By Sarah Laud, Staff Writer
President Sydney Quan ’22 called Senate to order on the evening of April 19. Secretary Evelyn Datte ’24 then took roll.
Officer reports began with Quan announcing next week being Senate’s last meeting of the semester and the 2021-2022 school year. It will also close Quan’s position as president of Senate before her graduation from the college.
Vice President Miranda Zamora ’23 reminded the floor that technocratic and inclusion application are closed and their polls are open until Friday April 22. If a student were to be voted into their position, they will receive notice. As such, they are expected to attend the next Senate meeting for inductions.
Treasurer Connor Heath ’23 was absent in this week’s Senate meeting. Quan stood in his place and gave his respective announcements and updates. The budget update for this week included $71,171.13 now spent. The money allotted was in the amount of $91,511 with $20,259.87 and a rollover fund of $41,994.53.
Secretary Evelyn Datte ’24 reported that Senate awards will announced at the meeting.
Senate Advisor and Director of the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life Jon Allen announced that club re-registration is open. Students can re-register via EngageGettysburg. Students do not need to register now, but promptly after new officers are allotted.
This week, Senate hosted a guest speaker, Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Elizabeth Farner. Her job on campus also entails working with the Student Life Committee who discusses student rights and implementation as it relates to the student body.
First, Farner previewed how and what the role of her department has had over the past couple of years in enhancing student conduct. For the past two years, Student Rights & Responsibilities has been focused on COVID as it relates to regulations and policies on campus. Now that the College has fewer COVID cases, the department has analyzed their interactions with the student body before, during, and after the pandemic. They found a significant difference in student behavior in regards to what has been violated.
Before COVID, alcohol and drug violations were the most prevalent violations on campus. The number of cases pertaining to substances has decreased, though there is an increase seen in harassment and civility cases. With the increase in cases comes an increase in students having to go through a process of hearing and panel discussions.
“The way the conduct process is currently structured, we don’t have a great way to handle harassment and bias cases. We have focused on drugs and alcohol,” Farner said. She went on to explain the current process regarding harassment and bias cases that are reported. The report is issued that the department is notified upon which they arrange a sequence of meetings from various levels of administrative formalities to gather information and ultimately make a decision. One of these meetings is with the Student Conduct Review Board (SCRB).
Every year there are between one and four SCRB panels held. Very few harassment cases make it to the SCRB board panel. For the cases that have gone through the SCRB process, the feedback motivates Farner and her team to help create a more worthwhile conduct process on campus. The six or seven people per year that come before SCRB re-tell their story, and answer investigative questions. For many of them, the experience can be triggering. Farner said, “we wanted to find a better way to be leaders and respond to students.”
As such, Farner and the Student Rights department have made changes and will continue to over the next year to redefine conduct at Gettysburg College. For example, the Student Life Committee (SLC) reviewed the patterns over the past couple of years as well as proposed opinions and approved a pilot for a change in policy during the spring 2022 semester. The goal was to move away from the SCRB board and replace it with a single member sitting in for those hearing. As such, one case this semester went before the SCRB panel, but with a single judicator and the overall experience improved. Another goal has been to instill new victimization and traumatization training for board members. Further, the new policy will include an option to choose from a member from SCRB board to attend the panel.
Farner went on to talk about the importance of education in conduct. As such, the Student Rights department is thinking of a code rewrite where they revisit the way conduct is evaluated. The idea came from a conversation that was held when Rachel Fischler ’24 and the Safety Committee came to Farner about campus concerns related to its climate and binge drinking culture. This led to a discussion about the school’s point system. The consensus was that students were not getting the assistance needed when it come to conduct matters.
The committees came together and looked at other college’s conduct systems such as Franklin and Marshall and Dickinson College. Farner specifically mentioned how Dickinson treats alcohol and marijuana the same whereas Gettysburg treats their usages differently. However, though the college’s attitudes toward violations differ, what is the lack of transparency in treating every case individually. For example, at Gettysburg College, students who have a first-time alcohol or marijuana consumption violation are often given two points. Though the conduct process allows them to discuss the situation, policy does not consider nuances. Nuances such as being cooperative are merely noted, but do not have an impact in alleviating the amount of points a student will be applied. The new policy will be implemented in the fall.
Farner said, “learning and reeducating is much more important than the points.” The Student Rights & Responsibilities department is working towards creating a more student-centered, student-focused process of dealing with conduct cases. Part of that process is trying to rethink conduct as an opportunity for education before worrying about the application of points. The department is implementing a level system in place of getting points.
After Farner spoke, Quan addressed the floor. “Overall what we should be taking away from this is that their re-looking of the point system is so that students can have a voice and educate themselves,” she said. The point system and its effects on student life can be mentally draining. She noted that a new policy will be more advantageous of growth and management rather than focusing on the application of the point system.
Quan led this week’s budget requests. They began with two requests from Quiz Bowl. One for $80 to cover a registration fee for an upcoming tournament. The motion to approve the budget in full was passed. A second request was in the amount of $120 for a second upcoming tournament. The motion to approve the budget in full was passed.
The Latin American Student Association (LASA) requested $550 to host a Latin BBQ Thursday April 21 from 5-10PM. The motion to approve the budget in full was passed.
The Vietnamese Student Association requested $350 to host Banh Mi Day. The motion to approve the budget in full was passed.
The last budget request came from Gettysburg Environmental Concern Organization (GECO) for $3,500. The money will be used to host a performer at The Attic. The motion to approve the budget in full was passed. Anyone who needs to make a budget request for end-of-semester needs must submit it by this Friday, April 22.
Club reports and announcements began. Safety is looking into working with the town to improve speed bumps and crosswalk visibility. Their concerns are outside the jurisdiction of the college.
Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Chi Rho will be hosting their Crow Cookout April 22 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on Stine Lake. There will be live music and free food.
Hillel is hosting a Passover Seder on April 21 at 5:30 p.m in the Atrium. Register on EngageGettysburg.
Student Concerns included the amount of trash and recycling accumulating on campus at the end of the semester.
Another concern was directed at Allen regarding WiFi access outside of campus buildings such as on Stine Lake, outside of Plank Gym, and CUB patio. Allen said that it is outside of his jurisdiction and to bring the concern to IT.
Discussion continued from last week’s debate about the standing rules amendments. Further discussion took place regarding productivity of the amendment, specifically the eleven standing committees present in Senate. The motion to table the amendment until the constitution in its entirety is revised was passed.
The motion to change the name and role of the Election Affairs Committee to the Election Onboarding Committee.
The Opinions Committee brought four opinions to the floor, including about the desire for improved for more effective hand dryers and better quality toilet paper. The motion to approve the opinion was passed.
The second opinion included the improvement of the experience for those who stay on campus during prolonged breaks. The motion to approve the opinion was passed.
Another opinion included providing a diploma at Commencement for each major rather than bestowing one diploma for double-majors. The motion to approve the opinion was passed.
The final opinion was the return of the off-campus housing concern. The opinion came back to the floor after being revised. The motion to approve the opinion was passed.
The Technocratic Forum took place with the election of Parliamentarian, Treasurer, and Inclusion Officer. The elects go as followed: Joey Labrie ’25 as Parliamentarian, and Hannah Repole ’25 as Treasurer the 2022-2023 year. Voting continues through Friday, May 22 for class officers, senators, and inclusion officer.
