At its first meeting of the term last night, the Student Assembly unanimously passed a resolution that would continue the Assembly's funding of undergraduate publications.
The resolution continued the existence of the $2,500 Undergraduate Publications Fund, which helps finance several College-recognized publications.
This fund supports publications like the Sports Weekly and the Stonefence Review.
Brian Neff '99 said the goal of the fund is to help fledgling publications succeed because, "We really feel that enhances the Dartmouth community."
Neff co-sponsored the measure with Brandi Kenner '98 and Vice President of Student Life Della Bennett '96.
This year will be the last time the Assembly sponsors the publication fund, said Assembly President Jim Rich '96, because it lies beyond the scope of the Assembly.
Rich said the Assembly will divert the $2,500 fund back to the Committee on Student Organizations, which will fund undergraduate publications in the future.
COSO finances all student organizations, including the Assembly. Rich said giving COSO responsibility would simplify the matter.
A committee within COSO determines what publications will be recognized by the College, Monica Oberkofler '96 said.
Last year's Assembly, under the sponsorship of former Assembly President Rukmini Sichitiu '95, started the fund.
The Assembly unanimously passed another resolution permitting Della Bennett '96 to survey the student body with mass electronic-mail messages.
Laura Bennett '96, vice president of administrative and faculty relations, said College administrators requested statistics proving student support of the Assembly.
Last night's measure permits Della Bennett to ask if students support three specific issues the committee on student life has been investigating.
Within a week, Della Bennett will send out a mass e-mail message asking students if they support a plan to convert tennis courts into basketball courts and a plan to increase the number of music lessons offered by the College.
"We've met very large blocks in the Administration," Laura Bennett said. She said the Administration requested evidence of student support before it would consider these costly projects.
The survey will also ask students to make suggestions for a suitable location for creating a 24-hour study room in a lecture hall.
Laura Bennett also said the committee on administrative and faculty relations would continue to sponsor open luncheons for students with College President James Freedman and Dean of the Faculty Jim Wright, although she has yet to set specific times.
At the meeting, Jonah Sonnenborn '99, vice president of communications, began recruiting Assembly members to man the Assembly's office for open office hours next week.
Sonnenborn said Assembly members at the office will be there to speak with students. He said he would post the office hours on a bulletin board in the Collis Center.
The office is in 211G Collis and the open office hours concept is still not a permanent arrangement.
Since last night was the Assembly's first meeting of the term, Rich took the opportunity to welcome new members and members who were away from campus last term.
"I'm excited about the term," Rich said to the members of the general Assembly. "We have quite an ambitious term ahead of us."
The committee on academic affairs is still meeting with faculty and administrators, trying to make the temporary Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program permanent and to make more classes offer the non-recording option in the art history, economics, government and music departments.
