During his campaign last Spring term, Student Assembly President Jim Rich '96 promised an end to bickering within the Assembly and an increase in student services.
So far Rich and the Assembly have delivered on one of the two promises -- internal Assembly bickering has been almost nonexistent this term -- but progress has been slow on various projects designed to improve student life at the College.
While most Assembly members admitted they have moved forward slowly this term, they said their deliberate pace will pay off next term. Members said most of the work done this term has been preparatory and most projects will come to fruition in the Winter term.
"We're establishing a precedent," Rich said. "To do it correctly, it takes time ... so that future Assemblies won't be foot-dragging."
Restoring respect to the SA
To this point, Rich's major accomplishment has been the improvement of the Assembly's image and reputation on campus.
While the Assembly has been rocked the past two years with public and private strife, this year's Assembly stands out in its civility. Members openly cooperate during the weekly meetings and any political hostility has been kept behind closed doors.
Rich said the reason for the increased cohesion is that he and the executive committee have taken time to consciously mold the Assembly into a cooperative body.
Vice President of Student Life Della Bennett '96 said the Assembly has been successful this year because the executives have been unified.
"This year's Assembly is different because the executives started out with a unified agreement to cut out political infighting and work toward results," Bennett said. "We have a unified goal."
The executives work out their differences during their closed meetings before bringing up topics at the general Assembly meetings.
"Things are discussed before they get to the floor," Assembly Vice President Kelii Opulauoho '96 said. "We're trying to get things well thought-out."
By and large, students seem to agree that the Assembly is on the path back to respectability.
"I think they've gotten a little bit of their credibility back," Class of 1996 President Brendan Doherty said.
In previous years, the Assembly executives repeatedly became embroiled in bitter disputes, frequently airing their dirty laundry on the front pages of The Dartmouth.
In the spring of 1993, Assembly President Stewart Shirasu '94 resigned after numerous allegations involving campaign improprieties. His replacement, Nicole Artzer '94 was impeached but did not leave office, and frequently battled with her Assembly in public and in private.
In November 1994, then Assembly President Danielle Moore '95 resigned from office. At the time, Moore said she resigned to protest the way many members of the Assembly did not respect her authority because she was a woman.
Assembly Vice President Rukmini Sichitiu '95 replaced Moore as president, but her ascension did little to reduce the turmoil.
At the same time, several of the Assembly's leaders, including Sichitiu, requested that Assembly Secretary John Honovich '97 resign.
Honovich did not resign and successfully maneuvered his way into becoming Sichitiu's vice president.
Empty promises?
While Rich has succeeded at achieving Assembly cohesion, he has yet to produce results on several of his campaign promises, which he says are still in the works.
Assembly members said the Assembly has expended most of its energy this term researching projects, fine-tuning its constitution and filling out its membership.
However, many students wonder if it has been worth the wait.
"We spent the majority of this term getting more members," Assembly Secretary Jim Horowitz '98 said. "I spend half a meeting calling roll."
But Rich said he hopes this careful preparation and the Assembly's streamlined structure will help the Assembly work more smoothly and efficiently.
During last spring's campaign, Rich said he would ask the Board of Trustees to make student life a budget priority.
But while Rich had the opportunity to meet with the Trustees at their meeting this weekend, he said he did not have the opportunity to discuss that particular topic.
Rich said he spent the majority of his time with the Trustees discussing alcohol, primarily answering questions from the Trustees.
Rich also promised last spring that he would work to place students on several college committees which are currently comprised only of faculty and administrators.
He said the Assembly has spent this term researching the topic. He said he plans to use the Winter term to step up efforts to place students on the Committee on Organization and Policy and the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid.
The Assembly also spent several weeks updating and making minor changes to its constitution. Lacking any real focus, some of the Assembly's more active freshmen busied themselves by correcting the constitution's grammar.
Seven weeks into the term the Assembly finally passed its first two resolutions. One resolution demanded an improved advising system and another resolution denounced recent homophobic incidents on campus.
The demand for better advising is the Assembly's most substantial move this year. In a letter to the COP drafted by Rich, the Assembly requested that the committee immediately revise the advising system for first- and second-year students.
Not the same as last year
But while the Assembly has completed some projects, they have accomplished fewer projects than in past years.
Upperclassmen may recall receiving their Student Advantage cards and dining guides during Registration in 1993 and 1994. But this year, as the Assembly attempted to distribute the services to all students, the cards came out one month after classes began and the guides just this week.
Brandon del Pozo '96, former vice president of academic affairs, said, "I hope the Student Assembly has spent this term preparing and started projects so that next term we can actually see things getting done that this campus can appreciate."
Concerned with small "student service" topics, the Assembly this year distributed bags of free products during Registration, sponsored the recent suicide vigil, successfully pushed the College to install bicycle racks at the boathouse and arranged for Thanksgiving buses to travel to Boston and New York City for discount prices.
"The service stuff we've started now," Rich said. "We'll work on policy stuff in the winter."
