The Student Assembly started its new year last night by discussing its fall agenda and electing its committee on membership and internal affairs.
Assembly President James Rich '96 let each Assembly member discuss what they think the Assembly should address this term.
Many said they want to cut back on the frequency and high costs of parking tickets incurred on Dartmouth students. Members complained that the College and town ticket or tow cars far too often.
Another issue raised by members was more aid and information for students living off campus. Members suggested revitalizing an old proposal to construct a database for off-campus housing.
Assembly member Sean Donahue '96 offered some new ideas for the Assembly to address, such as improving relations between students and staff workers on campus and discussing how the Assembly operates with for-profit organizations.
Donahue also suggested encouraging the administration to be more open with its information and open to student input. He noted that the College's investment portfolio is confidential, keeping students from knowing where Dartmouth invests its money. The College's endowment was worth $788 million as of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1994.
The Assembly also elected the membership and internal affairs committee, which approves appointed candidates for Assembly membership and reviews the conduct of Assembly members twice a term. Vice President Kelii Opulauoho '96 chairs the membership committee.
Chinwe Ajene '98, Shakari Cameron '96, Unai Montes-Irueste '98 and Nina Noh '97 were elected to the committee from a list of eight candidates.
During the meeting, Montes-Irueste was originally upset about a constitutional question involving the old nominations committee and the current membership committee. Montes-Irueste thought membership should have been transferred from one committee to the next.
The structure of the Assembly is radically different this year after the Assembly approved many of the recommendations of an external review committee last spring
Montes-Irueste, who was on the old nominations committee, was not on the list of candidates for the membership committee, and at the suggestion of Donahue, the Assembly opened the list up to other candidates, and Montes-Irueste was elected.
During the confusion, Montes-Irueste appeared upset and said "certain people feel like they're being left out."
Other members of the Assembly quickly asked for cooperation and unity among the new body and tried to soothe Montes-Irueste's frustration. Once elected to a seat on the membership committee, Montes-Irueste said he was satisfied with the outcome.
"His point was a legitimate one," Rich said. He said he understood many Assembly members have a lot of questions about the Assembly's new structure and said the new body will have to work through and figure out instances of confusion.
Rich also said he was satisfied with the elections. He said he would wait two weeks before passing judgment on whether the membership committee will prove to be an efficient group.
