The Student Assembly last night passed a "Student Space Rally" resolution and elected Jesse Russell '96 Assembly secretary.
The resolution endorses the Assembly's plan for a student rally in Webster Hall on Jan. 28 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 to show support for the College's providing "adequate funding to create a new programming space of comparable size and quality to Webster Hall."
Assembly President Rukmini Sichitiu '95, who cosponsored the resolution with Assembly Vice President John Honovich '97, said the Assembly will ask groups like the Aires and the Dog Day Players to perform. The rally will have speeches from faculty and administrators on the importance of social space like Webster.
"We are having student groups there so we can have a social event as well as a rally," Sichitiu said. "I would hope that the people who come there understand the political message they're subscribing to."
Other Assembly members said this rally would test student support for a new social space.
"If no one does show up, that will be a big indicator," Assembly member Ben Murphy '95 said. "We need to do something. If no one shows up, then this is not important to the student body."
During the debate over this resolution some members said they were concerned students would not show up at the rally and others said they thought students would show only because they wanted to see the performers.
But Sichitiu said, "If people stay for two and a half hours, they're supporting the cause. It's hard to get students even to performances these days."
She said the rally would cost about $400 plus the cost of food.
Sichitiu said she met with Provost Lee Bollinger and Deputy Provost Bruce Pipes last Friday to discuss Webster and said they were receptive to the idea that the College build a new building, provided there is sufficient student support.
Russell won the secretary position over Nina Nho '97 and Murphy. Honovich was secretary last term but was elected Assembly Vice President last week.
