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Cornell University

Office of the Assemblies

Student Assembly Meeting

Thursday, March 12, 2026

  • Term:
    2025-2026
  • Assembly/Committee: Student Assembly
  • Date & Time:
    Thu, Mar 12, 2026 - 4:45pm
    to
    6:30pm
  • Location:
    Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room (WSH407)/Zoom
  • Agenda:

    1. Call to Order
    2. Reading of the Land Acknowledgment
    3. Approval of the February 26th, 2026 Meeting Minutes
    4. Consent Calendar
    5. Reports of Officers, Committees, and Liaisons
    6. Announcements
    7. Presentations
         1. Cornell University Administration: President Michael Kotlikoff & VicePresident Ryan Lombardi
    8. Public Comment Microphone
    9. Second Readings
         1. Resolution 63: Recognizing September 25 and Establishing a “SurveyService Window” Administered by Student & Campus Life
         2. Resolution 67: Transferring Funds to the Multicultural Greek FraternalCouncil
         3. Resolution 68: Investigating the Cornell Greek Community Account
         4. Resolution 69: Urging Cornell to Support Higher TCAT Funding
         5. Resolution 70: The Last Straw: Single-Use Plastic Phaseout
         6. R70 Appendix & Notes
         7. Resolution 71: Grade Transparency
         8. Resolution 72: Alleviating Preliminary Examination Overloads
         9. Resolution 73: Calling for Cornell to Improve its Land Acknowledgement and Recognize the Benefits Obtained through the Morrill Act of 1862
         10. Resolution 74: Transparency in First-Year Program House Access and Placement Outcomes
    10. Third Readings
         1. Resolution 53: Approving Special Projects Request for the International Affairs Society at Cornell 1. R53 Appendix A: International Affairs Society at Cornell Special Projects Funding Request Form
         2. Resolution 54: Approving Special Projects Request for the Cornell Persian Students Organization1. R54 Appendix A: Cornell Persian Students Organization (PSO)Special Projects Funding Request Form
         3. Resolution 48: Public Comment Duration 1. R48 Appendix A: Updated Bylaws
         4. Resolution 49: Attendance Callouts
         5. Resolution 50: Tri-Semesterly Committee Chair and Liaison Reports
         6. Resolution 51: Updating the Bylaws With a Contingency Plan for Vacancies in the Independent Offices1. R51 Appendix A: Updated Bylaws
         7. Resolution 52: Expanding College Credit Limits
         8. Resolution 55: Condemning the University Administration’s Use of Programming to Platform Individuals Implicated in War Crimes
         9. Resolution 56: Improving Accessibility Information and Support for Disabled Students in Residential Housing
         10. Resolution 57: Ensuring Equitable Evaluation of Special Projects Funding Request
         11. Resolution 58: Winter Sidewalk Maintenance
         12. Resolution 66: Reassessing Resolution 21: Approving the Recommendation for the 2026-2028 Student Activity Fee
         13. Resolution 61: Calling for the Termination of Cornell University’s Partnership with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology While Preserving Cornell Tech
         14. Resolution 60: Free Laundry
         15. Resolution 64: Approving Special Projects Request for Bhangra at Cornell 1. R64 Appendix
         16. Resolution 62: Health Vending Machine Expansion to West & Collegetown Communities
         17. Resolution 65: Approving Additional Special Projects Request for the Young Democratic Socialists of America
    11. Appointments and Vacancies Calendar
    12. Adjournment

     
  • Meeting Packet:
  • Audio Recording:
  • Minutes: No minutes available

Associated Resolutions

Resolution Abstract Status
SA R48 (2025-2026): Public Comment Duration Establishes a one-hour limit for public comment per meeting to ensure efficient meeting operations while maintaining meaningful opportunity for public participation. Submitted to the President
SA R49 (2025-2026): Attendance Callouts Verbally announcing noted absent representatives after roll call and recording representatives’ early departures. Adopted by the Assembly
SA R50 (2025-2026): Tri-Semesterly Committee Chair and Liaison Reports Establishes all Committee Chairs and Liaisons to report on their progress at three3designated dates each semester to ensure committees maintain momentum. Adopted by the Assembly
SA R51 (2025-2026): Updating the Bylaws with a Contingency Plan for Vacancies in the Independent Offices This resolution updates the Bylaws to include a timeline of approval for, option for a vote of no confidence for, and timeline for filling vacancies of the Director positions of the Student Assembly’s independent offices of Ethics and Elections, respectively. Submitted to the President
SA R52 (2025-2026): Expanding College Credit Limits This resolution recommends that colleges respect students’ decision-making autonomy by keeping semesterly credit limits at or above 22 credits. The recommendation also permits an exception for first-year students. Submitted to the President
SA R53 (2025-2026): Approving Special Projects Request for the International Affairs Society at Cornell This resolution approves $5000 of Special Projects funding for the International Affairs Society at Cornell to attend the North American Model United Nations Conference Adopted by the Assembly
SA R54 (2025-2026): Approving Special Projects Request for the Cornell Persian Students Organization This resolution approves $5000 of Special Projects funding for the Cornell Persian Students Organization to host the Cornell Persian Students Organization. Adopted by the Assembly
SA R55 (2025-2026): Condemning the University Administration’s Use of Programming to Platform Individuals Implicated in War Crimes This resolution condemns the University administration’s decision to invite individuals implicated in war crimes and grave human rights violations to campus through programming framed as promoting peace, such as the Pathways to Peace event. It calls for administrative accountability in speaker selection practices that endanger student wellbeing, undermine ethical standards, and distort the meaning of peace within the academic environment. Rejected by the President
SA R56 (2025-2026): Improving Accessibility Information and Support for Disabled Students in Residential Housing Cornell's Housing & Residential Life and Campus Groups websites lack clear information about elevator and ramp accessibility for each residential building. Recommends that accessibility features be clearly listed on each residential building's webpage, and that disabled students receive proactive outreach about available move-in and move-out support resources Submitted to the President
SA R57 (2025-2026): Creating an Ad-Hoc Committee for the Review of the Special Projects Funding Guidelines This resolution acknowledges and affirms the Student Assembly’s ongoing debate of and commitment to equitable restrictions on Special Projects funding. This ad-hoc committee shall author a resolution of recommendations for the future of the Standing Rules’ Special Projects Funding Guidelines. Adopted by the Assembly
SA R58 (2025-2026): Winter Sidewalk Maintenance Students have expressed concerns over poorly maintained sidewalks in the wintertime, leading to falls and injuries. This resolution seeks to mitigate this by requesting increased winter maintenance from Facilities and Campus Services and requesting a forum for students to directly communicate with them. Submitted to the President
SA R61 (2025-2026): Calling for the Termination of Cornell University’s Partnership with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology While Preserving Cornell Tech This resolution calls on Cornell University to terminate its institutional partnership with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology while maintaining Cornell Tech as an independent Cornell campus. It cites ethical and legal concerns regarding the Technion’s involvement in military research and technologies linked to human rights violations, arguing that continued collaboration conflicts with Cornell’s values and mission. The resolution further urges divestment from joint programs and the implementation of transparent ethical review processes for international partnerships. Rejected by the President
SA R62 (2025-2026): Health Vending Machine Expansion to West & Collegetown Communities This resolution proposes that one dormitory on West Campus and one dormitory on South Campus be equipped with free vending machines offering a variety of essential health-related supplies, including non-prescription medications, sexual health supplies, COVID-19 antigen tests, and Narcan. This funding shall be transferred from the Student Assembly Reserves Account to the SHAC Account. These free vending machines will be restocked by SHAC members once per semester. Submitted to the President
SA R63 (2025-2026): Recognizing September 25 and Establishing a “Survey Service Window” Administered by Student & Campus Life This resolution recognizes September 25, observed as National Research Administrator Day, as an annual campus moment to uplift the role of research, assessment, and data stewardship in improving student life. It establishes a three-hour Survey Service Window on September 25 each year during which undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to complete designated SCL-critical surveys (e.g., Cornell Health, Housing & Residential Life, wellbeing/service delivery assessments). The Student Assembly Campus Pulse Committee will coordinate implementation, communications, and accountability. Submitted to the President
SA R64 (2025-2026): Approving Special Projects Request for Bhangra at Cornell This resolution approves $5000 of Special Projects funding for Bhangra at Cornell Rejected by the Assembly
SA R65 (2025-2026): Approving Additional Special Projects Request for the Young Democratic Socialists of America This resolution approves $3309.59 of Special Projects funding for the Young Democratic Socialists of America Cornell Chapter for the Young Democratic Socialists of America Winter Organizing Conference. Adopted by the Assembly
SA R69 (2025-2026): Urging Cornell to Support Higher TCAT Funding This resolution urges Cornell University to support TCAT in its future negotiations, recognizing that it currently contributes insufficient funds and regularly imposes destructive fines on TCAT. Cornell must provide a significant funding increase to TCAT to ensure reliable transit for students, faculty, and staff, as well as to secure affordable to free bus passes for students. Submitted to the President
SA R70 (2025-2026): The Last Straw: Single-Use Plastic Phaseout Phasing out single-use plastics through a five-year transition to reusable or BPI-certified compostable alternatives. Doing so would align campus practices with Cornell’s commitments to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and community well-being. In Discussion
SA R71 (2025-2026): Grade Transparency This resolution recommends that the University require professors to post final grades on all assignments before entering a course grade into student center. This supports transparency, grading accuracy, and student improvement through feedback. Submitted to the President
SA R72 (2025-2026): Alleviating Preliminary Examination Overloads This resolution recommends that in the case that a student has three or more preliminary examinations in a 24-hour period, they shall have the ability to reschedule one of the exams. This is currently already the case for final examinations. Submitted to the President
SA R74 (2025-2026): Transparency in First-Year Program House Access and Placement Outcomes This resolution requests that Housing and Residential Life, under the Department of Campus Life, provide aggregated and de-identified information on first year program house selection criteria and placement outcomes. Submitted to the President