Though last week’s announcement that SEAS would continue its PDF policy this semester was a triumph for the Engineering Student Council, its members’ work is far from over.

This week’s general body meeting began with a continued discussion of SEAS’ current credit limit. As the council has noted at several previous meetings, SEAS students are limited to a total of 40 credits if they wish to take advantage of this year’s three semester system. Some students complain that this is unfair given that the maximum number of credits that may be taken in a single semester is 21.

ESC’s Class of 2023 council; comprised of Class President Angel Mancera (SEAS ‘23), Class Vice President Kennedy Salamat (SEAS ‘23), and Class Representatives Rommel Nunez (SEAS ‘23) and Matthew Wahl (SEAS ‘23); is currently drafting a petition to the administration in the hopes of changing the credit limit. They hope that a change would allow more students to take summer courses this year at no additional cost.

Mancera and Salamat presented a draft of the petition to the council but emphasized that the contents of the petition will shift depending on the results of a survey. The ESC Credit Limit Survey will likely include questions about students’ summer plans and others meant to assess how students have been dividing their course load between semesters.

Student Body President Estevan Mesa (‘22) suggested that a survey question be rephrased to ask more directly why students may be opting against summer courses this year. He hopes that this will highlight any barriers that may be caused by the current credit limit as well as other challenges students may be facing. Other council members suggested minor edits to the survey draft as well.

Mancera and Salamat also noted that they are considering adding a question to the survey to assess whether this year’s combined reading week and exam days are impacting students’ mental health. This question may be added to Student Health and Wellness Representative Lori Luo’s upcoming survey.

Following the discussion of the credit limit, council members provided updates from recent meetings and initiatives in which they participated. Mesa noted that he hopes to meet with Dean Brovman to work on creating guidelines for the establishment of new SEAS minors. This follows a recent unsuccessful student attempt at creating a biology minor.

VP Student Life Katherine Liu (‘21) announced that this year’s Got Fu’d event will be held virtually on March 12th. The event, intended as a chance for SEAS underclassmen to network with professors and learn more about opportunities available at Columbia, is typically held in person over food. For this year’s Got Fu’d, food baskets will be delivered to selected participants. Professors have already been invited to sign up, and student registration will open soon.

Lerner via Bwog Archives