October CSG Brief
November 8, 2022
Oct. 13
Old Business
CSG members provided a Proclamation for the LLC House Council’s walkout for reproductive advocacy because it displayed Chatham’s values of Diversity and Inclusion and Women’s rights. It was accepted by chair, Raine Venturino ‘26; co-chair, Nevada Grant ‘25; and secretary, Molly Comcowich ’26.
New Business
Members voiced students’ concerns about the intense marketing strategies from voter campaigners and their affiliation with the school due to their behavior. Dean of Students, Chris Purcell, stated that it would be best to investigate the organization they came from and whether they are sponsored by the university. Executive Vice President Leo Liotta ’23 suggested it may be best for students to tell public safety officers if they feel uncomfortable about the voter registration campaigners’ behavior or send an email asking students about their concerns and telling them to CSG.
Open Forum
Parking Issues
Class 2025 President Jackson Adkins and Class 2025 Representative Anna Betar discussed ongoing parking issues. Some students were ticketed if they do not have parking permits despite not being given any, or they were told to get a specific parking pass if they needed to be in the library parking lot.
Issues with Office Hours
Adkins mentioned the issues with unknown times when clubs or classes are rented out for classes in the Athletic Fitness Center (AFC). He said it poses a particular issue for varsity teams because they are unaware that students occupy the space and have nowhere to practice.
Betar suggested CSG could reach out to the Registrar’s office to create and provide a calendar of all the occupied rooms for students’ awareness. However, Class 2024 President and Chair of the Safety Committee, Sophia Boyle, stated that it may be impossible to create that thorough of a schedule for all classes or labs because it may be controlled by the instructor.
Oct. 20
Unfinished Business
CSG members discussed contacting Academic Affairs to know the class schedule in the AFC. Suggestions included creating a sign-up system similar to the library sign-up process or posting a weekly and monthly schedule to accommodate frequent changes.
New Business
There may possibly host self-defense classes on campus where police or the Martial Arts Club may manage the event. Liotta stated that it would be beneficial to create this event so students can learn how to apply self-defense skills in dangerous situations.
Special Reports
President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Head of Public Safety, Melissa Redding, told CSG members that Chief Grossi will be installing five cameras around the apartments near Fifth Avenue buildings. “This is especially good because this is a common area where students are close to the public,” said Redding. “It can provide more information needed in dangerous situations for students like in the situation where a Door Dash employee made unwanted advances towards a student.”
Open Forum
Betar brought forward claims of discrimination towards students of color by a Café Rachel employee. One student arrived to discuss their experiences. They had been consistently up charging in food whenever that employee was at the register or followed them if they looked at food in the lower level of Café Rachel.
Additionally, the student discussed further racist profiling from a professor and fears retaliatory grading if they address these issues. In general, the student wanted to know whether there was any DEI training for staff because their encounters say otherwise.
Oct. 27
New Business
CSG members discussed hosting two guest speakers: a Parkhurst representative and the new Assistant Dean of Students, Colvin Georges. It was decided that the Food Committee will contact Parkhurst to speak to a representative and discuss a date to discuss concerns with them for a possible date of Nov. 3 or 10. Also, it was decided that the Diversity of Equity and Inclusion Committee will contact Georges to discuss student activism on campus in late November or early December.
Special Reports
Adkins discussed with Danielle Pais about the schedule issues. Akins told members the best way to call about available gym times is with the following phone number: 412-365-1519. Additionally, Adkins discussed with Pais about posting the schedules in the dance studio on their social media page or at the front desk.
Open-Forum
Guest-Voices: A Day Without Us march is a poor example of activism
CSG members discussed this article due to concerns about whether the proclamation to the LLC council was appropriate.
Vice President for Student Communications, Elizabeth Ruszkoski ’23 suggested to not remove the proclamation because residents did highlight a major issue, but they just needed to be better at addressing and understanding the concerns of the Chatham Queer Student Alliance (QSA). Not speaking on behalf of Residence Life, she commented that there will be DEI training into performative feminism and performative white feminism to educate residents in the LLC.
Liotta did agree that the proclamation should not have to be removed but voiced their opinion as a transgender person. Commenting upon the criticism the QSA said about the march, Liotta said, “If a queer person tells you that you need to be quiet, then you need to listen. The residents were unaware of their exclusion of the QSA and trans persons, but they need to respect the organization’s criticism,” Liotta said. “The movement that this march is a part of is important,” they said. “But there is no denyial that Roe v. Wade being taken away hurt other people besides women with uteri or cis-hetero women.”
Conversely, Class 2026 President Morgan Rapsky suggested that there may have to do something about this proclamation because it perceives that CSG is supporting the LLC and not addressing the QSA’s criticisms.
Student Engagement Issues
Liotta suggested that CSG may need to investigate weaknesses within the Office of Student Engagement because of issues of promoting events such as the upcoming Mocktails event or double-booking club events.
Not speaking on behalf of Residence Life, Ruszkoski stated that there are many issues with events hosted at the Rea Coffeehouse. “Rea Coffeehouse provides access for all students and not just the students living in Rea,” said Ruszkoski. “However, it is a safety concern when student organizations host events there, but they leave the door open and we would not have any idea a person came into the building,” she said.
