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(03/16/16 8:31pm)
The Student Government Association (SGA) voted to pass the Club Sports Funding Methodology bill on Sunday, March 13. The proposal, sponsored by Sophomore Senator Colin Boyle ’18, calls for the creation of a committee tasked with developing alternative methods of funding club sports before a March 2017 deadline.
Currently, about 350 students are active in club sports including the crew, rugby and water polo teams. Funding for these teams is predominantly derived from the $410 Student Activities Fee (SAF) that every student is required to pay at the beginning of the year in addition to the comprehensive fee covering tuition and housing — the Department of Athletics does not contribute funds for these teams. To cover additional costs, these teams rely on alumni donations, extensive fundraising initiatives and personal contributions.
Boyle’s proposal will seek to bridge the deficit between the full operating costs of these teams and a per capita funding scheme, like the one proposed by SGA Treasurer and Chair of the SGA Finance Committee Aaron de Toledo ’16.
De Toledo’s proposed bill would reform the methods in which the Finance Committee allocates funds to club sports by operating on a per capita basis, calling for a tier system in which clubs are designated certain funding caps based on the number of participants and the general cost of the sport. Sports such as the equestrian, crew and sailing teams would comprise the first tier, and their funding would be capped at the maximum $410 per person.
In turn, funding for the club sports recognized in the first tier — which tend to require the most expensive equipment — would be cut by nearly a third of their current levels. Changes in this form of funding would have little effect for teams in lower tiers such as cycling, fencing and badminton, which are not as costly.
“We try to strike that balance as best we can, but given the fact that we do hear criticism, we want to create a more transparent process, but also a more equitable process,” de Toledo said. “It’s not a strict equality thing by any means. However, it’s capping [the funds] a little bit by kind of balancing that spectrum of equality and meeting everyone’s needs.”
Under Boyle’s bill, the proposal detailed by de Toledo will not take effect and no changes will be made to the current funding methodology. The new committee will be tasked with finding alternative funding solutions and will be comprised of the head and two members of the Finance Committee, one treasurer or representative from each individual club sport and two members of the Senate.
However, if this committee does not find a feasible solution by March 2017, the SGA and the Finance Committee will pass de Toledo’s plan.
Nathaniel Wiener ’18, treasurer of the sailing team, said, “If the budget goes into effect as proposed, we will either be forced to cease being a competitive team or raise our team dues to $300 to 400 per participant … [this increased fee] will likely lead to decreasing first-year enrollment next year and, in turn, decreased funding for the club going forward since we will have fewer competing members.”
Clara Sternberg ’19 of the equestrian team voiced similar concerns that cuts to team funding would force membership to be more exclusive, allowing only those who can afford an increased membership fee to participate.
“The prospect of limiting beginner participation would go against our desire to bring people into the sport, especially those who have not had the opportunity to ride before coming to [the College],” she said. “It is likewise unfair to ask team members to pick up the funding discrepancy by paying more out of pocket when we already spend hundreds of dollars to be able to ride.”
Members of the crew team also expressed apprehension towards de Toledo’s proposal and, along with the equestrian and sailing teams, attended the SGA meeting on March 13. Senators opened the floor for discussion of the proposals raised by de Toledo and Boyle. When the senate voted to pass Boyle’s proposal, loud applause ensued from all three teams.
“We are very happy that the Senate chose to pass this proposal and not institute a funding cap for this year, as it will give us time to work with them to find a better solution,” President of Middlebury Rowing Erika Sloan ’16 said. “We understand the difficult position that the SGA is in — ideally, at least some of our funding would be covered by the administration/athletics and not fall to the SGA. Though the school has been unwilling to do so in the past, we hope that the committee formed as a result of Boyle’s proposal will enable us to move towards that goal in a clear and organized way.”
She continued, “Drastically cutting our funding, as the original proposal would have done, would have had a devastating impact on our ability to remain the team that provides such an important opportunity to so many Middlebury students. With no other options, we would have been forced to raise our membership fees. This is the absolute last thing we want to do, as our goal is keep rowing at Middlebury open and accessible to anyone who wishes to learn the sport and be part of the team. We already stretch our gift account thin providing as much financial aid as we possibly can, and raising the participation fee would likely also raise barriers to inclusivity that are simply unacceptable.”
Boyle, who is also a member of the crew team, was thrilled by the decision.
“I think a lot of club sports just encountered the reality that they almost just lost a significant amount of their budget,” he said. “I think it will light a little fire, and I think that club sports will need a lot of momentum behind finding a solution because I think we know administration needs to be pushed.”
(03/02/16 4:24pm)
Middlebury Entrepreneurs is a Winter Term course that offers students the opportunity to create their own business or non-profit organization. Applications require a product proposal, and students often continue to develop and market their projects long after January. This year, the final products originated from a range of interests and innovations.
Will Stevens ’16 and Ian Bearden ’16 hit the ground running with Champlain Fresh Brew, their originally bottled organic cold brew coffee. In the kitchen of the Old Stone Mill, Bearden and Stevens use Vermont Coffee Co. beans to brew what they market as a “sweeter, more caffeinated and less-acidic” brew. They have also resurrected the growler system, (a bottle exchange process once reserved for beer) to personally bring their coffee to students, resident, and local businesses such as the Grapevine Grille in Middlebury. Looking ahead, Bearden and Stevens may soon offer samples around campus to gauge interest. They encourage students to “drink in the scenery” at champlainfreshbrew.com and to explore their Instagram page, @Champlain_Fresh_Brew.
Charles Archambeau ’16, Jon Broome ’16 and Mark Perry ’16 developed a line of post-workout snacks known as Clutch Food.
“We believe there is a gap in the quick-service food market for a food service that targets people with specific fitness and health goals,” Archambeau said. “Diet is as important as the workout itself when trying to get or stay in shape, but people tend to seriously overlook what they put in their bodies after a workout.”
In response, the group aims to make Clutch Food a healthy, tasty and affordable alternative to similar products on the market, and is pioneering the line with the Clutch Powerball, an organic energy bar. More snack items, such as smoothies, will be designed to provide different nutritional benefits tailored to specific workout goals. For example, a high protein but low calorie snack will be available for those who wish to build muscle without gaining excess weight. Snack items will be sold in the coming months to students, and Archambeau, Broome and Perry said they hope to make a deal with varsity teams to sign up for season-long subscriptions.
Josh Espy ’17 designed his expressive hat — named Flock — so that millenials could “react in real time to our social environment.” This “meme on a stick” can be manually propped up at will to display a joke, picture, logo or any other desired message. In a lighthearted nod to biomimicry, Espy likens both the shape and function of the Flock to a peacock’s plume, from which he also derived the name. The caps are currently used in social settings, but Espy is working to spread the appeal to sports fans and political campaigns. Students can order pre-made designs or customize their own flock at go/flockon.
Web-based technologies were also popular this year. Maddison Brusman ’18.5 created a community newsfeed app called Click that allows students to create and subscribe to local topics known as “pods.” These pages can include pick-up sports games, snow conditions, parties and political groups. “Really anything you can think of,” Brusman said. Click has been approved for distribution on the app store by Apple and will soon be available for free download. Students can learn more at www.getclick.click.
Keeping with the trend of community networking, Matt Linkous ’17 developed a dating website named Flock (unaffiliated with Espy’s product). Students can generate a list of crushes, and if there is a match, both parties are notified Thursday at noon, or “Flock-O’Clock.” Down the road, Linkous, with the help of Gordon Nickerson ’17, plans to implement more features on the website that will allow students to find mutual interest in events such as colloquiums and sports games. “There are a lot of people who are tangential in our lives and I’m hoping this will allow for more cross-over,” Linkous said.
(01/27/16 5:05pm)
The SGA meeting on Jan. 17 began with announcements from Director of Membership Zak Fisher ’16 who proxied for SGA President Ilana Gratch ’16. Fisher welcomed Abbie Spector ’17 who is replacing Michael Brady ’17.5 as Chief of Staff, Junior Senator Karina Toy ’17, who returned to SGA from abroad and Hannah Street ’16, who is the new SGA press secretary.
Fisher announced that the faculty voted on Jan. 16 to reform the AAL Distribution Requirement. There are now six new categories from which students must take a minimum of three classes, each from a distinct category: South and Southeast Asia Pacific, North Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the Americas. It is still required that students take a course that focuses on the comparison of two cultures and/or civilizations, denoted as CMP.
The faculty also voted to maintain the Pass/D/Fail option with no expiration date. Gratch later remarked, “I was thrilled to see such enthusiastic faculty support for both the AAL reform and the Pass/D/Fail legislation. These are proposals that were initiated and fought for by students over the past few years, and it is incredibly exciting to see their hard work come to fruition.”
Spector reported the creation of a working group to improve the McCullough Student Center. The group is looking for short term solutions to increase the number of students who use the building for either social or academic purposes. Senators observed that McCullough could use more comfortable study areas, and that students might be more attracted to the center if there were weekly SGA-sponsored events. Speaker of the Senate Reshma Gogineni ’16 noted that for McCullough to be open 24 hours, the building must be monitored overnight to prevent theft of food items and alcohol in Crossroads Cafe and The Grille. Suggestions for long term solutions included altering the building’s architecture to make room for more study spaces and relocating the bookstore from Proctor Dining Hall.
First-Year Senator Charles Rainey ’19 expressed concern that students are encouraged to annually tip their Commons’ custodial staff, but that no such practice is in place for the dining staff, and suggested that SGA advocate to implement what he believes would be a more equitable system. Senator Jin Sohn ’18 noted that other colleges have poster boards for students to write messages of gratitude, and that it may be helpful to post the names and faces of the dining staff so students are more familiar.
Maryam Mahboob ’18 updated SGA on the progress of her project to bring a mac and cheese food truck to campus. The MAC (Macaroni and Choose) Truck aims to provide students with “high quality, inexpensive, local and organic mac and cheese during late nights,” Mahboob said.
Through student contributions and a grant from MiddStart, Mahboob has raised $2,175 and will be able to cover the costs of ingredients, legal expenses, kitchen equipment, student wages and the fees from the Addison County Parent Child Center, from whom Mahboob is renting the food truck.
Sarah Kearns of the Vermont Small Business Development Center is coordinating with Mahboob to build a team to manage the truck, and they are still looking for volunteers. Mahboob will begin “sewing the financial aspects of the project together” in mid-February. “Once the Truck’s fixed and initial costs are covered, MAC is projected to generate enough revenue to cover its expenses,” Mahboob said. “My hope and vision for MAC is that it eventually becomes a social enterprise.”
Additional reporting by Will DiGravio.
(12/09/15 3:38pm)
SGA President Ilana Gratch ’16 began the Nov. 15 meeting with the results of the Eat Real survey about dining options. Of the 800 students who responded, 92 percent were in support of reaching the goal of 50 percent “real food” served on campus by 2020. (“Real food” is defined as meeting at one of the following criteria: local, humane, ecologically sound and fair).
Gratch also announced that 10 o’clock Ross will be terminated if students continue to steal food items such as large cereal bags. She reminded the group, tea and coffee are not served as a safety precaution against hot water burns.
Senators discussed ways to incorporate a student voice into the presentation on student mental health that was held on Wednesday Dec. 2 at in Wilson Hall.
On the topic of mental health, senators also acknowledged an inconsistent and sometimes unhelpful approach to stress voiced by professors. They cited personal experiences and anecdotes from friends and peers. Gratch announced that she will discuss these concerns with President Patton during their next monthly meeting.
Speaker of the Senate Reshma Gogineni ’16 opened the discussion to the reshaping of MiddCourses such that professors could offer input on the structure of the class and their teaching philosophy. Gogineni will be working with Director of Technology Dana Silver ’16 and anticipates the challenge of advertising the feature to professors and convincing them to participate.
Senators explored ways to bolster the CCI’s relationship with the student body and improve first-year students’ awareness of the CCI as a resource. Senators discussed the possibility of a Winter Term or first-year seminar workshop that would help students explore career interests and connect to alumni. Senators also cited the challenge of integrating the CCI’s function with the liberal arts philosophy.
Finally, Gratch updated SGA on the status of the AAL distribution requirement reform proposal. The new requirement would be renamed “Critical Perspectives” and would allow students to choose to study several different regions of the world. The administration will vote in January. If it passes, the restructured requirement will be piloted by first-year students in fall 2017. However, senators voiced a push to implement the change sooner, noting that the most significant obstacle is the manpower required to label all classes on BannerWeb.
At the meeting on Nov. 22, senators voted to pass a bill sponsored by Gogineni that would allocate $99 from SGA’s budget to cover the first year’s subscription fee to publish a MiddRides app on the app store. The app will be available for students in January 2016. MiddRides is described in the bill as necessary for students to travel safely across campus during winter, but currently unreliable, due to low staffing. The app will increase efficiency by allowing students to submit their locations to the driver’s assistants and receive feedback when the van is approaching their location.
Senators voted to table a bill that would extend the drop deadline and the invocation of the Pass/D/Fail option to eight weeks and the revocation of the Pass/D/Fail option to 12 weeks. The two week add period would not be changed. Survey results indicated that few students would take advantage of the extended deadlines, but they believe the policy change would alleviate stress. Faculty will discuss the policy on Dec. 11 and 15 and will vote to continue or cancel the Pass/D/Fail option in January.
There was a motion to table a resolution recommendation that would prompt further conversations on increasing campus accessibility, especially in the Ridgeline Apartments. The recommendation, sponsored by Community Council Co-Chair Tiff Chang ’17.5, Wonnacott Senator Lisa Han ’16, and Sophomore Senator Jin Sohn ’18, would also encourage discussions about inclusion not only as it applies to physical disabilities, but “cognitive, learning and other disabilities diagnosed and undiagnosed,” as written in the bill.
(11/18/15 9:20pm)
SGA President Ilana Gratch ’16 opened the Nov. 9 senate meeting with an announce- ment that The Cellar (originally named The Coat Rack) is a student-run bar in Cross- roads Cafe that is still looking for bartenders. Students do not have to be 21 and can gain certification online through Vermont’s DLC server training. The training costs $25, but is covered by SGA/MCAB.
(11/05/15 12:33am)
Cook Senator Georgia Grace Edwards ’18 opened the Oct. 18 meeting by introducing the idea of a campus-wide speed-dating event hosted by SGA, citing the occasion as a good way for SGA to connect with students. Senators considered hosting the event in Ross Dining Hall during the week following the spring semester’s midterms, or on Valentine’s Day.
The meeting continued with the appointment of First-Year Senators Charles Rainey ’19, Kieran Parikh ’19 and Junior Senator Pam Schulman ’17 to the Residential Life Committee. The committee holds monthly open meetings that address issues of residential housing policy, building policy, room draw and social and academic interest housing with members of the dining and custodial facilities.
SGA President Ilana Gratch ’16 then updated the SGA on her biweekly meetings with President of the College Laurie L. Patton. Gratch said, “Being in regular communication with President Patton and the rest of the Senior Leadership Group has been so essential in ensuring that students are, when possible, at the table for discussions that affect our lives.”
The focus of the meeting then shifted to the topic of student mental health. She announced that Vice President for Student Affairs Katy Smith Abbott, Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrea Lloyd and Chief Diversity Officer Miguel Fernandez developed a three-year plan for improving student mental health and will present their work to the SGA.
SGA Directors of the Health and Wellness Rachel Copulsky ’16 and Emma Erwin ’15.5 then led a presentation on the developing effort to address and alleviate stress. Currently, they have been hosting dinners in Atwater suites for a group of ten students to share their perspective on mental health.
“We will continue to expand our invitational pool and continue to reach a variety of students bearing different voices,” Erwin said.
The Health and Wellness Committee has also drafted a poster that includes a comprehensive list of all the resources on campus that serve specific health and wellness purposes. The poster is currently being reviewed by Dean of Students Baishakhi Taylor and Director of Health and Wellness Education Barbara McCall, who will have a draft sent to the communications office. It is aimed to be distributed by the end of the fall semester.
Larson Lovdal ’16.5 then led a presentation on the Ian Burgin Memorial Lodge. After Ian Burgin ’08 was killed in a car accident in 2010, his family proposed the idea to build a lodge in his memory. Last fall, Lovdal and four other students began fundraising, designing the cabin and applying for construction permits.
The total construction budget is $100,000. Lovdal and his team have already raised $25,000 through crowdfunding and were allocated an additional $40,000 by the SGA. On Oct. 31, Lovdal was informed that his grant for $35,000 had been denied by the Fund for Innovation. He will meet with Vice President for College Advancement Michael Schoenfeld to discuss future funding options.
“We are looking forward to creating a space for current and future students to decompress from the pressures of life at Middlebury and enjoy the spectacular place that surrounds them,” Lovdal said.
The Oct. 18 meeting concluded with a proposal by Ross Senator Trisha Singh ’18 to semi-randomize first-year housing assignments such that roommates would be based solely on lifestyle preferences such as smoking, bedtimes and social habits.
“I have noticed that first-year housing assignments don’t seem to be random, and usually socioeconomically similar people room together. I believe that if socioeconomically different people room together, they would be prompted to see the other person as an individual, rather than identifying that person by their appearance or the social group they belong to,” Singh said.
(10/14/15 10:05pm)
Director of Membership and Chair of Elections Council Zak Fisher ’16, opened the Oct. 4 meeting with a welcome to the four new senators, Atwater Senator Jigar Bhakta ’18, Feb Senator Millie von Platen ’18.5 and First-Year Senators Charles Rainey ’19 and Kieran Parikh ’19. Fisher said the turnout for first year elections was slightly higher than the past few years.
Members then continued to discuss possible ways to improve relations between the CCI and the SGA. Reshma Gogineni ’16 proposed a vote to create an ad hoc committee of SGA senators who would work for the Director of the Center for Careers and Internships (CCI) Peggy Burns. Headed by Gogineni, the committee would aim to get student feedback on CCI programs and events.
Members then shifted to discuss the proposed Ridgeline Perch, a project put forth by Brandon Gell ’16. Gell, an Architectural Studies major, has received the full support of the administration to create a public space available to the entire student body. Gell cited the administration’s increasing focus on student mental health, and he believes the Perch will function as a place of solace and separation from the academic and social pressures of campus.
“That’s definitely what the Perch is going for,” said Gell. “The fact that every student will feel like they have a piece and can feel comfortable in a space like that ... I think that it’s going to cultivate a really awesome sense of ownership over the campus.”
Gell needs $53,482 to complete the project, and he plans to receive most of the funding through grants. He has applied for $35,000 to $40,000 from the Fund for Innovation and plans to fundraise contingency money through the Office for College Advancement. Gell also requested $5,000 from SGA and was allocated $1,000.
“SGA should and does exist to support students, and I think that these kinds of projects are something that are emerging a lot more now that students aren’t really as satisfied with just sitting in class; they want to be building things and making things,” Gell said. “I think it’s great that [the SGA] is beginning to support it.”
The design of the Perch, approved by the Space Committee, is one that Gell hopes to be ecologically conscious and economically frugal. The structure, to be constructed of steel with cedar siding, will overlook the Adirondacks and can accommodate up to twelve people.
Once the Perch is fully funded, it will go through a permitting process, and construction will begin in the spring when the ground thaws. Gell plans to stay on campus for two weeks after graduation to complete the construction.
(09/30/15 9:07pm)
The SGA senate meeting on Sept. 27 opened with a discussion and vote on the new schedule and location of Coffee Hour. It will now occur in Proctor Lounge on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Coffee Hour is intended to be an accessible forum for students to have casual conversation with SGA members about the state of student life. It is required in a bylaw that SGA members attend at least three sessions per semester.
President Ilana Gratch ’16 provided updates on the development of Open Conversations, a new SGA practice aimed at creating opportunities for direct conversations on pressing issues between the SGA and administrators. Suggested topics included sexual assault policies, housing policies, issues of race on campus, student mental health
and the ongoing efforts to reform the AAL distribution requirement. It was also suggested that surveying students could be valuable in sourcing improvements for the SGA.
“Ilana is hoping to bring current and relevant issues into the Crest Room by allowing students, faculty, and staff to voice their opinions once a month through Open Conversations,” said Chief of Staff Michael Brady ’17.5.
The meeting continued with the crew team’s budget proposal for the 2015-2016 year, presented by Treasurer Aaron de Toledo ’16. After it was discussed at length, there was a vote, and the budget of $32,485 was approved. It passed with 8 affirming, 3 dissenting and 1 abstaining. The budget prompted a discussion on the SGA would manage funding for club sports in the future. “The SGA is tasked with finding a way to fund club sports in a manner that’s equitable and sustainable, while still enabling the teams to function,” said Brady.
The meeting was turned over to Senior Senator Reshma Gogineni ’16, who led a discussion on possible improvements for CCI Seminars. Senators debated whether more seminars should be available for first-year students, and if seminars should be mandatory.
It was announced that next week, Brandon Gell ’16 will speak with the SGA about his two-year project aimed at creating a space where students can find relief from academic pressures in nature. Gell has already raised more than $10,000 and hopes to appeal to the SGA for more funding.
Prior to the Sept. 27 meeting, Brady and Gratch introduced a bill to alter the bylaws to allow the president to appoint Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Social Affairs to their cabinet. The bill passed, and Carolyn Murphy ’17.5 was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff and Nan Philip ’16.5 was appointed Director of Social Affairs.
(03/18/15 5:44pm)
College Digital Media Producer Ben Savard ’14 achieved Internet fame after a photo of himself taken by an octopus was featured on the front page of Reddit, a popular entertainment, news and social networking site. The photo of Savard dressed in a white lab coat rapidly circulated the Internet and credited its photographer, Middlebury’s female California Two-Spot Octopus.
Before the photo was taken, Savard was working on a video about the College’s science departments and decided to feature the neuroscience research of Aly Fassett-Carman ’15. Fassett-Carman was observing whether octopi could be trained to open a puzzle box with food after firstly watching another octopus demonstrate. Savard prepared to record the experiment by inserting a GoPro camera with an automatic shutter inside the aquarium containing the octopus.
“[The octopi] grab everything we put in there,” Fassett-Carman said.
According to her, octopi are naturally curious creatures. It therefore came as no surprise to Fasset-Carman when the octopus immediately reached for the camera when it was placed in the tank. In doing so, the octopus happened to direct the lens towards Savard and capture several photos.
“It was all very circumstantial,” Savard said.
The photos captured the progression from the moment the octopus grabbed the camera to when it directed the camera toward Savard. It was not until Savard was sifting through the footage the following day that he discovered the octopus’ photos and decided to post them on Reddit.
“Reddit is a website I’ve been on for a while. I know the format, I know how to make [posts] appealing to people. I wanted everyone to see [the photos], and it’s cool if people hopefully attract some attention to the sciences at Middlebury,” Savard said.
On March 10, the post garnered more than 2.2 million views on Reddit, and that number has since risen to over 3.3 million. The image has reached popularity among the site’s users, with several comparing the image to a ’90s alternative rock album and a “promo shot for an educational TV show.”
The post has also been featured on news outlets such as The Washington Post, The Daily Mail and NBC News. To quell speculation from skeptics who believed the photos were fake, Savard created and shared a graphics interchange format (GIF) image of the entire photo series.
Despite his internet fame, Savard has been careful to credit Fassett-Carman’s research for the photos.
Savard said, “I am not the story, I am hopefully just there to tell a good story. I don’t want to be the researcher, I want to be the GoPro, I want to capture things in a cool way and make sure that research like [Fasset-Carmans’] isn’t unnoticed or unappreciated...I was here for four years and I’m realizing now there’s so many different aspects of Middlebury that I didn’t appreciate, and most of that is based around the work the students are doing.”