The resolution, sponsored by the Student Assembly Executive Committee, calls for the Hanover Police Department and Hanover Town Select Board to negotiate with the College and students and develop policies that will maintain or improve students' safety. David Imamura '10, the Interfraternity Council vice president and Assembly policy chair, presented the plan.
The large number of alcohol-related student arrests and the high blood alcohol content of arrested students has caused concern in the town about the amount of drinking on campus, Student Body President Frances Vernon '10 said at the meeting.
Vernon said College President Jim Yong Kim supports students' initiative to launch a conversation with representatives from Hanover. She also noted that student advocates must also promote a change in the drinking culture at Dartmouth to alleviate the town's concerns.
"If we are to going to ask this from the town, we also need to be willing to change our culture," Vernon said. "We need to decrease the high level of drinking to the point that it's near death on our campus."
Vernon announced a "strategic plan" to reduce the number of alcohol-related arrests and the high BACs that are being reported that will be implemented within the next six months or year.
The Assembly has not yet announced the details of the plan, but its goal will be to address the issue of underage drinking more effectively than the current Hanover Police sting operation plan, Assembly spokesperson Will Hix '12 said.
The Assembly, the Greek Leadership Council, Mentors Against Violence and Sexual Abuse Peer Advisers will meet on Thursday to develop the plan, Vernon said.
Hix also discussed proposed changes to the Student Assembly Constitution, including changes to the selection process for the co-chairs of the Student Services, Diversity and Community Affairs, Academic Affairs and Student Life committees. Although the Student Body President has appointed both chairs in previous years, one of the positions will be elected by the General Assembly if the new Constitution is approved.
Assembly members also debated whether seniors should be able to vote in the student body president and vice president elections in April of their graduating year.
Members who favor disenfranchising seniors believe that their interests do not align with those of the Assembly and undergraduate population because they will soon be alumni. Opponents also noted the low voter turnout among members of the senior class.
Members who disagreed argued that seniors have the most informed vote, as they have spent the most time at the College and know the junior class, and therefore the candidates, well.
Hix also proposed shortening the transition period for newly elected student body presidents and vice presidents, allowing them to assume their positions at the third meeting following their election instead of at the end of the term.
"Because they didn't have the official position yet, they couldn't elect members to their executive committees to start working on these new projects," Hix said, referring to last year's transition process.
The proposed Constitution is six pages, a reduction from the current Constitution's 18-page length. The Constitution's current length and complexity makes it inaccessible to students, Hix said.
Assembly members will vote on the proposed changes within two weeks.
