Daily Debriefing
Three pieces of legislation, debate on a dinner and the Dartmoose were the primary topics at Student Assembly Tuesday night. Legislation passed to renew and expand the Student Organizations Food Discount Program which provides student groups 30 percent off Dominos Pizza orders, to fund the Profiles in Excellence Award acknowledging one undergraduate faculty member for distinguished teaching each term and to provide funding to publish the results of a Diversity and Community Affairs Committee report on issues of respect between students and faculty. Some debate arose over the second legislative proposal, funding the Profiles in Excellence Program, and its allotment of $600 dollars per term to host a dinner for the professor and 20-50 students. However, a motion to halve that amount was struck down. The Assembly's trasurer also reported that Dartmoose attended a number of events this term and that Student Assembly was exploring its future presence at athletic events.
Patty Cooper, a 50-year-old disabled woman of Montpelier, Vt., is suing her landlord for not allowing her to use a horse to pull her wheelchair around her apartment, according to the Valley News. Cooper has celiac disease, which causes fragile bones, and has broken her back twice. As a result, she spends most of her time in a wheelchair. She claimed that the one-year-old, 100-pound horse Earl is no different than a service dog. The Central Vermont Community Land Trust has taken issue with the practice, saying that it is nearly impossible to train a horse, and that this one doesn't have enough free space. Janet Burleson, head trainer of the Guide Horse Foundation, said a horse can be trained like any other animal, but that it should be kept outside for its own well-being and to keep the apartment sanitary. The lawsuit is still pending.
Thirty-three colleges around the country, including Dartmouth, participated in the "Veg Pledge," Tuesday, in which participants agreed not to eat meat for 24 hours. The program was created by Princeton University student Jenny Palmer, who also runs an animal rights non-profit organization. Dartmouth Vegan Society and Dartmouth Animal Welfare Group cosponsored the event. Vegan Society head Benjamin Jones '10 said that he wants people to understand that vegetarianism is a choice and that they do not suffer from the decision. The event was aimed to raise awareness of the food one takes in and the impact that eating certain food has on the world. In conjunction with the event, Home Plate offered a special dinner including dishes such as quinoa with corn and scallions, sweet onion tart and vegan burgers.
