SA Community Life Committee

SA Residential Life Committee Meeting Minutes
Sep. 18, 2012
GSH 181
4:30–5:30 PM

Administrators Present:

• Barbara Romano, Residential and Event Services
• Joseph Burke, Director of Residential Programs

Gender-Inclusive Housing Initiative

• LGBTQ Rep At Large Dean I.
• Definition
  • Gender-Inclusive — living with whomever one chooses despite gender identity or biological sex
• Goal
  • To create a more gender friendly housing system and to break down notions of gender inequality
• Initial Steps
  • Pilot program for gender neutral and gender inclusive housing to take place next academic year and to last for about two years
  • Third year is pending favorable review
• What it will do
  • Gives rising sophomores and upperclassmen the option to live with those of the opposite sex
    • Choice is completely optional/voluntary
    • Not only open to continued residents on campus housing
  • Make option available for suites, dorm rooms, and program houses
    • Not expecting to make all rooms “mixed room” — simply want the option to be out there
  • Will NOT ask reasoning behind making or not making this choice
    • Randomized Placement of First Years
    • Freshmen would have to have conversation with Housing Office to make special needs and requests known
• Context
  • 180 US universities have already implemented similar initiatives
  • Columbia is “most advanced” with completely open housing for all on-campus residents
  • Gender-Neutral Bathroom Initiative (pasted in 2011) — all Cornell campus buildings newly built or being renovated must make plans to include gender-neutral bathrooms

Student Life Task Force Initiatives

• Student Activities
  • National Coming Out Day Programming
    • Date: Oct. 11, 2012
    • Contact: Dean
    • Working on fair/carnival on Ho Plaza for the full community, includes photo campaign leading up to actual event
  • Measuring the Student Experience
    • Contact: Moseh
    • Trying to get sense of how happy people are here at Cornell
  • Student Supreme Court
    • Contact: Ulysses
    • Would handle student vs. student, student vs. student org, student org vs. student org disputes
    • Justices would be selected by a committee
    • Forms of repercussions are yet to be decided
• Housing Facilities
  • Gender Inclusive Housing Initiative
    • Contact: Ulysses or Dean
  • Gender Inclusive Bathrooms
    • Contact: Dean
    • This resolution was passed last year
    • Gender-neutral bathrooms in all new and renovating buildings on campus
  • Concentrating Transfer Housing
    • Contact: Inge
• Dining
  • Dining options for students during breaks
    • Contacr: Enrico or Jill
  • Increasing dining hours on WC and PRCC
    • Contact: Inge or Garrison
  • Staffing Pub Committee
    • Contact: Jill
• University Policy
  • Placing bus schedules at bus stops
    • Contact: Garrison
  • Adjusting pre-enrollment/add drop period
    • Contact: Enrico
• Collegetown Initiatives
  • Composting in CT
    • Contact: Jill
  • Engaging more students in CT
    • Contact: Ulysses
• Diversity & Inclusion
  • SA Diversity Affairs Coalition
    • Contact: Ulysses

Other Possible Initiatives To Take On

• Extend deadline to change meal plan for freshman so they can adjust to schedules (i.e. 14 meals to 7 meals) and make a more educated decisions for meal plan selections
• Roping off of staircase in Trillium can be a hassle and dangerous for students due to the lack of stairways in Kennedy Hall
• Reduced seating in Okenshield’s Dining Hall has become a burden for students

Next meeting: Tuesday, Sep. 25, 2012 (aka Ulysses’ birthday!)