Student Government is back in session, having met for the first time of the fall semester on September 1. Discussions on the table included disbanding two clubs, approving one new club, learning about the Learning and Working Community, and hearing updates on the work happening on the disc golf course.
Once again, all Student Government Association meetings will be occurring in-person in the Moore Community Room (ASAC 100) at 8:00 PM every other Wednesday. There is a Zoom option for attendance if necessary, but it is highly discouraged by the executive board.
Due to some technical difficulties, the first meeting was not livestreamed on Facebook. A recording was saved to post at a later date still to be determined.
Student Body Comments
Second year student Pat Hamilton was first to speak during the Student Body Comments section of the meeting. He shared that one of his classes was taught cross-campus, bringing in Castleton students, but that the technical limitations did not provide a positive student experience. Without more cameras and microphones in the physical classroom, Hamilton said it was hard for his Vermont State Colleges System peers to participate in class discussions.
Provost Nolan Atkins was in attendance and said the administration is aware of these struggles and is working to resolve the issues across the VSCS campuses, especially with the merger on the horizon. “The technology that exists at Lyndon is different than the technology that exists at Castleton,” he said.
First year students’ concerns were also brought up in the meeting. Several students went to their Peer Leaders complaining about how hot the Alexander Twilight Theatre was, especially with the indoor mask policy, and how uncomfortable they were sitting through events during orientation and Welcome Week.
It was also mentioned by fourth year Curtis Bates that there are several courses scheduled during the Community Hour, a time reserved on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students, faculty, and staff to bond as a community. Community Hour lasts from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM and is when CAB events, Peer Leader and RA staff meetings, various ceremonies, and other events are typically scheduled. NVU Dean of Students Jonathan Davis mentioned that Student Life and other departments on campus are looking to increase programming during that time, so it’s even more important for classes not to be scheduled.
Provost Atkins, who is in charge of academics at NVU, said the university’s policy had not changed and no professor should be scheduling courses for that time. He told the Student Government he would look into the problem.
Finally, student John Currier asked about the NVU-Johnson COVID-case count. Johnson-based students were asked to go remote until Friday due to the spike in cases, and classes that traveled between the two NVU campuses were canceled. An email from NVU Interim President John Mills confirms that Johnson will resume in-person instruction tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7.
Reports & Presentations
Provost Atkins’ main reason for attendance at last week’s SGA meeting was to review the Learning and Working Community with the student leaders. The program originated from the $3.5 million donation NVU received from alum and Carhartt CEO Mark Valade and his wife Molly. The Learning and Working Community’s goal is to help fund and nurture out-of-classroom experiences for students, such as internships, service-learning projects, and student teaching.
Last spring, 29 NVU students received monetary awards, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, to assist them in their work. Around $50,000 total has been spent on students so far.
An endowment is going to be created to continue generating funds for these awards, Atkins said. In addition, other monies have been coming in from the Northeast Kingdom community to further fund students’ practicums.
The Learning and Working C0mmunity will continue funding internship-like opportunities every semester. NVU students received an email from Tracy Sherbrook on August 30 detailing the application process to receive awards. The deadline for submissions for the Fall 2021 semester is September 15.
Atkins hopes that this program will evolve over time to include research projects and “other kinds of meaningful working opportunities” students are interested in.
SGA Financial Controller Patrick Wickstrom also presented to the government regarding the general fund. The general fund currently sits at $60,220.15. Wickstrom said that some money has yet to be transferred into the appropriate accounts and this number is expected to change between now and the next SGA meeting.
Discussion & Action Items
The Discussion & Action Items portion of the meeting began with a 49900 Account request from SGA Executive Vice President Kaitlin Flannigan. The 49900 Account still has large funds waiting to be spent on student-suggested projects across the school. Flannigan sent a survey to all club representatives and asked them to work with their club members to suggest ideas on what the monies should be spent on. These surveys are due back to Flannigan by September 15 at 8:00 AM.
In the spring, some of the 49900 Account funds were spent to revitalize the disc golf course. The SGA approved funds for updated signage, landscaping, and new lawn maintenance equipment. Jamie Struck has been working over the summer on this project and is still working.
Davis spoke on behalf of Struck at the meeting. A logging operation in 2017 left behind more than was expected, and between the weather and online ordering delays, the overall maintenance of the course has been slow going. 15 of the 18 holes on the course have had brush cut back, making it easier for players to navigate. Davis said that the course should be finished by the end of September, with the new signage being installed in a couple of weeks.
The SGA also voted for students to serve on the 10% Committee, a small group that oversees 10% of the Student Activities Budget. In a unanimous vote, students Jesse Munroe and Alexandra Huff were re-elected into the positions, hoping to finish projects they started last year.
Autumn Chamberlin then stood and read a letter she had submitted to the SGA executive board about the proposal to disband Kingdom Crescendos. Chamberlin assumed the role of President of Kingdom Crescendos A Capella, or KCA, in 2019, and she said interest in the club has dwindled. COVID-19 made it near impossible for club members to truly perform together. The vote to disband Kingdom Crescendos passed.
Following that vote, Alexander Therriault, President of NVUnity, stood to request the disbandment of NVU-Lyndon’s LGBTQ+ alliance organization. NVUnity, too, struggled with getting students involved, and the remaining members could not afford to run the club any longer. The vote to disband NVU also passed.
Both clubs’ constitutions are archived on the SGA website and many interested parties still remain on campus. If any student wishes to bring new life into these organizations, or another that fell in the past, please contact the Student Government.
Student Malcolm Van Couvering, a transfer to NVU-Lyndon, then presented the SGA with an idea for a new club: Film Appreciation Club. With students Ben Bartolomeu and Ben Lake at his side, Van Couvering proposed the idea of students gathering on Tuesdays and Fridays to watch films and practice in-depth discussion. With a unanimous vote, the Film Appreciation Club joined the ranks of the Student Government.
Other Business
The VSCSA, a student governing body across the entire Vermont State Colleges System, will be meeting for the first time this academic year on September 8.
Homecoming, also known as Family and Alumni Weekend, is currently scheduled for Friday, September 17 through Sunday, September 19. Varsity and alumni athletic competitions, Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 processionals, and BINGO are just a few highlights in the weekend schedule.
Club & Committee Updates
The Dance Ensemble will be hosting a Just Dance Fundraiser on September 10 in Veteran’s Park. The competition welcomes groups ranging from one to four dancers with a $5 admittance fee. Spectators may watch free of charge. The winner(s) of the competition will receive an Amazon gift card.
MEISA is planning Oktoberfest for September 17 in Veteran’s Park, complete with a beer garden.
SAAC is currently planning their annual Save Second Base games and Trunk or Treat event.
Ski & Ride is looking forward to participating in this year’s Chili Cookoff
The Twilight Players are reinventing themselves, having an interim advisor and SGA Representative. The group is hoping to recruit talent for a fall production of The Country Wife and is also looking into hosting Improv and Open Mic Nights. 2021 will additionally see the return of the Twilight Players’ annual holiday show. Next month, club members will be working at the Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville for the Dead North event.
WWLR experienced some transmitter issues over the summer and recently, but report to be back on the air! The club is adding new songs into the automation for community members to enjoy.
The NVU-Lyndon AMS Chapter is partnering with the Climate Consensus group to host a Farmer’s Market in Hornet’s Nest on September 9. The club is also planning a hiking trip of either Mt. Washington or Burke Mountain for September 11. On September 14, AMS club members will participate in a Skywarn Training at 7:00 PM in the Moore Community Room.
Outing Club is planning a white water rafting trip on September 26 with limited seats. The club also plans to soon advertise rock climbing and mountain biking expeditions, all free to NVU students.
The next Student Government meeting is scheduled for September 15 at 8:00 PM in the Moore Community Room.
Feature Photo by Alexandra Huff || The Critic SGA Representative Pat Hamilton speaks on his concerns on remote/hybrid classroom technology.