Student Assembly Meeting

Thursday, October 24, 2024

• Term:
  2024-2025
• Assembly/Committee: Student Assembly
• Date & Time:
  Thu, Oct 24, 2024 - 4:45pm
  to
  6:30pm
• Location:
  Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room (WSH407)/Zoom
• Agenda:
• Meeting Packet:
• Audio Recording:
• Minutes:

   

  1. Call to Order

  • Chair Z. deRham called the meeting to order at 4:45 PM.
  • Members Present: J. Altman; S. Chan; Z. deRham; D. Donovan; K. Everett; C. Flournoy; D. Gekman; G. Gonzalez-Mulattieri; N. Hite; C. Kim; J. Lederman; K. Liu; F. Meng; S. Razzak; M. Scali; J. Silverman; D. Suarez; C. Tarala; A. Vinson; E. Yao
  • Members Absent: R. Acharjee (Proxied by S. Razzak); E. Chaudhuri (Prozied by E.Yao); E. Galperin (Proxied by M.Scali);  J. Lederman (Proxied by J. Altman); A. Vinson (Proxied by N. Hite); S. Almosawi; L. Berinde; I. Rezaka; S. Zhuang
  • Also Present: N/A

   

  2. Reading of the land acknowledgement

  • Z. deRham stated the land acknowledgement

   

  3. Approval of the minutes

  • S. Chan motioned to add their name to the list of members present at the October 17th meeting. The motion was approved by unanimous consent.
  • Z. deRham then motioned to approve the October 17th meeting minutes. The motion passed by unanimous vote.

   

  4. Announcements

  • No announcements

     

  4. Reports of Officers, Committees, and Liaisons

  • Z. deRham emphasized the importance of notifying leadership about absences or late arrivals via email. Z. deRham noted that some members are close to facing disciplinary actions due to attendance issues and urged everyone to be more mindful of their attendance and communication.

   

  6. Open Microphone

  • No speakers

     

  6. Consent Calendar

  • Resolution 11

  • S. Chan introduced Resolution 11, an initiative to provide a free airport shuttle service, citing the challenges students face with accessibility during early morning or late-night travel to airports.
  • Gekman inquired about the success and participation from the previous year and noted changes in bus availability. S. Chan explained that there is more planning this year, with the primary change being a shift from two buses to one.
  • F. Meng asked about the seating capacity of the bus. S. Chan responded that the capacity is still being determined, as last year’s buses held 40 and 75 passengers, respectively. S. Chan mentioned that a pre-registration process will gauge interest before finalizing the bus size.
  • Z. deRham indicated that they are still evaluating student demand and will consider surveys to assess needs.
  • S. Razzak asked about the previous year’s usage and this year’s expected turnout. S. Chan reported that there were 50 registrations last year, with high turnout in the final days and many students showing up without prior registration. She estimates 30 students per day this year.
  • Z. deRham motioned to pass the proposal, and it was approved by unanimous consent.

   

  8. Presentations

  • No presentations

     

  8. Second Readings

  • No second readings

     

  8. Third Readings

  • Resolution 9

  • N. Hite reiterated that funding the theater production would be highly beneficial to the Cornell community, noting that without this financial support, the company cannot proceed with the show. He emphasized that funding this resolution could also enhance the Assembly’s public image.
  • C. Tarala inquired about the organization’s funding history, asking how they managed without this support in previous years.
  • N. Hite explained that the company’s growth in quality and size has created this new financial need, emphasizing that the investment in production equipment would serve the theater company for a decade.
  • Z. deRham added that the company used to perform in Risley, but their move to Schwartz has increased operational needs, with Schwartz also committed to helping maintain the equipment.
  • Z. Hiles echoed the sentiment on the organization’s growth and the need for expanded resources.
  • Z. deRham motioned to vote on the resolution, and the motion passed.
  • The motion to pass Resolution 9 was approved by the majority.

  • Resolution 10

  • D. Gekman shared that he expanded the resolution based on prior feedback, now including fentanyl and xylazine test strips. D. Gekman clarified that all RAs, house managers, fraternity, and sorority representatives would receive training. D. Gekman noted similar initiatives at peer institutions and emphasized a plan for the Health Committee to partner with community organizations and businesses to place test kits in local establishments and on-campus vending machines.
  • S. Razzak inquired if the resolution required two additional individuals beyond the housing staff.
  • D. Gekman clarified that the resolution includes the housing staff, acknowledging the confusion and motioning to make this clearer in the wording. The motion was then approved unanimously.
  • F. Meng asked about specifics on how other schools conduct similar training programs.
  • D. Gekman responded that peer institutions typically run these programs through student health services. However, D. Gekman noted that the training specifics in this resolution are unique, adding that Narcan administration is straightforward and necessary for safety.
  • Z. deRham motioned to vote on the resolution, and it was approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 10 passed by majority consent

   

  11. Appointments and Vacancies Calendar

  • No appointments or vacancies

     

  11. Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned at 5:09.

     

  Respectfully Submitted,

  Kennedy Young

  Clerk of the Assembly

  SA Minutes (10-24).pdf (103.87 KB)