The Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, January 22, began, as usual, with reports from the CSG officers.
This included an update on the Undergraduate Budget Committee (UBC) from Sam Elbaz, Vice President of Finance.
She reported that at there were three requests for funds at the last UBC meeting–an individual request, a request form Sigma Tau Delta, and a request from the Class of 2015–but only two were granted. The individual request was awarded $400, and the Class of 2015 was awarded $1,040. She also reported that the UBC will be voting on an issue with the travel funds amendments and that afterwards it will move to a vote in the CSG.
The meeting then took a turn when Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, moved to suspend Robert’s Rules–the rules of governmental conduct–in order to have an open forum discussion about the possibility of changing the University’s alma mater, motto, and class colors, as well as changing the tradition of the Fall Serenade.
The discussion was a heated one, and persisted for nearly an hour.
For the most part, the Senate seemed to unanimously agree that the changing these things would be an assault to Chatham’s 145 years of history.
With the meeting nearly at its end, Jugovic encouraged the Senate to move on to other topics, promising that they would continue the conversation in a later meeting.
The Senate then briefly discussed other issues around campus, including the fact that access to the women’s restroom on the third floor of the library requires a key from the PACE Center, meaning that it is only accessible when the PACE Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The irony of the situation was not lost on Chloe Bell–a member of the CSG–when she mentioned that, “the men’s bathroom next door is always accessible.”
According to Jenny Schollaert, CSG Executive Vice President, the issue was brought up to administration.
Also discussed was the matter of take-out boxes in the dining hall, specifically their inefficiency, and the fact that they cost $5.00.
“Why should getting food to go cost you $5.00 extra?” asked Bell.
Many brought up the idea of bringing back the paper take-out boats, which were supposedly removed because people were stealing food. Several members of the Senate, however, attributed the food theft to the change in the location of the registers.
As Elbaz pointed out, before the move, “there were no issues at all.”
As a result, Jugovic determined that more study was needed before any decisions could be made.
Other ideas about making food more accessible were opening the McCrady Café–in the Athletic and Fitness Center–a few evenings a week, opening the smoothie bar in Eddy Theatre, and adding more options in Café Rachel.
There was also a brief conversation about the CSG bulletin boards around campus, and whether or not the CSG should keep them or give them to other organizations. It was determined that more discussion was necessary.
The final topic of conversation at the meeting was that of the CSG sponsored event at Relay for Life. After a vote, the Senate chose to rent a mechanical bull for the evening.
The CSG meets every Thursday on the PCW Room, and all meetings are open to the student body. Check MyChatham for times, and any further information regarding these meetings.