Graduate Assistant Hall Coordinators

Passed by GA on May 3, 2007.

Passed by Senate on May 4, 2007. 

As residents of Occidental College, we believe that any Hall Coordinator (from here on referred to as an HC) should be a member of the Occidental community. The administration of Occidental College has put forth a proposal to employ graduate students from the surrounding community as the HC in both Pauley Hall and first-year residence halls. We, as students of Occidental College, write this closed action resolution to be considered and voted on by the entire student body through the representative bodies of the General Assembly and ASOC Senate. Through its passing we request that the administration of Occidental College not use the proposed plan of employing graduate student HCs from the surrounding community until a committee made up of students and administrators working collaboratively and mutually agree on a plan and procedure.

The following reasons should be reviewed by the appropriate administration and student committee:

1.)    Hiring from within the Community:

The Occidental Community is a unique and diverse community, and necessitates leaders who are both excited and familiar with this exceptional community. By hiring outside the Occidental community it goes to alienate those who strive to uphold Occidental’s ideals. It is illogical to hire an employee who is instrumental to the functioning of the community but has never before been a part of it before. There are cases of our own Occidental students turning down the opportunity of serving as HCs due to their lack of experience. HCs are not simply positions to be filled; HCs provide a unique example of an Oxy leader within the Occidental Community. Residents are more likely to become involved with student activities in the presence of an Occidental student leader

2.)    Logistics

If it is our goal to create a Occidental community it fits that one of the key members at least be a part of that community. In hiring a graduate student from an institution in the surrounding area we recognize that the HC would be commuting to class, literally leaving the campus of Occidental to attend their graduate level courses. Also, the level of work a graduate student has is often more of a burden than that of an undergraduate student, particularly if they’re commuting. Furthermore, as a graduate student, the HC would be removed from the social network of Occidental as they would be part of a scholastic community outside our own. This only goes to further remove the HC from the students he/she is supposed to serve.

3.)    An Opportunity for Student Service

To be selected as an HC is a tremendous accomplishment for those working in Residence Life. In taking away the opportunity for our students to be HCs and giving it to an outside graduate student, we are also taking away opportunities for our own students to grow and learn within the Oxy community. HCs serve as a source of leadership and community within Residence Halls, and have the opportunity to engage students more directly in a vibrant Oxy Community.

4.)    Lack of Dialogue

An ongoing problem here at our small, liberal-arts campus is the lack of dialogue between those making key decisions and those affected by them. As proven during the General Assembly meeting of March 29, 2007 students are generally angered and disappointed about the possibility of outside graduate students being employed as our HCs. We ask that in the future student considerations being taken into account, especially when students’ lives are affected by the decisions being made. As such this policy should not pass as there has been exceptionally limited discussion between administrators and students. This is not due to a lack of student interest but rather to a lack of administrative outreach.

For the reasons stated above we do not agree with the passing of the stated policy. Through the passing of this resolution we DEMAND the following:

1.)    Graduate students from outside the Occidental community not be employed as HCs in any residence hall until such a decision is reviewed by the committee established below.

2.)    A committee of students, RAs, HCs and administrators be formed for the 2007-2008 school year to review the decision about graduate student HCs and come to a mutual decision about the best course of action.

A)    This committee shall be established by G.A. co-chairs.

3.)     This committee shall remain established to review future housing policy    decisions BEFORE said decisions are finalized. At least one RA and/or HC of each residence hall must be on the committee for purposes of equity and community. This committee shall not rule out the possibility of a campus-wide vote about housing policy decisions, and shall make it a goal to publicize through appropriate modes (KOXY, The Weekly, Campus E-mail and Hall-Spreads) the new policy before such a decision is made.

Be it known that if this resolution passes it becomes the voice of the entire student body. If the administration acts against this resolution it is acting against the will of the students and of ASOC. The Students of Occidental College feel this is indicative of a larger issue of communication between students and administration that has yet to be rectified. We, as tuition paying students at Occidental College, request our voices be heard when critical decisions that affect our lives are being made.

Signed,

Sarah Arvey

Jessica Lobl

Rosny Daniels

Max Read

Amber Penland

Catherine Petru

Berit Anderson

Presented by Sarah Arvey on April 26, 2007.