AAS discusses new online directory

Molibi Maphanyane ’06, who recently resigned from his position as a senator, echoed Park’s resolution in an impassioned plea to senators. “It is up to the individuals of the senate to think about their integrity, who they are and what they want to do,” he said.

Park, a member of the College Council, and Senator Jacob Thomas ’07, a member of the IT committee, updated the senate on developments involving the online directory. The information technology (IT) department intends to integrate the NOTE directory with the campus network of student information, to which students currently do not have full access.

Senators debated whether information should be provided to persons not affiliated with the college. “It’s designed to be a system like NOTE but integrated like the College database,” Thomas said after the meeting.

Thomas informed the senate that the only information potentially available to all Web browsers, not just those on campus, would be student names, box numbers and e-mail information. Phone numbers would not be available to off-campus sources. Senator Ethan Davis ’05 suggested an opt-out policy be offered at least two weeks before this information was made public. The policy would allow students to decide if they would like their general information to remain private. Park and Thomas will report the suggestion to the College Council and the IT department.

Vice President Elan Ghazal ’05 presented the budgetary committee’s (BC) weekly discretionary funding recommendations. A total of $29,490 was requested, with the Spring Formal committee requesting $24,000. The Spring Formal request was tabled by the BC, so it was not considered by the senate.

Diego Levy ’04 spoke on behalf of the Amherst Capoeira Club to dispute the BC’s refusal to recommend funding for three additional lessons this semester. Levy encouraged allotting money to the club because, although during deliberations the senate determined that only one third of the club’s participants attend the college, the club’s popularity is increasing. The senate also considered that lessons with the same instructor are available at Hampshire College. A motion to fund the club in full failed.

Judiciary council (JC) Chair Andre Deckrow ’06 presented the JC’s majority and dissenting opinions in the recent complaint regarding the senate attendance policy. (See “Judiciary Council reinstates Sanchez,” page 3.)

Vice President Elan Ghazal ’05 announced a new policy wherein tardiness will no longer count toward absences. The senate later passed an amendment to section 1-D of the by-laws, allowing Ghazal to use his previous attendance policy constitutionally. The amendment allows for half-absences, defined as a senator missing a majority of the meeting, and instructs that if the policy is overturned at any time by a two-thirds vote of the senate, the vice president must redefine the policy.

As the JC instructed, Christian Sanchez ’05 was reinstated to the senate and regained his seats on the Advisory Committee on Trustees and the Trustee Advisory Committee on Student Life. As a result, Senator John Lian ’06 lost his seat on the Trustee Advisory Committee on Student Life. “I really would have liked to serve on the committee, so having to give up my position was disappointing,” Lian said after the meeting. “Christian has worked hard on the committee, so I’m glad he’s being allowed to continue where he left off.”

Senators Mira Serrill-Robins ’06 and Lincoln Mayer ’04 requested a reauthorization to use TYPO funds from last semester for the current semester. They told the senate that TYPO was only available for three weeks last semester and only 324 students were able to take advantage of the program. In the fall, enough funds were allocated for 1,000 upperclass students to participate. The senate approved the use of the remaining funds from last semester for TYPO outings this semester.

Geoffrey Brounell ’04 announced his resignation from the senate.

Senator Matt Vanneman ’06 announced that speech night for AAS elections will be held tonight at 9 p.m. in the James Hall basement. The online election to elect a JC chair and fill openings on the senate, the JC and the executive board will occur tomorrow.