Skip to main content

Cornell University

Office of the Assemblies

Student Assembly Meeting

Thursday, December 5, 2024

  • Term:
    2024-2025
  • Assembly/Committee: Student Assembly
  • Date & Time:
    Thu, Dec 5, 2024 - 4:45pm
    to
    6:30pm
  • Location:
    Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room (WSH407)/Zoom
  • Agenda:
  • Meeting Packet:
  • Audio Recording:
  • Minutes:

    I. Call to Order

      a. Chair Z. deRham called the meeting to order at 4:45 PM.

      b. Members Present: R. Acharjee; D. Addoquaye; L. Berinde; S. Chan; E. Chaudhuri; Z. deRham; D. Donovan; M. O’Donnell; K. Everett; C. Flournoy; E. Galperin; D. Gekman; G. Gonzalez-Mulattieri; N. Hite; C. Kim; J. Lederman; K. Liu; F. Meng; J. Purcell; S. Razzak; I. Rezaka; M. Scali; J. Silverman; D. Suarez; C. Tarala (Late Excused); T. Waugespack; J. Wu; E. Yao

      c. Members Absent: S. Almosawi (Proxied by H. Khan); A.Vinson (Proxied by N. Hite); S. Zhuang (Excused)

      d. Also Present: Marissa Brucker; Jenna Saevitzon; Sierra Burror

     

    II. Reading of the land acknowledgement

      a. Z. deRham stated the land acknowledgement.

     

    III. Approval of the minutes

      a. E. Galperin motions to approve the November 21st meeting minutes with the correction that “Ledderman” under section IX. Second Readings is changed to “Lederman”, this motion passes with unanimous consent.

     

    IV. Announcements

      a. No announcements.

     

    V. Reports of Officers, Committees, and Liaisons

      a. F. Meng provided an update on the Infrastructure Fund. Three applications have been received from student projects. Of these, two will move forward. The third project was declined due to a precedent of disapproval by administrators.

      b. D. Gekman welcomed new Student Assembly members and announced that the Student Health Advisory Committee is still accepting applications for membership.

      c. S. Chan congratulated the new Student Assembly members and highlighted the high turnout in votes from first-year and transfer students. S. Chan also shared information about the free shuttle service available to transport students to airports during the break.

      d. Z. deRham expressed gratitude to the Elections Committee.

      e. K. Everett announced that the LGBTQ+ Student Union will host their annual Winter Fest on December 11.

      f. E. Galperin shared that hot chocolate will be served at Shabbat.

     

    VI. Open Microphone

      a. A Cornell alum and former professor, who left academia to engage in direct climate action, spoke on behalf of a climate coalition comprising Cornell and community members. She urged Cornell to adopt a comprehensive, university-wide approach to addressing the climate crisis.

      b. Marian, a faculty member focusing in the areas of natural resources and the environment, expressed strong support for Cornell’s climate initiatives. She highlighted the critical need for active student and faculty involvement to achieve the university’s environmental objectives.

     

    VII. Consent Calendar

      a. Resolution 19

        i. Z. deRham introduced Resolution 19, approving a $5,000 transfer from the Student Activities Funding Commission (SAFC) to the Student Assembly. The reimbursement covers funding for The Melodramatics Theatre Company’s Fall 2024 show, as it fell under a different SAFC funding category. This resolution passes with majority consent.

     

    VIII. Special Order of Business

      a. M. Barberis motions to go into executive session, this motion passes with majority consent.

     

    IX. Presentations

      a. No presentations.

     

    X. Second Readings

      a. Resolution 20

        i. A. Vinson, M. Brucker, J. Saevitzon, S. Burror introduced Resolution 20, outlining Cornell’s shortcomings in addressing its contributions to climate issues within Ithaca and Tompkins counties and demonstrating ways in which Cornell can get back on track to achieve its environmental goals.

        ii. K. Everett commends the work of the students and outlines that she doesn’t see any reason that this resolution shouldn’t be passed. K. Everett asks about how Cornell’s advocation of funds has impacted its climate goal. A. Vinson says there has been an issue of Cornell’s investment into companies and organizations who produce a lot of carbon emission, and the students have to draw a line on where the pressure on the university should come from.

        iii. G. Gonzales-Mulatierri also commends the resolution and inquires if the SA environmental committee is willing to do any work regarding initiatives. He asks this question on the basis of precedence from other universities. A. Vinson states that it is a great idea.

        iv. E. Chaudhuri states that the resolution is fantastic and commends the students. He announces that this could possibly be the most influential resolution passed by the assembly this year.

        v. Jessica acknowledges the help of the environmental committee.

        vi. E. Galperin says this is a fantastic resolution and motions to close debate. This motion passes with unanimous consent.

     

    XI. Third Readings

      a. Resolution 7

        i. Z. deRham reintroduced Resolution 7 for discussion.

        ii. D. Gekman initially motioned to amend line 486 to remove the requirement that resolutions be voted on in committee before proceeding through the reading calendars but later withdrew the motion.

        iii. E. Galperin raised concerns about referring resolutions to committees. Z. deRham clarified that after the second reading, a vote would determine whether a resolution goes to committee or directly to the third reading calendar.

        iv. N. Maggard encouraged E. Galperin to revisit his amendment, noting its conflict with subsequent lines after 486.

        v. E. Galperin motioned to strike lines 492–508 and replace them with provisions addressing committee processes.

        vi. Debate was closed following a motion by E. Galperin, who then motioned to approve the resolution. Motion approved by two-thirds majority of the entire Assembly and passed by unanimous consent.

     

      b. Resolution 15

        i. F. Meng introduced Resolution 15 to amend the Charter and streamline the operations of the Infrastructure Fund.

        ii. Resolution approved with unanimous consent.

     

      c. Resolution 16

        i. N. Hite introduced Resolution 16, requesting $5,000 in funding for the BSU to take a trip to Washington D.C.

        ii. The resolution was approved with unanimous consent.

     

    XII. Appointments and Vacancies Calendar

      a. The Student Assembly swears in new representatives.

     

    XIII. Adjournment

    The meeting was adjourned at 7:41.

     

    Respectfully Submitted,

    Kennedy Young

    Clerk of the Assembly

    SA Minutes 12_5_2024 (3).pdf (130.16 KB)

Associated Resolutions

Resolution Abstract Status
SA R7 (2024-2025): Executive Governance Reform, Part 2 This resolution amends the Charter, Bylaws, and Standing Rules to further clarify several areas of executive governance.

Sponsored by: President Zora deRham ’27, Executive VP Vinson ’25, Deputy Pres. Maggard ’26, VP Suarez ’27, VP Hite ’26, VP Chan ’25, VP Flournoy ’27, Parliamentarian Coleman ‘26
Type of Action: Internal Policy
Originally Presented: 11/21/2024
Current Status: Adopted by the Assembly, 12/05/2024 		Returned by the President
SA R15 (2024-2025): Amend Charter to Streamline SAIFC Operations This resolution aims to create a more reasonable timeline for the Infrastructure Fund Commission’s workflow and set up rules to help the commission run without conflict of interest and with better connection with ongoing projects.

Sponsored by: Flora Meng ‘27, Cion Kim ‘27, Franklin Berry ‘26, Christian Tarala ‘27
Type of Action: Internal Policy
Originally Presented: 11/21/2024
Current Status: Adopted by the Assembly, 12/05/2024 		Returned by the President
SA R16 (2024-2025): Approving Special Projects Funding Request for Black Students United This resolution approves $5000 of Special Projects Funding to Black Students United annual Washington D.C. Trip.

Sponsored by: Niles Hite ‘26
Type of Action: Internal Policy
Originally Presented: November 12th, 2024
Current Status: Adopted by the Assembly, 12/05/24

Whereas, the Student Assembly Standing Rules, Rule 12: Spending Guidelines, Part B: Special Projects Funding outlines the purpose of Special Projects Funding and the process of approving funding request.

Whereas, Part B: Special Projects Funding, section 1, of the Student Assembly Standing Rules explains the purpose of Special Projects Funding as follows:
"Section 1: The Student Assembly may choose to fund any project, program or service through the Assembly Special Projects that it deems to improve the quality of undergraduate student life. Special Projects funding is a type of category spending."

Whereas, Part B: Special Projects Funding, section 2, subsection a, of the Student Assembly Standing Rules describes the requirement to be considered for Special Projects Funding as follows:
"(a) Any Cornell registered student organization"

Whereas, Part B: Special Projects Funding, section 4, of the Student Assembly standing Rules outlines the rules of Special Projects Funding based on amount as follows:
"Section 5: Requests $2,500 and over shall be decided upon by a majority vote of the Executive Board and confirmed by a majority vote of the Student Assembly, at large. The Assembly, at large, is only required to confirm requests of $2,500 or greater. The request should be presented to the Student Assembly in the form of a resolution."

Be it further resolved, that the Student Assembly approves the $5000.00 Special Projects disbursement to Black Students United.

Be it further resolved, that Black Students United must ensure that they can register this event by the required deadline, as dictated by University Policy.

Be it finally resolved, that the Student Assembly urges that this funding be issued to Black Students United as soon as possible, in order to secure the materials required for their annual trip.

Respectfully Submitted,

Niles Hite ‘26
Vice President for Finance of the Student Assembly
Representative of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Student Assembly 		Adopted by the Assembly
SA R19 (2024-2025): Approving the Transfer of Funds from the Student Activity Funding Commission to the Student Assembly for Resolution 9 This resolution approves the transfer of $5000 of funds from the Student Activities Funding Commission (SAFC) to the Student Assembly to reimburse the 2024-25 Student Assembly with reference to Resolution 9: Special Projects Funding for The Melodramatics Theatre Company Fall 2024 show.

Sponsored by: President Zora deRham ’27, VP for Finance Niles Hite ’26, SAFC Co-President Rafaela Baldeon ‘27
Type of Action: Internal Policy
Originally Presented: 12/05/2024
Current Status: Adopted by the Assembly, 12/05/2024

Whereas, on October 17th, 2024, the Student Assembly approved Resolution 9: Approving Special Projects Funding Request for The Melodramatics Theatre Company; and

Whereas, Resolution 9 “approves $5000 of Special Projects Funding to The Melodramatics Theatre Company to partially fund their show;” and

Whereas, the Student Activities Funding Commission is able to, through the SAFC Public Events Fund, in the same dollar amount fund the Melodramatics Theatre Company as a SAFC sub-organization; and

Whereas, this information was not known by the sponsors of Resolution 9 prior to the passage of Resolution 9 through the Student Assembly; and

Whereas, the Student Activity Funding Commission has offered to reimburse the Student Assembly for its allocation of Special Projects Funds for the Melodramatics Theatre Company.

Be it further resolved, that a transfer of $5,000.00 of funds be transferred from the Student Activity Funding Commission byline account to the Student Assembly special projects account.

Respectfully Submitted,

Zora deRham ‘27
President of the Student Assembly 		Submitted to the President
SA R20 (2024-2025): Climate Renewal Vows Recognizing Cornell University's duty to address the global climate crisis, not only as a moral imperative but also due to the tangible and negative impacts of neglecting climate related issues on its operations, community, and reputation.

Sponsored by: Marissa Brucker ‘26, Jenna Saevitzon ‘25, Sierra Burror ‘25, Adam Vinson ‘25, Lydia Blum ‘27, Eeshaan Chaudhuri ‘27, Christian Tarala ‘27, Eric Yao ‘27
Type of Action: Recommendation
Originally Presented: 12/05/2024
Current Status: Presented to the Assembly, 12/05/2024

Whereas, recent IPCC reports indicate that human activities have caused approximately 1.1°C of warming since 2011-2020, temporarily exceeding 1.5°C since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900). The past few years have been the hottest on record, and intensifying climate-related catastrophes and increasing pressure on communities, economies, and ecosystems show signs of getting perilously close to the long-term warming limit of 1.5°C outlined in the Paris Agreement;

Whereas, these effects are evident in New York State, with rising temperatures driving changes in weather patterns that threaten agriculture, food security, and local economies reliant on stable climatic conditions;

Whereas, as a self-proclaimed leading institution in climate science and sustainability, Cornell University has a unique responsibility to act in alignment with the urgency of the climate crisis, safeguard the rights of students to a habitable future, and equip students with the tools and knowledge to navigate the challenges of the crisis ahead;

Whereas, Cornell’s current Climate Action Plan fails to adequately address the urgency of the crisis, as it lacks the bold, comprehensive measures needed to mitigate the immediate and long-term impacts of climate change on the university and broader community;

Whereas, prioritizing decarbonization in all future construction projects, reducing the demand for energy and resources, actively revising campus policies to avoid high-carbon activities, and ensuring all new construction undergoes rigorous oversight and certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards are critical measures Cornell must undertake;

Whereas, ensuring low-carbon, plant-based dining options, food waste donations, and composting program expansion should be prioritized in dining halls to combat the annual 800 tons of food scraps and organic kitchen waste generated by Cornell dining halls and cafés, promote environmentally friendly consumption habits, and align operations with climate goals;

Whereas, establishing additional composting drop-off sites in high-density student areas, such as Collegetown, Hasbrouck Apartments, and Pleasant Grove Apartments, in partnership with the Tompkins County Solid Waste Department, could further increase student participation in composting, reduce organic waste sent to landfills, and support broader waste diversion efforts;

Whereas, students call for leadership that prioritizes climate initiatives at the forefront, as was the case with past university presidents highlighting the need to appoint a full-time president who prioritizes environmental issues on campus and in the greater Ithaca community, and to enact broader institutional changes at the highest levels of university governance, including
expanding the Office of Sustainability, assigning a high-level administrator to promote climate actions on campus, and establishing regular meetings between senior administrators and a student climate advisory committee to ensure sustained and focused leadership on climate action;

Be it therefore resolved, Cornell University should adopt the following actions to enhance its Climate Action Plan and fulfill its obligation to its students, community, and global leadership role:
1. Leadership Commitment: Seek a full-time university president committed to addressing campus and community
environmental issues, ensuring that sustainability remains a core institutional priority.
2. Accelerate Decarbonization: Commit to halving carbon emissions (rather than net zero) by 2030, and rapid decreases
towards zero after that, integrating robust decarbonization and resource consumption reduction strategies across all
new campus construction and existing infrastructure, without relying on offsetting.
3. Restructure for Low-Carbon Living: Actively shift campus policies and infrastructure away from high-carbon activities
while encouraging low-carbon alternatives, particularly in dining, transportation, and housing.
4. Expand Dining Sustainability: Expand low-carbon footprint meal options in dining halls, strengthen food waste donation
programs, and expand composting initiatives for Cornell eateries and dense student living areas to minimize environ.
mental impact.
5. Accurate Emissions Reporting: A comprehensive emissions baseline inventory should include all significant emission
sources, such as methane, to guide equitable and science-based climate goals.
6. Advocate for Climate Equity: Mobilize academic and community resources to drive climate resilience, prioritizing the
voices of frontline and Indigenous communities in adaptation efforts.

Be it further resolved, Cornell University and the Office of Student Government Relations should commit to advocating for systemic legislative action and inspiring other institutions to address the climate crisis with urgency (e.g. enhancing energy efficiency in various campus operations or funding and supporting research specifically searching for climate solutions).

Be it finally resolved, Cornell University should affirm its responsibility to lead transformative shifts toward climate justice, ensuring students’ rights to a habitable future while protecting the community from the far-reaching impacts of inaction.

Respectfully Submitted,

Marissa Brucker ’26
Member, Environmental Committee, Student Assembly

Jenna Saevitzon ‘25
Member, Environmental Committee, Student Assembly

Sierra Burror ‘25
Member, Environmental Committee, Student Assembly

Adam Vinson ‘25
Executive Vice President of the Student Assembly

Lydia Blum ‘27
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Representative, Student Assembly

Eeshaan Chaudhuri ‘27
Brooks School of Public Policy Representative, Student Assembly

Christian Tarala ‘27
Nolan School of Hotel Administration Representative, Student Assembly

Eric Yao ‘27
Undesignated Representative At-Large, Student Assembly 		Acknowledged by the President