General Assembly
Minutes from November 30th, 2005
Download Word File: Minutes 11/30/05
Link to Master Plan: http://www.oxy.edu/MasterPlan.xml
PowerPoint: Gender Neutral Housing PowerPoint
Word Doc: Gender Neutral Housing Proposal
Occidental College
ASOC General Assembly
Forum Minutes
November 30, 2005
Notes by Grace Canby
Matt Kuzio, General Assembly Co-Chair, welcomed everyone to the official student forum. The General Assembly is a place for students to bring up issues and policy change. The General Assembly recognizes that the student body is one of many forums that form the community. This is a forum for students to work with other students and administrators.
Master Plan Presentation
Harold Hewitt, vice president of finance, began the presentation by introducing himself and the other members of the committee. David Burkis chairs the policy oversight committee to determine what goes forward to the full Board of Trustees. Barbara Avery is generally aware of the plan and helps to be the intermediary between students and faculty. James Tranquada is also on this committee.
The master plan process is designed to be a process that is committed to input from important sources. It has been almost a full calendar year since the beginning of this plan. Copies of the master plan are available online and are on reserve in the library. The Board of Trustees will act this week on the current plan presented.
David Burkis said that many places on campus do not encourage learning. The master plan sought to reinforce structures on campus and well as reinforce the feeling of a Jeffersonian campus.
David Burkis outlined the 5 big ideas of the master plan. They include:
-restore and re-use exsisting historic buildings
-infill
-make campus more pedestrian friendly (requires removal of parking spaces)
-create a more sustainable campus (green campus)
-commit to neighborhood-compatible development
The campus is a national historic sight and it is a goal to make the campus more Jeffersonian. The plan wants to remondel, reconfigure, remove or replace dysfunctional buildings as well as utilize infill sit to accommodate needs over the long term. Over time, low traffic parking and transportation measures will be implemented. Walkways between upper and lower campus will be improved. Sustainability measures will be integrated into the renovation of new campus buildings as well as into campus landscaping. The plan wishes to support the development of projects off campus that can improve life both for neighbors and the College.
Harold Hewitt said that the last plan to improve the campus was in 1993 and that it is now time for change and action. The next step includes preparing an entitlement application that includes an environmental assessment, lefal reviews, public comments and further Board of Trustees revisions. There is a lot yet to be done and it will take time. The entitlement will be filed in June 2006 so work can begin in July. The list of projects for entitlement include:
-Swan Hall expansion and renovation
-College commons
-employee housing
-library
-Fiji outdoor pavilion
-new residence halls
-outdoor chapel
-improved walkways
(the complete list can be found in the master plan document)
Harold Hewitt emphasized that the master plan document is a dream document. The committee needs funds and support. They will ask for the maximum and then they will do their best to complete everything.
Alison Eisel asked where the Women’s Center would be relocation to.
Barbara Avery said that they did not know right now and they can’t even guess. It is a couple of years off and this spring there will be a full discussion. It will not go away, but they don’t know where it will go. They do want it to be at a location where it can be a fully functional center.
Harold Hewitt said that there was a change of use mentioned in the master plan document, not a relocation.
Amanda Gonzales asked if of houses were considered for the Women’s Center. Shouldn’t the new location be considered in the master plan.
James Tranquada said that they have 1.5 million dollars to build a new alumnae center and the Women’s Center location is the largest lot. This spring there will be a presentation of a new location. The best answer is that the alumnae house should be there because there is the money and the space. He emphazised that they don’t need city permission to move the Women’s Center.
Harold Hewitt said that the intention of the administration and faculty is to have a full conversation. There is also pressure from the faculty for a faculty club and child care.
Amanda Gonzales asked why the conversation about the relocation of the Women’s Center didn’t begin with the rest of the master plan.
Jim Tranquada said that the process that began in February was just a scoping stage. They wanted input from everyone (faculty and staff) about the goings on of Occidental (problems etc) and it wasn’t until this fall that the real plan began to be formed. The input required changes in the plan.
Ken Smutny asked what the plans were for the SAE house.
Harold Hewitt said there aren’t any specific plan addressed in the master plan.
Patrice Hall asked about new dance studios. She had been told by dancers that the current studio is appropriate for real dance.
David Burkis said that his daughter, who attended Occidental, didn’t dance on campus because of that dance floor. The new building by Booth has two dance studios within it.
Logan Clark asked if the master plan conformed to the Disability Awareness Act.
Harold Hewitt said it wasn’t part of the 5 big ideas because it was more of a given. There was recently a ramping of all of Thorne. Fowler added and elevator and the fourth floor was smoothed out. Future projects will address this issue as they arise. Pretty much, it’s a given that each project will involve disability access. The new residence hall, for example, will be fully accessible.
Alison Eisel asked what the ranking was of project importance.
David Burkis said that there are 11 projects for the first stages of the plan and that there is no specific order. The fitness center and athletic facilities are high on the list, but Swan is also high on the list because of structural issues. It will be 10-15 million dollars for Swan alone.
Ken Smutny asked about the noise, dirt and level of impact the construction will have on campus.
David Burkis said that it will be the same as the Geology/Physics building construction. The large window will be from 7 am to 7 pm but it will probably end around 3 or 4 pm. If it is just internal work that needs to be done, it will be the same style of construction as Fowler.
Brian Crider asked about safety issues, espically at night. He wanted to know what was going to be done about lighting. He also asked about the walk up the hill to upper campus.
David Burkis said that the buildings and grounds committee will talk about safety on campus. The hill climb is always a challenge, but it will be made easier. It must be said that if the campus is bathed in bright light, the neightbors might complain.
Matt Kuzio said that more comments can be made at the blog website. Blogs.oxy.edu.
Gender Neutral Housing
George Simpson began by outlining gender definitions as well as the nondiscrimination policy of Occidental. The basic plan includes gender neutral restrooms as well as housing. The gender neutral restrooms would only include bathrooms with stalls and would be put on a database for reference. A resolution will be proposed to the GA next semester and it will state that OXY must provide gender neutral housing by the start of the 07-08 school year.
Gender neutral housing will be open to everyone, including first years. To incorporate the Living and Learning Community aspect of the campus a core class could be created for this new living area.
What about couples? This is an entirely separate issue and there is no official policy from Oxy that discusses this issue.
Is this segregation? This housing option will provide much needed accommodations for the LGBTQ community. Everyone has a right so that means anyone could live there.
Will students be the target of hate or bias? This will proved more of an opportunity for students and it will create a base of support.
Where would it go? It can be put anywhere on campus. Norris quads are great, 1601 doesn’t have a theme and it would be nice to place it near the Women’s Center, Haines annex, Wylie wings, 2nd floor Erdman.
Alison Eisel said that she saw the core class aspect of this as being a problem. It’s a great program, but besides the restroom situation, why can’t this be mixed in to the rest of campus.
George Simpson said there are a lot of creative solutions around this. The school could make it only one floor, or one area.
John Goldman asked how Pauley works in relation to the core classes.
Patrice Hall said that Pauley has two CSP courses.
Time Anderson asked about sexual predators or perverts that would abuse this situation on campus.
George Simpson said that was an entirely separate issue. He thought that anyone involved in this program wouldn’t be out for motives like that.
David Lammers asked about the issue of volume. What if too many people apply?
George Simpson that if 40 people apply then let 40 people live in gender neutral housing. Create the space that is wanted.
Sarah El-Amine asked about the administrations response to this idea. How open are they to it? What should the students do to further this process.
George Simpson said that there weren’t any No’s, but there were a lot of “this is interesting” responses. Some are still unsure. Some want to wait till the new dorm is built. It Is on their shoulders right now, and the students should push it. Talk about it.
Kara Abelson said that passing the GA resolution next semester will show student support.
Logan Clark asked about interspersing gender neutral room with regular dorm rooms. What has been the discussion for the feelings of bias concerning this? Is this an issue or should be just deal with it?
George Simpson said that having a unified space would have its advantages. It would be perceived as safer, but at the same time there are advantages to spreading it out. There would be more opportunities for dialogue. But we should remember that Res-life has an obligation to protect all students.
Matt Kuzio said that they will begin next semester with this issue. It will be a rallying point for the GA next year.
KOXY request for money
Michael Mannheimer asked who in the audience had listened to KOXY at least once (everyone raised their hand). He then asked who had tried to listen to it through their computer and hadn’t been able to (everyone raised their hand).
Michael said that he made a request to senate for computers because KOXY’s current equipment is shoddy. They want to increase their listening audience. There are 91 people involved with KOXY this year. KOXY was restarted in 2001 so the computers are 4 years old by now. No improvements have been made since then. KOXY is asking for 5 000 dollard to buy a Mac G5 as a computer hub that would increase the listening audience and be able to record shows. This allows people that are abroad to listen to the radio whenever they want. Right now, they can’t archive the music at all. A mini Mac would be bought for the DJ booth. The current computer shuts down and logs off all of the time. The mini Mac would be used to play music and research music on the internet. A problem with KOXY right now is that there is a lack of funding. Right now they have 4 000 dollars for the entire semester. With that, there is not enough money for both computers.
Matt Kuzio asked how much Michael knew about the mini Mac.
Michael Mannheimer said that it was suggested by Earic Peters and some other tech guys. It would just be used for basic functions, not holding the music.
Max Read said that the mini doesn’t require KOXY to buy a moniter or a keyboard, they already have those.
David Marsh asked about a lack of improvement even after the new equipment is purchased.
Michael Mannheimer said that this in an issue, but this is the most cost effective way to make sure that improvements are made. Right now, the web stream goes down about 3 times a week.
Chris Spinks said that there is a need for a new DJ booth computer. It takes forever to start up, over 15 minutes.
Matt Kuzio said that this presentation was part of the process to get capital improvement funds. That why Michael made this presentations.
Resolution by Tim Anderson
Alcohol Publicity Policy can be read online.
Tim Anderson said that this proposal might be made a task for the alcohol policy committee.
Patrice Hall asked what a Type II event was.
Tim Anderson said it was basically a room party.
Kara Abelson said that it involved BYOB events. She asked if this resolution was going to be open or closed.
Tim Anderson said open.
Kara Abelson said that she had one concern. Devon Puglia was concerned that the alcohol committee policy is talking about this.
Matt Kuzio asked Tim if he suggests a separate committee.
Ken Smutny said that he though the alcohol committee worked well with this new resolution. The alchol committee has identified this as an issue, and of course they can work together.
George Simpson asked if an event would be able to publicize alcohol but not drinking it?
Tim Anderson said that he wanted an event to be able to say, “We will be serving Rolling Rock, bring ID”. WE don’t want people to get wasted and die.
George Simpson asked what the committee would explore.
Tim Anderson said that there would be research and it will try to find a way to be able to advertise alcohol but not drinking in excess.
Amanda Gonzales asked is this problem fell under free speech rights.
Tim Anderson said that he had no idea.
Kenna Cottrill said it’s not just about alcohol; it deals with all student publication rules.
Tim Anderson agreed and said that the document dealing with this issue has misspellings and crazy requirements.
Finn Keough asked how the committee was going to be chosen.
Caroline Kim asked about the name of the committee.
Kara Abelson said that the GA co-chairs came up with the resolution name so it can be changed.
Voted: 31-0-1
End