College Council

College Council is the student government organization at Williams. Its website is http://collegecouncil.williams.edu/.

Structure and Representatives

Ordinarily led by two co-presidents, it includes student representatives of each class, neighborhood, and first year dorm. Council also has a Treasurer, MinCo representative, Secretary and representative from each neighborhood's governance board.

Current Representatives

Spring 2010

Officers:

Co-Presidents: Ifiok Inyang and Emanuel Yekutiel

Treasurer: Francesca Barrett

Secretary: Beryl Manning-Geist

Class Representatives:

Class of 2011: Joey Kiernan

Class of 2012: Amanda Weatherhead & Newton Davis

Class of 2013: Krista Pickett

Minority Concerns Representative:

Jamal Jefferson

Freshman House Representatives:

Sage: Jack Noelke

Williams: James Elish

Dennett: Wen Han

Mills: Chance Reuger

Pratt: Tara Deonauth

Armstrong: Omer Khalayleh

Neighborhood At-Large Representatives:

Currier: Mopati Morake

Wood: Jerusa Contee

Dodd: Lane Wang

Spencer: Nick Fogel

Class of 2012 Members of the Honorary Degrees Committee

Zach Evans

Meghan Breen

Past Representatives

Fall 2008

See CC Fall 2008 picture

Officers:

• Co-president: Peter Nurnberg '09
• Co-president: Jeremy Goldstein '09
• Treasurer: Rachel Levy '09
• Secretary: Emily Deans '09

All-Campus Representatives:

• 2009: Sarah Moore '09
• 2010: Narae Park '10 and Lizzy Brickley '10 (split time)
• 2011: Emanuel Yekutiel '11
• MinCo: Curtis Flournoy '11

Neighborhood Board and At-Large Representatives:

• Currier: Emily George '09, Ifiok Inyang '11
• Dodd: Emily Behrman '09, Andrew Goldston '08
• Spencer: Joya Sonnenfeldt '10, Kieth Butts '09
• Wood: Francesca Barrett '12, Jenny Danzi '09

First-year Representatives:

• Armstrong: Tim Goggins '12
• Dennett: Zach Evans '12
• Mills: Sam Jonynas '12
• Pratt: Austin Davis '12
• Sage: Newton Davis '12
• Williams: Elizabeth Jimenez '12

Spring 2008

Officers:

• Co-president: Peter Nurnberg '09
• Co-president: Jeremy Goldstein '09
• Treasurer: Rachel Levy '09
• Secretary: Emily Deans '09

All-Campus Representatives:

• 2009: Sarah Moore '09
• 2010: Thomas Rubinsky '10
• 2011: Emanuel Yekutiel '11
• MinCo: Curtis Flournoy '11

Neighborhood Board and At-Large Representatives:

• Currier: Janay Clyde '10
• Dodd: Narae Park '10, Petya Miteva '10
• Spencer: Toni Kraeva '09, Kieth Butts '09
• Wood: Jon Prigoff '08, Rachel Ko '09

First-year Representatives:

• Armstrong: Lane Wang '11
• Dennett: Tasha Chu '11
• Mills: Joseph Kiernan '11
• Pratt: Brian Shepherd '11
• Sage: To be determined '11
• Williams: KK Durante '11

Fall 2007

Full year positions also served in Spring 2007

See CC Fall 2007 picture

Officers:

• Co-president: Kim Dacres '08
• Co-president: Morgan Goodwin '08
• Treasurer: Peter Nurnberg '09
• Secretary: Remington Shepard '08

All-Campus Representatives:

• 2008: Diana Jaffe '08
• 2009: Rashid Duroseau '09
• 2010: Elizabeth Brickley '10
• MinCo: Stephanie Kim '10

Neighborhood Board and At-Large Representatives:

• Currier: Vince Powell-Newman '10
• Dodd: Narae Park '10, Andrew Goldston '09
• Spencer: Toni Kraeva '09, Jon Galinsky '10
• Wood: Jon Prigoff '08, Rachel Ko '09

First-year Representatives:

• Armstrong: Lane Wang '11
• Dennett: Peter Huang '11
• Mills: Muhammad Liaqat '11
• Pratt: Brian Shepherd '11
• Sage: Emanuel Yekutiel '11
• Williams: Justin Routt '11

Fall 2006

See CC Fall 2006 picture

Responsibilities

College Council's three most important functions are:

• Giving students a voice on campus issues.
• Responsibly and fairly funding over 150 student groups and various campus events.
• Providing a starting point for student initiatives to improve the campus or college programs.

CC also appoints all students to the student faculty committees. These selections take place in the middle of the spring semester. For a list of committees, see the CC website's list of committees. For students interested in applying for committee positions, please read the guide for writing a good self-nom.

Elections

College Council elections for the Spring 2008 term will occur February 14-15. Results are available at: College Council Spring 2008 Election Results, College Council Spring 2009 Election Results and College Council Election Results

Running

Self-nominations will be due February 7; they can be sent to ephelections (at) gmail. The campaign period will be from February 8 to February 15, when the election period itself will end. The officerships, year-long offices, and semester offices are all up for grabs in Spring elections.

Voting

The election will be conducted using the BigPulse electronic election system.

• Everyone will receive a link to his/her electronic ballot via his/her Williams.edu email address.
• This election will use Instant Runoff Voting (IRV). This means that in races with more than two candidates, voters will be asked to order the candidates by preference.
  • If any candidate gets more than 50% of the first-choice votes, that candidate wins.
  • If no candidate gets more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the first-choice votes that went to the candidate who did worst will be reallocated to their second choices. This process will repeat until a candidate has won with more than 50% of the vote.

Projects

College Council works on projects suggested by the representatives or members of their constituencies, and has assisted in the success of such projects as bringing Ephporium to Spring Street and the Motorcoach service.

Projects for 2009-2010

Successful Projects

1. Budget Blitz: CC canvassed the campus for student opinions and priorities for budget cuts and presented the findings to the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Budget Priorities.

2. Ephs for Relief Competition: As part of the Ephs for Relief coalition supporting Haiti, CC helped to facilitate a fundraising competition (including students, alumni, faculty and staff) against Amherst that raised over $18,000 for relief efforts – with over $10,000 of that coming from Williams.

3. Williams After Dark: In spring of 2009, CC representatives developed Williams After Dark, which provides fun and creative non-alcoholic social venues on Friday nights. Events have included Gingerbread house making, Fiesta dance nights, and Bingo.

4. SophomOrientation: In Fall 2009, CC implemented SophomOrientation, a new First Days program that aims to address the psychological, social, and academic challenges of sophomore year.

5. Student Group Application and Constitutions: CC established a new student group application procedure that requires student groups to establish comprehensive constitutions and mission statements.

6. Student Activities Resource Center: CC helped to refurbish the Student Activities Suite on the Second floor of Paresky with comfortable study couches, work spaces, computers, and historical photographs.

7. Neighborhood Forums: As the Neighborhood Review Committee continues to evaluate housing at Williams, CC collaborated with CUL to host a series of forums discussing residential life at Williams.

8. Gender and Sexuality Resource Center: In response to the Mills-Dennett 1 incident, CC has worked with the Queer Student Union, the Women’s Center, and the Senior Staff to establish a Gender and Sexuality Resource Center. In addition, CC resolved to support Gender Neutral Housing, a full-time assistant Director of the Multicultural Center, updated LGBTQ training for JAs and Baxter Fellows, and expanded Queer studies course offerings.

9. Improved Funding Allocation Process: CC redesigned the “subgroup allocation process,” allowing student groups to receive funding without the stress or inequity of the previous system.

10. Mountain Day: CC worked with President Wagner and the Outing Club to save Mountain Day, despite inclement weather forecasts. CC passed a resolution declaring a mandatory Mountain Day during one of the first three Fridays of October.

11. Great Ideas Campaign: CC challenged the campus to come up with great ideas to improve student life at Williams. The campus responded enthusiastically with over twenty ideas, including the Video Game Library, a winter formal, a bike share program, and reusable grab and go bags.

12. Video Game Library: This Great Idea project led to the establishment of a video game rental program. A variety of Xbox 360, Playstation, and Wii games and systems are available, free of charge, through the library.

13. Bike Sharing: This Great Idea project will be implemented after Spring Break 2010. CC initiated and organized a campus bike, helmet, and lock system for students to share bicycles.

14. Reusable Grab and Go Bags: For this eco-friendly Great Idea project, CC collaborated with Dining Services to establish a reusable Grab and Go bag program. Beginning in fall 2010, Grab and Go consumers will be issued a chic nylon bag, in place of the current paper bag system.

15. On-Campus Garden: For this Great Idea project, CC and the Zilkha Center supported several students who will be creating a garden near Dodd in Spring 2010.

16. Olympic Gala: For this Great Idea project, CC collaborated with Campus Life to establish a Winter Formal.

17. Security Visitor Policy: CC worked with Campus Security to revise the student visitor policy to make external visitors more responsible for damages during campus stays.

18. International Student Winter Break Housing: To respond to the need for winter break housing, CC helped to connect international students to off-campus housing options in the Williamstown area. CC has worked with the Dean’s Office and Campus Life to establish a more permanent program.

19. Frosted Hermits: CC inspired joy throughout the campus with the return of Frosted Hermits.

20. Snack Bar Cam: In conjunction with WSO, CC supports the establishment of a Snack Bar Cam to provide a digital monitor of the line length.

21. Religion and Sexuality Discussions: In response to the Athletes’ Bible Study separation from Williams Christian Fellowship, CC has worked to facilitate conversations and understanding regarding the intersection of sexuality and religious beliefs on campus.

22. PaperCut: CC has worked with the Zilkha center to expand the allotment of printing for Senior Honors Thesis students and for student organization event advertising.

23. New York Times: CC provided free New York Times to the student body in dining halls during Winter Study, for the first time in recent history.

24. Student-Faculty Interactions: CC collaborated with faculty and members of the Department of Homeland Security to establish light-hearted videos encouraging student-faculty interactions outside of the classroom.

25. Club Sports Training Room Hours: CC worked with the Athletic Department to establish weekly training room hours specifically for club sport athletes.

26. Pints with Profs: CC has worked with faculty to establish the Pints with Profs program to promote student-faculty interactions.

Attempted Projects

1. Treadway House: CC voted to support the establishment of Treadway House as an expansion of the Co-op System. This project was unsuccessful due to college budgetary constraints.

2. Cow Towels: When the College planned to remove paper towels, CC planned to replace dormitory paper towels with soft, cotton cow towels. This project was discouraged due to H1N1 outbreaks.

3. Ping-Pong Table in Mission: This project was discouraged due to space availability concerns.

Projects in Progress

1. ’82 Grille Revitalization: CC continues to work to make the ’82 Grille a more accessible student space.

2. Student Art: CC is working to display more student art throughout campus.

3. Sustainable Cups Program: CC is working with Dining Services and the Libraries to provide reduce paper cup waste and encourage more sustainable habits.

4. Committee Meeting Times: CC is working with the Calendar and Scheduling Committee to create committee meeting times to accommodate practice schedules.

5. Lower Goodrich Dance Space: CC is working with the Dance Department and the Dean’s Office to open the Lower Goodrich Dance Studio as a practice space.

6. Log Reopening: CC voted to financially support the Log reopening with $20,000, but this proposal was discouraged by the administration due to hiring freezes.

Some Recent Projects

• In the spring of 2006 College Council reps accomplished the projects listed here: Stuff CC has done.
• In the spring of 2007, the newly elected College Council Treasurer wrote and distributed the Nurnberg Funding guide to inform all students about the funding sources available at Williams, the most effective methods for requesting money, and how to use the college's voucher, peoplesoft and purchasing card systems. That guide can be found here.

Projects Completed and Attempted by the 2008 (into Winter Study and Feb. 2009) CC

See the end of term CC 2008-2009 Pamphlet

Successful Projects

• In the spring and fall of 2008, College Council undertook numerous small and large projects. The most expansive project undertaken by that College Council was the College Council initiated Permanent Textbook Reserve Program.
• In the Spring of 2008, College Council worked with members of StandWithUS and other interested parties to create and launch the Committee on Community Interactions (CCI). Here is the Committee on Community Interactions Mandate. The reporting guidelines and deadlines in the mandate were amended at future CC meetings. The CCI's meeting minutes and current representatives can be found here.
• In the Fall of 2008, College Council created a Subcommittee to craft a proposal for a Sophomore Orientation Program. That Subcommittee is currently working on making that proposal a reality. The proposal can be found here: College Council Sophomore Orientation Proposal
• In the Fall of 2008, College Council also established the Facilities Director Committee. This committee meets monthly with the three directors of facilities to provide a space where students can know what changes are being made in the future, while also providing feedback and concerns that are brought to them by their constituents.
• In the fall of 2008, College Council created an All Campus Social Calendar to inform the student body about events on campus and help organizations in their planning processes. Click here to view the calendar. See the All-Campus Social Calendar willipedia page for information about how to post an event on the calendar or subscribe to the calendar manager’s weekly upcoming events email.
• During winter study 2009, College Council brought back the snow sculpture competition. See the Snow Sculpture Competition willipedia page for more information about that competition and pictures of the entries.
• To improve communications between CC and student groups and ensure that all students groups know that CC is dedicated to supporting them, interested in advocating on their behalf and determined to address issues important to them, CC created the CC liaison program in the Spring of 2008 and continued the program in the Fall of 2008. Through this program, all CC members were assigned to be a liaison to a few large student groups. Each liaison is responsible to making contact with the groups he or she represents and determining the best way to foster good communication and effective collaboration between CC and the group the liaison is responsible for representing. Suggested methods of contact include meeting with the group’s leadership a few times a semester or attending the group’s meetings a few times a semester.
• In the Spring and Fall of 2008, College Council worked with the Office of Campus Life and Neighborhood Governance Boards to improve the neighborhood transfer process. Aiming to increase the fairness of the process, make the process more objective, improve the chances that students are able to live with their friends, and add additional student choice to the system, CC the Office of Campus Life and the Neighborhood governance boards created a new transfer system to be implemented beginning in the Spring of 2009. The details of that proposal and new policy can be found on the Neighborhood Transfer Process page.
• In the Spring and Fall of 2008, CC worked with members of the senior staff—including the Provost, Dean of the Faculty and Dean of the College—to improve the college’s support for club sports teams, ensure that club sport coaches received fair salaries that were annually adjusted for cost of living changes, and create a formal and fair process for approving and recognizing new club sport teams. As part of this process, the senior staff and CC officially defined categories of club sports teams and outlined the support provided by the college to each category of team. See the willipedia page on Club Sports Policies for the result of this work.
• Book Drive for the 1914 Library: At the end of the Fall 2008 semester, CC organized a book drive and collected 71 books from students to be donated to the 1914 library.
• 101 Things You Wish You Knew: CC created this guide to distribute to incoming freshmen over the summer. The book is designed to share useful information that students pick up during their years at Williams.
• College Council Liason to Mass MOCA: CC created a liaison position to increase student usage of Mass MOCA.
• Ready-Made Lunches (evolution of lunch equivalency): Working with Dining Services, CC created a new lunch option for students with scheduling conflicts. With this program, students can arrange to pick up lunch between 2pm and 4pm on weekdays.
• Computers in Goodrich and second cash to card machine in Paresky: CC arranged for computers to be put in Goodrich and worked with Dining Services to install a second cash to card machine in Paresky.
• Faculty / Staff / Administrator Awards: CC revived the tradition of annually presenting awards to staff, faculty, and administrators who demonstrate a commitment to the student body.
• Formalizing the Lyceum Program: To ensure the continuation and smooth operation of the Lyceum program, CC created a formal procedure for selecting, setting guidelines for, overseeing and training the Lyceum managers. The managers will now be selected in the spring appointments process.
• Reforming the Student Group Approval Process: To ensure the fairness of the process, CC now gives all prospective groups hearings before the full CC. Under the old system, full discretion resided with the CC treasurer.
• 1914 Library Reform: CC proposed amending the school’s policy that prevents the 1914 Library from using the proceeds of sales of books in its collection that can no longer be used for classes to benefit the 1914 Library. In the past, money from those sales was just put into the school’s operating budget. Thus, the 1914 Library did not do the significant work necessary to make the sales. Under the proposal pushed by CC, the 1914 Library would be able to use that money to add to its book collection—without the school decreasing its current or future financial contributions to the library. The Provost's office agreed to change the policy. Thus, going forward, the 1914 Library will be able to sell its unneeded books and use the proceeds to purchase books for the 1914 Library collection.

Unsuccessful Projects

• Convenience Store: Since this project would require a large initial investment and produce little profit, the overall benefit of this project is not greater than its cost to the school. Thus, it would not have been able to offer lower prices than Ephporium. In addition, the school was unwilling to directly compete with Ephorium.
• Donation Reform: Recognizing the College’s need to raise unrestricted funds, CC proposed allowing alumni to earmark a maximum of 50% of their donations to the school for any officially recognized student groups. The earmarks per alumnus would be capped at a maximum of $50 per alumnus per year. CC believed that this would increase the number of alumni donating to the school, increase the resources available to student groups and not take too much away from the school’s unrestricted fundraising—-if it encouraged more alumni to donate, it might even add to the unrestricted fundraising. Unfortunately, the administration worried that this program would encourage groups to directly solicit money from alumni and substantially detract from the pool of unrestricted donations. Since the school wants one point of contact with alumni and is determined to maximize its unrestricted funds, this project was unsuccessful.
• Lunch Equivalency: This program was rejected because there are already many lunch options and it would create a great financial burden on Dining Services. See the ready made lunches bullet for the compromise that was reached.
• Term Bill Laundry System: This project—putting laundry costs on term bills—was brought to the Senior Staff and tentatively rejected. The school recommended resubmitting a more environmentally friendly program. The project also faces substantial financial hurdles. A substantial initial investment would be required to put this system in place.
• Concerts Endowment: This project progressed well through the spring and over the summer. By the beginning of the fall, CC had worked with administrators and altered it into a more flexible fund for any type of performance. The project had taken hold and was progressing nicely. Then the financial markets collapsed in September. As other financial priorities took over, this was put on hold. Given its initial success, it should be taken up when market conditions improve.

Historic CC Pictures

See Historic CC Pictures page.