The Student Assembly yesterday announced plans to move forward with a campus-wide discussion of experiences with the new door locks system, to be held this Friday evening at the Collis Center. Despite Student Body President and Summer Chair Janos Marton '04's previous reference to the state of locking system as a "travesty," the Assembly's outlook this week took a more diplomatic tone.
"We're kind of recognizing that they are here to say," Summer Vice Chair Steve Zyck '04, who earlier sat down with Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman to discuss the locks, said, later noting that he personally favors the locks for the sense of security they may provide some students.
Zyck added that instead of fighting their presence, the Student Assembly will seek to elicit both positive and negative feedback from students in order to tackle the question of "how can we make them easiest to use?"
Regarding lingering concerns over the fate of campus publications that traditionally deliver door to door in residential halls, Marton said that any Assembly action will likely occur in the fall when more such groups are seeking to print and distribute papers.
"We'll be behind them if they need us," Marton said.
Earlier yesterday, Marton and Zyck made good on previous plans to lead an instructional seminar aimed at familiarizing student organizations across campus with the Assembly and its operations. Through activities such as examining case studies of past resolutions, Student Assembly leaders hoped to teach such organizations how to better work with the Assembly to acquire funding and advocacy.
The "vast majority" of groups with students on hand consisted of organizations with a multicultural character, according to Zyck. Attendees included representatives of Al-Nur, Alpha Phi Alpha, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, Kappa Kappa Kappa and the Dartmouth Outing Club.
In total around 15 persons appeared at the seminar, a figure Zyck noted he was pleased with given the relatively lull in campus activity over Summer term.
The Assembly also saw an early turnover in leadership yesterday, as members elected Rebecca Perkins '04 as their new Summer Secretary, following the resignation of David Seidman '04 from his position of two weeks.
Attendance at the later Assembly meeting remained relatively strong with around 20 members appearing at the session in 101 Collis.
Members also discussed the upcoming availability of five small offices on the second floor of the Collis Center for student use, following Career Services' move from the third floor to a larger location. Two potential plans exist for the space: all five rooms, each about the size of a dormitory single, may be awarded to applying student organizations in need of offices, or three of the rooms may be converted into a public meeting room.