Student Assembly

Minutes — September 13, 2012
Cornell University Student Assembly
4:45pm — 6:30pm, Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room

I. Call to Order/Roll Call

A. Gitlin called the meeting to order at 4:47pm.

Members present

S. Balik, J. Batista, G. Block, E. Bonatti,, G. Braciak, S. Breedon, I. Chen, M. Cho, A. Chopra, R. Desai, A. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, I. Harris, D. iwaoka, D. Kuhr, J. Lee, G. Lovely, M. Lukasiewicz, J. Marshall, J. Mueller, D. Muir, C. Pritchett, U. Smith, M. Stefanko, N. Terrones

Members excused

T. Hittinger

Members unexcused

P. Scelfo

II. Approval of the 9/6/12 Minutes

• Minutes approved

III. Open Microphone

• Sam Daley: Regarding swimming in the gorges, believes $1.5 million spent on policing and raising student-awareness might be better spent on making the gorges themselves safer. Perhaps money could be spent on lifeguards/landscaping/etc., not on preventing people from swimming in the gorges

IV. Presentation by Provost Kent Fuchs

• Have received extensive input on the academic calendar that was proposed and endorsed by Faculty Senate May ‘12
• Provost Fuchs made 3 modifications to the calendar over the summer
  • Rescheduling of exams
  • School year starts a week earlier every 4 out of six years to allow Cornell to hold a recognition ceremony
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day to be an official University holiday
• Calendar to be implement hopefully Spring 2014
• Cross-discussion on the White Paper from President Skorton
  • Called on University to think about its global influence and how to encourage such on campus
  • Thinking of requiring an international experience of all students
• Entertaining idea of creating a School of Public Policy
  • Administrative oversight would be the HumEc College
  • Hopes to offer courses and degrees to all of campus, not just a specialized group
• MOOCs — massive open online courses. Consortiums of different universities have started to create online opportunities — Cornell has held back in participation but will be making a decision soon
• D. Kuhr: How will final papers be factored in? Please consider having students on the committee that will decide the exam schedule
  • Looking to more strictly enforce current rules regarding final papers
  • Considering having all final papers/projects due by the last day of classes
  • Looking to vigorously require courses with TAs to hold consistent weekend office hours during exams
  • Definitely committed to student input, but have not created the committee yet
• D. Kuhr: Would the School of Public Policy be structured like the Dyson School? Any plans to remove it from the HumEc umbrella in the future?
  • Will be similar to the Dyson school, but will provide opportunities for ALL students
  • Still looking into the idea — no guarantee of its creation
• I. Chen: Will the international requirement affect transfer students as well? That along with their academic requirements might be too much pressure
  • Will keep that in mind, but still unsure about the requirement
• G. Block: Regarding the Academic Calendar
  • Ideas that students brought up were never really considered (not shortening study period, shortening Winter Break)
  • Felt the Committee saw a finish line and forced its wash through
  • Speaks poorly on the Committee that they were able to so easily pass something that really affects the entire campus when the student body is unified against the resolution. Fact that the exam schedule hasn’t been planned out yet should also alert to the fact that the process is moving significantly too fast
• R. Desai: Idea of scheduling exams around the idea of ‘freshmen’ and ‘senior’ classes is a bit skewed — exams should not be explicitly delineated as such. Request that the staff be open to review of any proposed schedules and to student open
  • Advisory groups and Deans will provide the best influence. Committee is very committed and will definitely be open to review
  • Cassie Dembosky (works at University Registrar): a lot of factors will go into determining the schedule. Will also gain experience from exams that will occur before the implementation of the new Calendar
• U. Smith: Suggests that dual-degree options be offered at the School of Public Policy
• E. Bonatti: Please expand on the international requirement. Also, will there be more financial support provided for international students?
  • Will come back with an update regarding the requirement
  • Don’t have the resources to provide support, but do have a goal for how much money they would like to raise to help in the effort
• J.Weiner: Believes work needs to be done to rebuild the relationship between the Administration and students. What, if anything, could have increased the impact of the student voice in the Calendar process?
  • The earlier the better — when concerns are brought forth during voting, it’s more difficult to consider them

V. Announcements/Reports

Election Update — J. Weinberg

• About half the freshmen class voted
• New members: Inge Chen, Ian Harris, Matthew Stefanko, Garrison Lovely, Juliana Batista
• A. Gitlin congratulates J. Weinberg on the most-efficient election ever run

University Assembly Announcement — M. Lukaciewicz

• Two undergraduate reps elected to sit on the UA, looking for an SA rep to join P. Scelfo

Report on Sexual Assault Response Initiatives — N. Terrones, G. Block, A. Chopra

• Mandatory information session, follow up on Wingman Resolution, expansion of BLUE, PR for buddy system, camera surveillance, increasing police visibility, PR for counseling and self defense
• U. Smith: Suggests working closely with freshmen-required events

VIl. Business of the Day

Resolution 6: Engaging Unelected Community Members through Associate Membership — G. Block, D. Muir, C. Pritchett

• SA has trouble engaging two communities
  • Students who are not part of groups the SA interacts with regularly
  • Students who un in elections but don’t make it
• Want students to sit at the table and engage in debate — just won’t have a vote
• E. Bonatti: More people would increase inefficiency. Also afraid that selection process would be too subjective
• U. Smith: Questions method of proposal. For the group that doesn’t make elections, it’s really their fault if they choose not to take advantage of the venues SA holds
• D. Kuhr: Applauds effort, but don’t see if having an impact. Maybe consider inviting Committee members to meetings?
• J. Weinberg: Adding associates would drown out what the SA should be doing — reaching out to the community
• R. Desai: Learning how to make an impact is a steep learning curve — turning away associates is denying them the opportunity to learn
• G. Block: SA has been slow to change so it should explore as many options as possible — this is currently just an experiment
• U. Smith: Suggests abolishing task forces and turning work back to the committees
• J. Weinberg: Suggests SA hold its meetings around campus. Also, suggests rewriting standing rules to farther emphasize member requirements
• Call to question, seconded, dissent expressed
• Vote to vote: 13–9−1. Debate continues
• J. Batista: Would not particularly want an associate position if she didn’t make the SA — a bit degrading to not have a vote
• Call to question, seconded, dissent expressed
• Vote to vote: 14–6−0 Move on to vote
• Roll Call Vote: 4–15–3

• Resolution 6 fails

VII. New Business

Resolution 7: Establishment of the Student Assembly Freshman Committee - R. Gitlin, M. Lukasiewicz, G. Block

• Idea is that it will be a place for freshmen to discuss ideas and concerns — a way for the SA to get more involved
• J. Batista: How to make sure people who didn’t make the SA won’t feel like they’re stuck in a ‘reject pool’?
  • The Committee is a catalyst to engage freshmen across North
  • Generally no grudges held over the elections
• Motion to move to Business of the Day, seconded, dissent expressed
  • Vote to move to Business of the Day: 15–3−3
  • Moved to Business of the Day
• N. Terrones: There are a lot of committees that already affect North and the freshman community — what makes this any different?
  • Exploring opportunities for engagement — just an experiment for now to see how it goes
• Motion to table Resolution
  • Vote: 4–15–3
  • Motion fails
• G. Block: Motion to amend: The final clause reads: “Be it further resolved, that the “North Campus Committee” act on ad-hoc basis, as a think-tank, consisting of the 4 SA freshmen representatives, the Vice President of Outreach an freshmen at-large students.”
  • Call to question, seconded, dissent expressed
  • Vote to vote: 18–1−3
  • Vote: 19–3−0
  • Motion passes
• Call to question, seconded, dissent expressed
  • Vote to vote: 17–7−0
  • Roll call vote: 15–5−3

• Resolution 7 passes

Resolutions 8, 9, and 10 tabled until the next meting

A. Gitlin adjourned the meeting at 6:30pm

Respectfully submitted, Chelsea Cheng