This week ESC discussed how best to allocate funding for prizes and swag, a linguistics minor, and how to make the homestretch of this semester kind of bearable.

This week’s ESC General Body Meeting began with a short presentation from Jessica Kuleshov (SEAS ‘22). Kuleshov hopes to create a linguistics minor for SEAS students. She asked for ESC’s support in advocating for the minor with the deans. At the meeting, Kuleshov explained the benefits of a SEAS linguistics minor, from the values of academic interdisciplinarity to job preparedness. The council voted in favor of assisting Kuleshov in advocating for this minor.

VP Finance Sophia Sagandyk (‘22) then led a brief discussion on the best ways to allocate student life funds. Currently, ESC offers expensive prizes at events, such as iPads and AirPods. Because these items are so expensive, only a few lucky winners benefit. Sagandyk  explained that she is looking to make use of these funds in a way that will maximize benefit for the most students. This may entail giving away slightly cheaper prizes so that more students get something.

Class of 2021 Representative Ethan Thayumanavan (‘22) suggested giving away prizes for event participation rather than for winning. This might incentivize students to show up for events better than a few expensive prizes that are not guaranteed. The council also discussed what might be the most equitable manner in which to purchase, distribute, and subsidize SEAS swag for students.

Next, Student Body President Estevan Mesa (‘22) told the council about an opportunity to collaborate with CCSC on a joint Resources Fund Proposal. The idea is in recognition of the fact that many students are currently living off campus without access to resources they would typically have access to at Columbia, from printers to course materials. Through this fund, students would be able to request specific items or resources that they would have been able to access on campus. This proposal is still a work in progress at this time, but ESC voted in favor of working with CCSC further on this joint initiative.

After the discussion from last week’s ESC General Body Meeting, Mesa presented ESC’s proposal regarding academic related changes in the light of COVID to the Committee on Instruction (COI). The COI approved several changes of ESC notified the SEAS student body in this Tuesday’s newsletter. Now, SEAS students can take one class pass/D/fail regardless of class category (major, Core, or elective). The deadline to choose this grading option is December 14th. Students may opt to uncover grades up until the end of the second week of spring semester (January 22nd, 2021).

ESC also mentioned that their first town hall will be held this Friday, November 20th, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. Students who attend the townhall may suggest new policies, ask the council questions, and learn more about how ESC operates.

SEAS via Bwog Archives