We are just as stately

GSSC goes big and doesn’t go home, adding new positions, approving new decisions, dealing with the new TA resolution, and not addressing toilet paper sustainability. Wednesday warrior Jennifer Nugent watched it all with breathless excitement.

This week, the General Studies Student Council (GSSC) was a mixed bag of seriousness, extended discussion, and lighthearted moments.

The first contentious issue of the meeting came from Abby Porter (CC ’17), who presented a plan to change rules about hiring TAs. Representing the Coalition Against Sexual Violence, Abby came to the council to gain support for a new resolution: the goal is that people who have been convicted by Columbia of gender-based misconduct would be unable to serve as TAs. The RAs already have a similar program, and this new addition is a response to one student’s experience as reported in The Spectator. The student had been notified that someone who had sexually assaulted them was now a TA at Columbia. The concern here is that people who have been proven to have engaged in gender-based misconduct do not have the capability to handle the responsibility or privilege of a TA power dynamic.

Some council members were concerned with the idea that potential TAs, in this plan, would have to release their permanent records to their potential employers, but Abby responded with the idea of a 3rd party who would be responsible for simply giving a “yes/no” answer, much like current background checks required for most jobs. Other council member thought there ought to be some sort of statute of limitations, so that youthful mistakes would not be held agains TA candidates. However, other council members aptly responded that there can be no guarantee of change, and that victims of this type of harm should be the focus of concern, not people searching a position of power who had so terribly misused it in the past. The council was receptive to the issues, and have invited Abby back to speak when she has spoken with Columbia Deans to come up with a resolution to pass.

Additionally, a huge issue you probably recognize from the last few weeks is the issue of new appointments to the Finance team. After a heated discussion about what the exact role of any new members would be, the council agreed to appoint two positions: First Year Treasurer and Senior Treasurer. Both positions would have to be elected from the class they represent, as this duty would be their main focus. However, the members could also help with other tasks in Finance as needed. The vote favored the addition of these two new positions.

Other updates:

• The Student Life committee secured a budget of $4,500 for their midterms snack attack, so get excited for the study breaks, GSers!
• Finance has given funds to 13 groups, among which are GS Alliance and the Military Fund, which are GS-based groups.
• Lerner is changing floor plans, and GS plans to support a plan that will provide more communal seating in the current cafe!
• Communications has found a coder, and once the color debate is settled, will get started building their new website.
• The First Year, all-school formal went off without a hitch! GS was especially proud of the fact that the population of GS students exceeded the portion of the event that GS paid for (which was based purely on student population). In case this was confusing, it is just important to know that GS won.
• The Academic Resource Center is going to update their tutoring sign-up platform so it will be easier to use.
• The Senior Representatives have finalized several events for Senior Week, including a ball!
• In addition, the Dodge Fitness Center survey went out today. As USenator Katherine Celentano said “if this is not intuitively exciting to you, I will explain why it should be,” and it is that all of the things that GS was fighting for are actually happening!

Cancillería Ecuador/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA 2.0