_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
TAAP the Kegs: New Alcohol Policy Proposed
_x000D_
In last week’s Senate meeting, South Campus Representative Alex Samuels PO ’15 and VP for A Lot of Things Joseph Reynolds PO ’15 updated Senate on their progress with proposing and implementing a new alcohol sanctions system to replace the current Student Handbook policy. Under the new system, students who violate the alcohol policy would receive community service hours or attend mandatory alcohol education classes as part of the Teaching Alcohol Abuse Prevention (TAAP) program rather than paying fines. So far, Reynolds and Samuels have met with the Student Affairs Committee and presented their idea, which, according to Dean Miriam Feldblum, who was present at Friday’s Senate meeting, was so far a pretty good idea. While she admitted there was still a good amount of discussion that needed to happen before it gets voted on and potentially implemented, Feldblum was excited about next year’s Senate working on it. Reynolds and Samuels, who will both be abroad in the fall, let out an audible sigh when they realized that what Feldblum really meant was that it’s just going to have to wait until they get back.
_x000D_
Student-Trustee Retreat 2013: Going Against the Grain
_x000D_
Shortly after the presentation, Feldblum was given the floor to discuss why she was in attendance: next year’s Student-Trustee retreat. At the end of every year, Feldblum and Senate sit down to discuss themes for the retreat in order to have a retreat that mirrors student opinion. One serious idea1 brought up by Commissioner of Communications Trevor Smith PO ’15 was the idea of a retreat that focused on the “career-ification” of Pomona College and how students lose track of a liberal arts education in a career-oriented world. Commissioner of Environmental Affairs Lena Connor PO ’13 also proposed to talk about the “silo” of being a Pomona student, or the idea of Pomona creating a sheltering bubble. Commissioner of Clubs and Sports Emma Wolfarth PO ’14 misunderstood this as “the silos of Pomona,” which she thought meant there were literally silos of grain hidden around campus that she had never seen. Quick to jump to the defense of her constituents, Wolfarth asked, “Well, what about the gluten free kids? How will that help them at all?” which, in and of itself, seems to be a pretty clear sign that we really do live in a Pomona Silo2.
_x000D_
1There were also many unserious ideas. See @NotASPCSenate for more.
_x000D_
2Not literally, Emma.
_x000D_
Divestment Part III1: To Vote to Vote or Not to Vote To Vote?
_x000D_
Following the April 9 elections in which 78 percent of voting students voted in favor of a divestment resolution2, President Sarah Appelbaum PO ’13 called a straw poll vote to see if senators wanted to vote during the meeting on passing a Senate-authored resolution urging the college to divest. After the first round of straw poll voting, in which senators said they would indeed like to actually vote, the senators then actually voted to pass a resolution. After the vote was tallied (7-4 in favor), Appelbaum congratulated Senate: “We did something. Good job, everybody.” After the rest of Senate let the accomplishment sink in, Senate adviser Ellie Ash-Balá led everyone in a raucous champagne-spraying celebration in the Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) Locker Room.3
_x000D_
1Or whatever.
_x000D_
2You thought you were voting for the college to actually divest its tremendous amount of money from fossil fuels? Cute.
_x000D_
3Not a real thing. But it could be really awesome if you think about it.
Facebook Comments