The Assembly will have until late January to come up with suggestions for possible budget cuts, according to Student Assembly President Molly Bode '09. Assembly members will also create a comprehensive survey for students to solicit a broader scope of opinions, she said.
Assembly members were invited to share their opinions about the most important or least important aspects of Dartmouth's administration, academics and student life. Members brought up a variety of programs and administrative offices that students viewed as indispensable or as extravagant.
Dmitriy Gutkovich '10 expressed concern that the Office of Pluralism and Leadership and affinity housing might be susceptible to cuts.
"I think SA should really throw their support behind OPAL in this transition," Gutkovich said.
"There's not enough attention to the affinity houses, to the minorities," he added later.
Uthman Olagoke '11 described the College's three "big" weekends and other traditions as crucial elements of the student experience at Dartmouth.
"They do make a Dartmouth experience," he said. "They do make it special."
Cory Cunningham '10 worried that the budget cuts might be excessively weighted toward preserving academics at the expense of non-academic programs.
"I don't think the College places enough emphasis on the out-of-classroom experience," Cunningham said. Cunningham is a member of The Dartmouth business staff.
The extended hours of Collis Late Night and Food Court can be curbed to reduce spending, Olagoke said.
"I don't think we need two places to eat [late]," he said.
Jorge Bahena '12 referred to residential programs such as Student Initiated Programs as potentially unnecessary expenditures. Assembly members also suggested that undergraduate advisor positions for upperclassmen were an inefficient use of resources.
Gutkovich brought up the apparent growth of Career Services as a point of discussion, and said that the College may try to reduce the rate of the program's expansion. He cited an estimate that 50 percent of the senior class is expected to be unemployed upon graduation as one reason why Career Services' expansion may be important. The Dartmouth could not independently verify this statistic, and Gutkovich was unable to provide corroboration.
Gutkovich said the large number of organizations -- the Council on Student Organizations, Programming Board and Student Assembly -- responsible for distributing money for student organizations and events may be an inefficient use of funds. He added that the division of funds encourages the different groups to get rid of their money as fast as possible in order to prove that they need the funding.
"I do agree that there should be more centralized governance funding," Bode said.
Gutkovich is a member of The Dartmouth staff.
At the meeting, the Assembly passed legislation to continue the Profiles in Excellence Award, given to a professor chosen by the Academic Affairs Committee based on student nominations.
"A lot of professors have cited [the award] as a reason not to leave Dartmouth," Bode said.
The Assembly also agreed to sponsor a speed-eating competition to raise money for the Upper Valley Haven, a shelter for homeless families.
Another piece of legislation allocated up to $100 for the purchase of a plaque to commemorate Dartmouth's high voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election and also to encourage students to strive for an even higher turnout in future elections. One Assembly member dissented, saying that the money would be more effective if spent elsewhere.
Sean Milich '09, a representative on the Resource Working Group, reported to the Assembly about the group's recent sustainability efforts. Milich mentioned initiatives such as an energy audit for dormitories and a recycling project with the Greek houses to improve their sustainability.
