Campus Center Room 204
Thursday, December 12, 2006 7:00pm
Members Present: Meg Ambrus, Jillian Flynn, Molly McCadden, Jan Arbaugh, Adrienne Lee,
Margaret MacRae, Ayesha Siddiqui, Michele Chapdelaine, Devin Burke, Rae-Anne Butera,
Mary Opler, Ali Woodruff, Aliza Leventhal, Shadavia Jones, Kamille King, McKay LeBlanc
I. Call to Order: Meg
A. Meg called the meeting to order at 7:07pm
II. Minutes – Adrienne/All
A. Motion to pass minutes from 11-30-06 passes 10-0-1
III. Open Discussion – All/Rae-Anne
A. Student death and campus reactions/general thoughts/where to go from here
1. Inform students about alcohol responsibility and the consequences of using
substances, especially the first-years
2. We need to have better alcohol training
a. UMass has a wellness center; people will drink and use drugs, so tell them about
their limits and how to be safe
3. Alcohol policy
a. Can we get people not to be afraid to call Public Safety, or ResLife, and have the
student taken care of properly?
b. Unfortunately, can’t give immunity
5. We need to work on building and maintaining support networks
a. Sometimes HRs may not be around
6. Judicial Board: will recognize the fact that students took responsible steps, asked for
help
7. How do we change the attitude on campus?
8. Reputation of ResLife and JB
a. ResLife (ACs) sends students to JB
9. Repetition: JB representatives go around to different houses
10. Maybe ACs should spend more time when visiting houses
11. Good place to have an open conversation about the process
12. Alcohol training - improve the training
13. ResLife – change its philosophy/nature, maybe coming from the house (but it’s
difficult to get people in trouble)
14. Just because you’re technically an adult doesn’t mean you understand everything
about alcohol
15. ResLife can provide more alternate activities to drinking
16. Lack of house community (lack of dining)
17. Connect ACs directly to students, although they won’t know everybody and be their
best friend; be more available for guidance
18. House activity: order pizza, etc.?
19. Educational forum?
20. More and more students are coming in from high school using drugs
21. Drugs are not discussed in first-year orientation
22. Rae-Anne: have been discussed for a couple of years now: the fact that we don’t
have a health educator (we used to) on campus; stress/mental health/emotional issues
23. In the last year, have been proposals to hire a wellness coordinator
24. Recently, have been discussing alcohol a lot because vast increase in binge drinking
rates as reported by students in anonymous surveys
25. President Christ and Dean Mahoney were at a meeting that addressed alcohol and
drug use on campus last Friday
26. People who don’t want to report scary situations because don’t want to get in trouble
– how do you weigh the fact that someone needs medical care vs. don’t want to get
her in trouble? (never!)
27. It’s not a smart educational policy to tell students that there won’t be consequences,
because they’re a part of life
28. We need to help students take responsibility, and educate them to take responsibility
29. Use Health Rep?
30. Fear about what will happen if I tell someone? – What if you don’t tell someone?
31. What are the signs that indicate when someone needs to go to the hospital?
32. When you call Public Safety, they make a report, and the AC decides if there will be
a meeting with the student
33. Kamille will send some things about wellness efforts and what ACs can do to be
more involved
34. Wellness efforts will change, and will beef up orientation: more structured, and then
continuing after
V. Committee Updates
A. Margaret
1. Need more people to work exams (will get paid)
B. Margaret
1. $100 Grécourt gift certificate is being raffled off (fill out 3 or more Aspects)
C. Ayesha
1. 16 December 8-10pm Neilson Browsing Room Class of 2008 study break
D. Ali
1. Commencement Committee meeting on Monday, so send information/ideas
2. Senior appreciation program – connect with HPA
E. Shadavia
1. Working on getting a study break on Friday the 15th: Mary Kay cosmetics people
F. Jan
1. Will review the budget over J-term
2. Graduation gowns (have 35 this year)
a. Perhaps in conjunction with SSJIC (class awareness group), who can publicize this
as something meant for people who actually need it
b. Chapel distributes?
c. Has the Fresh Pasta receipt
VI. General College News
A. Meeting with Audrey – General Admissions updates
1. Students can be pro-active through Take Smith Home
2. Special SGA event during Open Campus – invite potential leaders
B. Meeting with Naomi
1. Going on sabbatical next spring, Jennifer Walters is taking over
C. J-Term meeting/ second semester retreat
1. Sunday before we come back – regrouping retreat
2. One-night retreat – Saturday
VII. College Updates
A. Meeting with Audrey – General Admissions updates
1. Students can be pro-active through Take Smith Home
2. Special SGA event during Open Campus – invite potential leaders
B. Meeting with Naomi
1. Going on sabbatical next spring, Jennifer Walters is taking over
C. J-Term meeting/ second semester retreat
1. Sunday before we come back – regrouping retreat
2. One-night retreat – Saturday
VIII. Cabinet Report Card Discussion – All
A. People talking over and interrupting each other
1. Meg should try to be more forceful
B. Staying on time
1. Stay focused, productive
C. Staying on track
1. Split opinions
2. Make sure we have pertinent discussions
3. Some aspects of cabinet are cliquey
IX. Closing Announcements
A. Secret Snowflake
B. Fireside Chat turnout was great
X. Motion to Adjourn
A. Meg motioned to adjourn at 9:01pm