Guastavino’s looks bougie enough for this bwogger

Each Wednesday, Bwog’s GSSC Bureau Chief, Alex Tang, gives us a brief summary of the previous GSSC meeting. This week, GSSC approved the venue for the 2018 Spring Gala and introduced a new initiative for GS first-years.

This week, the General Studies Student Council (GSSC) hosted a relatively short meeting, focusing mainly on updates for upcoming events or initiatives. The meeting took place at 8:15 in Lerner 5, during the protests against right-wing speaker Tommy Robinson. As a result, this week’s meeting was different in that it was punctuated periodically by the rallying cries and cheers from just a few floors down. Yet, every speaker spoke slightly louder than usual, and the meeting proceeded smoothly.

The bulk of the meeting was spent on selecting the venue for the annual Spring Gala. VP of Campus Life Dennis Zhao introduced his favorite contender, Guastavino’s in East Midtown. Guastavino’s has a much larger capacity than previous gala venues, and Zhao mentioned that up to seven hundred students might be able to attend this year’s gala at Guastavino’s, more than in previous years. The Spring Gala has been criticized in previous years for its limited capacity, as not all GS students were able to attend the galas. Senior Class President Roya Hegdahl, who attended her freshman Spring Gala at Guastavino’s, noted that the venue was incredibly spacious and well-organized, allowing for a natural flow of events. More importantly, hosting the Spring Gala at Guastavino’s would mean cheaper gala tickets for attendees, as well as the extra benefits of hors d’oeuvres and a larger “beverage” selection. GSSC unanimously approved Guastavino’s as the 2018 Spring Gala venue.

Finally, First-Year Class President Corie Hahn introduced a new initiative affecting first-years in GS. Hahn and Bill Foo, First-Year Class VP, proposed a weekly program in which new GS students could sign up to eat meals together, thereby forging new friendships. The program would be rolled out in two phases. In one phase, facilitated by Foo, first-years with a meal plan would be able to meet up at any of Columbia’s dining halls. In the other phase, Hahn would organize weekly outings to local restaurants. GS students would be able to sign up online using a spreadsheet, and each meal group would include around six people. Subsidies for students with financial need would also be available. The program was approved by the board.

Some other non-related updates:

• The VP of Policy Raisa Flor is working with the Dual BA/Joint Programs Representative to set up a student panel event highlighting issues for that community in GS. The panel will include panelist speakers and plenty of food, and should take place in late October.
• The VP of Communications Nicole Rodgers mentioned that GSSC tech team positions are still open. Contact the board about the position if you’re in GS and are interested in applying your coding and app-development skills.
• GSSC is working hard to create a database of all student organizations at Columbia, including those that aren’t officially recognized by the administration. Follow up on next week’s updates for more information.
• Follow GSSC on Twitter (@gsscinfo), Snapchat (@yourgssc), and Instagram (@yourgssc)!

image via insidebusinessnyc.com