Callie Crossley on Fake News

Author: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

Throughout the week of April 3, producer, journalist, Oscar-nominee, and emmy winner Callie Crossley could be seen on Chatham’s campus. For three days she circulated through classes, met with student journalists, and mentored Chatham’s Black Student Union in preparation for a discussion panel. Her final act as a guest on campus was to venture to receive an award and help those who filled Eddy Theatre on April 5, make sense of an issue swirling through minds and news cycles: Fake News.

Contine reading

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

With the end of the semester fast approaching, the Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, April 9 was a brief one.

Dean Zauyah Waite—Chatham University Dean of Students—urged students during her officer’s report to attend Closing Convocation on Tuesday, April 14, saying, “please encourage your class to participate in this program.”

“We always struggle to get students to go,” she continued, reminding students that, “this is an event that honors you.”

She then went on to address the much talked about location changes for several facilities on campus.

While assuring the CSG that, “the comments that came through are going to be looked at,” she also made it clear that there really is no room for discussion at this time, as the changes that were presented are already underway.

She pointed out the construction that is currently occurring in the basement of Woodland Hall and in the former home of the Weathervane to emphasize this point.

Waite also added that in addition to the previously discussed changes, handrails will be installed on the pathway that runs past Dilworth Hall, and all golf carts will be required to take the roads instead of the sidewalks.

Additionally, she said that administration is looking into refurbishing the preexisting lounges and adding a 24-hour library space, as per the CSG’s requests.

In regards to the question of adding a convenience store in the new bookstore, which would allow students to use their flex to buy various essentials, Waite explained that the bookstore uses a different vendor than Anderson and Café Rachel, thereby making the use of flex in the bookstore impossible. However, she suggested the possibility that they could, “supply both items in both spaces.”

She ended by discussing the changes to the art gallery, saying that the new glass door between Café Rachel and the gallery will ensure that, “the art is being appreciated.”

After Waite’s report the conversation shifted to the topic of the recent student elections, which occurred earlier that week.

“One-hundred-and-fifty students turned out for the elections,” CSG Executive President Sarah Jugovic said, adding that the number increased from the previous year.

She further added that the CSG’s new constitution was passed by the student body.

Following Jugovic’s report, Phoebe Armstrong, Class of 2016 President and head of the shuttle committee, gave a report on the progress of the her shuttle survey, which was sent out to collect student feedback about Chatham University’s shuttle service.

Armstrong began by saying that the 142 responses so far are, “pretty good, but we can do better,” and adding that the results will be compiled during Maymester.

In her report on the progress of the Code of Conduct, Tahmina Tursonzadah, Class of 2017 President, explained that the document would not be finished in time to vote on it this semester, and instead moved to create a committee to look at it in the Fall 2015 semester. The Senate approved her motion.

The final point of discussion was that of the campus Wi-Fi, about which there were reports of widespread complaints.

Heather Black, Director of Student Affairs & Residence Life, responded by saying, “there have been specialists who are working 24/7 in an effort to address the issues.”

Waite suggested that students use the computer labs if they have assignments that need to be completed, and Black reminded students about the numerous hard ports across campus where they can plug in Ethernet cables.

“Timing is bad, you’re right,” she said, but added, “These are issues that were not anticipated.”

Upcoming events at Chatham include closing convocation on April 14, Senior Happy Hour on April 16, Sister Wars on April 18, and the Screening of Pitch Perfect on May 14.

Armstrong also plugged an event at the University of Pittsburgh entitled, “Fight for 15,” which is in support of raising the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, and will occur on April 15.

The CSG meets every Thursday, and all meetings are open to the student body.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

More changes are in store for Chatham University’s 2015-2016 academic year, with administration’s decision to “refresh” the color pallet to coincide with the University’s new identity as a coeducational institution, explained Bill Campbell, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Krista Terpack, Senior Graphic Designer, in a presentation to the Chatham Student Government at their meeting on Thursday, April 2.

The transition, “creates the opportunity to create a fresh look,” Campbell said, explaining that the graphic design company Ologie, which specializes in higher education, was brought in from Columbus, Ohio for the University’s rebranding.

The main question throughout the process, he said, was, “When you take away the Chatham College for Women, what do you do with purple?”

The answer that they came up with was to make purple the official color of the University.

“We modernized it a bit,” Campbell said, while passing around a print out of the new colors.  He further explained that the color gray would be added as an accent a color, in addition to a brighter, more complementary shade of green.

He also added that the class colors would remain, but that the different colors for the various schools within Chatham University would be eliminated, saying, “We want to be one University.”

Terpack went on to add that the University logo would also be changing, but only slightly.  The new logo will keep the same font, but it will be in purple, and they will tighten the letter spacing and implement a “heavier” typeface for the word “University.”

In response to a question from Skylar Wilcha, Class of 2015 President, about changing the signage across campus, Campbell said, “Over the summer we’ll be looking at refreshing things,” explaining that the process would be carried out in phases.

Additionally Alex Waasdorp, Class of 2018 President, inquired about uniforms for University athletics, to which Terpack replied, “Purple has stayed the primary color for athletics throughout,” adding that the athletic colors moving forward will be purple and gray.

The meeting then moved on to the topic of the relocation of several resources on campus, discussed extensively at a meeting with the space planners, President Esther Barazzone, and the President’s council the previous Thursday.

Sam Elbaz, CSG Vice President of Finance, explained that in response to the news, the CSG executive board drafted a letter to the President’s council and to President Barazzone outlining their concerns about the changes.

“This is a direct follow-up,” Wilcha added, explaining that everything in the letter was brought up at the meeting, but that they wanted their points to be put in writing.

Elbaz further explained that the letter had to be issued quickly given the short timeline for the changes, pointing out that work on the Carriage House is expected to start by the end of May.

The letter, which Elbaz read to the CSG, requested that they consider leaving the PCW Room as it is, updating the student lounges that already exist, adding more food options—including a convenience store in the new bookstore—expanding the athletics areas and adding more weight machines, creating a 24-hour library space with a restroom, and creating a student space implementation committee to oversee future changes.

As it stands, the decisions that were made, “did not leave much room for student input and suggested modification,” Elbaz said, pointing out that, “these spaces are, after all, for students.”

The discussion then shifted to the topic of the CSG code of conduct, which outlines the attendance policy, dress-code, and required attendance for campus traditions for CSG members, as well as asserting that the CSG in an “advocacy focused organization.”

After much argument over small details of the document, Phoebe Armstrong, Class of 2016 President, reminded everyone that the code of conduct is a “flexible document” and that it exists solely as an “outline on how you should be acting.”

Other points of note from the meeting included the announcement of a summer internship discount, which will lower the fees for student’s participating in summer internships from $700-$800 per credit, to $150 per credit for the first three credits, and $300 per credit after that, plus an additional $24 processing fee per credit. It was recommended that students with summer internships follow up with Crystal Vietmeier, Assistant Director of Career Development, about the discount.

The meeting also included an update from Elbaz on the Undergraduate Budget Committee (UBC), which granted two requests at its last meeting. Elbaz explained that Chabad on Chatham requested $2,100 and was given $1,300, and the Class of 2015 requested and was granted $980, leaving $7,254.01 in the budget. She further explained that the UBC would discuss next year’s budget at their next meeting.

The CSG meets every Thursday and all meetings are open to the student body.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

In an effort to pique student interest in the New Leadership Conference, which will be held at Chatham University from May 31 to June 5, Annie Guadagnino, Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics (PCWP) Program Coordinator, came to the Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, March 26 to speak about the program.

“The conference addresses the underrepresentation of women in politics,” she said, explaining that it focuses on politics, public speaking, advocacy, networking, lobbying, and campaigning.

The weeklong initiative, which is free for Chatham students, also includes a trip to Harrisburg, a social action project, and mock city and county council meetings, where students learn to, “speak clearly and succinctly,” and have to opportunity to meet representatives in the field of politics.

Guadagnino also made it clear that everyone is welcome to apply for the program, saying, “We’ve had people all across the board attend. This is not just for political science majors.”

After Guadagnino’s presentation, the CSG proceeded to the other items on their agenda, including the Undergraduate Budget Committee report from Sam Elbaz, CSG Vice President of Finance.

The committee began their last meeting with $9,930.31. The Student Activities Council requested $329 and were granted $230.30, and the Apartment Residence Hall Council (RHC) requested and was granted $160. However, it was later determined that the Student Activities Budget covers the Apartment RHC, meaning those funds were added back to the UBC budget, leaving $9700.01 for the rest of the semester.

The CSG also voted on whether or not to accept proposed changes to their constitution, which were discussed at length in previous meetings. The vote passed in the Senate with a   two-thirds majority.

At their next meeting the CSG will vote on their code of conduct–a document, separate from the constitution, which outlines such things as dress code and attendance policy. The document also includes a list of the Chatham traditions that CSG members are required to attend.  This list was shortened from previous years–a decision that some members of the Senate questioned.

“These [student run] events are generally under attended,” Elbaz said. “We should still make an effort to be there.”

The CSG also discussed the presentation on sustainability from Mary Whitney, University Sustainability Coordinator, the previous week.

In regards to the issue of composting at the apartments, Senate members were weary of Whitney’s suggestion of worm bins (composting bins with live worms in them that require a great deal of upkeep). Eir Rivera, a Class of 2015 representative, expressed the opinion that it is not a viable option at the moment, saying, “We cannot just keep saying, ‘Oh, Facilities will take care of it.’”

Others suggested giving incentives for people who do compost or simply promoting the composting options that are already available at Chatham by putting up posters with pictures that make it clear what is and isn’t compostable.

Additionally, the point was made that the focus does not have to be on the Shadyside campus.

“We already have a culture here where people take their trash and throw it in a dumpster,” Skylar Wilcha, Class of 2015 president, said. “But Eden Hall will be immersed in a sustainable culture.”

Other items of note from the meeting included brief discussions about the exorbitant service charges at the carriage house ATM, which CSG Advisor Heather Black said would be looked in to, and student complaints about the Wi-Fi, which Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, said IT was addressing, so students should, “stay tuned for an update.”

The final point of discussion was regarding the rumored location changes of on campus student resources like the post office and bookstore, none of which were confirmed at the time of the meeting.

“Why should we cause all this extra unrest,” Chloe Bell, Class of 2016 Representative, said. “Image how returning students will feel next year when they come back, and there are boys everywhere, and everything has moved.”

Elbaz agreed, saying, “I just don’t understand why there needs to be so much movement right now.”

Upcoming events at Chatham include Spring Carnival on April 4, the in-person Student Organization Forum meeting on April 7, Closing Convocation on April 14, Senior Coffee Hour on April 16, and a possible early screening of “Pitch Perfect 2” during Maymester.

The CSG meets every Thursday, and all meetings are open to the student body.

CSG meets with Board of Trustees

The Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, February 12 was cancelled in order to allow a few members to attend an invitation-only lunch with Chatham’s Board of Trustees, who were in town for meetings from Wednesday, February 13 through Friday, February 15.

Select students from both undergraduate and graduate programs at Chatham were sent email invitations to the event, which was held in Chatham’s Mellon Board Room on Thursday from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Students were encouraged to mingle with the trustees, and as everyone began to seat themselves for lunch, they were encourage to spread out so that there were at least a few students at each table.

Lunch was buffet style, and after filling their plates, everyone went back to their tables to eat and socialize.

After a few minutes of friendly mealtime conversation, Dr. Esther Barazzone, President of Chatham University, took her place at the podium to welcome everyone to the event and thank everyone for taking the time to attend.

“We wanted the Board of Trustees to meet some of the wonderful student leaders here at Chatham,” she said enthusiastically.

After Barazzone’s welcome, she introduced Zauyah Waite, Dean of Students, who said a few words of welcome, then asked the 15 students in attendance to each stand and “take a few minutes to introduce [themselves].”

The students then stood up one by one and took a few minutes to talk about their years, majors, interests, future plans, and involvement in organizations on campus; and each received a round of applause.

All had impressive resumes and accomplishments to recount from their time at Chatham, even if many cracked jokes about their uncertainty about the future.

Some students received enthusiastic laughter from the attendees, like Skylar Wilcha, who began her introduction by saying, “It doesn’t really make a difference whether I sit or stand,” in reference to her height.

After the introductions, Waite congratulated the students on their accomplishments, then everyone went back to conversing and enjoying their meals.

Throughout the event, the trustees showed a great deal of interest in the students, their feelings about Chatham, and their plans for the future.

“What makes Chatham special?” one trustee asked the students at her table. “What sets it apart?”

Some of the trustees, who were alumni of the University, were interested in knowing how the school had changed since their time at Chatham. They also asked students what problems they had and what measures could be taken to improve Chatham University.

The event provided an excellent opportunity for students to get to know the people in charge of making important decisions at Chatham University and for the trustees to meet the students that they represent.

The CSG will resume its regularly scheduled meetings on Thursday, February 19. All CSG meetings are open to the student body, and students are encouraged to attend.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

Despite the freezing temperatures on the morning of Thursday, February 19, the Chatham Student Government (CSG) gathered for their weekly meeting, where they discussed possible changes to their constitution.

After brief updates from the CSG advisors–during which Zauyah Waite, Dean of Students, announced that Heather Black, Director of Student Affairs & Residence Life, will be taking the place of Stephanie Reynolds, Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Residence Life, as CSG advisor for the time being–updated constitutions were passed out, and the conversation got underway.

The discussion began with the proposed changes to the Undergraduate Budget Committee’s (UBC) constitution which Sam Elbaz, Vice President of Finance, talked through point by point.

The changes included a different name and a shift towards gender inclusive language, as well as changes to policy if members leave the committee and an adjustment in allocations to provide more money for travel expenses.

The UBC voted in support of these changes on Tuesday, February 17. The official vote will be on March 19.

Following Elbaz was Tahmina Tursonzadah, Class of 2017 President and chair of the Constitution Committee, who moderated the discussion of the proposed changes to the CSG constitution.

The first talking point was the proposal to enact a rule limiting each CSG member to three late arrivals, at which point they count as an absence. The CSG was largely opposed to this measure, with many feeling that it was just another policing action.

“I think there should still be some leeway for life,” Class of 2016 representative Nicole Lyons said, citing her experience as a commuter when she mentioned that, “the 7:15 a.m. meeting is very hard to get to on time.”

Likewise, Erin Smith, Vice President of Communications, pointed out that, “if you actually look at the books, [attendance] hasn’t been a red flag.”

The next proposed change was to automatically adjourn meetings when they are attended by less than two thirds of the Senate, which is the necessary number to have quorum–defined by Robert’s Rules of Order as, “such a number as must be present in order that business can be legally transacted.”

Without quorum, the Senate cannot vote on anything, leading the constitution committee to feel that holding meetings without it would be futile.

However, the Senate once again disagreed with this point, citing the fact that issues can still be discussed without quorum, and votes, both formal and procedural, can be tabled for a later meeting.

As Elbaz pointed out, “the frequency that we hold votes is very rare.  We have a lot of discussions that don’t lead to voting.”

Additionally, Jenny Schollaert, Executive Vice President, brought up the point that the constitution is a “breathing document,” saying, “do we want to set everything so much in stone that we can’t change it later?”

The last proposed change was in regards to resignation and impeachments, neither of which are currently in the constitution.

The goal of these additions was to set some guidelines, and prevent abuses of power within the CSG.

This led to discussion about an incident last year in which a student was asked to leave the CSG without any formal proceedings; however Sarah Jugovic, Executive President, clarified this point by explaining that the student in question was issued an ultimatum, and she did not comply, thereby accepting her impeachment.

There were also discussions about leaves of absence from CSG, their maximum lengths, and whether or not individuals should be able to get their positions in CSG back if they return early.

This related, for the most part, to instances of study abroad. There was some confusion surrounding medical leaves of absence until Reynolds clarified that taking medical leave of absence means that the individual is no longer an undergraduate student and that coming back to school requires the student to re-apply.

After an hour’s worth of laborious discussion, the meeting concluded with the a few words from Waite, who spoke to the fact that the CSG was getting, “bogged down with bureaucracy.”

“What you’re doing is recommending managerial matters,” she said. “I want you to understand this very, very much: a constitution for the student government should allow you to 1. govern your Senate, and 2. advocate for the student body.”

“Focus on the big picture,” she said.

This point was illustrated at the very end of the meeting, when Class of 2015 representative Eir Rovira brought up the fact that the school’s compost issues were never addressed, prompting Waite to say, “That is what I’m talking about. That’s the actual advocacy issue.”

The CSG meets every Thursday, and all meetings are open to the public.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

Chatham University will be facing some staff changes in the coming weeks, with Assistant Director of Student Activities and Residence Life Stephanie Reynolds, Student Affairs Executive Secretary Kathy Ayers, and Head of Dining Services Pattie Malloy all accepting positions elsewhere.

“In higher ed, this is the time for movement,” Zauyah Waite, Dean of Students, said at the Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on February 5.

Reynolds’ unexpected departure comes after the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), “sought her out for her great work [in] civil learning and democratic engagement,” Waite said.

Malloy will still be working for Parkhurst Dining Services, but has decided to, “return to the corporate world.”

Dakota Garilli, a recent graduate from Chatham’s MFA Creative Writing program, will take Ayers place as the Student Affairs Interim Executive Secretary.

Waite, in her CSG advisor report, also mentioned that they are still searching for a softball coach replacement, that room draw will be occurring soon, and that the Board of Trustees will be meeting on Wednesday, February 11 through Friday, February 13.

Waite mentioned that the Board of Trustees have a lot of decisions to make, and Phoebe Armstrong, Class of 2016 President, suggested they come to the CSG meeting on Thursday.

Finally, Waite advised students to, “be careful out there,” as the campus is dealing with a lot of injuries due to the ice.

Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, then gave her report, during which she suggested that the CSG write a report on their feelings about the motto and alma mater debate for the Board of Trustees.

She also gave more information about the CSG meet and greet with the facilities staff, which will occur during the CSG meeting on March 5.

Jenny Schollaert, CSG Executive Vice President, reported that the most recent Student Organization Forum (SOF) meeting was a success and reminded students that the Student Organization and Leadership Awards nominations are available, saying, “the more nominations the merrier.”

Sam Elbaz, CSG Vice President of Finance, gave a report on most recent Undergraduate Budget Committee (UBC) meeting, in which funds were allocated to four organizations, leaving $14,048.81 in the budget for the rest of the semester.

Elbaz also mentioned that at their next meeting, the UBC will discuss constitution changes.  She said these changes will be brought before the CSG at the following meeting.

In class reports, Skylar Wilcha, Class of 2015 President, reminded the CSG about the “50 Shades of Rose” fundraiser to go see to go see “Fifty Shades of Grey,” occurring on Thursday, February 11.

She asked everyone to, “support your senior class,” saying, “Bring your family. Bring your Grandma, she probably read it.”

In her Class of 2017 report, Tahmina Tursonzadah, Class of 2017 President, mentioned their efforts to get hand dryers in Café Rachel and Anderson Dining Hall, in order to be more energy efficient.

The constitution committee reported continued efforts to edit the constitution, in accordance with the discussions of the week before.  Likewise, the shuttle committee was still getting organized, but reported that a survey should be going out to the students within the next week.

Towards the end of the meeting, Jugovic brought up the need for an election committee, chaired by a person who does not intend to run for re-election, to, “think about how we’re marketing the CSG.”

To this, Armstrong jokingly replied, “Therapy cats and Chipotle, they’ll be coming from all angles.”

The final point of discussion at the meeting was the Town Hall editorial, for which the CSG is still waiting for feedback from the administration.

The CSG meets every Thursday in the PCW room, and all meetings are open to the student body.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

With Zauyah Waite, Dean of Students, unable to make it to the Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, January 29, her advisor’s report was delivered by Stephanie Reynolds, Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Residence Life.

Highlights of the report included information regarding the HAVEN (Helping Advocates for Violence Ending Now) training, which will occur in the spring and which is compulsory for all students including graduate students and graduating seniors, as well as a reminder to, “be careful sledding.”

Reynolds’ portion of the report held information about the candidate presentations for the leader of Chatham’s new Women’s Institute.  She explained that three people presented, however one removed herself from the running, and that the students will be notified once one has been chosen.

In other news, Reynolds excitedly said that applications for the Student Organization and Leadership Awards will be posted on the Student Organization Forum Moodle page in February, and Reynolds encouraged everyone to nominate their organizations.  The winners of the awards will be announced at the end of the semester.

She finished by reminding students about Relay for Life on Friday, February 6, and the “Pack the House With 145” event on February 14, where everyone is encouraged to wear white and the first 150 people to arrive will receive a t-shirt.

In CSG Executive President Sarah Jugovic’s report, she discussed her efforts to fix the women’s bathroom on the third floor of the library, which requires a key to be accessed. She said she is working with Waite to resolve the situation.

Jugovic’s report was followed by that of Jenny Schollaert, CSG Executive Vice President, who spoke about the fact that many outside organizations host events at Chatham, meaning that students need to get their event request forms in very early in order to reserve space.

The topic of discussion at the meeting then shifted to the constitution committee, which is working to improve the structure of the CSG. Tahmina Tursonzadah, Class of 2017 President and chairwoman for the committee, explained their plan to eliminate one to two class representative seats from each class, and to split secretary and treasurer into two separate positions.

Her proposal received divided reactions from the CSG.

“With 2016, we’ve had such a hard time filling representative positions,” Chloe Bell, Class of 2016 Vice-President, said, comparing it to the Professor of Dark Arts position at Hogwarts.  “I like the idea of not having as many representatives.”

On the other hand Phoebe Armstrong, Class of 2016 President, spoke about the importance of the representative positions, saying, “People have the opportunity of being part of the CSG, without the responsibility of having a title.”

Sam Elbaz, CSG Vice President of Finance, agreed, saying that with the impending transition she doesn’t want to cut representation, only to have to go back and change it.

She then asked the representatives how they felt about the situation, and received a variety of responses from individuals who are enthusiastically in support of representative positions to individuals who think having three representatives is completely unnecessary.

Despite the variety of opinions on the issue of representatives, most of the CSG agreed that dividing the secretary and treasurer into two positions would be beneficial.

In New Business, the CSG discussed the Town Hall Editorial, which will include the administration’s feedback from the last town hall meeting. Schollaert read aloud the template that the CSG executive board drafted, pointing out that they were still waiting for the information from the administration and will add it when they have it.

One of the last points of discussion at the meeting was that of the mechanical bull, which the CSG will sponsor at Relay for Life. The question was whether or not people should pay, but as Elbaz, who used to work at a carnival, jokingly pointed out, “the number one rule of carnival workers: never give anyone a free shot.”

Most of the CSG agreed, and it was decided that they should have a competition, involving the bull, in which half of the proceeds go to the winner, and half go to Relay for Life.

In regards to the debate about the motto/alma mater change, the CSG decided to send a survey to the students, which should be coming out in the near future.

The meeting ended with a few brief announcements, including a reminder that the Vagina Monologues is February 13, the Class of 2015 is taking people to see “Fifty Shades of Grey” on February 11 as a fundraiser for senior gift, and the CSG is having an appreciation meet and greet with facilities staff sometime in the future.

The CSG meets every Thursday in the PCW room, and all meetings are open to the student body.

CSG discusses changing Chatham’s Alma Mater, motto, and more

The Chatham Student Government (CSG) convened an unusual meeting on Thursday, January 22, when the rules of governmental conduct were temporarily suspended to allow for a candid discussion about semantics.

With the coeducational transition occurring in the Fall of 2015, the government was faced with the logistical issue of whether or not to change the Chatham University motto and Alma Mater to ensure that they appropriately represent the newest members of the Chatham community.

After Jenny Schollaert, CSG Executive Vice President, read through the Alma Mater line by line, the Senate determined that it did not, in fact, use any gendered language–the only pronoun in it being a plural possessive.

“I think some people might think it’s too girly,” Skylar Wilcha, Class of 2015 President, said, but the Senate agreed that this was not sufficient ground to change it.

The motto was a different story.

The Chatham University motto, as it stands, reads “Filiae Nostrae Sicut Antarii Lapides,” which translates to, “That our daughters may be as cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace.”

While the quote clearly uses gendered language, the Senate seemed fairly opposed to the idea of changing it.

Eir Rovira, a member of CSG, pointed out that the graduate students who have been at Chatham for years already have never had a problem with the University’s motto.

“If we change all of theses things,” Rovira continued, “it’s like saying Chatham has never been a college for women.”

Others suggested allaying the controversy by attaching the motto to Chatham’s new Women’s Institute.

There was also a suggestion of changing the word “daughters” to something less gender specific.

However, when Erin Smith, Executive Vice President of Communications, took a poll to see who actually knew what the school’s motto was, very few raised their hand–an indication to the CSG that the issue is not a particularly pressing one.

Also on the agenda for the meeting was a discussion regarding the future of the Chatham University tradition of Fall Serenade, as well as the viability of Chatham’s current class colors moving forward.

In regard to the issue of class colors, the CSG once again seemed to be unanimous in their opinion that there is nothing gendered about Chatham’s current class colors of pink, green, red, and yellow.

“We have to create a culture where wearing pink or yellow or green is a normal thing,” Sarah Jugovic, Executive President, said.

Wilcha agreed, pointing out that, “we’re not living in the 60’s.  Men wear pink all the time.”

Gradually the conversation shifted to the question of whether or not the Fall Serenade was, “too girly,” which prompted a strong reaction from the Senate.

“This coming from Chatham, of all places, is kind of disappointing,” said one member.

In response to a suggestion that they change the tradition to something like a barbeque, Chloe Bell, a member of CSG, “Is a barbeque man enough?” She continued, “This is silly.”

Though many in the Senate agreed that the discussion was absurd, Jugovic pointed out that she was just trying to get a “temperature” for how the Senate was feeling about the issues, saying, “We, as a government, just need to talk about it and take a unified stance on the subject moving forward.”

She then mentioned that when Vassar College transitioned to coeducation, their color simply shifted over time from pink to crimson.

This made people question the point of even discussing the matter at all, with many pointing out that even with a unified stance, there is nothing to stop the administration from changing these things in the future.

This conversation came to a sudden halt when Phoebe Armstrong, Class of 2016 President, joined in to say, “That puts no worth to the 150 years that we’ve been teaching women to be leaders,” which received an enthusiastic response from the rest of the CSG.

Though the members of the Senate all felt similarly about the issues at hand, it was determined that further discussion is necessary, and as a result, no decisions on the subject have yet been made.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

The Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, January 22, began, as usual, with reports from the CSG officers.

This included an update on the Undergraduate Budget Committee (UBC) from Sam Elbaz, Vice President of Finance.

She reported that at there were three requests for funds at the last UBC meeting–an individual request, a request form Sigma Tau Delta, and a request from the Class of 2015–but only two were granted. The individual request was awarded $400, and the Class of 2015 was awarded $1,040. She also reported that the UBC will be voting on an issue with the travel funds amendments and that afterwards it will move to a vote in the CSG.

The meeting then took a turn when Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, moved to suspend Robert’s Rules–the rules of governmental conduct–in order to have an open forum discussion about the possibility of changing the University’s alma mater, motto, and class colors, as well as changing the tradition of the Fall Serenade.

The discussion was a heated one, and persisted for nearly an hour.

For the most part, the Senate seemed to unanimously agree that the changing these things would be an assault to Chatham’s 145 years of history.

With the meeting nearly at its end, Jugovic encouraged the Senate to move on to other topics, promising that they would continue the conversation in a later meeting.

The Senate then briefly discussed other issues around campus, including the fact that access to the women’s restroom on the third floor of the library requires a key from the PACE Center, meaning that it is only accessible when the PACE Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The irony of the situation was not lost on Chloe Bell–a member of the CSG–when she mentioned that, “the men’s bathroom next door is always accessible.”

According to Jenny Schollaert, CSG Executive Vice President, the issue was brought up to administration.

Also discussed was the matter of take-out boxes in the dining hall, specifically their inefficiency, and the fact that they cost $5.00.

“Why should getting food to go cost you $5.00 extra?” asked Bell.

Many brought up the idea of bringing back the paper take-out boats, which were supposedly removed because people were stealing food.  Several members of the Senate, however, attributed the food theft to the change in the location of the registers.

As Elbaz pointed out, before the move, “there were no issues at all.”

As a result, Jugovic determined that more study was needed before any decisions could be made.

Other ideas about making food more accessible were opening the McCrady Café–in the Athletic and Fitness Center–a few evenings a week, opening the smoothie bar in Eddy Theatre, and adding more options in Café Rachel.

There was also a brief conversation about the CSG bulletin boards around campus, and whether or not the CSG should keep them or give them to other organizations.  It was determined that more discussion was necessary.

The final topic of conversation at the meeting was that of the CSG sponsored event at Relay for Life.  After a vote, the Senate chose to rent a mechanical bull for the evening.

The CSG meets every Thursday on the PCW Room, and all meetings are open to the student body.  Check MyChatham for times, and any further information regarding these meetings.