Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Starting this semester, the directors of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) will be Student Council employees. Previously SAC directors were hired and paid by the college directly.
The change was brought about by past instances of SAC co-directors being unaware of fiscal regulations and the lack of oversight the Student Council had over SAC. Last year, SBC petitioned Council to change the employment status of the SAC directors.
After getting approval by Student Council, SBC worked with Paury Flowers, Assistant Coordinator of Student Activities, to draw up a new contract for the SAC directors. While a new contract was written last semester, it has only begun to be implemented this semester.
These changes will improve efficiency in the SAC and SBC management, which ultimately will improve student life. Jessica Hamilton, current director of SAC, remarks that these changes “make sense, since all the money comes through SBC.” Fletcher Coleman, manager of the SBC, says “these rule changes are done for the entire student body to streamline effectiveness of the SAC.”
Streamlined, yes, but day-to-day Hamilton says not much has changed. “[The changes] won’t make any difference at all in our work except that that we will be getting our paychecks from someone else.”