Council Chair Shayna Bentley changed the standard procedures at the Council of Organizations meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 28.
As an experimental process, Bentley asked clubs and organizations to separate into six different groups called “houses.” Each house designation could be found on the club’s charter, where clubs and organizations checked off one of the following groups: academics, advocacy, athletics, media, performing arts and social and cultural. When separated, the goal of each house was to collaborate with each other and speak about their groups, as well as to address any current “road blocks.”
Elected representatives for each house made announcements about anything regarding the clubs in their group. The academic house said it was unaware there was a history club and a biology club. The athletic house announced the croquet team is going to Florida for the national championships. The advocacy house introduced clubs like Dumbledore’s Army and Off-Campus Student Union. The social and culture house said the Black Solidarity Day is on Nov 1. The performing arts house announced the upcoming performance of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.”
After the house representatives spoke, club representatives began to make announcements.
During the executive board reports, Bentley announced that everyone must submit their charters by 11:59 p.m. this Thursday to newpaltzsa.com.“No leniency,” Bentley said.
Bentley also said there are only four more council meetings on the following Mondays: Oct. 18, Nov. 8, Nov. 15 and Nov. 29.
Bentley concluded by mentioning that she is starting a raw project concerning the waste of plastic containers, especially in Hawk Street Station. She is interested in suggestions and said she should be e-mailed concerning the idea.
Senate Chair Terrell Coakley said people should go to him if they wished to appeal the budget and encouraged people to go to senate. Vice President of Programming Anthony Lino said he met with Eric Car for possible dates for the fall concerts. He said he would like to have a comedy act that is mainstream and will appeal to the student body.
The new Vice President of Finance Youssouf Kouyo introduced himself and announced his office hours.
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Governance Caitlin Ryan announced she is trying to get Senate motivated with CRC. There are currently two spots open on CRC. She is also working with the new research line, where Senate allocated $25,000 to fund projects in traditional and outside realms of study.
Student Association (SA) Executive Vice President Eve Stern announced there were two students nominated for sustainability committee. She is also walking around campus with Frank Warren on Wednesday in order to see which bathrooms in the construction will be gender-neutral bathrooms. Also, there are still spots open on the UPD Committee.
Stern also said that there is currently a position open for SA’s graphic designer for designing flyers. She is also looking into the New Paltz Fire Department district meeting, and whether or not residents can vote on the issue.
Next, SA President Jennifer Sanchez announced she will be working on the Pakistani Relief Effort with the current flooding issue. She said she wants to make a campus-wide effort in order to create packages to send over to Pakistan because the airlines are flying packages over for free.
After all announcements were finished, elections were held for the Budget and Finance Committee (BFC). The positions were filled by David Ro, Joy Jerome and Sidney Gittleman.
SA Productions also filled four new seats by confirming Bentley, Jonathan Freifeld, Adiron Corichi and Emma Nichols.
The next Council of Organizations meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 18 in Student Union 62/63 at 7:30 p.m.