During the first Student Assembly meeting of the term last night, Melissa Oliver, the Chair of the Administration/Faculty Committee resigned and Stephanie Pensa '03 was elected unanimously to the post.
Tara Maller '03 was also elected to the MIAC Committee for the winter term. Several assembly members seemed concerned that there are no freshmen currently on the MIAC.
The Assembly also decided the $1000 Event for winter term -- a dinner entitled "1 and 4," in which 100 seniors will discuss their Dartmouth experience and impart advice to 200 freshmen. The dinner will be held in Alumni Hall next Tuesday at 6p.m.
Student Assembly President Jorge Miranda '01 spoke of his goal of increasing student involvement in the College's decision making process. He emphasized communication with the administration and the importance of upcoming summits among students, trustees, faculty, administration and college committees, which are planned for the spring.
Miranda said the Assembly also plans to examine the academic direction of the College, which he believes is shifting focus from teaching to research.
He said professors feel forced to do research and publish in order to get tenure, despite their desire for more direct involvement with their students. The Assembly is likely to pass a resolution in favor of restoring the focus to teaching, based on a report that will be written by the Academic Affairs Committee.
The Assembly has recently achieved its goal of getting two consecutive days for Spring Term Reading Period.
A group of Assembly members, including Miranda and Vice President of Student Life Molly Stutzman '02, recently began working a shift at Dartmouth Dining Services' Novak Caf from midnight to 2 a.m. Before they offered to volunteer, the Caf had to close at midnight due to shortage of workers.
Of his volunteering, Miranda said "the need for 24-hour dining, or at least late-night dining, has long been expressed by students. This takes us two hours closer to that goal."
