The Student Government Association (SGA) met Sunday Oct. 19 and Sunday Oct. 26.
The meeting on Oct. 19 began with the Finance Committee’s Biweekly report, presented by Treasurer Ilana Gratch ’16.5. The Finance Committee received budget and grant requests from 25 student organizations and approved 22 of the requests. The Committee will continue to process annual budget requests through November 15 and Graff noted that there are many new organizations to see.
Next, Cook Commons Senator Tiff Chang ’17 and Senator Sophie Vaughan ’17 presented their Student Liaison to the SGA on Endowment Affairs (SLSEA) Bylaws Amendment. Vaughan described the amendment as “attacking the ambiguity of the SLSEA” by clarifying the appointment process, instituting mandatory office hours and including a formal process for reporting back to the SGA. The amendment was discussed further on Jan. 26 and then formally passed into the Bylaws in a unanimous vote.
Another ongoing discussion at the two meetings was the proposal for the MiddSafe Resolution by Senators Naila Jahan ’15 and Kyle Gerstenschlager ’15. The resolution suggests initiating MiddSafe bystander intervention training for all varsity teams. Initially, the resolution faced some resistance when it was brought up by Co-Chair of the Community Council Ben Bogin ’15 that it may be “redundant and unnecessary … bystander training is now required by federal law so there is now a training for this for all freshman and our orientation program fulfills this.”
Sophomore Senator Karina Toy ’17 argued that, while this training is required, only about two-thirds of first-years showed up to this year’s training. Senator Zak Fisher ’16 was one of the resolution’s most open supporters.
He said, “I think that this bill is one of the most important things we can do. In response to the criticisms about it being redundant: ‘Stop, drop and roll’ is redundant but it saves lives.” The resolution is still being fine-tuned but there are plans to have it be put to a formal vote at next week’s meeting, Nov. 2.
Other business that was discussed at both meetings was the LaundryView Resolution supported by Toy. LaundryView is a program that would allow students to check online for available washers and dryers.
At the meeting on Oct. 19 Senator Toy announced that after going to the administration and receiving little support to install LaundryView on campus, she suggested passing a bill declaring that SGA wanted to research the matter further. After continued discussion on the matter at the Oct. 26 meeting, the resolution was passed in a 15-0-2 vote.
Next, Speaker Michael Brady ’17.5 and Senator Mohamed Hussein ’17 announced their Increased Printer Access Initiative Resolution, which would entail more printers on campus with around the clock access. After talking with the IT department, Hussein announced that the college would be open to installing and paying for five new printers and the SGA is hopeful to raise that number to nine. Possible locations for these new printers included: Gifford, Hepburn, Forest, Ross, Atwater Library, Battell, Hillcrest and Proctor.
Finally, at the meeting on October 26, a group of students led by Jack Kerby-Miller ’14.5 and Larson Lovdal ’16.5 presented their plans to build the Burgin Lodge in memory of Ian Burgin, Class of 2008. The project has been in the works for three years and is aimed to be completed by May 2015. The lodge would be an outdoor shelter for students, faculty and alumni of Middlebury College and would be maintained by the Mountain Club. The Lodge would be built near the Rikert Nordic Center and would be accessible in the Fall, Winter and Spring.
