The Class of 2016’s concerns about their carnival

Though you might be just breathing again post-major midterm season, CCSC’s already got plans to ease next semester’s academic anxieties. As on top of everything as CCSC is (and if not more), Joe Milholland brings you next semester’s carnival-centered events agenda. 

One hour after Deantini had publicly announced the changes to Columbia College’s financial aid, the Columbia College Student Council explained the changes at their general body meeting. Firstly, transfer students are now guaranteed full need-based financial aid. CC used to have a “gapping” system where transfer students on financial aid were guaranteed a flat rate not related to their income.

Outside scholarships can now eliminate summer work expectations. Summer work expectations are money (usually around $2,000) the university expects financial aid students to make during the summer. If the student does not have a paying job, the expectation still remains, and sometimes parents have to pay for it. Before the changes, these scholarships could only go to term-time work expectations. The scholarships can also go to health insurance or school supplies.

Other changes include the re-weighing of student-parent assets and increasing the cost of attendance and travel allocations in financial aid packages (meaning students get more money to these areas). Also, term-time and summer work expectations have been waived for RAs.

According to VP of Policy Sejal Singh, the money for these changes comes from fundraising. However, University Senator Jared Odessky noted that international student financial aid changes will likely have to come from Low.

After the presentation about financial aid, the class councils presented their ideas for Spring semester events.

The Class of 2016 used a Prezi to detail their 4-council winter carnival in Roone Auditorium. The class council plans on having “carnival-themed inflatables,” video game tournaments in Super Smash Brothers and FIFA ’15, face painting, and fortune telling. The carnival would be open to everyone but be called the “Junior Carnival.

The presentation also included the class council’s concerns about the program, such as funding, the logistics of the event, and the closeness of the event to winter break and the laser tag in Roone the day after the carnival. Student Services Rep Chris Godshall said that the carnival is “literally identical to Glass House Rocks.” Class of 2016 President Saaket Pradham responded that it would have different kinds of activities in Roone than Glass House Rocks, with the inflatables being the only similarity. VP of Finance Michael Li suggested the class council get drawers of caricatures from Times Square for the carnival.

The Class of 2018 presented a plan for an “outdoor carnival” for first-years in March around midterms with a similar ticketing system to the Garden Party. The carnival would have popcorn, snow cones, ice cream, bounce houses, and game machines. After their presentation, Godshall expressed concern about “a lot of student council money going to carnivals,” and CCSC President Peter Bailinson and VP of Campus Life Andrew Ren recommended making the event free. Bailinson also suggested that the event only be restricted to first-years in for the first two hours. “Two words: fried oreos,” recommended Academic Affairs Representative Grayson Warrick.

The Class of 2015 talked about their senior events in the next semester: Lerner pubs, a partnership with Columbia College Young Alumni, wine tasting, the Dean’s toast, and other senior events. They will get more funding through co-sponsorships with various groups. For senior week, the class council has planned the usual events – the ball, the cruise, the bbq, and the Coney Island trip – and new events, such as a CU bar crawl and a campus block party.

The Class of 2017 is hosting an alumni mixer as a second part of their Major Discovery series. “Unlike the juniors and feshmen, we won’t be doing a six-figure field day,” said class of 2017 representative Marshall Bozeman. The mixer would have alumni from a variety of jobs and majors to talk to students about their careers. Li suggested the alumni have bios. Ren suggested that the mixer should be casual, with games of Jenga between students and alumni.

Updates:

• There is a third undergraduate on the Rules Committee, Erin Bryck, Barnard’s University Senator. While Barnard students are not directly affected by the rules of conduct, they are in clubs that are affected by the rules.
• According to Godshall, email aliases will come in January.
• Godshall also met with CUIT about the rolling in and rolling out of the new printing system. CUIT was apolegetic, according to Godshall, and, although they didn’t specify the cost of removing the new program, he said “it didn’t sound good.”
• Wadwood and Singh are trying to get a broad sample of students to address identity-based concerns of CPS. Singh noted that there are “especially long wait times” for survivors of sexual assault. She is working on this with Scott Wright.
• VP of Communications Abby Porter wants more support groups for students, such as for students back from medical leave, and more convenient meeting times for these groups.
• University Senator Marc Heinrich asked the council to notify him if they had any recommendations for the search for a new head of CUIT beyond getting someone responsive to undergraduate concerns.
• University Senator Ramis Wadwood and the Senates’s Education Committee is looking at course numbering (the 4 numbers after the class name).
• Li and the Finance Committee is still trying to decide about how to use their surplus.