The Student Assembly passed two resolutions at its meeting last night approving the allocation of funds for a community dinner on sexual harassment and for a discussion on diversity and racial identity as part of its continuing "Conversations" series.
Members voted unanimously to allocate as much as $750 for a dinner in which students could discuss sexual harassment at the College on Oct. 15.
Resolution sponsor Amanda Molk '01 said she hopes to fund the remainder of the discussion, estimated to cost over $1,000 in total, through co-sponsorship by various other Dartmouth groups including fraternities and sororities.
Molk said she hopes the event will return discussions on the issue to the campus.
"Sometimes we focus on the big things like rape ... and we forget about things like sexual harassment," Molk said.
The Conversation on race will be moderated by Nelson Nunez, a traveling facilitator for such discussions.
This outside moderation became a minor issue in debate of this resolution, with some members fearing Nunez's role will change the focus of the Conversations series.
The Assembly hosted two Conversations this Summer term completely facilitated by Dartmouth students.
Co-sponsor of the resolution and Committee on Student Life Chair Teresa Knoedler '00 said she did not think this would establish precedent of increased outside involvement for future discussions in the series.
Resolution co-sponsor Sarah Fox '01 added Nunez will moderate discussion, rather than lecture about the topic.
Also discussed last night were ideas to increase students ability to communicate with Assembly members.
On a regular basis, Assembly President Josh Green '00 plans to invite approximately ten students to have dinner with him and discuss a prearranged topic of Assembly interest.
Also discussed was the possibility of Assembly members posting stickers on their dormitory room doors to designate themselves as Assembly members and available to discuss issues with other students.