Student Congress General Meeting
September 30th 2014
1. Committee Updates
a. Student Media and Communication: All media outlets on campus have
student representatives, and it was talked about incorporating more
underclassmen into the groups, as well as marketing for individuals
groups and getting advisors for each group.
b. Multicultural Affairs Board: Interested in increasing diversity on
campus, and they talked about how enrollment is up for diversity,
however more people are coming to college in general but they aren’t
graduation. It is believed it is because they don’t feel welcomed, or
feel like it is a good fit for them. The GROW initiative is continuing this
year, the kick off for that is next week. Discussed the repercussions of
Yik Yak, and how that can social media can impact discrimination.
c. Academic Affairs Board: Had a big discussion of faculty and professor
workload, and it is important to understand that everyone (faculty,
staff, students) is stressed. Today was the preliminary discussion, to
talk about the study that has been done over the past nine years with
faculty.
d. Admissions and Financial Aid: Yik Yac was brought up again, and how
that can negatively impact visiting families views on campus. This
committee welcomes thoughts and suggestions from Student
Congress!
2. Task Force Updates
a. Internal Strengthening: Meeting briefly after the meeting to discuss
apparel options (to be in prior to Relay for Life).
b. Sustainability: In progress of inquiring about the printers on campus,
and working on greener cleaning supplies for dorms. Goal for the
semester (1) promote and re-evaluate recycling, (2) printers, (3)
other options for sustainability  #eatlocal
c. Campus Relations: Meeting briefly after the meeting to discuss the
upcoming events on campus. Campus relations is looking into handing
out goodies to students at the library during mid-terms. Goals for the
semester (1) suggestion box in dorms and outside office, (2) goodies
during midterms, (3) organize a tail-gate and advertise well, (4) cohost some events with Greek Life.
d. Community Relations: Or new goal is $2,225! Yay! Some goals for this
upcoming semester, (1) have a unified team for Relay and DM, (2)
have effective fundraisers for those events, (3) meet all monetary
goals for fundraisers, (4) collaborate with campus relations to get
Student Congress’s name out there!
3. Officer Reports
a. Appropriations: First meeting next week Tuesday before congress.
b. Andrew: It’s On Us campaign logo is outside of the congress office!
Over 30 people have expressed interest in meeting for this (congress,
and non-congress members). STEP has an instagram account, you
should follow @hope_college_step.
4. New Business
a. Laundry Prices: is there a way we can decrease the prices?
b. Parking: it is an issue on campus, especially since the overnight
parking law is no longer going in effect.
c. Yik Yac: Is there a way we can spin this into a positive light? If, in an
extreme example, we decide to try to get rid of it we could try to block
it from our WiFi. However, censorship of this could lead to a bad thing.
It’s a slippery slope to start censoring things. Perhaps Student
Congress, along with other groups on campus, put out a statement
about staying positive on the App, and avoiding comments that
degrade others or the college. Discussion tabled until next week.
d. Food on Visit Days: Can Voorhees eat at Cook again during these days
to eliminate the crowd?
e. STEP: Clothesline project  shirts decorated by different student
organizations that are hung up in the Pine Grove.
5. Motion to adjourn at 10:00