21 Comments
Fire up your printers, it’s flyering time!
ABC has just voted to join SGB in not complying with Barnard Student Life’s new Posting Policy. This is a big step as ABC represents over 150 student groups. In their statement (below) they announce that ABC will take full responsibility for any “sanctions” given to ABC groups who do not obtain approval before flyering. The November issue of The Blue & White Magazine, on campus next week, will feature a full story on Barnard Student Life.
Update: Saketh Kalathur, ABC President, sent an email to ABC group leaders with strong words.
“This policy was implemented by Barnard’s Student Life Office over the summer without the knowledge of ABC … We have been in communication with Barnard’s SGA since then. However, we have become dismayed at the lack of progress made on the issue…
We hope that by promoting noncompliance, Barnard will realize that this is an important issue for student groups and will work to create a more sensible policy. It is unacceptable for policies to be implemented that affect student groups without prior feedback from student leaders such as yourselves.”
SGA is having their weekly meeting now. Kalathur and David Fine, SGB Chair, are said to be speaking. Updates as we get them.
The Activities Board at Columbia (ABC) is the largest undergraduate governing board at Columbia University, representing over 150 cultural, academic, pre-professional, publication, science, engineering, dance, vocal, theater, and special interest groups on campus. Throughout the year, students in ABC groups program extraordinary events at both Columbia and Barnard. Upon the announcement of Barnard’s new posting policy, the ABC received feedback from student leaders who were concerned that this policy was not in the best interest of their groups or of student life. After seeing a lack of definitive progress made on this issue over the past two months, the ABC has voted not to comply with Barnard College’s Student Life office’s Posting Policy.
The ABC firmly believes that this policy is detrimental to student life at Columbia and Barnard. More importantly, however, the ABC is disappointed that Student Life implemented this policy without considering the true impact it would have on student groups. Any change in policy that affects student groups should be brought to the attention of the ABC for feedback prior to implementation.
To ABC groups: We urge you to be respectful of Barnard’s campus. Use only blue painter’s tape, and post only on permitted bulletin boards. If you choose not to obtain prior approval from Student Life for your posters, the ABC will take full responsibility for any sanctions placed against you.
To Barnard Student Life: We urge you to repeal your new posting policy and sit down with ABC to discuss guidelines for posting on Barnard’s campus. If you engage student leaders to create a sensible posting policy, the ABC will ensure that it is followed by all student groups. To the greater Columbia community: The ABC is committed to representing the interests of student groups on campus. We have made it our mission to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and ensure that the voices of all club leaders are heard. For any organization that is considering policies that will affect student groups, we urge you to reach out to the ABC as early as possible so that we may work together to positively impact student life at Columbia.
Signed by The Activities Board at Columbia on October 22, 2012
Saketh Kalathur, President
Julian Richardson, Vice President
Chloe Ruan, Treasurer
Tony Lee, Secretary
And the 13 Representatives-At-Large
All boldings by ABC.
Weapons against the war on fun via Shutterstock
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21 Comments
@Not to be that guy... …but has anyone else noticed that the quality of reporting and actual writing have gone from like an A- to a low C since Alex Jones somehow became an editor? Not being a troll, actually complaining, and asking for the people of Bwog to do something about it. Can you impeach him in favor of someone with a little more experience, or at least talent?
@Anonymous Really? Actually I used to never see any decent articles on Bwog. Since Alex took over, I see one maybe once every week or so.
If there’s a reason to get rid of him, it’s that he’s in bed with CUCR – his roommate is their President!
@Alex For the record, we maintain separate beds.
@Anonymous Like Bert and Ernie (or more accurately, Rod and Nicky)
@Anonymous like 5 people have quit because of him
@Assuming that you’re not just a disgruntled former bwog writer or spec writer, how would you report this story better if you were head of bwog? It’s easy to criticize, but without saying what you’d do differently, it’s worthless. (Note that the same goes for Romney’s criticism of Obama.)
@The Dark Hand the only thing I hate more than this flyering policy is Spec
@Anonymous BadAss Alert.
@Anonymous SGA supports this policy by Barnard Student Life. As of this year, Barnard’s SGA has been instrumental in implementing these draconian new policies, such as the new 1/3 Barnard membership policy in ALL Columbia clubs receiving SGA money must follow. This is just the latest example, and it’s good that something’s finally being done to resist this encroachment.
@facts straight the dually recognized group policy has always been the same…
sga was not included in the conversation deciding to put the stamping rule in place…
@JungHee Hyun SGA released our position this morning in response to SGB’s statement, which can be found here, http://bwog.com/2012/10/22/sgb-rejects-barnards-new-posting-policy-along-with-almost-everybody-else/ Please fill out the survey with any feedback and look out for a recap of tonight’s SGA meeting, during which we outlined a course of action to address the posting policy. SGA promises to resolve this matter before the end of this semester. -JungHee Hyun BC’13, SGA President
@Anon Has ABC even met with Barnard’s Student Life to discuss the policy or are they just following what SGB does? SGA has been working hard on the issue and at least Barnard’s administration communicates with their student body and governing body unlike ABC’s and SGB because let’s face it – if this happened at CU would the administration even take a second look?
@Anonymous So where’s SGA’s statement denouncing the flyering policy? Oh wait, there isn’t one!
ABC and SGB are Columbia’s lackeys, but they’re not Barnard’s. And thus, ABC and SGB have power. SGA is too focused on getting letters of recommendation on official Dean stationery to actually oppose Barnard.
@Anonymous SGA has not denounced the posting policy, but instead declared again, as has been said continually, that feedback on this is key in order for Student Life to properly re-evaluate the policy. Opposing Barnard versus working with Barnard isn’t about getting a letter of recommendation, but instead about working closely with the right people to make change happen through the right channels. Fill out the survey if you want your feedback to matter. You can read the SGA statement here: http://bwog.com/2012/10/22/sgb-rejects-barnards-new-posting-policy-along-with-almost-everybody-else/
@bjw2119 To be fair, SGB met with Barnard Student Life and SGA to discuss the issue. When it became clear that Barnard Student Life was going to refuse to change their policy until January, SGB appropriately followed its own stated by-laws and voted to not comply with a University rule that goes against the SGB’s principles of student self-governance and freedom of expression. Per those by-laws, that non-compliance won’t go into effect until 2/3 of the representatives from every SGB group vote to not comply. ABC, on the other hand, might have been upset that SGB was, you know, being a governing board responsive to their groups’ needs, and was therefore highlighting the fact that ABC, is, uh, not. So rather than do the adult thing and meet with Barnard admins and SGA in an attempt to resolve the issue before taking unilateral action, they just issued this statement to save face. I hope that Barnard fines ABC for every flier its group puts up and then uses the money to save the pool :p
@dude, fining the ABC clubs in order to save the pool is just about the worst idea i’ve ever heard. all of barnard/columbia student life would be hurt, just to save a pool that is being eliminated due to the barnard admin’s utter failure at money management.
@bjw2119 Joking, dude, joking.
@Anonymous SUPPORT THIS
Time to repeal the policy. Less red tape, not more.
@Van Owen What does this have to do with Columbia? They don’t even go here!
@Anonymous Stop being a trolling asshole
@Typo First line should read, “ABC has voted to join *SGB*”.