The Nov. 25 Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College (ASCMC) Senate meeting opened with a debate over the Administrative and Budgetary Committee’s decision to table the Asian-American Resource Center’s funding request to bring comedian Hari Kondabolu to Doms Lounge. Committee Chair Aviv Caspi CM ’16 acknowledged that it was uncommon for the Senate to deny funding requests, but said that the committee was concerned that the cost of funding the event would exceed the potential benefit to the student body given the timing of the event a week before finals; the potential for such an event to be ticketed; and the fact that the Senate is funding other, more active, opportunities for the student body this year. One senator argued that the Senate should support the event on principle because it would benefit the entire community by raising awareness about issues of race and diversity. A motion to fund the event for $100 as a symbolic gesture of support passed with 61 percent approval.
Chief Financial Officer Jasmine DiLucci CM ’14 joined Caspi in presenting a financial responsibility amendment that would introduce new audit and internal control measures. Senators expressed concern about conflicts of interest that could arise in the process of appointing members to the proposed Audit and Oversight Committee, but the amendment was passed by a two-thirds majority.
At the Dec. 2 Senate meeting, Ben Turner CM ’16 and Sara Linssen CM ’16 discussed the Roundtable on CMC’s social climate planned for Saturday. According to Linssen, the Roundtable was organized to engage students in conversations about their concerns about CMC’s social scene. Turner emphasized the student-centric nature of the event, and discussed the importance of weighing the opinions of those who do not regularly engage in the “social culture” of the college. Linssen and Turner wrapped up the briefing by highlighting their hopes that the student body will play a significant role in designing and implementing concrete solutions to social climate issues.
Campus Improvement Committee Chair Chase Pribble CM ’15 then presented several minor campus improvements in the works, including the addition of printers to the senior apartments, the potential addition of a loveseat swing by Beckett Hall, the inclusion of a fire pit on campus, and permission for longer hours at the tennis courts. Major improvements on the agenda included implementing an electronic ordering system at the Hub and having a coffee cart in the mornings to help students avoid going to Collins Dining Hall just for coffee.
Further discussion of the financial responsibility amendment was canceled because the vote on the amendment had been tabled at the preceding Executive Board meeting.