ASWC continued what has been a productive semester thus far last week, meeting with members of the administration, the board of trustees and the student body to continue to advocate for the campus community.
Last Sunday, Nov. 11, ASWC held its first Town Hall of the year. Members of the executive council and policy committee met with Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland, Treasurer Peter Harvey and Bon Appétit General Manager Roger Edens to discuss the changes to Bon Appétit this year.
Specifically, the students wanted to address the two changes that most affected them: the new, shorter hours at Reid and the swipe system, which limits students on a meal plan to 10 “double swipes” throughout the semester.
According to Policy Chair Maile Zeng, who surveyed over 400 students on their feelings towards the changes, students felt restricted by the shorter hours, which do not fit the schedule of many students who are involved on campus.
“Many people are dissatisfied because their activities forbid them from coming to Reid when it’s open,” said Zeng at the meeting. “People who are coming out of theater rehearsals or the like later than nine have nowhere they can eat on campus.”
The administrators were sympathetic to student concerns, but insisted that, in this case, the financial realities of the situation outweigh student concerns.
While there has been a small dip in the amount of revenue generated by Reid’s dining services, which includes the café and espresso cart, Edens said that the money they have saved by switching to shorter hours more than compensates for the loss.
“The whole reason to cut hours at Reid was to reduce labor costs, and it has worked,” said Edens. “We’ve saved over $10,000 so far this semester.”
This is a vast improvement over last year, when, according to Harvey, Bon Appétit lost between $30,000 and $40,000.
As an alternative to the current situation, Harvey suggested that ASWC consider proposals to shift the Reid hours so that more students can be accommodated without raising labor costs.
Additionally, Harvey promised to reassess the current arrangements with Lyman’s dining hall and the IHC, which has food delivered to its houses by Bon Appétit. Cuts in these areas, said Harvey, could allow the reinstatement of at least some of the reduced hours. ASWC will be surveying students living in these residences over the next month to gauge their reaction to this proposed change.
After the meeting, the Senate met to consider three requests for money and one new club seeking recognition.
The Senate approved spending $297 to pay its annual membership fee to the Associate Student Governments of America. This is the first year ASWC has joined this society, which will provide resources and consultation and connect ASWC with student governments across the nation.
They also approved a request for $1,200 for art majors, who are traveling to New York City as part of their thesis, and to the Whitman Math Society, which is sending four members to a conference.
Two of those students will be presenting there.
ASWC granted recognition to the new club Youth Development Initiatives, which works to empower youth as a means of engendering positive change.
“We want to provide students with an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon to save the world,” said junior Musa Kpaka, who brought the club before the body. “It will provide an opportunity for them to get involved. We already have three students who want to come to Sierra Leone over spring break.”
Nominations Chair John Stewart announced that he is accepting applications for several positions, including the KWCW General Manager, Editor-in-Chief of the Pioneer, ASWC Film Chair, ASWC Public Speakers Chair and ASWC Public Events Chair. Applications are due on Nov. 27.
Finally, Winterim applications are due on Friday, Nov. 16.
Be sure to check out the archives section of the ASWC Web site for minutes from all meetings, including the Town Hall meeting.
