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.
Only six members of Student Council attended the weekly meeting, meaning that quorum was not met: at least seven members of StuCo must be present for StuCo to meet officially. However, StuCo members did discuss upcoming initiatives, including collecting student feedback on a new family weekend and the steps that would be taken to judge student opinions on the possible payment of StuCo members.
Family Weekend
Dean Campbell has asked StuCo to get student feedback on the decision to hold what Deivid Rojas ‘11, Vice-President of Student Council, called “something along the lines of a family weekend” in the fall of 2010. StuCo did not know whether this fall family weekend, which is tentatively planned for late October, would be an addition to the existing family weekend, which occurs in the spring, or if it would replace it.
StuCo plans to conduct a survey with questions about the October family weekend once more information is obtained. The survey will most likely collect data on which events students would like to see during the family weekend along and might also include more logistical questions.
Payment for StuCo Members
StuCo continued to discuss how they would go about collecting student feedback on the whether or not StuCo members should be paid. StuCo plan to hold a StuCo Lounge on Tuesday evening at 10PM, which will focus on this question. In addition, StuCo is writing an editorial that will list the pros and cons of paying members along with a list of past StuCo achievements. StuCo hopes to publish this editorial in the Daily Gazette on Wednesday. StuCo also discussed holding an open forum to collect feedback and to send a survey to the student body. It is unclear, though, when the survey will be sent, if at all; StuCo hopes to educate the student body on the positive and negative effects of making StuCo positions paid prior to releasing the survey.
Miscellaneous
- StuCo hopes to create a pamphlet this week detailing the budget cuts that have been and will be made on campus. StuCo plans to distribute the pamphlet next week.
- StuCo hopes to start posting StuCo updates in Sharples on a regular basis.
- Several StuCo members are meeting this week to discuss going forward with the creation of a course recommendation catalog.
- StuCo will continue to speak to administrators this week in regard to getting picnic tables behind Sharples.