Section: News

Student Council Minutes: Feb. 14

by Student Council
0 Comments

 

 

  • Last week’s minutes — Unanimous Approval

 

      1. No corrections

 

  • Officer Reports

 

      1. Delaney Gallagher — Vice President of Academic Affairs
        1. Met with Dean Hawks on Tuesday about Merit List
          1. Because of equity issues and differences in circumstances, the Merit List should remain private
        2. Moving forward with better plans for Plan Ahead with the Registrar
          1. Making a video to clarify the process 
        3. Meeting with Micah Smith, Erin Salva, Dean Hawks and two other students 
          1. Focusing on how to get academic accommodations, make process smoother
        4. Met with Provost Bowman about wifi issues and difficulty with online class participation
          1. Faculty is well aware; communicate with professors if this is affecting you
        5. Meeting with academic affairs on Thursday 
      2. Ubongabasi Asuquo — Vice President for Student Life
        1. Sent out voting link for the Buildings and Grounds Services chairperson
          1. Please vote!
        2. Sent out an email about Love Project
          1. Each day we will be thinking about how we can show gratitude for people on our communities
          2. Check email for more details!
      3. Rocco Danese — Vice President for Business and Finance 
        1.  Applications closed for the BFC last Tuesday
          1. Results were sent after Feb. 14 meeting
          2. Encouraged people to apply again next semester if you were not selected this semester
      4. Hannah Petrich — Senior Class Committee
        1. Pushing the date of Fandango event until after quiet period
        2. Senior Class Committee meetings start next week
      5. Skyler Lesser-Roy — Junior Class Committee
        1. Reminder of community 
      6. Jonathan Pastor — Sophomore Class Committee
        1. Class presidents and Asuquo have been working together on Love Project 
          1. Special thanks to Asuquo
      7. Aram Ebrahimian — First Year Class Committee (FYCC)
        1. As a part of Love Project, all first years on campus received Valentines goodies
        2. FYCC had several meetings with the Alumni Office for an event Wednesday 
          1. Encouraged first years to attend
      8. Charlie Muller — Buildings, Grounds, and Sustainability Committee
        1. Ballot is open for BGS Chairperson
          1. Both candidates are members of the committee and actively involved
        2. Feedback survey about Sustainability Statement is out
          1. Please participate!
          2. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNSlDaN51KVRrUOhD_iglJpe-TH08wUNE3Qs-yviebuPl6Ow/viewform
        3. Middle Path Partnership: custodial and maintenance staff sit on this and make decisions related to the Maintenance Department
          1. A student seat has been proposed, working on institutionalizing it permanently depending on the success of their trial run
        4. Wanted to thank Asuquo for the election, candidates that decided to run, members of BGS committee for their work, Dean Hart Ruthenbeck, CGI, Ian Smith and Steering Committee
      9. Ryan Nader — Campus Safety Committee
        1. Sent an email about the COVID-19 rules reminding students of COVID-19 safety restrictions
          1. Please be up front about close contacts
          2. Suggestion to wear two masks: a surgical mask under a cloth mask
          3. Please keep distance in Peirce lines
          4. Try not to linger while eating
        2. Reminder of Counseling Center resource
        3. If anyone has innovative ideas/virtual events reach out to nayder1@kenyon.edu 
      10. Micah Smith — Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
        1. Reminder to participate in Black History Month Events:
          1. More details in emails
          2. Events: Readings from Toni Morrison and other Authors from the African Diaspora on Feb. 18 via Zoom (link in email)
          3. Screening of “Gotta Get Down to It” on Feb. 24 via Zoom
          4. Vigil Blackout Day for Trayvon Martin
        2. Met with Ted Mason regarding quiet period
        3. Reminder to students of color to submit proposals to anti-racism initiative fund
          1. Reminder email coming from Professor Mason next week
        4. Group of students working together on delivering meals to people who are not comfortable going to Peirce
        5. Meeting with Chris Smith soon to work on coming up with ways to discuss COVID-19 and campus culture
        6. CDI coming out with several info sessions
          1. Such as on accessibility, accommodations (housing/academic)
      11. Ever Croffoot-Suede — Housing and Dining Committee
        1. Trash in the NCAs and New Apts is not being put in the right place and it’s attracting animals
          1. Students should reach out to Croffoot-Suede or Reslife if they don’t know where to put their trash or if there is a problem with trash bins
        2. Signs at Peirce will no longer have allergens listed (this was done to avoid human error in listings)
          1. Check NetNutrition online before coming to eat 
        3. Salad and deli station now have vegan options; gluten free and allergen coolers are now accessible again
        4. Door to the servery is always open during the day for cereal, bread, etc. if students miss mealtime 
        5. Social distance in Peirce, do not congregate
        6. Students in quarantine can pick up meals at Peirce Pub 
      12. Greek Council
        1. Committees are starting up later this semester

      13. Kenyon Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

        1. Continuing to brainstorm ideas for KSAAC Saturdays, especially virtual ones

      14. Social Board Rep
        1. Nothing to report
      15. Senate
        1. Meeting this Thursday 
        2. Decision on whether or not the mascot is changing has not yet been made
          1. Email gallagher3@kenyon.edu with input
      16. Bradley Berklich — Student Council President
        1. Nothing to report
      17. Laura Kane — Administrative Advisor
        1. Bags for pickup with meals since quarantined students can’t participate in other grab-and-go events   
        2. Reminder to treat staff members with compassion 

 

  • Agenda Item:

 

      1. Reaccreditation Process and Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Visit with Erika Farfan
        1. Reaccreditation is the process by which a higher education institution gets reviewed by peers and through this process all of our best practices and federal requirements are verified, giving the institution the ability to grant degrees 
        2. The HLC is our regional accreditor 
          1. Cycle of every 10 years (2011 was last time)
          2. Mostly virtual this year, one on campus visitor next week Feb. 22/23
        3. Open student forum on Monday, Feb 22 from 5-6 p.m.
          1. Chance to talk to the accreditation team
          2. Check email for link 
      2. Ombuds Office Outreach with Carrie Knell
        1. Deal with everything conflict-resolution based
          1. Independent office
          2. Reports to President Decatur
          3. Neutral person to help resolve any conflict
        2. Check email for an intro video about how the Office can assist students 
        3. Email: ombuds@kenyon.edu 

 

  • Quiet Period Information Session 
  • Extended quiet period

 

          1. Trying to approach the spring semester with a goal of keeping the campus safe in a way that can also accomplish the other goals of being on campus (in-person classes)

 

  • Worked with AVI to arrange for meal pickup for quarantine students or anyone who wishes to not enter the servery 
  • Reason for Peirce reopening during quiet period: students do not have as much of an opportunity (due to weather) to eat outside as they did in the fall, so they are possibly more likely to congregate inside to share meals. Having the barriers in Peirce is a safer way to dine than in residences. 
  • Reminder to move through the servery quickly and keep distance 
  • Plan to have admissions tours this spring

 

          1. They would remain outside
          2. A really important part in keeping up yield rate               

 

  • BFC Semester Approvals

 

      1. BSU $10,000 for speaker
        1. Funded in full
      2. Broken Legs $60 for singing masks 
        1. Funded in full
      3. Rugby $103.99 to paint the field and for a Peacock subscription for watching rugby
        1. Funded in full 
      4. The Chasers $175 for singing masks
        1. Funded in full 
      5. Eco for $1,650 for straw utensils 
        1. Partially funded because there are still some left from last semester, reducing waste 
      6. MOC $5,000 for virtual speaker
        1. Funded in full
        2. May not actually end up bringing on the speaker
      7. Adelante $1000 for speaker, 3 x $800 cultural tastings (food trucks), $900 for end of semester celebration, $150 misc. prizes
        1. Funded in full on first three items
        2. $150 for prizes was diverted to Fun Funds

 

0 Comments

Comments for this article have closed. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor for publication, please email us at collegian@kenyon.edu.