College Council Kicks Off Spring Semester

Co-presidents Kate Ervin ’99 and Will Slocum ’99 welcomed this semester’s new house reps and pointed out the following main issues for this semester’s Council:

Next, student members of certain committees gave reports and took suggestions. Christine Pace ’01 of the Campus Environmental Advisory Committee said that her committee is trying to think of ways to recycle party cups and to reduce paper waste in Jesup. Kevin Bolduc ’99 from the Student Activities Council told Mark Acton ’00 that the band for the spring concert has not been secured, and he dismissed rumors of Bob Dylan coming to town. Jan Postma ’99 of SAC hopes to implement a wine night at the Log. Ami Parekh ’01 of the Calendar and Scheduling Committee announced that Williams’ new online master calendar is up on the web, accessible from the college’s home page. The scheduling committee is also working to ensure that profs don’t plan events during the restricted 4:00-6:00 period. Owen Boger ’01 asked Ami to look into the possibility of getting profs’ office hours published for the whole campus.

Recognition of new groups followed. In Hymn, a Christian a cappella group, was unanimously recognized as a College Council-sponsored organization eligible to ask for funding in future weeks. Then Kim Massare ’02 asked Council to recognize a bowling club. She hopes to use the Faculty Club bowling alley, maybe bowling against faculty there, or a local bowling joint. Recognition passed 22-1-0. Bert Leatherman ’00 expressed concern about College Council subsidizing bowling fees, but that debate will occur another week. Chris Spence ’00 asked to form a chess club. The club will be centered at Goodrich, having chess boards in open spaces, and will also cooperate with the chess club at a high school in North Adams. The club was recognized unanimously.

Liz Lee ’01 read mail sent to opinions@wso, the CC feedback hotline. One student thought the Eph Card stripes should be merged, but that’s not a technical possibility. There were complaints about the cash-to-card machine in Baxter being broken and that another machine, or at least one fully operative one, is necessary. Mark Acton ’00 is working on that. There was a gripe about no dinner points being offered during the week of meal-plan changes, but Council just chalked that problem up to technical hurdles. Another student thought the course fair this semester came a little late, and Will Slocum ’99 is taking the concern to Gargoyle.

In members’ open time Matt Haldeman ’02 said his not-yet-hardened freshman constituents think 8:00 classes must go. Ami Parekh ’01 gave Matt the one-two punch, saying that classes will start even earlier next year (7:30!) since the science quad will be in construction mode and classroom space will be tight. Liz Lee ’01 will try to get the snack bar open earlier in the morning in response. Lloyd Nimetz ’01 wants change machines in Mission, but Dave Walfish ’00 said the college should focus on keeping the Eph Card machine in working order. Lloyd also promised to keep working with Todd Rogers ’01 to get papers returned at the end of each semester. Medha Kirtane ’00 gave an update on the Jenness (multicultural center) renovation process and said that students can offer ideas through forms available at the MCC. Medha also reported that a J.A. committee has been elected to communicate with the deans on entry issues. Bert Leatherman ’00, after commenting to Dining Services about early termination of service, said the snack bar will now be honoring dinner points right up until closing time, 12:30 at night.

Last, Council started forming suggestions for the committee setting long range (Year 2010) goals for Williams. Here are the main ones so far:

Want to comment on anything from 7:30 classes to long-range goals for Williams? We’re all ears at opinions@wso.williams.edu. Or just talk to your second-semester house rep. If you’d like to make a funding request or speak at a meeting, come see us Sunday nights at 9:00 during College Council office hours in the Goodrich resource room. Enjoy Winter Carnival!

Bert Leatherman ’00

College Council Secretary

Absent sans sub: George Anthes (J.A. rep), Monisha Agrawal (West rep)