Blood, Sweat, and Parliamentary Procedure SGA and Community Council Semester in Review

Author: Nicole Maddox

The Middlebury College Student Government Association (SGA) and Community Council have gone almost unnoticed on campus this fall, but the governing bodies project many more undertakings for the coming term. Although outwardly the SGA has appeared rather passive in its contribution to campus leadership, it has been dedicatedly working behind the scenes on a number of minor adjustments and preparing for major changes in the winter and spring.
This September, the Community Council began busily moving through its fall agenda. The year began with a restructuring of the Social House and Academic Interest House review process. The council eliminated many "non-achievable" regulations, and prioritized the evaluative criteria to focus on the issues faced by degree of importance. "The regulations that houses may not engage in life-threatening hazing events or drug or alcohol distributions are most important," the Community Council report stated. "Gender distribution is less important."
Additionally, the council voted on and approved two new recommendations in regard to the College's academic dishonesty policy. Both policy changes refined the power of the Academic Judicial Board, allowing the board to withhold the degree for up to a year of a student found guilty of cheating for up to two years after the student's graduation.
The Community Council also authorized a group of several students and faculty members to begin the Carbon Reduction Initiative. Working with the Environmental Council, the group sought "to find ways in which the College can reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change."
The SGA in turn revised several Finance Committee guidelines, easing the expenditure of allotted funds for student organizations. They have also overseen adjustments in the dining schedule, established environmental goals for the year at the inaugural Environmental Summit and updated its Web site to increase student access to SGA issues and documents.
Signs of the SGA's future work can already be observed, as across campus holes and wires are beginning to emerge from doorways, preparing for the new Enhanced Access System to be implemented in Winter Term. The system will be monitored by the SGA throughout its installment and activation.
Also tested in Winter Term will be an expanded MiddRides route. The trial period will extend service to Frog Hollow Wednesday through Saturday. The SGA also plans enhanced Grille service and a campus-wide "Student Life Survey" -- both projected for Winter Term.
Through winter and spring, the SGA will revise their constitution, although the date of completion has not yet been established.