I think I see Fornax! And Microscopium!

SGA met for the first time this semester in the exciting new locale that is Diana 502, getting back to business with a casual meeting. There, dark and mysterious like Aragorn in the Prancing Pony, Maddie Ball waited in the wings, and this is her report.

SGA kicked off their first meetings of the semester with administrative guest Jessica Nuñez, Barnard’s own Associate Dean for Student Life. Nuñez has faithfully advised the rep council for years, though last semester she was unfortunately unable to impart her wisdom, being on maternity leave. Regardless, Nuñez’s prodigal return was marked by discussions of Barnard’s Constellations program, as well as a discussion of last semester’s ill-fated flyering policy debacle.

Nuñez’s discussion of Barnard Constellations centered on breathing much needed life into the NSOP program, which has suffered from a marked lack of student activity. With the goal of community development, Barnard Constellations is one of several programs visited upon terrified, wide-eyed freshwoman during their first week at Barnard. While the program is only two years old, Nuñez remarks that Constellations’ lack of participation is due to the fact that it was not developed “organically.” Regardless, the rep council hopes that through continued exposure to the program, Constellations will become a traditional facet of Barnard’s community.

Nuñez also offered her take on the poster policy change that ruffled so many feathers last semester. Contrary to popular belief, she asserted, the policy never changed. Rather, the policy was merely never enforced. With that Clue-esque mystery solved, Nuñez then detailed the reasoning behind the initial the decision, being that by regulating flyers 1) Barnard would become more environmentally savvy and 2) flyers would actually be seen, rather than be buried under an tropical rainforest’s worth of competing posters.

In upcoming news, Rep for College Relations, Rachel Ferrari is coordinating a visit from the Seven Sisters Coalition, which is meeting this weekend to discuss their constitution. The Seven Sisters Coalition aims to facilitate discourse on the meaning of women’s education, as well as create extensive peer and alumnae networks. Representatives from the remaining six sisters schools will be attending, like
Wellesley and Mount Holyoke for example. Vassar is also a member of the organization despite going co-ed in 1969 (those lucky ducks).

SGA does have exciting local news on the horizon as well. Instead of scorning the weather as of late, you can celebrate it tonight on Lehman Lawn from 7pm-9pm! SGA will be hosting Winterfest, complete with hot cocoa pong (???) and free scarves (!!!) that you can use to inadvertently trip your classmates in those crowded lecture halls. There will also be performances from groups such as Clefhangers, Bacchante, and Dhoom, as well as others.

Speaking of things that take talent, the Barnard Student Curatorial Committee is hosting the Interfaith Arts Gala. Art submissions with religious themes are being accepted until February 28th. Or alternately, if you’re like Bwog and struggle with finger painting, Grandma’s Barnard’s Basement is hosting a tour February 7th at 7pm in the Lehman basement. There, you can tour the archives, take part in exciting giveaways, and check out yearbooks potentially old enough to be written in archaic Latin.

Finally, if you think Butler is already starting to smell, starting next week, SGA is unveiling four new study spaces on Barnard’s campus: Diana 308, LL 103, LL104, and Barnard 407. These rooms will be available in the evening with sign up sheets outside the door. If studying is something you await with bated breath, this is definitely good news for you. Here’s to the rest of the semester!

Constellations via Shutterstock