Students’ Council Weekly Meeting
Sunday November 17, 2019
5:15-5:55pm
Minutes by Devi Namboodiri and Sydney Churchill
Meeting Minutes
Table of Contents
- Attendance
- Campus Updates
- Officer Updates
- Presidential Updates
- Customs
- Attendance
- Council Members
- Co-Presidents: Katie Lieferman & Mariana Ramirez
- Co-Vice Presidents: Noorie Chowdhury & Evan Moon
- Co-Treasurers: Dex Coen Gilbert & Eliza Koren
- Co-Secretaries: Devi Namboodiri & Sydney Churchill
- Officer of Multiculturalism: Brittany Robinson
- Officer of Academics: Lev Greenstein
- Officer of Arts: Mackenzie Somers
- Officer of Athletics: Rodrigo Zuniga
- Officer of Campus Life: Katie Chung
- Representative of International Students: Saket Sekhsaria
- First Year Rep: Rasaaq Shittu
- Sophomore Rep: Natalia Cordon
- Junior Rep: Brian Hu
- Senior Rep: Emily Lin
- Students’ Council Librarian: Nick Lasinsky
- Absent: Marked with Red
- Late: Marked with Orange
- Council Members
- Campus Updates
Katie L.: Does anyone have updates about what’s going on on campus? Things they heard about going on this weekend?
Rodrigo: I know the athletic department is doing a Thanksgiving food drive where each team member has to give a dollar and a non-perishable food item.
Emily: ALAS and IDOMO just had Latin American food night! I was not able to go but heard about it.
Mariana: I can’t remember if it was a Wednesday or Thursday night but I saw a lot of police cars late at night.
Katie L.: Sports things? I feel like there were sports things this weekend
Devi: Women’s soccer went to NCAAs but lost this weekend
Natalia: The bees went to regionals. We got 4th so we beat Swarthmore which was great but only the first two teams qualify for nationals and we were hoping to get the bid for nationals but we found out at like 2:30pm that we didn’t get it so that kind of sucked.
Lev: Quaker house had an oats brunch. Had a lotta oats!
Evan: There were student meetings with the new Title IX coordinator and there are more happening this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
Mariana: How was it?
Evan: It was nice
Mack: She was cool
Mariana: Do you know if for the next candidates they’re trying to have the same set up where they invite the community to ask questions?
Evan: I think they’re going to keep the same casual format. There will be more sessions this upcoming Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 3:30 to 5 if anyone wants to ask questions
Emily: I think one of the Deans sent an email about this like last week
Katie L.: Anything else?
Natalia: Did you get good attendance (*at the Title IX event)?
Mack: It felt intimate but good there were like 6 people there at a time but it was relaxed and conversational which was good
Katie L.: If anyone else doesn’t have things to add, we’re going to do officer updates
- Officer Updates
Devi and Sydney: We don’t have any updates at the moment
Brian: I’m in the middle of talking with Rebecca Avery about the exhibition for the study abroad photos. Nothing is finalized yet. Natalia would you be interested in helping since you’re the sophomore rep?
Natalia: Yea I would be interested
Brian: And then this is an independent project but I am trying to bring together the different political groups on campus.
Katie L.: Could you talk a little bit more about the study abroad photos project?
Brian: I was talking to Rebecca avery about spreading word about the Study Abroad Office. We’re still trying to figure out logistics around the event but we’re hoping to have it for next semester, so for the current sophomore class
Mariana: The whole spreading word part, is it because there aren’t enough students going abroad?
Brian: I think it’s just fun, we thought it would be a fun student body event. Also, there’s a lot of information spread between students and the study abroad office wants to clarify some information. One thing that came up was that STEM students didn’t think they could go abroad when they really can.
Natalia: I know Soho right now is planning to have a study abroad event at the beginning of next semester or at the end of this one so that could be good to collaborate on. Speaking a little bit more about Soho, I was not present at their last meeting but I know that they had a POC social last Thursday. It was very well attended, at least 20 people, the most turnout for any Soho event so we want to figure out more ways to improve attendance for other events as well. Also, last week I posted something in the fb group with no responses but then this week people about 3 people started emailing me about plenary and started introducing themselves to me in person. It was nice to see that Facebook might be a nice tool for me .I was trying to see how to communicate with my class and was happy to start seeing results with Facebook.
I was also having a few discussions about the email that came out about the shoes on the power lines and I don’t think they were coming from a place of being critical but I think they didn’t understand the cultural significance of that (*the shoes on the power lines*). I think maybe people didn’t understand it and I think it might be good to continue some conversations about that.
Katie C.: So I met with Mike, Don and other people to talk about where to put the food pantry and we decided on the game room. So we will be changing the layout of the game room, there will be key card access put in and we’ll be removing one of the pool tables so if anyone wants it. They can also get the felt re-done. The construction of the food pantry will probably be done around Spring Break. So when I send out the facilities fund application some time this week, I’m going to deduct 10k and we would be setting aside this money now for the food pantry and then the rest of the money available will be 25k. Another thing, I know a couple weeks ago someone mentioned dorm bonding and we’re planning stuff for after thanksgiving.
When you (Brian) were talking about the Study Abroad thing, we got a lot of questions about Study Abroad at the Women in Stem event for the Survival Guide so maybe we could collaborate on that. I would love to talk to you (Brian) about that.
Brian: We can set up a meeting
Katie L.: Can you clarify how much money would be coming out of the facilities fund?
Katie C.: About 10K for layout changes and for installing card access. The food itself will not come from facilities fund, Mike said it would be fine and that money would come through from other places and because of the limited resources, it might just be access for people who qualify for LIFTFAR.
Katie L: Is the pantry only with dry goods? Or any refrigerator stuff?
Katie C.: There is going to be a fridge, mostly for eggs, milk that type of thing
Lev: My smaller update is that I re-emailed Franklyn Cantor about the whole what’s going on with President Raymond and the classroom climate initiative and the other woman who has a similar initiative at Bryn Mawr. I missed the first meeting and had to reschedule it but we’ll hopefully meet soon.
Also, Natalia you mentioned last time about making sure sophomores know about the departments they are curious about, I’d love to get involved with this. Also, generally I don’t think I fully understand the academic challenges at Haverford anymore because I think that seniors have different challenges from the rest of students so if anyone has any information about other academic challenges that would be helpful for me to know about.
Mariana: Maybe you could reach out to the Deans about implementing an exit interview for seniors? It would be helpful to have data on people’s Haverford experiences.
Lev: Do we have that data?
Evan: To my knowledge, Admissions does exit interviews but it’s centered around admissions but maybe you could collaborate with them for a more academically oriented exit interview.
Emily: You could ask Brian Cuzzolina from the OAR for THRIVE. THRIVE hasn’t been super active recently but they could be a good resource.
Sydney: What is THRIVE?
Emily: It’s an OAR project to assess student life and academic life and possible stressors. They set up posters in the DC I think during finals so that students have a place to talk about different challenges and things that are on their mind.
Sydney: Thanks
Rodrigo: So this was a while back when we were restructuring plenary but I talked to Wendy Smith about having gender neutral locker rooms. The current way things are, if someone needs a gender neutral locker room, they can talk to Wendy and she will reassign one of the locker rooms being used for official’s (referees, etc.). But she didn’t want to repurpose one if it wasn’t needed.
Also, I got asked if there was support for club athletes in terms of club trainers and the answer to that is that there are athletic trainers that come 3x per week and theres more info on Engage.
Katie L.: The athletic trainers for club teams, can they be used by anyone?
Rodrigo: I think the trainers could be available to the whole student body, but I would check first on Engage. That’s where the info is. More specific questions can be directed towards Curt Mauger, the head athletic trainer.
The Task Force for Athletics and Community met for the first time on Friday and it was mainly goals and introductions but we’re still not sure how we’re going to go about getting data, etc.
Katie L.: I had a question about the gender neutral locker-rooms- Is the idea that we have a locker room we could re-purpose but there hasn’t been a need for that?
Rodrigo: Each varsity sports team gets their own locker room for the season. There are two gendered locker rooms for referees/officials so if someone wants a gender neutral locker room, they have to ask Wendy Smith for the code and to have one re-purposed.
Mariana: So she’s not going to publicize this option unless someone asks?
Rodrigo: Yea I think so but I’m not sure
Mariana: How did this get brought up?
Rodrigo: This comes from Julie Hanns, she had asked me to ask Wendy about this
Saket: Yea I don’t really have updates this week but just trying to keep track of projects
Evan: Last week appointed we appointed for CSSP (Committee on Student Standing and Programs): Li Hermosillo Rojas ’22. For Commencement Committee for Class of 2021: Devi Namboodiri ’21, Hanna Kopits ’21, Lourdes Taylor ’21. Today will appoint -2 people for Haverfest Co-Heads. Next week will appoint -1 person for Honor Council Librarian, 3-4 people or CSSR (Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility), 2 people for TF on Athletics and Community, 8 people for TF on Campus Traditions and Engagement.
Mariana: Are you nervous about not getting enough applications for the TF on Campus Traditions and Engagement?
Evan: Yea, definitely. We might need your guys’ support and also to reach out to different clubs, etc. and maybe even fill positions with SC members if necessary.
Katie L.: For the Task Force on Campus Traditions and Engagements, could you talk a little bit more about that?
Evan: It’s essentially the new version of SLAC (Student Leadership Advisory committee. They’re going to evaluate events on the basis of inclusivity and try to make recommendations about ways that events can be made more inclusive.
Emily: I have a meeting scheduled with Commencement Committee with Franklyn Cantor in a couple weeks. I emailed Tom and Bruce of the DC to see if they could post more information on the website about some of the concerns that were raised on the Ford Form last week.
Nick: I’ve done a fair amount of work doing a read through of the constitution and I fixed a few errors and made sure that the formatting was consistent. I also typed out a style guide so that when things are added, it would be easier and more consistent. In terms of next steps, I’m meeting with Franklyn Cantor to make sure the document is completely updated. I’m also going to cross check and double check all the past resolutions to make sure it is fully updated and get some materials from when he (Franklyn) was a student.
Mariana: Have you been in contact with the honor council librarian?
Nick: Yes I am going to meet with her Thursday!
Katie L.: The constitution has also been updated on Engage.
Mariana: It says on there that it’s a work in progress so that people know that it will continue to be updated
Dex: One small thing, the power posers now have a yoga teacher and it’s my mom. She was the only person they could find who was willing to do it for less than 100 dollars. One Big thing, we are going to move the budgeting system on to Engage, to simplify and make it better. Eliza has been doing a lot of the work on that and it will happen for next semester.
Mack: I’ve been talking with FUCS about the appointments process and how much help they would want from me. Thats coming up in early December. I’ve also been talking to CER about some possible collaboration with me and James House and them on addressing artistically issues with how the school invests in the fossil fuel industry but I don’t know a lot about that yet. I have also been coordinating with folks on supplies for We Speak for Us for an event at the end. I have noticed a pattern this semester of more clubs and affinity groups seeking art supplies for events they are having and I’m trying to think of ways we can streamline because I want this to continue after this year and if people have any ideas about this I’m open to it.
Mariana: I’m wondering if there could be an official check out system? Like similar to a library checkout system.
Mack: Totally I think that would be a great idea, as right now it is just locked. Changing that could be both good and bad because it also gets complicated because some of the supplies are hard to keep track of.
Mariana: What is the final portion of We Speak for us going to entail?
Mack: It’s still a little bit up in the air
Emily: When will it be?
Mack: It’s going to be early December but I don’t have the exact date
- Presidential Updates
Mariana: Katie, Evan, some people from Customs Committee and SWOL met with Mike, Michelle and Res Life to discuss Custom’s compensation and the next steps. Before thanksgiving break, Mike and Michelle are going to send out a poll to the student body so gauge how folks are feeling about the 3 models they have proposed. The poll will also have some questions about demographics to see who is choosing what options to see how that could impact how people are voting.
Katie L.: Essentially, we were trying to work through adding some nuance to the models that we have already seen and adding an option that: If you really don’t have an opinion, then check this box. There is a bit of urgency to this because we need to appoint Co-Heads and get the process of customs rolling in the next few weeks.
Dex: With regards to the customs compensations stuff, I think Saket and I could get involved as well. Because Saket and I are going to be at the AAC meetings and if we’re trying to advocate for more money advocated to that, we would need to know about that and what we’re trying to advocate for.
Mariana: SWOL was really enthusiastic about forming a working group of some kind so that we can ensure the balance between what will happen next year but also five to ten years from now in terms of Customs Compensation.
Katie L.: I am thinking myself and the other Steering Committee rep could be involved in this as we plan for the long-term model too.
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