There it is. The Spot.

Barnard’s SGA had its first meeting last night, and Baby Bwoggers Elle Ferguson and Alex Volgyesi were on the scene to catch all the juicy details. Well, maybe not that juicy. We’re all just really excited about Milstein.

The first Barnard SGA meeting of the 2018-2019 school year covered introductory business and new projects by the administration with the arrival of the Milstein Library. New positions have been filled with the increased demands of the technology and learning center, which focus on collaborative efforts on behalf of the students and administration. These include providing equitable resources (i.e. textbooks) to all students.

Jennifer Green, the Dean of BLAIS (Barnard Library and Academic Information Services) discussed the initiatives taking place this year with the opening of the Milstein Center. These include the FLIP library for low-income and first generation students. Students form Columbia or Barnard who identify as first-gen or low income can apply to rent textbooks out from the FLIP library for free. Milstein also contains the Zine Library, BIPOC alum collection by people of color, and archives of records of Barnard throughout its history.

Another point of discussion was the Design Center in the Milstein. Tools such as 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and laser cutters will be available to students with undergraduates and graduate students managing the space. Director Jen Brown stated that among her goals was to promote a safe and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds. “This space isn’t just academic,” she says.

Besides introduction by students and staff and a powerpoint slide on the “nutshell version” of Jen’s job, here are some additional highlights from SGA’s first meeting:

Phanesia Pharel, representative for the Arts and Culture committee at Barnard encourages you to join her committee because there will be “lots of fun stuff with arts and culture.”

Solace Mensah-Narh, the representative for Academic Affairs also invites you to join her committee because “We all go to school, so it [academic affairs] affects you.”

Gabi Garcia, the junior class president is “Here to grant all your wishes… within control.”

Phanesia Pharel (Barnard ‘21), self-made expert on Barnard “spots” asserts that the Milstein Center is “the spot.”

The only map that has Milstein on it yet via Barnard