Students going to the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts for registration today will be greeted by Student Assembly members working in conjunction with representatives from the Hanover Green Card and College Promo-Pack.
The Assembly's Executive Committee decision to work with the two organizations, which Assembly President Jim Rich '96 termed an attempt to "provide service to the students," caused some controversy yesterday within the Assembly because of a misunderstanding between members.
Members of the Student Assembly manned booths for the Green Card and College Promo-Pack yesterday at the Hop for freshman registration.
The Green Card is a discount and debit service that lets students use a declining balance account at many Upper Valley businesses. College Promo-Pack gives each student a bag of more than 30 free items and 40 coupons that are "local in flavor, national in scope," according to Ryan FitzSimons '96, one of the company's owners.
Assembly members are helping distribute the Promo-Packs and the Assembly executives "are the one who got us here," FitzSimons said. He said the bags cost nothing and merely provide advertising for the businesses involved and the Assembly. The Promo-Pack booth will stand outside the entrance to the Hop by the Hinman Boxes.
Student Activities Director Tim Moore said an outside business may obtain a table in the Hop only if the business is sponsored by a student organization. The Green Card and Promo-Pack received tables because the Assembly sponsored them.
Assembly Vice President of Academic Affairs Brandon del Pozo '96 initially objected to the joint venture because he thought the Assembly was going to take a percentage of the Green Card's sales.
Del Pozo did not attend the executives' first two meetings of the term, so he communicated with the others via electronic mail.
In electronic-mail messages sent Sunday afternoon to Rich and Assembly executive Meredith Epstein '97, Del Pozo expressed his distaste for supporting a for-profit organization like the Green Card.
Del Pozo forwarded a message to The Dartmouth from Epstein that said "we will be getting a cut from them but that is not to be advertised."
Del Pozo forwarded another message where Rich wrote, "Not only are we going to be providing students an easier way to get a hold of a great service, but we are also going to be reimbursed depending on the amount of sales they make."
Del Pozo said he thought the Assembly would go through with its plan to make a profit from working with the Green Card without making that knowledge public.
But Rich and Assembly Communications Vice President Scott Rowekamp '97 said last night that del Pozo was incorrect on the actual policy because of he did not attend Sunday's Executive Committee meeting. Del Pozo subsequently retracted his statements.
"My truth was a misunderstanding," he said.
Assembly executives said last night the Assembly will not earn any money for helping the Green Card. Epstein said Assembly members are not working for the Green Card as volunteers, but are instead "monitors to see that things are running smoothly."
Jacobs said Assembly members were "around" the Green Card booth to answer questions of potential customers.
