form and questionably function

Functional formalist Renee Kraeim reports from last night’s SGA meeting. 

Last night SGA welcomed our very own VP Beltrone, the VP of Campus Services. Basically, she’s in charge of what goes on on campus: special events, public safety, your mail…and, apparently, also in charge of what will happen on campus.

Though Beltrone is new to Barnard in 2012, most of her work, it appears, centers around 2002. Beltrone discussed the results from the study on plans for campus space that was conducted in 2002, and reported that she spends a considerable amount of time looking at “operating models” of plans from the study that weren’t finalized, or that were finalized, and not for the better. Discussion at the meeting focused specifically on Lehman Hall and Wollman Library. Rep Council agreed that what’s really holding Wollman back from greatness is that it tries to do too much to do everything, so that it doesn’t do one thing at all. Oh, and it doesn’t fit in with the rest of campus architecturally. Oh, and the study carrels face a curtain wall (??). Essentially, what a library is has evolved since Lehman was built, both inside and out, and, thankfully, Beltrone agrees that: “the fact that people don’t really like to study there is a problem. When you come back to campus as alumnae you will see a very different library.” “We have the benefit of not needing a library that does everything at Barnard,” said University Senator Sara Snedeker, but the Barnard library should have an identity that attracts other members of the CU community.

This brings us, then, to the night’s discussion of form and function. The two work together, if you hadn’t figured it out, and there are a few spaces on campus that Rep Council agreed were formally inhibiting their function. The SGA office is one of those places, and the faculty dining room would be another one. Interested in improving the form and function of the Barnard campus? Then maybe you should be a part of the Sustainable Initiatives Consulting Board, or, as they affectionately call themselves, SICB. The Board is finishing their first full year on campus, and completing their transition into a group focused on policy, so that campus Eco Reps can focus more on peer education. Besides organizing their Trashion Show, forthcoming on April 20th, the Board is working to paint the roof of Lehman Hall white (form!) to reflect heat (function!) instead of absorbing it, and will continue to encourage students to use reusable mugs rather than coffee cups. SICB and the Student Academic Affairs Committee are also partnering to present a resolution encouraging faculty administrators to use less paper by reducing the amount of syllabi that they print, and making more material for class available online, including eBooks.

While you’re looking for your eBook online, sign onto eBear by Friday to vote on SGA’s proposed amendments to its constitution. To approve the amendments (form!) SGA requires 30% of the student body to approve them (function!), so look out for a special email from the committee responsible.

If there are other things you’d like to amend, then, be sure to attend SGA’s last town hall of the year, next Monday in the Diana Event Oval from 6 to 8 pm. Rep Council will start at 8, as usual, next week, but will end by 9 to accommodate time constraints of its guests. There won’t be an administrative guest, as a result, but SGA welcomes Joanne Kwong, Counsel to the President (function!) and VP of Communications (form!).

Things that start with f via Wikimedia