Student Assembly

S.A. May Introduce Joint Presidential Ticket

Steven Xu — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Yesterday the Student Assembly Elections Committee presented its Spring 2009 Election Rules to the S.A., which may revise policy to make candidates for S.A. president and vice president run on a joint presidential ticket.

In February, the S.A. amended its charter to include direct elections for president and vice president, and instructed the elections committee to draft a proposal. Yesterday the committee presented it framework for direct elections, with the addition to combine the presidential and vice presidential tickets. Although all other Ivy League schools have direct presidential elections, only Harvard institutes a joint ticket.

Mike McDermott ’09, director of elections for the S.A., said the proposed joint ticket would “allow for stability on the S.A.”

S.A. Hears Student Perspectives On Download Storage Limits

Brendan Doyle — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Student Association held its weekly meeting yesterday in Willard Straight Hall.

Moran Nachum ’12 used the open microphone portion to bring forward concerns he had with the 10 gigabyte a month computer capacity limit. Nachum, who says he recently received a notification that he had used 95% of his storage capacity for this month, says the rule is not only irksome to many students but counterproductive to the flow of information and education. Nachum contended unlimited download capacities translates to unlimited access to information, something a large intellectual community should be conducive to.

Administrator Discusses File Sharing at S.A. Meeting

Brendan Doyle — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Student Assembly discussed the Recording Industry Association of America’s accountability policies for universities and student copyright infringement yesterday, during its weekly meeting in The Straight.

SAFC Rejects COLA Funding at S.A. Meeting

Amar Modi — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Student Assembly decided to reject Cornell Organization for Labor Action’s appeal for funding as a result of the group’s failure to meet the Student Assembly Finance Committee’s deadlines. Although a veteran organization on Cornell’s campus, focused on seeking economic justice in the labor movement within Ithaca, the United States and around the world, COLA failed to receive funding because they turned in key facets of their paperwork well after their allotted due date.

According to Marlene Ramos, president of Cornell Students against Sweatshops, the club was unaware of what was initially required of them, and they depended upon their funding of $5,275 to pay for their guest speakers.

Disability Activists Address Ways to Make C.U. More Accessible

Sam Cross — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Andrea Haenlin-Mott and Katherine Fahey, members of the Executive Disability Group and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator Team, spoke with the Student Assembly yesterday about their strategy for making Cornell more accessible for faculty, staff and students.

Vincent Andrews ’11, S.A. representative-at-large, invited the two women to discuss their plans because he believes the S.A. should be aware and involved in an initiative that greatly affects the welfare of the student body.

“Disabled students exist on campus and we need to grant them the proper attention and representation,” said Andrews. “We’re listening to their concerns and discussing the issues.”

The Call of The Wild

Daniel Eichberg — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Even as a little kid, I always knew I was different from everyone else. While most children played with blocks and video games, I would spend hours chasing my dog in the backyard on all fours. My first word was “woof,” and I wasn’t house broken until I was five years old. To this day, old issues of The Sun line the floor of my room. Most disconcerting to my parents, however, was that I had the unhygienic habit of cleaning myself with my tongue and then greeting their business associates with licks on their faces.

The Amethyst Initiative: Discussion Panel

Christine Nelson — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:59:11 -0400

[video]

Students Want “Cornell” Name Out of Review Title

Peter Deyo — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Cornell Review controversy over printing an article about campus “ghettos,” “bitter minorities” and affirmative action became even more pronounced yesterday when students proposed a resolution to the Student Assembly to ban the use of the Cornell name by the biweekly journal’s title.

The article, “What to Expect: The Angry Minority,” said students in program houses — only at Cornell because of affirmative action and scholarships — complain about brutal oppression from “whitey.”

Students Nikhil Kumar ’11, minority representative-at-large, and Nicole Rivera ’09, president of the Minority Business Student Association, brought the resolution to the table.

Students Push for Safe Ride Initiative Launch Next Fall

Jamie Meyerson — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

2.1 million college students drive under the influence of alcohol each year. In response to this staggering statistic and other safety concerns, students at Cornell are taking steps to start a safe ride program, which will provide students with free transportation at night.

The program should be up and running by Fall ’09.

Sanjiv Tata ’09, president of the Residential Student Congress and sponsor of Resolution 18, which pushes for the creation of a safe ride program and was presented in the Student Assembly, explained that the “safe rides” will be run by trained student volunteers. Three to four vans, coordinated by a central dispatch, will pick up students and take them back to their residences between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

S.A. Suspends Cornell American

Sat, 31 May 2008 14:20:22 -0400

S.A. Discusses End Of 2007-2008 Report

Emily Dally — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

At yesterday’s Student Assembly meeting, S.A. President C. J. Slicklen ’09 presented the S.A. and community members with the Student Assembly End of Year Report for the 2007-2008 academic year.

This year has seen many changes brought by the S.A., some controversial, others well received. The initiatives have brought change on and off campus, as well as to the S.A.’s own structure.

Their initiatives on campus have included supporting gender neutral housing and the creation of an Asian and Asian-American Community Center. The S.A. also voted to approve the 2008-2010 Student Activity Fee at $204 per undergraduate per year.

S.A. Approves Revisions to SAFC Application Process

Emily Dally — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Last night, the Student Assembly voted to pass the revisions to the Student Assembly Finance Committee’s rules and regulations handbook.

The handbook offers guidelines and provides deadlines to which student organization presidents and treasurers must adhere throughout the application process for funding from the SAFC. The revised handbook has been organized into 12 chapters to better clarify the original rules and newer amendments that have been made to policies in the past.

The SAFC has also worked to rewrite confusing jargon and get rid of poorly defined terms, such as “discrimination” by the SAFC, and has replaced them with more precise labels.

S.A. to Discuss SAFC Revisions

Nathan Sermonis — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Every semester, hundreds of student organizations on campus dread the intricate process of requesting funds from the Student Assembly Finance Committee, but that may all change today when the S.A. votes on the SAFC’s revised edition of the rules and regulations handbook.

After spending the past six weeks discussing new guidelines for the funding process, the SAFC is prepared to submit their revised edition.

According to Taylor Mulherrin ’09, co-chair of the SAFC, the latest changes are meant to make the process easier for applicants, easing frustrations and dissatisfaction with the SAFC.

Student Assembly Visits C.U. Medical College in Qatar

Eve Waters — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Correction Appended

Over Spring Break, while some students were trying to catch a tan and others were at home catching up on sleep, C.J. Slicklen ’09, president of the Student Assembly, Adam Gay ’08, vice president for finance of the S.A, and Elan Greenberg ’08, former president and current at-large representative of the S.A., along with Dean of Students Kent Hubbell ’67, visited the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar to initiate an ambassador program between Cornell’s campuses in Ithaca and Southwest Asia.

Slope Day Artists Announced

Rebecca Weiss — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:42:50 -0500

The Slope Day Programming Board announced yesterday that Gym Class Heroes — whose guitarist is Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo ’04 — will headline Slope Day 2008 on Friday, May 2. Hot Hot Heat will open for Gym Class Heroes. Gym Class Heroes’ hits have combined hip hop, rock, rap, R&B, emo and funk to create a wildly successful pop formula. Lead singer of Fall Out Boy Patrick Stump guest starred vocally for one of their biggest hits, “Clothes Off!!” In 2007, the band won the Best New Artist award at the MTV Video Music Awards where it was also nominated for Best Group.