SA votes to fund contentious community bike program
Intense debate raged over the Big Green Bike program Tuesday night at the Student Assembly's last meeting of Winter term, which garnered attendance by over 85 percent of the Assembly's membership. The proposal earmarking $2,000 of Assembly funds for BGB passed by seven votes after extended debate that frequently reached a fevered pitch. Last night's move allows BGB sponsors, including Student Body Vice President Todd Rabkin Golden '06, to implement the program, which aims to provide between 50 and 100 communal bicycles to students, who would rent keys opening all the bicycle locks for $10 per year. Earlier on Tuesday, Student Body President Julia Hildreth '05 admonished Rabkin Golden for setting up a table in the Collis Center to solicit student support for BGB and sign up students for the program. "I have already told [Rabkin Golden] that I consider this to be disrespectful to SA and dishonest to campus," Hildreth wrote to the Assembly executives yesterday in a BlitzMail message obtained by The Dartmouth. Hildreth described Rabkin Golden's actions as an "error in judgment," but noted the problem had been solved. "If there's a program that Student Assembly hasn't officially endorsed, you can't be taking money in that program's name," Hildreth said at the Assembly meeting. Rabkin Golden said his efforts were aimed at engaging student interest and talking about the program with students.