Potential renovations of Novack Cafe were among the topics discussed during Tuesday's Student Assembly meeting. Meisha Smith '09, a student coordinator of the effort, explained that a meeting is planned between Student Assembly representatives, Facilities Operations and Management and librarians in charge of the Novack space.
The effort, a potential fulfillment of one of Student Body President Travis Green '08's campaign promises, would seek to make the area more student-friendly and aesthetically pleasing by replacing worn out furnishings. This might translate to reupholstering couches and benches, replacing tables, providing decorations and investing in a new paint job, according to Smith.
She also said that they were considering a "Starbucks-style" theme, but added that she would be happy to receive suggestions from the student body.
In other Student Assembly business, Margaret Lawrence, a coordinator of the Hopkins Center's Class Divide program, and intern Daniella Sloane '10, spoke about the program and potential involvement of the Assembly.
Class Divide, in its third year, began with a grant to the Hop by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Program. Class Divide is a cross-campus, cross-community initiative seeking to explore the issue of socioeconomic division and spark awareness in the Upper Valley community.
Green explained that the Assembly and its Diversity and Community Affairs Committee are still exploring how best to get involved with the program.
"Class Divide is addressing the same general issues of socioeconomic status and class in the Upper Valley community that Student Assembly wants to address at Dartmouth," Green said.
Additionally, the Diversity and Community Affairs Committee is tackling other projects in the coming weeks.
Anne Kasitaza '08 and Nafeesa Remtilla '09 are finishing a report on issues of respect between students and professors. An event will be held on Nov. 16, and the results of the report will be published before then.
Elsewhere in the Assembly, the Student Services Committee, headed by Adam Halpern-Leistner '10 and Neil Kandler '09, is exploring the potential use of flat-panel display screens throughout campus.
They also announced the beginning of an investigation of the decline in Party Pack funding this year.
The Assembly is also planning an investigation into professors' abilities to monitor student activities on the Blackboard website.
