On Sunday, the Dartmouth Student Government announced that the DSG Student Life Committee will design the layout and menu of Russo Cafe, a dining location planned for Russo Hall, a new 290-bed dormitory set to open this fall as part of a broader effort by the College to expand housing.
The Student Life Committee wants to offer “cafe options that aren’t available on campus already,” such as an “açai bar,” School House senator Hanna Bilgin ’28 said at the meeting.
The Senate, led by student body president Sabik Jawad ’26, also discussed other student life- and dining-related projects and passed funding for shuttles to the Hanover town election on May 12.
Student Life
DSG is moving forward with a partnership with Generation Conscious, a New York-based startup that aims to provide college students with environmentally-friendly and sustainable laundry detergent. Non-voting representative Isla Walker ’29 said DSG will meet with company representatives this week to discuss the project’s implementation, which will provide the student body with free detergent sheets, according to Walker.
The student governments of Amherst College and Connecticut College have also partnered with Generation Conscious to provide sustainable laundry detergents. In a follow-up statement to The Dartmouth, Walker wrote in an email statement that there is no specific cost for the program yet but DSG plans to “incorporate it into next year’s budget.”
DSG also announced a partnership with the Tucker Center to provide care packages for students who get sick during the term. Senators and representatives will deliver the care packages, which will contain food and medical supplies, from the Tucker Center to the student’s dorm.
Dining Updates
Bilgin presented updates on the recently-installed two new Fresh Zone snack machines and Costa Coffee machine at Novack Cafe, which were installed last week as DSG initiatives.
The Student Life committee is “also working really hard on meal plans right now to add more options and change the plans,” Bilgin said.
Senators are planning on sending an email to the student body asking for feedback on what food students want to see in Fresh Zone machines. Bilgin said the email survey will be a “very big win” for the student body. Survey results will inform DSG’s meal plan and Russo Cafe menu proposals, she explained.
Election Shuttles
DSG unanimously passed a shuttle-funding proposal introduced by general senator Trace Ribble ’29 to help students vote at the Hanover town meeting on May 12. The shuttles will travel between Baker-Berry Library and the polling location at Hanover High School from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. — the twelve hours during which the polls are open.
During the town meeting, Hanover residents will vote on proposed zoning amendments that will limit the construction of dense housing such as student dormitories. Last year, Hanover residents passed three zoning amendments at the annual town meeting, which respectively made it easier to build small multi-unit developments, eased affordable workforce housing construction regulations on non-profits and approved a zoning code to allow more signs directing people to Dartmouth’s campus.
The proposed zoning amendments would be a “huge issue while we’re doing construction on campus,” Ribble said in an interview after the meeting. “It could put some students at risk of housing insecurity.”
DSG will contract the shuttles from Door2Door, a driving services company, for an estimated cost of $2,250. The Office of Civic Engagement, Expression and Learning contributed $1,250 to the project; Ribble proposed that DSG fund the $1,000 shortfall.
Representative Mary Sherrad ’28 said she was “not sure” if DSG should earmark $1,000 towards shuttles because Hanover High is within “walking distance” from campus. Other senators said that while Hanover High is nearby, free shuttles have greatly increased student voter turnout in the past, but said they not have specific figures. Shuttles were provided last year for the annual Hanover town meeting.
DSG plans to host nonpartisan informational events about the zoning amendments over the next few weeks, according to Ribble.
Closed Session
In a closed session after the meeting, DSG elected Oscar Rempe-Hiam ’29 as deputy chief of staff, Geair Justice ’29 as deputy project director, Jonathan Ancrum ’29 as deputy communications director and Vani Miglani ’28 as co-communications director for the duration of the spring term.
DSG Senate meetings occur weekly on Sundays at 7 p.m. in Collis 101 and are open to all students.
Oscar Rempe-Hiam ’29 is an opinion columnist for The Dartmouth. He was not involved in writing or editing this article.
