Dartmouth Student Government voted to allocate $1,800 to a “strike cafe” to support student dining workers, if they choose to go on strike. The Student Workers Collective has initiated a strike authorization vote after negotiations with the College ended.
On May 11, the Dartmouth Student Government Senate met for its sixth weekly meeting of the spring term. Led by student body president Chukwuka Odigbo ’25, the Senate also discussed technology changes at Courtyard Cafe.
Strike cafe
The strike cafe proposal was introduced by general senator and student body president-elect Sabik Jawad ’26, who is also a steward for the SWCD. It passed 12 - 1 - 6.
While bargaining with the College has “basically failed” and the SWCD has initiated a strike authorization vote, that vote has not yet passed, Jawad said at the May 11 meeting. The College presented its final offer on April 17. The timeframe of a potential strike is “uncertain,” according to the proposal.
The strike cafe could serve up to around 170 people over three days with coffee and baked goods from Lou’s and be staffed by DSG members and SWCD volunteers, according to a copy of the proposal reviewed by The Dartmouth.
The purpose of the strike cafe would be to allow students to drink coffee “without crossing the picket line,” according to the proposal.
“A strike cafe would meet a key student demand while expressing solidarity with striking workers,” Jawad wrote in his proposal.
The strike cafe also intends to send a “message that student [workers] can operate without the College,” Jawad added at the May 11 meeting. “Because the College is probably going to try to prove otherwise.”
The proposal was introduced to the Senate as two votes: one to allocate funding for the strike cafe and another for DSG to endorse the SWCD’s demands. The Senate only voted on cafe funding.
West House senator and student body vice-president-elect Favion Harvard ’26 and South House senator Ian McKenna ’27 initially voted against the strike cafe proposal but changed their votes after being informed that the vote was only to provide the cafe funding — and not a direct DSG endorsement of the SWCD’s demands.
“Nothing about endorsing?” McKenna asked. “I’ll vote yes. Fuck it.”
West House senator and project director Samay Sahu ’27 asked Jawad what the “relationship” between DSG and the SWCD would be going forward.
DSG may put out statements explaining SWCD’s demands and the bargaining process, as it has done in the past, Jawad said. In February 2023, the last time an SWCD strike authorization vote passed, the College accepted the workers’ base pay proposal before the onset of the strike.
Courtyard Cafe changes
At the May 11 meeting, East Wheelock senator Jack Wisdom ’26 and School House senator Hanna Bilgin ’28 reported to the Senate on their May 6 advisory meeting with Dartmouth Dining leadership. According to Bilgin, dining is testing “order ahead” and expanded “meal swipe” payment options at Courtyard Cafe.
“They’re actually testing the technology this time before installing it, which is great,” Bilgin said.
Dartmouth Dining also plans to install 24 new Fresh Zone vending machines this July, including one located in Alumni Gymnasium, according to Bilgin.
However, Dartmouth Dining will not be providing food trucks at Green Key this year.
“They weren’t anti-food truck,” Wisdom said. “They just didn’t [get] one.”
DSG Senate meetings occur weekly on Sundays at 7 p.m. in Collis 101 and are open to all students.
Jackson Hyde '28 is an intended philosophy major from Los Angeles, California. His interests include photography, meditation, and board game design.
