Minutes for the 2/26 CORSO meeting are now posted.

Minute for the College Council meeting on February 27th now posted.

A couple of days ago, all students in the College received emails from their class representatives. SG College Council as a whole decided that sending these emails out once a quarter might be a good way to let students know what issues SG is working on and what specific projects that each of us are pushing for. For example, in the Class of 2010 email, Jarrod, Rob, Ashley, and I outlined different projects we are currently working on to improve the overall UC experience - including Chicago Coalition of Colleges (CCC), an off-campus housing project, and a College-wide printing project among other things. I got a great response from the Class of 2010 which included interest in these projects as well as constructive feedback, concerns, and comments about other initiatives and ideas. Thank you to those who did respond to the emails! SG is curious to know how students felt about the emails. Were they too long? too short? Were they informative? Would you like to continue receiving these types of emails? Post your thoughts here or email them to your class representatives.

Your 2010 Rep,

Jay Kim

I am extremely pleased to announce that a new, part time, sustainability coordinator has been hired by the University. The official announcement:

We are pleased to announce that Eric Heineman has accepted the new part time Project Manager for Sustainability position at the University. Eric graduated from the Vermont in 2004, with a degree in Environmental Studies, and has since taken on a number of positions related to sustainable practices, technology, and education. While at the University of Vermont, he created and taught a course called “Ecopsychology” and worked as an organic farmer; since then he has taken on a number of projects and positions related to environmental sustainability, including co-hosting a pilot version of a new television show for the Home and Garden network and his recently completion of a course on LEED Certification for Schools and Universities, through the U.S. Green Building Council. Eric will also continue in his current position at Lincoln Hall Middle School, as a part time Computer Teacher, where he has created programs and outreach efforts related to sustainability and technology, such as a Zero Waste Audit and a Climate Change Teach-In.

We are excited that Eric will join us for the next six months, supporting the work of the Council, Facilities Services, and the Office of the Vice President and Dean of Students, in sustainability efforts on campus. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the Sustainability Council and Student Government in encouraging the University to further support this important work on campus.

Bill Michel, Assistant Vice President for Student Life and, Associate Dean of the College
Michelle Olson, Co-Chair of the Sustainability Council, and Director of External Government Affairs, Office of Community and Government Affairs
Zoé VanGelder, Co-Chair of the Sustainability Council, 3rd year in the College
Abby Zanarini, Interim Associate Vice President, Facilities Services

This is an awesome first step towards making the University more sustainable. Thank you Zoe and Michelle for pushing for this in the Sustainability Council and thank you Bill and Abby for making this happen. After Mr. Heineman has a chance to settle, SG and the Sustainability Council will set up a chance for students to meet him (probably with free food).

-Scott

PLAY FOR THE AAC CONFERENCE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AND A BID TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY

LAST SCHEDULED GAME OF THE SEASON VS. TRADITIONAL RIVAL, WASH U.

SATURDAY, MARCH 1 @ 1:00 & 3:00PM

YOU’RE INVITED TO COME OUT FOR A GREAT AFTERNOON OF BASKETBALL!

ALL FANS IN MAROON HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN CASH PRIZE!

My policy on the SG blog’s relationship towards the Chicago Maroon has, until now, been one of acknowledged disengagement. Frankly I didn’t want this to become a place for us to shout back at any perceived wrongs in reporting or editorials or what not.

And while we do keep track of when SG shows up the Maroon (see the links page), this has been the extent of engagement.

I’m going to make an exception in the case of Mr. Tim Murphy’s recent column. His analysis of the problem facing our community is precise and exact: Hyde Park needs a 24 hour diner.

Just some place that serves bad coffee, pancakes, and Mr. Murphy’s beloved bacon at all hours. Seems simple, right?

Wrong. In retail surveys, if recollection suits me, a diner ranks slightly behind a new grocery store (check) and slightly ahead of a place to buy socks. So if the administration realizes there is demand, why hasn’t anything happened?

The answer is that after asking every diner in the city of Chicago there’s been only one answer that is open at all hours: no way. Apparently diners don’t believe they could make money even with a “300 lb Gorilla”* like the U of C at its back. I do not know the exact reasons business give, but my guess is that it has something to do with foot traffic. We just don’t have a concentrated area of urban life in Hyde Park, especially one that exists late enough to attract this kind of business.

This doesn’t mean Student Government and the Administration aren’t working on it. This quarter six students, three undergraduates and three graduates, were appointed to an advisory committee with the task of helping the administration think about retail. They’ve been attending the community discussions which have been occurring and meeting regularly to talk about this issue.

What can you, the average student, do to make this happen quicker? First, stay in Hyde Park! Moving or visiting Lake View or Lincoln Park takes precious student money out of Hyde Park. Keep it local! Second, talk about what you want! We students (especially Graduate Students) are vital and important members of this community and the community discussion in Hyde Park should reflect that fact. Shopping at Roosevelt road’s Target and Jewel-Osco every weekend? Maybe you should attend some community meetings and tell your neighbors about the thousands of dollars which aren’t going back into our community.

I’m not say Hyde Park should become some sort of corporate jungle where local business comes to die. But Hyde Park should be reflective of student demand. And that can’t happen till we start making our demand heard.

-Scott

* At a Co-Op Board meeting last winter, a community member used this phrase to described the University’s presence in Hyde Park retail.

Before you ask about Chipotle, let me stop you. They also need high foot traffic and a large space (i.e. not Hutch), plus they serve alcohol (so not on 57th Street because its across the street from a school).

The recent Provost Report on Graduate Funding DRASTICALLY overestimates the cost of funding all current Social Sciences and Humanities students at the same level as new students for this current year and the next three years.

By $23 Million

How does this happen? The administration estimated the cost of adding a 5th year of coverage by including ~$36,000 in annual tuition. So calculating their cost to them, for students in Advanced Residence Year One as ~$36,000 + $19,000. In fact, Advanced Residence’s tuition is estimated on the bursar’s site to cost $15,000. This tuition estimate has been confirmed by the administration in light of this news.

If you see this spreadsheet it goes into greater depths explaining the math. The cogent facts can be summarized as:

• By mis estimating tuition, the administration overly inflated the estimated cost to support graduate students
• Whereas before it would have taken $57 Million over four years to support current Graduate Students at the same level of incoming Graduate Students, this amount is actually closer to $33 Million
• To cover Graduate Students for the next three years it would actually cost $17 Million (~$3 Million has already been pledged) where before it would have cost around $35 Million for the next three years.

Disclaimer: because our calculations are themselves based off the working report’s numbers, we can’t be sure of the exact figure on the bottom line. But it shouldn’t be wildly different from the $33 million and $17 million respectively.

It is extremely disappointing and disheartening that the Provost Report was allowed to be released with these bad numbers. Student Government hopes that this accounting error is not indicative of how serious the administration is focusing on this issue, and instead is just a simple mistake. Mistakes like these place a burden of mistrust upon this process and it is now on the administrations shoulder’s to bear and overcome this burden.

Substantive steps should be taken to show this matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness and that the administration will be one hundred percent truthful and accurate in all future reporting on this matter.

Especially given that four of the Provost’s recent proposals involve setting up new committees of inquiry. The veracity of these committee’s reports and of the information they have to work must be verified and guaranteed by the administration for future inquiry into these matters is to proceed.

This information was discovered thanks to the hard work of Daragh Grant and I was notified by our Graduate Liaison to the Board, Erica Simmons. Thursday the 28th, the Graduate Report Card on funding will be released on the main quads to respond to the Provost’s report.

College Council minutes for February 20th now available.

GC Minutes for February 18th now available on the Minutes page.

Since the emergency contraceptive Plan-B became an over the counter drug, the SCC has stopped directly supplying emergency contraception to students.  This was met with alarm in a Maroon editorial on January 25, titled “The Wrong Prescription”.

The Executive Slate met this morning with Dr. Bordenave, director of the SCC, and Celia Bergman, the Associate Dean of Students for Student Health & Administration Affairs.

The reason the SCC stopped offering emergency contraception was a budgetary and availability issue; the price nearly tripled once it was an over the counter drug.  Since the drug is widely available, students can get in at any drug store.  However, there is still an issue of paying for what tends to be an expensive drug.  The price can still be covered by some insurance plans if a student gets a prescription from the SCC and has it filled at a pharmacy.

Importantly, although emergency contraception may still work within 72 hours, the sooner it is taken, the more effective it is. Students should not wait for the SCC to open on Monday to get a prescription if they need Plan B on the weekend.

Both Dr. Bordenave and Ms. Bergman were very receptive about the possibility of continuing to offer Plan B in the SCC with a small student co-pay.  This would address the problem of availability and decrease the overall cost of the medication.