SA Community Life Committee

MEETING MINUTES
Student Assembly Residential & Community Life Committee
September 20, 2011
4:30–5:15pm
Goldwin Smith 164

Present: Ulysses Smith, Elaine Lin, Nick Vasko, Stephen Breedon, Peter Scelfo, Cailin Clemens, Joe Burke

I. Introduction of Joe Burke, Associate Dean of Students & Director of Residential Programs

II. Residential Student Congress (RSC)

• Focused on the proposal of combining RSC and ResLife
• RSC
  • Last year, faced difficulty with leadership and stopped meeting
  • Made up of appointed/elected people from every residential hall
  • Advises residential programs and serves as voice of those in residential halls
  • Nationally affiliated
    • So members attend annual national/region conferences
    • Found on almost every other college campus
  • Receives funding from SA and Campus Life
  • Biggest Obstacle: Maintaining continuity on North Campus despite complete turnover that occurs every year
• Evidence of major overlapping in both missions
• Cons of combining
  • RSC members would not be eligible for national/regional conferences
  • RSC members fear their voice may be lost if joined with the SA
• Pros of combining
  • ResLife would gain representatives from every residential hall
  • RSC would gain some legislative power
  • Combination of RSC’s detailed perspective on residential life issues and ResLife’s detailed perspective on SA resolutions process
  • Both have similar goals of maintaining/enhancing residential life, so working together would eliminate communication/involvement issues

III. 401West! Initiative

• 104West!
  • A multicultural dining hall (100% Kosher) run by Cornell Dining (not Jewish Living Center)
  • Majority of visitors are from Jewish and/or Muslim community or residents of Sheldon Court and Cascadilla
  • Not included on West Campus meal plan
    • Problematic for Kosher students
    • Instances when students had to turn down idea of living on West due to lack of Kosher food options
    • Cornell’s Reason: to maintain sense of community on West Campus
  • Many incorrectly think 104West! is only for those who keep Kosher or are Jewish
• 104West! Initiative
  • An attempt to get more students to see the dining hall as a space for programming and dining
  • Want to know how to get more student groups involved around campus
  • Would provide more late night programming space
• Goals Toward Initiative
  • Continue publicizing 104West! as dining hall
    • During Sabbath?
    • Themed nights?
  • Letting freshmen know about it
  • Letting other student groups know anyone can use the space for programming and/or eating

IV. Next Week: Tuesday, September 27, 2011

• Continue discussing RSC and 104West! Initiative
• Smoke-free campus
• Redbox on campus
• AND MUCH MORE! ☺