A Timely Update from College Council

Greetings Williams:
 
It’s scary how quickly this semester has flown by!  In these last three months, we have been working endlessly on all of the many items you have asked us to work on.  As promised in our email this past August, we want to continue with the legacy of updating the campus throughout the year.  Below is a summary of some of the items we’ve been working on this semester:  
 
 
Finances

Making the money work for you

College Council has been working diligently to ensure that it is spending the Student Activities Tax (SAT) in the most efficient and responsible way.  This quarter, Council allocated approximately $210,000 to over 120 student organizations.  In addition, the All-Campus Entertainment (ACE) Concerts Committee received a budget to bring yet another amazing artist to campus for a spring show. Stay tuned for more information on that end.

Showing Council and the campus your full potential

College Council inherited a good amount of legacy debt-funds that student organizations owed to Council prior to fiscal year 2011-that was simply rolled over and not taken care of.  In order to maintain a better sense of where the Council is allocating funding and how much of it student organizations are actually using today (instead of paying off debts), College Council cleared these debts; everyone is now on the same playing field.  Not only is this great news for all student organizations who owed money, but it also ensures that each penny we receive is used to pay for items students need now, not five years ago.

Ensuring your experience at Williams is filled with lots and lots of entertainment

One of the most common concerns we heard from students was that there were too many sources of funding to go to when organizing an event.  Consequently, this past spring, the Council voted to establish the Entertainment Co-Sponsorship Fund (ECom).  ECom serves as a way of centralizing several of these funding sources into one fund that is overseen by ACE.  In addition to providing funding, the Committee is also available to help plan the logistics for events on campus.  Need co-sponsorship funding?  Go to ECom and get help with all of your events!

 

Student Affairs

Striving for more conversations that are open and include your input

College Council has been working hard to ensure all student perspectives and opinions are represented in all conversations on campus.  Recently, the Undergraduate Residential Life Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee (URLAAC) has been discussing the possibility of moving Quiet Housing to a different location on campus and removing the neighborhood component of housing draw so students can have more rooms to choose from.  Council has hosted several discussions regarding this issue and had the pleasure of meeting some of you as you represented your respective constituencies.  The conversation isn’t over; please continue sending us your thoughts.

Getting you prepared for Life After Williams

The Williams Career Center (WCC) is restructuring some of their programs to ensure they serve the plethora of different needs students have on campus.  We are currently working on getting a better sense of what students need on campus to work with the Office and ensure that they are able to provide the best services and prepare all of us for life after the Purple Valley.  Have ideas?  Let us know!

We need your help: send us you great ideas

Have a great idea for Williams, but don’t know how to go about implementing it?  Want something done that would greatly benefit the campus, but need help starting?  Let us know! The College Council Great Ideas Committee is making a “Williams Wish List” and wants to know your great ideas for our school.  Give us your ideas and we’ll try our best to make them a reality (the Bike Rental Program, SuperFan, and the nice plaques in each student dormitory were all ideas submitted to Council by the student body.)  Keep these ideas coming!

Living and learning from one another

Interested in sharing some of your skills with the student body?  Want to showcase these talents in a more formal classroom setting? We’re got the best platform for you: Free University.  Check out this link to learn more about it.  Coming soon…  (http://wso.williams.edu/wiki/index.php/Free_University

 

Student Organizations

Supporting your ideas

In the month that Council has been in session, roughly 15 new organizations have been approved.  Have your own idea?  Bring it forward and start your own club.  Go to collegecouncil.williams.edu and click on the “Student Groups” tab to find out more.

Making your voice heard in every discussion on campus

Williams is beginning to look at hazing more seriously.  Consequently, College Council, the Office of Student Life, and the Dean’s Office are communicating and collaborating to ensure that each and every decision includes the voices of your elected student representatives and other students from the campus at-large.  This way, each organization will have students representing their best interests when any sanctions are levied.

Finding your space at Williams

The Vice President of Student Organizations has been working diligently to find space on campus for your organizational items.  Council is continuing these conversations and is working to find more spots on campus so that you can safely store your items throughout the year and summer.

 

Community and Diversity

Cultivating a stronger community

College Council has continued to work closely with all groups on campus.  This past quarter, Council has partnered up with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the Minority Coalition (MinCo), and with the newly revitalized Lehman Community Engagement (LCE) to discuss some of the most challenging issues we are currently facing at Williams.  In addition, Council is going to begin working with the Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) as they establish themselves more on campus and continue providing all of their amazing services, including but not limited to, amazing alternative spring break trips.  

Continuing the tough conversations to make Williams a better place

Council is continuing to have the tough conversations many of you have asked us to have.  In collaboration with MinCo, the Council will be hosting its monthly Community Matters discussions! Last night, we held our first one (thank you to everyone to attended). In addition, College Council will continue to collaborate with the Mental Health Committee, the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Group, the Health Center, and other such groups on campus to continue improving your stay in the Purple Valley.  Stay tuned for next month’s Community Matters.

 

Communications

Keeping YOU in the know
You asked for it, we brought it back!  You’re In The Know is a College Council initiative that was started in 2012 to bring the latest news directly to you.  Find a copy of the latest issue in a bathroom stall near you.  In addition, we’re continuing to update the Facebook page, providing you with the agenda on WSO, and sending you emails throughout the semester to keep you up to speed.  
 
 
Academic Affairs
 
Living honorably at Williams
Council has been working with the Honor and Discipline Committee to discuss ways to better inform students about the Honor Code.  This month, CC and MinCo sponsored a Community Matters event that discussed this item specifically.  Have suggestions to help us meet this goal?  Send your thoughts our way!
 
 
We hope that this provides you with a quick snapshot of Council’s doings.  Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.  Please, as always, let us know if we ought to be doing something else!  Email us (rac1, mdh2, [email protected]), Facebook us, Tweet at Us, visit our website (collegecouncil.williams.edu), or find another way to let us know how we can help make your experience much better!
 
Wishing you a safe and happy Halloween weekend!
 
Max and Adrian
CC Co-Presidents