SA R65 (2014-2015): Developing and Funding a Student Run Grocery Store

Returned by the President

• Resolution:
  SA R65 (2014-2015): Developing and Funding a Student Run Grocery Store
• Day:
  June 9, 2015
• Action:
  Returned by the President
• Summary / Notes:

   

   

   

   

• File Attachments:
• Text Attachment:

  Dear Sarah,
  
  Thank you for sharing Resolution 65, Developing and Funding a Student Run Grocery Store. I am impressed with the commitment of the Student Assembly to help address a need that appears quite real for some subset of the Cornell student body. That said, I am sending the proposal back for reconsideration until all the issues you outlined in the resolution are addressed to the satisfaction of everyone outlined in the resolution.
  
  To be specific, the working group that you are suggesting in Resolution 65 needs to grant approval for the discount/food scholarship structure, the business plan and all of the other approvals required by Cornell policies (e.g., the Sales Activities on Campus, Policy 4.3) before this proposal should be considered formally. I am most concerned about the long-term viability for such an operation given the extensive expense you anticipate up front and would want to see that plan outlined in detail. Your current version of a business plan has a number of assumptions about fundraising that may/may not be approved. I cannot approve a plan that has future funding assumptions built into the fundamental operational budget.
  
  Moreover, I ask that you continue to work with Gary Stewart, Director of Community Relations, as you advance your plans.
  
  Additionally, while Resolution 69, Clarify and Expanding the Use of the Students Helping Students Fund does provide the Student Assembly and Financial Aid Review Committee the 'right, depending on the effectiveness and usage of the fund, to make changes in the Students Helping Student Fund categories that are offered to Cornell University undergraduate students' it would be appropriate for there to be a modification to the guidelines to formally define the usage for a grocery store (or perhaps,even more generically, funds to address food insecurity should the model to address that be somewhat different than you now envision.)
  
  I will be sure that President-elect Garrett is aware of my philosophic support for addressing concerns about food insecurity and my appreciation of the leadership role that the Student Assembly is taking, but also my concerns about the number of details to be addressed in advance of granting approval.
  
  Regards,
  
  David Skorton