The Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, January 15, began with a number of announcements from Dean Zauyah Waite, CSG advisor and Dean of Students.
She brought up the fact that the interviews for Chatham’s new Women’s Institute are approaching, and she asked that that students come to the candidate’s presentations, as “[the students’] input would be critical.”
She then moved on to the topic of the student engagement transcript (previously called the co-curricular transcript), discussed by Dean Motely in a previous meeting, and how it is meant to boost professional skills, and prepare students for the future.
In regards to the coeducational transition, Waite said that a team is currently working on a Title IX handbook that will be given to all students with information about their safety and security. She also mentioned that all students will engage in a HAVEN (Helping Advocates for Violence Ending Now) training before they can register for their classes next semester.
Looking at next year Waite said that 26 students are confirmed, three of whom are men.
“That is about 10 ahead of last year,” she said, reminding the Senate that most do not deposit until March first, when financial aid comes out.
Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, then spoke briefly about the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. She was followed by Jenny Schollaert, who reminded students to update their organizations’ information on the Student Organization Forum’s (SOF) Moodle page.
The meeting then turned to Sam Elbaz with the budget report, during which she reported that at the last Undergraduate Budget Committee meeting, $350 was allocated to the Drama Club, and $1,280 to the Artist Collective, leaving $17,845.91 in the budget for the rest of the semester.
The next point of discussion, class reports, revealed that the Class of 2015 is still working on fundraising ideas for their senior gift, and that the Class of 2016 is still looking for a representative to replace Brittani Berch-Schmidt.
Additionally, the Class of 2018 is working on ways for students to learn more about public safety, including a possible meet and greet with the Chatham Police at orientation.
Alex Waasdorp, Class of 2018 President, also suggested creating a pamphlet that would give students instruction about who to call for various emergencies. “For example, if there’s a deer in the parking lot,” she said, “who do you call?”
In new business, a survey was passed out to the Senate regarding what bands they would like to see come to campus next year.
The meeting then moved to old business, during which students were reminded to sign up for the Circle of 6 training sessions, and ideas for what event the CSG would sponsor at Relay for Life were discussed, though no decisions were made.
Jugovic then brought up the Town Hall meeting that occurred last semester. She said that after much discussion about, “how best to get the word out and update the student body,” it was decided that an editorial, written by the executive board and approved by the Senate, will appear in an upcoming issue of the Communique.
As the meeting drew to a close, Waite stood up to address one last issue.
“Add drop has ended” she said, “and if students are not registered, they are not allowed to be here in classes, or in the residence halls. The University is in a great liability spot when we house students who are not registered.”
She made this point in order to quell rumors around campus of students being removed from their residence halls, saying that the University is currently working with students to “work things out,” but that she didn’t want people to think the University was being unfair to its students.