Student Assembly

Minute — November 29, 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 4:46pm.

Members present

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

Members tardy

M. Cho, R. Desai

II. Approval of the 11/15/12 Minutes

• Minutes approved by unanimous consent

III. Open Microphone

• None

IV. Presentation by President David J. Skorton

• SA is a top priority for him — thanks it for all of its hard work, its constructive additions to campus dialogue, and the challenge it provides him
• Topics of focus during a recent student leaders meeting:
  • Changes in the Greek pledging system
  • Graduate and professional education
  • 2nd phase committees created to respond to climate around campus and the biased events that have happened
  • Exam schedule
• D. Kuhr: Is there any plan to commemorate the taking down of the fences? If so, the SA would love to collaborate
  • It is an important idea and after speaking with Vice President Murphy, will get back to the SA
• I. Harris: Regarding the grant that expands critical languages at Cornell — will the policy of having professors teach on campus and not online be maintained?
  • Ideally tradition would be maintained
  • The online option is increasing, especially with the economic situation and the increase in tuition
  • A lot of discussion as to what college education will look like in the future — cannot see the disappearance of campuses, but the possibility is there
  • Hope to really look into the idea and discuss it — encourages the SA to do the same
• Jennifer Weidman ‘13: Remembers the emphasis on mental health 3 years ago — afraid that it has diminished. Is there an avenue that students should be taking to raise such concerns?
  • Impact has lessened as time has passed
  • Best options are to email the President, communicate with governing bodies (SA, GPSA, UA, etc.), communicate with other bodies involved in the matter, and reach out to Gannett
  • Dr. Janet Corson-Rikert (Executive Director at Gannett Health Services): Gannett does have a committee on mental health and welfare and encourages communication with her and the committee. The Lift Your Spirits event from 3 years ago was very effective and they would like to do something similar again with the SA
• D. Muir: Arts and Sciences students feel constrained by their 100-credit requirement. Since Cornell offers such a wide breadth of educational opportunities, has reduction of the requirements been looked into to allow students to more freely explore their other interests?
  • Aware of the weight of the requirement and will speak with the Provost and with the College about the matter
• Chelsea Cheng ‘15: Has heard the Cornell has been flirting with the idea of MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses) — can you discuss?
  • MOOCs are an international issue and it has been a prominent question around campus
  • Cornell has been watching an waiting to see what other schools are doing
  • Hope the Provost will be presenting Cornell’s stand on MOOCs in the Spring
  • Current consideration: to have an outstanding lecture be made public to the rest of the world, or to maintain classroom procedures to facilitate faculty/student interactions
• E. Bonatti: In response to the White Paper and the increasing international population, has the creation of an International Center on campus been considered?
  • There has been no proposal for such a building
  • The community would have to decide on how best to support international funding
  • A high priority is to change the fact that aid is primarily provided to domestic students — philanthropy is currently the best source to provide aid to international students

V. Announcements/Reports

International Issues Update — E. Bonatti

• Has been in collaboration with ISSO (International Students and Scholars Office)
• Worked to create more dining options during breaks for international students that stay on campus

Social Justice Requirement Update — Chelsea Cheng

• Have met with several College deans — in the process of scheduling appointments with the remaining ones
• All the colleges have been open to the idea of a social justice requirement and most see that the best way to implement it would be through their liberal studies requirement
• Arts and Sciences will be the big push — if they shift the liberal studies requirement to include a diversity category, most of the colleges will reflect the adjustment in their own curriculum
• Will not be a quick or easy process — a proposal would have to go through a curriculum board as well as be approved by the faculty
• Best liaisons will be the representatives on the SADAC

AAP Update — U. Smith

• Met with Dean Mata and discussed how the Art department is moving toward mandatory dual degree programs

Student Life Task Force Report — U. Smith

• The report outlines every individual’s initiatives and what they have done during this semester
• The report will be sent out and will also be incorporated into the final SA report to be sent to President Skorton

Greek Update — J. Toledo

• Slope Media has produced a photo campaign for the Greek Tri-Council — encourages SA members to check it out

AIDS Week Update — D. Kuhr

• The week has been a huge success — professors have even offered extra credit to attend the movie screenings
• The condom couture show will be in the Bear’s Den at 6:00 11/30/12

Events Calendar Update — J. Batista

• Have been working with a lot of people on the initiative
• It’s well on its way — appreciate the range of student groups involved
• Currently working to get it connected to Facebook

Diversity Meeting Announcement — U. Smith

• A.T. Miller invites SA member to attend a seminar on diversity in May that will specifically focus on student-originated iniiatives

VI. Business of the Day

Resolution 22: Orientation Education Program — A. Chopra, M. Lukasiewicz, G. Block, N. Terrones

• Met with Sarah Jones of the Orientation Steering Committee — she has expressed great interest in the resolution and is looking forward to working on it
• Call to question, seconded
• Resolution 22 passed by a vote of 25–0−0

Resolution 26: Approval of the Spring 2013 Elections Rules — J. Weinberg, D. Kuhr, Matthew Sloan, Noah Karr-Kaitin, A. Chopra, R. Desai

• A. Bores: Why are eligibility rules not consistent for candidates who get elected in the Fall and go abroad in the Spring? Have you considered retroactive enforcement, as in members that go abroad shouldn’t run for re-election?
  • The expectation is that candidates are present throughout the year, nothing holds students accountable, especially if abroad is a last minute decision
• R. Gitlin: Would like to bring Section B Point 8: Campaign Ethics to the attention of the SA — important that the rule is enforced
• G. Block: Motion to strike Section B Subsection 2 Point 2: members shouldn’t have to wait until March (end of the election period) to hold an outreach event
  • J. Weinberg: To clarify, this doesn’t restrict members from doing their jobs, merely a clause to restrict members from creating self-promotional events
  • U. Smith: Members seemed worried about the length of the time interval of the restriction — recommends shortening it to when materials are due, then the interval would only be 3 weeks
  • Motion withdrawn
• Motion to amend: B.2.2. reads “not host constituency outreach events from the deadline for election materials through the last day of voting”
  • Unanimous consent
• D. Muir: Motion to amend photo requirement — would like candidates to be able to take their photos with Slope Media as well
  • The reason this requirement is so important is that it stresses egalitarianism
  • Slope Media is not a photo service
  • Candidates are allowed to collaborate with organizations for every other aspect of the process
  • Call to question, seconded, dissent expressed
    • Vote to vote: 21–3−1
    • Debate ended
  • Amendment failed by a vote of 2–21–2
• T. Hittinger: Seems unfair that some majors have study abroad as a requirement
  • U. Smith: Study abroad is embedded into the AAP curriculum and students have the option to opt out — do not see this as an issue
• Call to question, seconded
• Resolution 26 passed by a roll call vote: 25–0−0

Resolution 27: Expanding Availability of the Students Helping Students Grant — D. Kuhr, M. Stefanko

• Only change to the application is the submittal deadline
• P. Scelfo: Recommends mentioning that this grant is privately funded. Has the endowment increased?
  • Does not see it as necessary
  • Yes, the endowment increases yearly — currently about $150K
• U. Smith: Commends resolution and appreciates publicity. Recommends E. Bonatti push this grant in the international community
• Call to question, seconded
• Resolution 27 passed by a roll call vote of 25–0−0

VII. New Business

Resolution 28: Student Support for a Campus-Wide Plastic Bag Fee — Sarah Loftus, S. Balik

• Motion to amend: The type of action is Sense of the Body
  • Unanimous consent
• Have been working with the Cornell Store for the past 2 years on this initiative
• $0.05 plastic bag fee to be enacted in January — Cornell Store looking for student support
• Looking to make it a university wide fee as Cornell has a strong commitment to sustainability
• Recommends that the revenue goes toward promoting sustainable initiatives
• U. Smith: Would this be for everyone, not just students? Will revenue decrease over the years? Will this be a main source of funding for the Green Revolving Fund?
  • Targeted toward students, but will affect everyone
  • Would be an additional funding source for the Green Revolving Fund once it is created
• D. Kuhr: Has the Cornell Store considered paper bags? How will the revenue be tracked?
  • Main concern is that the bag needs to be sturdy enough to hold textbooks
  • $0.05 is not a huge fee and students should be capable of carrying what they buy
  • Cornell Store has agreed to work with the SA on where the funds will go
• D. Iwaoka: Who is going to oversee the revenue?
  • They are in contact with Cornell Store administrators, but unsure yet — do not see revenue being lost
  • Cornell Store initially proposed to donate the revenue
• A. Santangelo: How will this affect student groups that hand out bags?
  • The same fee will be applied to ordered bags
• A. Bores: Will the Cornell Store be keeping any revenue for themselves? What will happen to the funds before the Green Revolving Fund is set up?
  • Cornell Store will not be taking any revenue
  • Are still determining where the revenue will go — will have a plan by the time the tax is implemented
• M. Stefanko: Will this be publicized? Is there a way to ensure that the tax will be charged?
  • Cornell Store will have a widespread campaign
  • Cashiers will be educated about the fee
• J. Marshall: Why hasn’t this been brought to the dining committee?
  • The resolution implies a process — they did not mean to exclude anyone from the discussion and will be sure to reach out to Dining
• Resolution tabled until the next meeting

Resolution 30: Approving the Student Assembly Finance Commission’s Executive Board Members and Commissioners — R. Desai

• M. Cho: Most of the exec members are from DSP — will this affect the effectiveness of the SAFC?
  • It might be an alarming number, but a large number of commissioners are in DSP — shouldn’t hamper effectiveness
• Motion to move to Business of the Day, seconded
• Call to question, seconded
• Resolution 30 passed by a vote of 20–0−3

Resolution 31: Clarifying Student Assembly Special Projects Funds — R. Desai, D. Muir, C. Pritchett

• Created some stipulations regarding the funds as there currently aren’t any
• P. Scelfo: Why is the SA Committee Chairs clause under Rule 3 struck?
  • M. Lukaciewicz: Committees have their own source of funding — if a project was big enough, it could apply for special funds
• Resolution 31 tabled until the next meeting

A. Gitlin adjourned the meeting at 7:00

Respectfully submitted,
Chelsea Cheng