senate
Reprioritizing Our Energy Future, Extending Dining Hours in the Village, and Confirming a New VP Admin: Come to SU Senate on 11/04/09 @ 9PM
This Wednesday, SU Senate will see two resolutions and vote to confirm a new Vice President of Administration. The first resolution advocates for an pilot program for expanded hours in the Village, and the second advocates for Washington University to change the name for the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization and also pursue the development of renewable energy sources. Senate will vote on the passage of both resolutions, which are attached below.
Nate Ferguson, the current VP of Programming, has been recommended by the executives to be appointed as the new VP of Administration. After Treasury confirms their selection on Tuesday night, Senate will vote to confirm a candidate for the position.
Action Planning on Race Relations: Following up on the Senate Town Hall on Racial Profiling
Last Wednesday, Senate's Town Hall on Racial Profiling co-moderated by myself, Connect 4's co-Presidents Wanda Savala and De Nichols was an incredibly productive discussion with many students in attendance, and has been covered in two separate articles in Student Life: "WU commission investigating officer's encounter with student" and "SU Discusses Results of Racial Profiling Survey". We analyzed the current situation on campus and the results of Senate's survey to students regarding racial profiling, and came up with a formative action plan that will next be discussed at Connect 4's Roundtable on Monday, November 9th from 8-9PM in DUC 276. The survey results are attached, as well as the comprehensive document collecting ideas from both Wednesday's Senate Town Hall and Monday's Town Hall regarding the Chicago Mother's Night Club Original incident. Here are the ideas we will be investigating to improve the situation on campus:
WU/PD and RACIAL PROFILING
*Voice opinions and open conversation with them.
*Schedule a meeting to voice concerns and open conversation.
*Have them create a list of requirements they use for suspecting individuals.
*Increase transparency.
*Diversity Training for WUPD.
*Establish what causes students to report others.
*Raise student awareness.
*Establish reportage system.
BRIC program is outlined. Could be of help.
ON CAMPUS STUDENT AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING
*Freshman year program
Connect 4 members Camille Young and Lexi Klein are starting an Operation *Understanding initiative for freshmen at WU. Connect 4 has budgeted for events for such for next semester.
*Get students to share personal stories.
Use the Stories Project? * Generate ways by which students can learn about other cultures and student groups.
* Provide safe, open means by which to express curiosity about other cultures.
* Decrease minority sensitivity to curiosity. Increase understanding.
* Celebrate similarities instead of differences
* Continue dialogue via non-cultural cultural groups like Connect 4 and One World
* Host diversity trainings and trainers.
Rap Sessions, November 14th.
Mix It Up Day, November 10th
STUDENT INTERACTION/ PROGRAMMING
* Have More events that allow students to freely interact and mingle… (some already exist)
Mix It Up Day, November 10
The Solution
* Have reps from different groups visit other groups
* Connecting students before arriving at WU
Bear Buddies, Joseph Marcus
* Reach out to grad schools.
*Reach-out to those who aren’t in cultural groups.
* Integrate Greek Life in more "cultural" activities. * Create a multicultural retreat that all students can attend at the beginning of the year. * Develop an Overarching Group of students that would commit to this.
SU is working with Connect 4 in efforts to create a diversity affairs position in SU as well as an executive council that would address these and other issues of diversity.
* Address MC Weekend.
RESLIFE
* Take diversity into account when making freshman floors.
* Use RAs as resources.
* Provide training program on Freshmen floors as part of orientation.
Liaison Meeting with Dean Colangelo
It was Dean Colangelo's birthday on Thursday! In addition to that exciting news, I had my first meeting with him on Oct 8 and had another brief meeting with him Oct 30.
What does Dean Colangelo do?
He is the Executive Officer of the Sam Fox School and the deans of architecture and museum report to him. He also represents the Sam Fox School to University Council. Is also concerned with the financial stability of the school.
In his day-to-day schedule, he meets with other deans, has cabinet meetings with includes the directors of graduate programs, and is working on how to structure the new curriculum (mentioned in next section).
What administrative news is there?
In 2011, the Sam Fox School is going to begin a "shared first year program". In this new program, Art and Architecture students will have more exchange between them and symmetry between their programs. For instance, a student can take Sculpture and Architecture their first year. A drastic change is that students can work with faculty to design interdisciplinary programs. Majors start in the sophmore year. The Art and Architecture staff will become more intertwined -- for instance an Architecture teacher can teach a Drawing class. It will also be easier to switch between Art and Architecture schools because of transferrable credits. There will be more concrete information about this program after the faculty retreat today.
In the future, the Sam Fox School is looking to implement a Bachelor of Design program. And in the Fall of 2010, a Master of Landscape Architecture program will be implemented in the Graduate School. The MFA program will also include Design. And an art program will be joining the archictecture program in Buenos Aires.
Where does the Sam Fox School stand in relation to the rest of Wash U?
The deans in Sam Fox work constantly with the deans in the other schools. Dean Colangelo is examining how more collaboration can occur between the Olin School of Business and the Sam Fox School, that is collaboration between design and entrepeneurship.
It was really great meeting with Dean Colangelo. If you have any questions or ideas about what we discussed, feel free to ask! And if you want me to bring up anything to Dean Colangelo in our next Liaison Meeting, let me know.
Happy Halloween!
Kelsey
Senate Town Hall on Racial Profiling Tonight @ 9:30PM, and Senate Resolution Condemning Racial Discriminiation
Tonight, Senate will be holding a town hall on racial profiling to focus the conversation that began at Monday night's forum on ways to improve the situation on campus at WashU. The town hall will be held as part of our regular meeting at 9:00PM in Simon 113, and will begin at 9:30PM.
Additionally, last week Senate passed a resolution in support of the actions of the Senior Class Trip participation and condemning Mother's Night Club Original's act of discrimination during the senior trip. The resolution is attached below.
Dan Robinson, Artsci Senate Candidate
There's no "I" in Senate, but the most important part of SU is you. The Student Union Senate should reflect your concerns and interests, and if elected, I will focus on facilitating dialogue instead of creating it. This is the fastest and most effective way to create the change and improvements that will enhance the experiences of all students on campus. I will make every effort to bring the ideas of students to SU, rather than bringing the ideas of SU to students.
My name is Dan Robinson, and I’m a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science. As a senator, I will strive to listen, learn, andadvocate for what you want. I would love the chance to represent the interests of my peers and would appreciate your vote on November 4th and 5th.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, ideas, and suggestions.
Email: danielrobinson@wustl.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/danjrobinson
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