
WHEREAS there are a variety of other methods that the Department of Computing Services can make said STP boxes available to students while still ensuring responsible use of the units;
LET IT BE STATED that the Student Assembly issue the following statement of concern regarding the Department of Computing Services plans for distributing STP cable boxes:
The Student Services Committee and Student Assembly at large are concerned that the Department of Computing Services is not considering Dartmouth students’ best interest given their current plans for the future cost and distribution methods of the STP cable boxes. There are a variety of different options available that would ensure that the units are properly handled, including, but not limited to, refundable security deposits and administrative fines, and none have been given fair consideration.
Given the significant student financial outlay necessary in order to purchase a STP box, and the inadequate current plans for the eventual reuse of the units, the Student Assembly, on behalf of the student body, request that the Department of Computing Services ascertain a superior method of distributing and controlling the usage of these units without such a high cost to students.
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Services Committee and the Student Assembly at large share its concerns with the Department of Computing Services in an effort to improve the plans for purchase and distribution of the STB boxes to develop a plan that is fair and equitable to both the students and administration.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
'The Dartmouth Wiki' Controversy
On March 30, a blitz was sent out by "The Dartmouth Wiki" to all students asking them to sign-up for their website. SA had been developing a wiki of our own for a while now and didn't want people to be confused and think that this 'impostor wiki' was our doing. Later that day, we sent this blitz out to campus:
Appearently the guys over at collegewikis.com weren't too happy with this blitz. They subsequently wrote the following letter to the editor published in The Dartmouth on April 5, which they also posted on the front page of their website:
Thankfully for Dartmouth, Joe isn't a student, although he does have a pretty good idea (but we thought of it first). This is the letter we were thinking of sending to The Dartmouth, but we deemed too harsh:
Comments?
Recently, a mass blitz was sent out from "The Dartmouth Wiki" asking students to register and help build a wiki (as in Wikipedia) for "Dartmouth University" [sic]. This website (as far as we are aware) is in no way associated with the College, Student Assembly, or any of its members and is instead an outside commercial venture. The Student Assembly and the Dartmouth Computer Science Department have been working to develop our own Dartmouth Wiki and will soon make it available for student use; however, this is not it.
This group has recently launched wiki sites for other schools (including the rest of the Ivy League and numerous others) and is selling advertisement space on its pages. The website seems to operate by allowing students to ask questions which are then emailed out on compiled mailing lists, much like spam. At the time of this writing, 175 students have already signed up. We advise that all students approach this website with appropriate care and recommend that those who wish to register with it consider using an email address other than their DND account.
We will be sending out more information about the upcoming official wiki in the near future.
Thank you and have a great weekend!
Student Assembly
Appearently the guys over at collegewikis.com weren't too happy with this blitz. They subsequently wrote the following letter to the editor published in The Dartmouth on April 5, which they also posted on the front page of their website:
To the Editor:
We launched the Dartmouth Wiki because several Dartmouth students e-mailed us asking for one. CollegeWikis.com is a team of current and recent students whose only intention is to provide other college students with a useful and informative resource. Our wikis have been well-received at schools like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. We are not profiting from the website.
The Dartmouth Wiki creates a trusted network by using a facebook.com-like system of only allowing students with a @dartmouth.edu e-mail address to register and ask questions, thus ensuring accurate, high-quality, and relevant information.
There is value in both official and unofficial information. We’ve modeled our wiki after wikipedia, an unofficial yet extremely useful resource. We should welcome the diversity of both an “official” and “unofficial” wiki, especially when the official site plans to censor postings it doesn’t approve of and is still in the “formative” stages. (from the article: “this page will be approved by the administration and the information on the site will be filtered").
The Assembly telling students not to use a website is reminiscent of a government that tries to censor its citizens, and I hope Dartmouth students won’t stand for it. CollegeWikis.com purposely allows students to post about whatever they want, not to be monitored by others who decide what information to allow.
If I were a student, I'd be disappointed that the Assembly 1) thought they could dictate what websites I should go to, and 2) told me not to use something that could be of great value when they have no viable alternative. I would be even more disappointed if my classmates followed that order.
Joe DiPasquale
Founder, CollegeWikis.com
Thankfully for Dartmouth, Joe isn't a student, although he does have a pretty good idea (but we thought of it first). This is the letter we were thinking of sending to The Dartmouth, but we deemed too harsh:
We would like to thank Mr DiPasquale for his letter in The Dartmouth yesterday and for finally recognizing that we are "Dartmouth College" and not "Dartmouth University." We are all glad to see that his commitment to "accurate, high-quality and relevant information" extends far enough to get the college's name right.
The purpose of the blitz the Student Assembly sent out a while ago was to make sure that students did not think that his wiki (which sent emails to all students asking them to sign-up under the name, "The Dartmouth Wiki") was not affiliated with the college and was not the wiki that Student Assembly has been quite publicly developing. As flattering as it for him to compare the Student Assembly to 'big government,' Dartmouth students are smart enough to know that we were looking out for their best interests and that they are free to use his website as they please. His attempts to criticize us in order to protect his own commercial interests are transparent.
Mr. DiPasquale ends his treatise on the proper role of government by saying that it was wrong of the Assembly to ask students to "approach this website with appropriate care" when there is "no viable alternative." He is wrong here because there is a good alternative to his website: it's called bored@baker.
The Student Assembly Executive Board
Comments?
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Explanation of the New Attendance System
(from the GA Minutes of 3 April 2007)
Nathan L. Bruschi, Secretary, explained the new attendance and voting system for the Student Assembly. The following notes were written on the chalkboard:
1. If you are a member, you should have a card on the front table (in black ink, with the SA logo). If you are not a member, please fill out one of the blank cards (with the red marker provided).
2. To vote or get your name on the Speakers’ List, please raise your card so that we can read your name. We will know who has voting rights by the color of the card.
3. When you leave, put your card in the bins near the doors. We will collect these cards from these bins and use them note which members were present.
4. If you won “kudos” you will be presented with a sticker to put on the back of you card so that you can keep track of your achievements.
Nathan L. Bruschi, Secretary, explained the new attendance and voting system for the Student Assembly. The following notes were written on the chalkboard:
1. If you are a member, you should have a card on the front table (in black ink, with the SA logo). If you are not a member, please fill out one of the blank cards (with the red marker provided).
2. To vote or get your name on the Speakers’ List, please raise your card so that we can read your name. We will know who has voting rights by the color of the card.
3. When you leave, put your card in the bins near the doors. We will collect these cards from these bins and use them note which members were present.
4. If you won “kudos” you will be presented with a sticker to put on the back of you card so that you can keep track of your achievements.
GA Minutes 03 Apr 07
Proposal to Fund Ivy Council’s Spring 2007 Conference
Sponsored by Joe DeBonis ’10 and the Executive Committee
WHEREAS Ivy Council acts as a useful networking and information sharing body among the Ivy League schools;
WHEREAS Dartmouth’s Ivy Council serves as Student Assembly’s representative to the Ivy Council;
WHEREAS there are bi-annual conferences in the Fall and Spring, which provide a forum for Ivy League schools to discuss various issues that arise in their respective student governments;
WHEREAS issues from each school are discussed at the conferences;
WHEREAS past issues discussed at the conferences have included the Committee on Standards (or its equivalent), campus security, course evaluation systems, and ROTC and the LGTBQA community;
WHEREAS the spring 2007 conference will be held at Brown University on April 13, 14, and 15;
WHEREAS possible issues that will be covered at the conference this year include (but are not limited to) environmental sustainability on campus, recruitment and retention of student government, gender-neutral housing, and academic and departmental advising;
WHEREAS the information gathered at the conference will be relevant to many issues and projects that exist in Student Assembly;
WHEREAS discussion of these issues can lead to new and useful ideas for projects and policy;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly allocate up to $600 to finance Ivy Council’s dues, transportation, and other expenses necessary to attend the Spring 2007 Ivy Council Conference.
Proposal to Endorse Ivy Council’s Ivy-Wide Climate Neutrality Resolution
Sponsored by Joe DeBonis ’10 and the Executive Committee
WHEREAS Dartmouth is an active and contributing member to Ivy Council;
WHEREAS environmental issues such as sustainability and climate neutrality are important issues for the student body and administration of Dartmouth;
WHEREAS Dartmouth is at the forefront of campus sustainability;
WHEREAS an Ivy-wide resolution of campus neutrality would be in accordance with the environmental goals and ideals of the College;
WHEREAS such a resolution will be passed by Ivy Council at the spring 2007 conference, contingent upon the support of each school’s student government;
WHEREAS, as the Resolution states, “Embracing environmental sustainability and clean energy is in concert with universities’ existing goals and values, including service to society, realization of social justice, the training of future leaders, and technological advancement”;
WHEREAS, as the Resolution states, “Ivy League universities are in a unique position in society to demonstrate leadership in addressing global climate change and have the academic and financial resources to be global leaders on this issue”;
WHEREAS the student group Sustainable Dartmouth was part of an inter-Ivy coalition that drafted and ratified this resolution;
WHEREAS the Resolution calls for each signatory to adopt the goal of individual and collective climate neutrality through a combination of increased energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and the purchase of carbon offsets;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly endorse Ivy Council’s Ivy-wide Climate Neutrality Resolution and become a signatory thereof. (See following)
Sponsored by Joe DeBonis ’10 and the Executive Committee
WHEREAS Ivy Council acts as a useful networking and information sharing body among the Ivy League schools;
WHEREAS Dartmouth’s Ivy Council serves as Student Assembly’s representative to the Ivy Council;
WHEREAS there are bi-annual conferences in the Fall and Spring, which provide a forum for Ivy League schools to discuss various issues that arise in their respective student governments;
WHEREAS issues from each school are discussed at the conferences;
WHEREAS past issues discussed at the conferences have included the Committee on Standards (or its equivalent), campus security, course evaluation systems, and ROTC and the LGTBQA community;
WHEREAS the spring 2007 conference will be held at Brown University on April 13, 14, and 15;
WHEREAS possible issues that will be covered at the conference this year include (but are not limited to) environmental sustainability on campus, recruitment and retention of student government, gender-neutral housing, and academic and departmental advising;
WHEREAS the information gathered at the conference will be relevant to many issues and projects that exist in Student Assembly;
WHEREAS discussion of these issues can lead to new and useful ideas for projects and policy;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly allocate up to $600 to finance Ivy Council’s dues, transportation, and other expenses necessary to attend the Spring 2007 Ivy Council Conference.
Proposal to Endorse Ivy Council’s Ivy-Wide Climate Neutrality Resolution
Sponsored by Joe DeBonis ’10 and the Executive Committee
WHEREAS Dartmouth is an active and contributing member to Ivy Council;
WHEREAS environmental issues such as sustainability and climate neutrality are important issues for the student body and administration of Dartmouth;
WHEREAS Dartmouth is at the forefront of campus sustainability;
WHEREAS an Ivy-wide resolution of campus neutrality would be in accordance with the environmental goals and ideals of the College;
WHEREAS such a resolution will be passed by Ivy Council at the spring 2007 conference, contingent upon the support of each school’s student government;
WHEREAS, as the Resolution states, “Embracing environmental sustainability and clean energy is in concert with universities’ existing goals and values, including service to society, realization of social justice, the training of future leaders, and technological advancement”;
WHEREAS, as the Resolution states, “Ivy League universities are in a unique position in society to demonstrate leadership in addressing global climate change and have the academic and financial resources to be global leaders on this issue”;
WHEREAS the student group Sustainable Dartmouth was part of an inter-Ivy coalition that drafted and ratified this resolution;
WHEREAS the Resolution calls for each signatory to adopt the goal of individual and collective climate neutrality through a combination of increased energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and the purchase of carbon offsets;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly endorse Ivy Council’s Ivy-wide Climate Neutrality Resolution and become a signatory thereof. (See following)
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
GA Minutes 06 Mar 07
Proposal to Fund the Profiles in Excellence Award
Sponsored by David Nachman ’09, Corey Chu’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS sustaining a rich culture of undergraduate teaching is important to both Dartmouth College and the Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the Profiles in Excellence Award reflects the Student Assembly commitment to developing the relationship between students and faculty, and has been awarded each term since the fall of 2001;
WHEREAS the award recognizes outstanding teaching by professors;
WHEREAS the winner of the award is chosen by the Academic Affairs Committee from student nominations;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly holds award dinners each term for the winner of the Profiles in Excellence Award;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee has chosen Professor Marlene Heck of the History and Art History Departments as this term’s recipient of the award;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $600 for the Profiles in Excellence Award plaque and dinner.
Motion to Amend Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Student Assembly
Proposed by Jaromy Siporen ’08 and the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee
WHEREAS any amendment to a motion made during debate permanently changes the legislation if accepted by a vote of the Assembly;
WHEREAS Article III, Section III A-D of the Bylaws currently reads:
WHEREAS Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution reads:
WHEREAS an amendment to legislation during GA that is not germane could be construed as new legislation and therefore bypasses Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution.
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution be amended to add the following, directly after clause B:
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED that the rest of the clauses in Article III, Section III be re-lettered as needed;
LET IT FINALLY BE AMENDED that upon ratification by majority vote of the Assembly membership, the by-laws shall be updated by the Secretary of the Student Assembly and that this change shall have continuous effect.
Statement in Support of the Student Activities Fair
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, Michael Coburn ’10, David Nachman ’09, and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS a Student Activities Fair is held at the beginning of fall term each year;
WHEREAS this fair provides students the opportunity to learn about campus organizations and activities, and gives organizations the opportunity to publicize their work and to recruit new members;
WHEREAS the Student Activities Fair is run by the Student Activities Office and the Council on Student Organizations during the fall term;
WHEREAS many students are off-campus each fall due to Dartmouth’s D-plan;
WHEREAS freshmen and other students often do not feel settled in and ready to join an organization as such an early point in the year;
WHEREAS holding the Student Activities Fair every term would provide students with an opportunity to learn about campus organizations on a continuing basis;
WHEREAS the Student Organizations Committee is planning to hold an activities fair at the beginning of the upcoming spring term;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly support and endorse the Student Organizations Committee’s proposal to hold a Student Activities Fair at the beginning of the spring term.
Statement in Support of Expanding the Hours of Operation for the Gym and Kresge Fitness Center
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, David Nachman ’09, and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS the Gym and Kregse Fitness Center are open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the weekend;
WHEREAS student’s schedules are often very busy throughout the day and involve activities such as study groups, labs, club sports practices, etc. that do not end until as late as 11 pm;
WHEREAS in a survey administered by the Student Organizations Committee the student body supported expanding the hours of operation to midnight on every night of the week by a ratio of 686 to 75;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly issue the following statement:
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly share this statement with the Athletics Department, the Board of Trustees, and the Dartmouth Community.
Proposal to Redesign the Student Assembly Website
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, David Nachman ’09 and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS the Student Assembly website [sa.dartmouth.edu] provides news, information, and resources to students;
WHEREAS the current version of the Student Assembly website is not very distinctive and uses a generic blog template;
WHEREAS a major criticism of the redesign of the Dartmouth homepage was that it resembled a blog;
WHEREAS the current version of the Student Assembly website is aesthetically weak compared to other Dartmouth websites;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly website does not make minutes, agendas, or legislation available online;
WHEREAS a redesign of the Student Assembly website would improve content, design, and branding;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Organizations Committee coordinate a redesign of the Student Assembly website by an experienced web designer;
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $500 in order to compensate the web designer.
Sponsored by David Nachman ’09, Corey Chu’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS sustaining a rich culture of undergraduate teaching is important to both Dartmouth College and the Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the Profiles in Excellence Award reflects the Student Assembly commitment to developing the relationship between students and faculty, and has been awarded each term since the fall of 2001;
WHEREAS the award recognizes outstanding teaching by professors;
WHEREAS the winner of the award is chosen by the Academic Affairs Committee from student nominations;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly holds award dinners each term for the winner of the Profiles in Excellence Award;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee has chosen Professor Marlene Heck of the History and Art History Departments as this term’s recipient of the award;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $600 for the Profiles in Excellence Award plaque and dinner.
Motion to Amend Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Student Assembly
Proposed by Jaromy Siporen ’08 and the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee
WHEREAS any amendment to a motion made during debate permanently changes the legislation if accepted by a vote of the Assembly;
WHEREAS Article III, Section III A-D of the Bylaws currently reads:
Section III. Motions Pending
A) After the Chair introduces the motion, the sponsor(s) will make a presentation outlining the motion and discussing the benefits and supporting evidence behind the motion. The Chair shall have the discretion to set a limit on the time of the presentation; however, the time allowed shall not be less than 2 minutes. After the sponsor’s presentation is complete, members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the motion to the sponsor(s);
B) After questions have been answered, any amendments to the motion will be considered. The sponsor of an amendment will speak in favor. Then, one speaker will be allowed to speak in opposition. After the opposing speaker has finished, the amendment will immediately be voted on;
C) After all amendments have been considered, the Assembly will debate the motion. The first speaker shall be a member opposed to the motion. If there is no member willing to speak in opposition to the motion the Assembly shall move immediately to vote on the motion;
D) If, and after a member has spoken in opposition, the President will compile a speaker list of everyone wishing to speak on the motion. No Member may change his or her position on the speakers list;
WHEREAS Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution reads:
C) No legislation may be brought to the Assembly without prior approval of a Standing Committee;
WHEREAS an amendment to legislation during GA that is not germane could be construed as new legislation and therefore bypasses Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution.
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution be amended to add the following, directly after clause B:
C) All amendments to legislation shall be germane, being related to the legislation at hand, applicable, and pertinent. If questions arise about whether or not an amendment is germane, the Parliamentarian of the Student Assembly shall make the final judgment.
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED that the rest of the clauses in Article III, Section III be re-lettered as needed;
LET IT FINALLY BE AMENDED that upon ratification by majority vote of the Assembly membership, the by-laws shall be updated by the Secretary of the Student Assembly and that this change shall have continuous effect.
Statement in Support of the Student Activities Fair
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, Michael Coburn ’10, David Nachman ’09, and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS a Student Activities Fair is held at the beginning of fall term each year;
WHEREAS this fair provides students the opportunity to learn about campus organizations and activities, and gives organizations the opportunity to publicize their work and to recruit new members;
WHEREAS the Student Activities Fair is run by the Student Activities Office and the Council on Student Organizations during the fall term;
WHEREAS many students are off-campus each fall due to Dartmouth’s D-plan;
WHEREAS freshmen and other students often do not feel settled in and ready to join an organization as such an early point in the year;
WHEREAS holding the Student Activities Fair every term would provide students with an opportunity to learn about campus organizations on a continuing basis;
WHEREAS the Student Organizations Committee is planning to hold an activities fair at the beginning of the upcoming spring term;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly support and endorse the Student Organizations Committee’s proposal to hold a Student Activities Fair at the beginning of the spring term.
Statement in Support of Expanding the Hours of Operation for the Gym and Kresge Fitness Center
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, David Nachman ’09, and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS the Gym and Kregse Fitness Center are open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the weekend;
WHEREAS student’s schedules are often very busy throughout the day and involve activities such as study groups, labs, club sports practices, etc. that do not end until as late as 11 pm;
WHEREAS in a survey administered by the Student Organizations Committee the student body supported expanding the hours of operation to midnight on every night of the week by a ratio of 686 to 75;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly issue the following statement:
The Student Body urges the Athletic Department and Dartmouth College to expand gym hours to midnight every night and to open the gym at eight or nine a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
In a survey administered by the Student Organizations Committee of Student Assembly, the student body supported expanding the hours of operation to midnight on every night of the week by a ratio of 686 to 75. Many students provided various reasons for their answers, and this survey had the highest response rate of any this year, demonstrating that this is an issue students care about.
Students’ schedules are often very busy throughout the day and involve activities such as labs, study groups, tutorials, organization's meetings, club sports’ practices, and homework which often run as late as 11 pm. This often precludes students from being able to go to the gym during the current hours of operation. In addition, many Dartmouth students prefer to engage in activities in the late evening.
An extremely high number of respondents also requested that the gym open an hour or two earlier on the weekends, citing lines of people to get in the door at 10 am when the gym opens.
The Dartmouth College Recreation Advisory Board, a board within the Athletics Department, unanimously supported expanding gym hours at their meeting on March 1st, providing more evidence for the student body’s support of expansion.
Expanding gym hours will help to alleviate the high demand for cardio machines during peak hours. In addition, working out is important to students’ physical and mental health. Expanding gym hours will also provide add an alternative activity to Dartmouth’s nightly social scene.
With all this in mind, the Student Body calls on the Athletic Department and Dartmouth College to expand gym hours until midnight every night and to open the gym earlier on weekends.
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly share this statement with the Athletics Department, the Board of Trustees, and the Dartmouth Community.
Proposal to Redesign the Student Assembly Website
Proposed by Josh Jacobson ’09, David Nachman ’09 and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS the Student Assembly website [sa.dartmouth.edu] provides news, information, and resources to students;
WHEREAS the current version of the Student Assembly website is not very distinctive and uses a generic blog template;
WHEREAS a major criticism of the redesign of the Dartmouth homepage was that it resembled a blog;
WHEREAS the current version of the Student Assembly website is aesthetically weak compared to other Dartmouth websites;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly website does not make minutes, agendas, or legislation available online;
WHEREAS a redesign of the Student Assembly website would improve content, design, and branding;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Organizations Committee coordinate a redesign of the Student Assembly website by an experienced web designer;
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $500 in order to compensate the web designer.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
GA Minutes 27 Feb 07
*Passed Legislation*:
Statement in Support of the Recommendations of the Professor Recruitment and Retention Task Force
Sponsored by:, Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07 and the Diversity and Community Committee
WHEREAS In 2003 President James Wright pledged institutional support for increasing the diversity of faculty;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly members believe that a commitment to a diverse faculty is an integral part of College’s mission;
WHEREAS the SA Task Force on Recruitment and Retention supports the ongoing efforts put forth by the College for recruitment and retention of faculty;
WHEREAS the SA Task Force on Recruitment and Retention has found areas in need of improvement;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the members of Student Assembly support the following recommendations:
• Streamlining hiring processes and making them collaborative in nature
• Improving “branding” and advertising strategies
• Re-energize Administrative Commitment
• Continue Housing Policies
• Increase Departmental Diversity
• Design Formal Faculty Mentorship Program for Junior Faculty
• Initiate Campus Dialogue
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Diversity and Community Committee follow through on the recommendations with the administrators and update the General Assembly.
Proposal to Fund Course Guide Incentives Program
Sponsored by Corey Chu ’08, David Nachman ’09, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee oversees the SA Professor/Course Guide in conjunction with the SA Web Team;
WHEREAS the Course Guide helps students choose courses by providing them with feedback and ratings from previous students;
WHEREAS the efficacy of the Course Guide is contingent on having a large number of reviews, which are submitted by students upon the completion of the term;
WHEREAS the number of reviews submitted has recently declined;
WHEREAS since the Fall 2001 term, the Course Guide would receive on average roughly half the number of reviews every Winter term as compared to the Fall term preceding it;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly has previously given away iPods as an incentive to complete course evaluations;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee believes that giving away a larger quantity of smaller prizes is a better approach for course evaluation incentives;
WHEREAS course evaluation incentives raffled based on the number of reviews submitted would encourage students to fill out evaluations not only from this term, but for previous terms as well, thus improving the Course Guide’s reviews on a whole;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee seeks to purchase 150 $15 gift certificates, valued at $2250, from Hanover restaurants as incentives;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee informed Hanover restaurants of its proposal and asked the restaurants for discounted gift certificate rates;
WHEREAS the owner of Everything but Anchovies offered the Student Assembly a 50% discount, the largest discount offered by any restaurant contacted;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate $1125 in order to purchase 150 $15 gift certificates;
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Academic Affairs Committee coordinate the random and fair distribution of gift certificates to students who complete course evaluations.
*Tabled Legislation*:
Motion to Amend Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Student Assembly
Proposed by Jaromy Siporen ’08 and the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee
WHEREAS any amendment to a motion made during debate permanently changes the legislation if accepted by a vote of the Assembly;
WHEREAS Article III, Section III A-D of the Bylaws currently reads:
WHEREAS Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution reads:
WHEREAS an amendment to legislation during GA that is not germane could be construed as new legislation and therefore bypasses Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution.
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution be amended to add the following, directly after clause B:
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED that the rest of the clauses in Article III, Section III be re-lettered as needed;
LET IT FINALLY BE AMENDED that upon ratification by majority vote of the Assembly membership, the by-laws shall be updated by the Secretary of the Student Assembly and that this change shall have continuous effect.
Proposal to Fund the Profiles in Excellence Award
Sponsored by David Nachman ’09, Corey Chu’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS sustaining a rich culture of undergraduate teaching is important to both Dartmouth College and the Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the Profiles in Excellence Award reflects the Student Assembly commitment to developing the relationship between students and faculty, and has been awarded each term since the fall of 2001;
WHEREAS the award recognizes outstanding teaching by professors;
WHEREAS the winner of the award is chosen by the Academic Affairs Committee from student nominations;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly holds award dinners each term for the winner of the Profiles in Excellence Award;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee has chosen Professor Marlene Heck of the History and Art History Departments as this term’s recipient of the award;
LET IT BE PROPOSED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $600 for the Profiles in Excellence Award plaque and dinner.
Resolution in Support of a More Effective Presidency
Sponsored by: Josh Jacobson ‘09 and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS students complain constantly about the effectiveness of the current student government;
WHEREAS there are no specific plans to reorganize Student Assembly and make it more effective;
WHEREAS any reorganization of SA is likely to suffer from the same bureaucratic failures as the current Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the inherent conditions of student government at Dartmouth, such as a constantly changing leadership, taking class during service in Assembly, lack of time, lack of incentive, and lack of public support make it nearly impossible for any Student Assembly to effectively advocate and create change on behalf of the students at Dartmouth;
WHEREAS Student Assembly fails to complete the majority of the projects it begins in any given year;
WHEREAS many of the projects students care most about fail year after year due to the factors named above;
WHEREAS in the last election and throughout this year students have clearly expressed their desire to see drastic change in Student Assembly;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has trouble maintaining itself and suffers from decreasing membership within each year and has a high member turnover each year;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has failed to significantly improve its structure in the past;
WHEREAS if the President of Student Assembly only concentrated on improving Dartmouth many more projects could be completed;
WHEREAS it would add accountability to all of the executive positions which they have severely lacked in the past;
WHEREAS the President could focus on improving the Assembly for the future;
WHEREAS the current President (and current and past executives) has had to relieve himself from some of his duties due to overload;
WHEREAS the President could better communicate with and even travel to other schools to coordinate programs and learn how to improve Student Assembly;
WHEREAS many of the projects that Student Assembly attempts have a large impact on all Dartmouth students;
WHEREAS the completion of these projects would greatly enhance the undergraduate experience at Dartmouth;
WHEREAS many members of the administration are in support of this resolution and have already verbally committed to providing a stipend for the Student Body President and providing housing for the year of service;
WHEREAS many other Student Governments (71 percent) provide stipends for their Student Body President;
WHEREAS there is a precedent for students continuing to pursue their various college activities after finishing classes;
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article XII: General Election, Section VI read:
AND WITHOUT CHANGE:
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED THAT this is not to take effect until the election for the 2008-2009 academic year or until a reasonable stipend and housing for the President is procured and approved, whichever is later.
Statement in Support of the Recommendations of the Professor Recruitment and Retention Task Force
Sponsored by:, Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07 and the Diversity and Community Committee
WHEREAS In 2003 President James Wright pledged institutional support for increasing the diversity of faculty;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly members believe that a commitment to a diverse faculty is an integral part of College’s mission;
WHEREAS the SA Task Force on Recruitment and Retention supports the ongoing efforts put forth by the College for recruitment and retention of faculty;
WHEREAS the SA Task Force on Recruitment and Retention has found areas in need of improvement;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the members of Student Assembly support the following recommendations:
• Streamlining hiring processes and making them collaborative in nature
• Improving “branding” and advertising strategies
• Re-energize Administrative Commitment
• Continue Housing Policies
• Increase Departmental Diversity
• Design Formal Faculty Mentorship Program for Junior Faculty
• Initiate Campus Dialogue
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Diversity and Community Committee follow through on the recommendations with the administrators and update the General Assembly.
Proposal to Fund Course Guide Incentives Program
Sponsored by Corey Chu ’08, David Nachman ’09, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee oversees the SA Professor/Course Guide in conjunction with the SA Web Team;
WHEREAS the Course Guide helps students choose courses by providing them with feedback and ratings from previous students;
WHEREAS the efficacy of the Course Guide is contingent on having a large number of reviews, which are submitted by students upon the completion of the term;
WHEREAS the number of reviews submitted has recently declined;
WHEREAS since the Fall 2001 term, the Course Guide would receive on average roughly half the number of reviews every Winter term as compared to the Fall term preceding it;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly has previously given away iPods as an incentive to complete course evaluations;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee believes that giving away a larger quantity of smaller prizes is a better approach for course evaluation incentives;
WHEREAS course evaluation incentives raffled based on the number of reviews submitted would encourage students to fill out evaluations not only from this term, but for previous terms as well, thus improving the Course Guide’s reviews on a whole;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee seeks to purchase 150 $15 gift certificates, valued at $2250, from Hanover restaurants as incentives;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee informed Hanover restaurants of its proposal and asked the restaurants for discounted gift certificate rates;
WHEREAS the owner of Everything but Anchovies offered the Student Assembly a 50% discount, the largest discount offered by any restaurant contacted;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly allocate $1125 in order to purchase 150 $15 gift certificates;
LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Academic Affairs Committee coordinate the random and fair distribution of gift certificates to students who complete course evaluations.
*Tabled Legislation*:
Motion to Amend Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Student Assembly
Proposed by Jaromy Siporen ’08 and the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee
WHEREAS any amendment to a motion made during debate permanently changes the legislation if accepted by a vote of the Assembly;
WHEREAS Article III, Section III A-D of the Bylaws currently reads:
Section III. Motions PendingA) After the Chair introduces the motion, the sponsor(s) will make a presentation outlining the motion and discussing the benefits and supporting evidence behind the motion. The Chair shall have the discretion to set a limit on the time of the presentation; however, the time allowed shall not be less than 2 minutes. After the sponsor’s presentation is complete, members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the motion to the sponsor(s);
B) After questions have been answered, any amendments to the motion will be considered. The sponsor of an amendment will speak in favor. Then, one speaker will be allowed to speak in opposition. After the opposing speaker has finished, the amendment will immediately be voted on;
C) After all amendments have been considered, the Assembly will debate the motion. The first speaker shall be a member opposed to the motion. If there is no member willing to speak in opposition to the motion the Assembly shall move immediately to vote on the motion;
D) If, and after a member has spoken in opposition, the President will compile a speaker list of everyone wishing to speak on the motion. No Member may change his or her position on the speakers list;
WHEREAS Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution reads:
C) No legislation may be brought to the Assembly without prior approval of a Standing Committee;
WHEREAS an amendment to legislation during GA that is not germane could be construed as new legislation and therefore bypasses Article IV, Section II, C of the Constitution.
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article III, Section III of the Bylaws of the Constitution be amended to add the following, directly after clause B:
C) All amendments to legislation shall be germane, being related to the legislation at hand, applicable, and pertinent. If questions arise about whether or not an amendment is germane, the Parliamentarian of the Student Assembly shall make the final judgment.
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED that the rest of the clauses in Article III, Section III be re-lettered as needed;
LET IT FINALLY BE AMENDED that upon ratification by majority vote of the Assembly membership, the by-laws shall be updated by the Secretary of the Student Assembly and that this change shall have continuous effect.
Proposal to Fund the Profiles in Excellence Award
Sponsored by David Nachman ’09, Corey Chu’08, and the Academic Affairs Committee
WHEREAS sustaining a rich culture of undergraduate teaching is important to both Dartmouth College and the Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the Profiles in Excellence Award reflects the Student Assembly commitment to developing the relationship between students and faculty, and has been awarded each term since the fall of 2001;
WHEREAS the award recognizes outstanding teaching by professors;
WHEREAS the winner of the award is chosen by the Academic Affairs Committee from student nominations;
WHEREAS the Student Assembly holds award dinners each term for the winner of the Profiles in Excellence Award;
WHEREAS the Academic Affairs Committee has chosen Professor Marlene Heck of the History and Art History Departments as this term’s recipient of the award;
LET IT BE PROPOSED that the Student Assembly allocate up to $600 for the Profiles in Excellence Award plaque and dinner.
Resolution in Support of a More Effective Presidency
Sponsored by: Josh Jacobson ‘09 and the Student Organizations Committee
WHEREAS students complain constantly about the effectiveness of the current student government;
WHEREAS there are no specific plans to reorganize Student Assembly and make it more effective;
WHEREAS any reorganization of SA is likely to suffer from the same bureaucratic failures as the current Student Assembly;
WHEREAS the inherent conditions of student government at Dartmouth, such as a constantly changing leadership, taking class during service in Assembly, lack of time, lack of incentive, and lack of public support make it nearly impossible for any Student Assembly to effectively advocate and create change on behalf of the students at Dartmouth;
WHEREAS Student Assembly fails to complete the majority of the projects it begins in any given year;
WHEREAS many of the projects students care most about fail year after year due to the factors named above;
WHEREAS in the last election and throughout this year students have clearly expressed their desire to see drastic change in Student Assembly;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has trouble maintaining itself and suffers from decreasing membership within each year and has a high member turnover each year;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has failed to significantly improve its structure in the past;
WHEREAS if the President of Student Assembly only concentrated on improving Dartmouth many more projects could be completed;
WHEREAS it would add accountability to all of the executive positions which they have severely lacked in the past;
WHEREAS the President could focus on improving the Assembly for the future;
WHEREAS the current President (and current and past executives) has had to relieve himself from some of his duties due to overload;
WHEREAS the President could better communicate with and even travel to other schools to coordinate programs and learn how to improve Student Assembly;
WHEREAS many of the projects that Student Assembly attempts have a large impact on all Dartmouth students;
WHEREAS the completion of these projects would greatly enhance the undergraduate experience at Dartmouth;
WHEREAS many members of the administration are in support of this resolution and have already verbally committed to providing a stipend for the Student Body President and providing housing for the year of service;
WHEREAS many other Student Governments (71 percent) provide stipends for their Student Body President;
WHEREAS there is a precedent for students continuing to pursue their various college activities after finishing classes;
LET IT BE AMENDED that Article XII: General Election, Section VI read:
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college, who plan to be in Hanover or its environs all three terms in the next academic year, that is fall, winter, and spring terms, and who plan to not take classes or hold a full-time job are eligible to bid for the office of President and Vice President in Assembly elections for the following year;
AND WITHOUT CHANGE:
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college, who plan to be in Hanover or its environs all three terms in the next academic year, that is fall, winter, and spring terms, are eligible to bid for the office of Vice President in Assembly elections for the following year;
LET IT FURTHER BE AMENDED THAT this is not to take effect until the election for the 2008-2009 academic year or until a reasonable stipend and housing for the President is procured and approved, whichever is later.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
GA Minutes 20 Feb 07
Statement for Support for Current Initiatives of the Community Action Network
Sponsored by Anoop Rathod ’07, Joshua Wexler ’08, Raymond Rodriguez ‘09, Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07, and the Diversity and Community Affairs Committee
WHEREAS numerous acts of intolerance have negatively affected the overall climate of the institution,
WHEREAS such behavior is unacceptable at Dartmouth,
WHEREAS students lack knowledge of the resources available to mediate such conflicts,
WHEREAS the Community Action Network (CAN), an integrated network of resources for students who have been affected, is currently being developed by the Student Assembly Diversity and Community Committee, Office of Pluralism and Leadership, and the Dean of Student Life Office,
WHEREAS the Office of Student Life will be actively promoting, advertising, and enhancing the resources that are currently available to students,
WHEREAS OPAL will be initiating dialogues and discourses around issues of diversity and inclusiveness with different residential clusters,
WHEREAS a student peer advising network is being developed in tandem with administrative resources to help students mediate such conflicts of identity,
WHEREAS the members of Student Assembly has met with the Campus Climate Committee to discuss proactive steps,
WHEREAS the Student Assembly supports and acknowledges the proactive steps that the administration is taking in order to improve and ensure a healthy campus climate,
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly support the current work of the Dean of the College, OPAL, the Office of Student Life, and the Campus Climate Committee
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly support the creation of the Community Action Network (CAN),
LET IT FINALLY BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly will continue to initiate programs and offer its support to students who have been confronted by acts of intolerance.
Statement in Support of Need-blind Admission for International Students
Sponsored by Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07, David Nachman ’09, David Ong ’09, Vlad Dobru ’10, and the Diversity and Community Affairs Committee
WHEREAS Dartmouth College is need-blind in its admission decisions for American, Canadian, and Mexican students, but not for students from other countries;
WHEREAS this policy further disadvantages international students who are economically marginalized or disenfranchised in their countries of origin;
WHEREAS need-blind admission plays a fundamental role in reducing inequities of opportunity, and helps create an economically diverse student body;
WHEREAS the current draft of Dartmouth’s new mission statement says, “[we] recruit and admit exceptional students from all backgrounds, regardless of their financial means”;
WHEREAS under current admission policies, Dartmouth does not fulfill its proposed mission statement;
WHEREAS Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Williams, and Middlebury, among others, have need-blind admission for international students;
WHEREAS the admissions policy causes Dartmouth to be less competitive than colleges that have need-blind admission when recruiting international students;
WHEREAS financial circumstances are not a measure of the quality of applicants;
WHEREAS Dartmouth annually loses extremely well-qualified students with limited financial possibilities to other colleges;
WHEREAS the College is currently searching for a new Dean of Admissions, and this statement will be able to be evaluated by the incoming dean;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly issues the following statement:
Proposal to Fund A Discussion on Community Service and Philanthropy
Sponsored by: Leah Adkins ’09, Raymond Rodriguez ’09 and the Community Service and Activism Committee
WHEREAS the Community Service and Activism Committee was created in order to bring more awareness to opportunities to serve the Dartmouth and Upper Valley Communities;
WHEREAS the Community Service and Activism Committee maintains strong ties with the Tucker Foundation and desires bring greater awareness to student-initiated projects and to support initiatives that strive to engage students in community service;
WHEREAS it is important to understand the ways in which students would like Student Assembly Committees to be most effective;
WHEREAS much of the student body and many of its leaders are involved with community service and philanthropy can give valid input as to the needs and desires of those who engage in community service activities regularly;
WHEREAS it is rare for members of the community to find a forum in which issues of community service and philanthropy can be discussed outside of more exclusive organizations;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has the ability to facilitate a discussion beneficial to both the members of Student Assembly and the general student body;
WHEREAS this is an opportunity for Student Assembly to express its interest in community service and philanthropy through a discussion that has never taken place before;
WHERE AS Student Assembly wishes to engage as many students as possible in dialogue discussing the merits of community service and philanthropy;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly fund its own discussion on community service and philanthropy:
- On Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 6:00 PM, SA will hold a dinner/ discussion in Collis 101.
- The discussion would have a three-fold purpose: 1) to address the structure and interests of the Tucker Foundation as well as the distribution of the programs within the foundation 2) to question the importance of community service to an Ivy League student body and student government 3) to understand the shortcomings of current community service offerings and the best way to address them.
- The discussion will be open to the entire campus as well as administration from the Tucker Foundation. The set up will be small tables reflective of the small discussion-centered focus.
- Speakers will include Dean Lord, student interns from the Tucker Foundation, leaders of service opportunities and philanthropy chairs from Greek houses.
- This discussion will allow the Community Service and Activism to develop a more precise understanding of the shortcomings that exist concerning students’ expectations surrounding student government’s role in community service and philanthropy.
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly allocate up to $550 for this event
- Up to $450 on dinner costs (Boloco), depending upon participation levels
- $70 for drinks, utensils, napkins
- $30 for advertisements, (200 flyers to be posted around campus)
Sponsored by Anoop Rathod ’07, Joshua Wexler ’08, Raymond Rodriguez ‘09, Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07, and the Diversity and Community Affairs Committee
WHEREAS numerous acts of intolerance have negatively affected the overall climate of the institution,
WHEREAS such behavior is unacceptable at Dartmouth,
WHEREAS students lack knowledge of the resources available to mediate such conflicts,
WHEREAS the Community Action Network (CAN), an integrated network of resources for students who have been affected, is currently being developed by the Student Assembly Diversity and Community Committee, Office of Pluralism and Leadership, and the Dean of Student Life Office,
WHEREAS the Office of Student Life will be actively promoting, advertising, and enhancing the resources that are currently available to students,
WHEREAS OPAL will be initiating dialogues and discourses around issues of diversity and inclusiveness with different residential clusters,
WHEREAS a student peer advising network is being developed in tandem with administrative resources to help students mediate such conflicts of identity,
WHEREAS the members of Student Assembly has met with the Campus Climate Committee to discuss proactive steps,
WHEREAS the Student Assembly supports and acknowledges the proactive steps that the administration is taking in order to improve and ensure a healthy campus climate,
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly support the current work of the Dean of the College, OPAL, the Office of Student Life, and the Campus Climate Committee
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly support the creation of the Community Action Network (CAN),
LET IT FINALLY BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly will continue to initiate programs and offer its support to students who have been confronted by acts of intolerance.
Statement in Support of Need-blind Admission for International Students
Sponsored by Yuki Kondo-Shah ’07, David Nachman ’09, David Ong ’09, Vlad Dobru ’10, and the Diversity and Community Affairs Committee
WHEREAS Dartmouth College is need-blind in its admission decisions for American, Canadian, and Mexican students, but not for students from other countries;
WHEREAS this policy further disadvantages international students who are economically marginalized or disenfranchised in their countries of origin;
WHEREAS need-blind admission plays a fundamental role in reducing inequities of opportunity, and helps create an economically diverse student body;
WHEREAS the current draft of Dartmouth’s new mission statement says, “[we] recruit and admit exceptional students from all backgrounds, regardless of their financial means”;
WHEREAS under current admission policies, Dartmouth does not fulfill its proposed mission statement;
WHEREAS Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Williams, and Middlebury, among others, have need-blind admission for international students;
WHEREAS the admissions policy causes Dartmouth to be less competitive than colleges that have need-blind admission when recruiting international students;
WHEREAS financial circumstances are not a measure of the quality of applicants;
WHEREAS Dartmouth annually loses extremely well-qualified students with limited financial possibilities to other colleges;
WHEREAS the College is currently searching for a new Dean of Admissions, and this statement will be able to be evaluated by the incoming dean;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Student Assembly issues the following statement:
The Student Assembly strongly urges the Board of Trustees and the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid to extend its need-blind admission policy to all students, including international applicants. The absence of a need-blind admission policy for international students undermines Dartmouth commitment to a diverse student body.
The Student Assembly believes that implementing a universal need-blind admissions policy is necessary for fulfilling Dartmouth’s proposed mission statement, which affirms that “[Dartmouth recruits and admits] exceptional students from all backgrounds, regardless of their financial means.”
The Student Assembly recognizes that even with a need-blind admissions policy fundamental differences in opportunity often favor wealthier students, particularly in the case of international students. Therefore, Student Assembly urges that Dartmouth implement a need-blind admission policy for all applicants.
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED that the Student Assembly shares this statement with the Board of Trustees, the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, the Dean of Admissions search committee, and the Dartmouth community.
Proposal to Fund A Discussion on Community Service and Philanthropy
Sponsored by: Leah Adkins ’09, Raymond Rodriguez ’09 and the Community Service and Activism Committee
WHEREAS the Community Service and Activism Committee was created in order to bring more awareness to opportunities to serve the Dartmouth and Upper Valley Communities;
WHEREAS the Community Service and Activism Committee maintains strong ties with the Tucker Foundation and desires bring greater awareness to student-initiated projects and to support initiatives that strive to engage students in community service;
WHEREAS it is important to understand the ways in which students would like Student Assembly Committees to be most effective;
WHEREAS much of the student body and many of its leaders are involved with community service and philanthropy can give valid input as to the needs and desires of those who engage in community service activities regularly;
WHEREAS it is rare for members of the community to find a forum in which issues of community service and philanthropy can be discussed outside of more exclusive organizations;
WHEREAS Student Assembly has the ability to facilitate a discussion beneficial to both the members of Student Assembly and the general student body;
WHEREAS this is an opportunity for Student Assembly to express its interest in community service and philanthropy through a discussion that has never taken place before;
WHERE AS Student Assembly wishes to engage as many students as possible in dialogue discussing the merits of community service and philanthropy;
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly fund its own discussion on community service and philanthropy:
- On Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 6:00 PM, SA will hold a dinner/ discussion in Collis 101.
- The discussion would have a three-fold purpose: 1) to address the structure and interests of the Tucker Foundation as well as the distribution of the programs within the foundation 2) to question the importance of community service to an Ivy League student body and student government 3) to understand the shortcomings of current community service offerings and the best way to address them.
- The discussion will be open to the entire campus as well as administration from the Tucker Foundation. The set up will be small tables reflective of the small discussion-centered focus.
- Speakers will include Dean Lord, student interns from the Tucker Foundation, leaders of service opportunities and philanthropy chairs from Greek houses.
- This discussion will allow the Community Service and Activism to develop a more precise understanding of the shortcomings that exist concerning students’ expectations surrounding student government’s role in community service and philanthropy.
LET IT BE RESOLVED that Student Assembly allocate up to $550 for this event
- Up to $450 on dinner costs (Boloco), depending upon participation levels
- $70 for drinks, utensils, napkins
- $30 for advertisements, (200 flyers to be posted around campus)
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