S.A. Discusses End Of 2007-2008 Report

At yesterday’s Student Assembly meeting, S.A. President C. J. Slicklen ’09 presented the S.A. and community members with the Student Assembly End of Year Report for the 2007-2008 academic year.
This year has seen many changes brought by the S.A., some controversial, others well received. The initiatives have brought change on and off campus, as well as to the S.A.’s own structure.
Their initiatives on campus have included supporting gender neutral housing and the creation of an Asian and Asian-American Community Center. The S.A. also voted to approve the 2008-2010 Student Activity Fee at $204 per undergraduate per year.
The Environmental Committee worked with the Connect Ithaca group to explore implementing a personal rapid transit system to serve both C.U. students and Ithaca residents. The Committee is in the early stages of discussing other eco-friendly projects, such as the Big Red Bike program.
The Dining Services Committee has worked with Cornell Dining Administrators to bring WowCow! Frozen yogurt to campus and nutrition fact labels to grab and go items, beginning with Kosher Foods. Some of these initiatives will be implemented at the start of next semester.
The S.A. also worked with the University Assembly to bring changes to the Campus Code of Conduct and discuss the possibility of lowering text book prices at the Cornell Store.
Former S.A. President Elan Greenberg ’08, who announced his resignation last November, lead an effort to reform C.U.’s system of student government. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis has provided a starting point for the S.A. to undergo some serious self-reflection. It is hoped that the SWOT Analysis will bring changes to the S.A. structure, operations, effectiveness, elections and outreach to be implemented over the coming year.
Starting with next semester’s elections, the president and executive vice president of the S.A. will be elected by the student body and not the S.A.