SGA update

Author: Aseem Mulji

Student Government Association (SGA) President Hiba Fakhoury '09 led an agenda-less meeting on March 15. The informal format, explained Fakhoury, allowed for a "fast-paced, action-oriented" atmosphere conducive to brainstorming initiatives for the rest of the semester.

The meeting began with a discussion of the Honor Code Review Committee's controversial recommendation to allow faculty-proctored exams. Since the SGA voted down the recommendation last week, Fakhoury urged the body to come up with new creative ideas to present to the Faculty Council.

Katie Hylas '09, newly appointed chief of staff, presented some ideas, which included a verbal honor code, elected student proctors and mandatory brief discussions about the Honor Code before exams.

Some senators questioned the effectiveness of elected student proctors, citing the fact that these students must proctor and take the exam simultaneously. Fakhoury and Hylas suggested that the Center for Teaching, Learning and Research (CTLR) provide paid proctors to the faculty who request them. Senators also suggested increasing the Honor Code's visibility online and on syllabi as well as creating guidelines for proctoring, be it by faculty or students.

Fakhoury and Hylas will present all discussed ideas to the Faculty Council on March 19 with the hope of striking a compromise.

Following the Honor Code discussion, Fakhoury showed off the SGA's new blog at go/sga. She explained that it exists "so students know who the SGA is and what is going on with the SGA."

Junior Senator Chris Goodrich suggested that e-mails be sent out periodically to remind students that the blog is available. Other SGA members were concerned about clogging student mailboxes.

"We should really just keep it to one e-mail a week," Fakhoury said.

Fakhoury opened the floor to brainstorm initiatives to tackle during the rest of the semester.

Sophomore Senator Ashley Quisol suggested an end-of-year yard sale for graduating seniors. Community Council Co-Chair Antoinette Rangel '09 pointed out that an unofficial KDR yard sale already exists. A work group was established to do further research.

Hylas indicated interest in working with commons senators to create quiet study spaces around campus to be used after library hours.

First-year Senator Jonathan Kay expressed concern over dining hall lines. Work groups were established to research all three proposals.

Rangel, on behalf of Community Council member Jason Rago '09, brought to the SGA's attention the concern that club and varsity athletes receive only one of two required PE credits for graduation. Rather than create a work group, the SGA quickly wrote and passed a bill suggesting that athletes be able to fulfill two credits through participation in a club or varsity sport.