The Bowdoin Orient

A funding request for next weekend's "Block Party" generated enough controversy at Wednesday's Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) meeting to send the assembly into an hour-and-a-half long executive session, during which all non-voting members were required to leave the meeting. In addition, several BSG members showed up to the meeting visibly intoxicated, some with red Solo cups in hand.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) discussed gender and sexuality on campus and the group's next step in the issues surrounding Credit/D/Fail at a bill-less meeting on Wednesday night. "I don't think we're going to be able to necessarily pass a resolution that will change the Bowdoin culture," James Harris '08 said regarding gender and sexuality on campus, "but having the discussion is something that's worthwhile."

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) worked toward its goal of constitutional reform this Wednesday, unanimously approving five amendments that could, after a student body referendum, significantly alter class officer roles.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) quickly and unanimously approved 16 of 23 constitutional amendments up for vote at the group's Wednesday meeting while two other amendments involved debate and tension among students, forcing the assembly to stay beyond its 10 p.m. automatic adjournment.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) approved three funding allocations during its Wednesday night meeting, including a $3,500 "Block Party" on May 2. The group also approved a $100 allocation supporting the upcoming "Exposure" art show and a Facilities Committee request for $600 to bring new television stations to campus.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) discussed a draft of Bowdoin's hazing policy with Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster at the group's Wednesday meeting. "My goal was to share a draft of the policy and listen to people's feedback," Foster wrote in an e-mail to the Orient. "If all goes well, we will have an expanded hazing policy as part of a revised social code beginning with the 2008-2009 academic year."

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) discussed plans to engage in regular conversations with faculty and administrators, as well as the role of the body's student affairs branch at its Wednesday meeting. BSG's plan to step up its engagement with faculty and administration begins today with a lunch discussion on distribution requirements. The lunch, which is scheduled to take place at 12:30 p.m. in Thorne's Daggett Lounge, will be organized as small group discussions.

Following Monday's faculty vote on Credit/D/Fail, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) spent part of its Wednesday meeting discussing the group's effort voicing its opinion on the motion (see story, page 1). Despite the faculty's decision, BSG President Dustin Brooks '08 said that BSG's presence at Monday's vote represents "the biggest student activism to surround a policy issue since 1993," when the faculty decided to abolish fraternities.

At its Wednesday meeting, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) unanimously approved a resolution outlining the body's official stance on Bowdoin's Credit/D/Fail policy with regard to distribution requirements.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) unanimously approved two bills on Wednesday concerning club membership activities policy. The two bills represent the division of BSG's original, single hazing proposal which the group discussed last week. After the split, the first bill outlines affirmative and unacceptable club practices as well as rules of conduct, while the second addresses the procedure for responding to policy violations.

At its Wednesday meeting, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) tackled a hazing proposal that would "provide guidelines for clubs and a process for concerns to be dealt with," according to the bill. Although the meeting directly followed Dr. Susan Lipkins's discussion of campus hazing, the two discussions were unrelated.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) approved a resolution on the funding of academic instruction on Wednesday at a meeting that also included a conversation with Judicial Board representatives and a rare executive session. According to the funding resolution, BSG hopes to direct students with "an interest in pursuing academic endeavors beyond those currently available in the curriculum" to the College's Academic Affairs division for funding.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) unanimously approved resolutions on Arabic instruction and language tapes Wednesday, ending two weeks of debate. The Arabic resolution outlines the benefits and problems that may be involved with Arabic instruction at Bowdoin. "Despite these concerns," the bill reads, "it is the opinion of BSG that the Academic Affairs division of the College should address these requests for the teaching of Arabic."

After last weekend's Red Jumpsuit Apparatus concert, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) discussed the Campus Activities Board (CAB) with the group's co-chair Jacqueline Abrams '08 on Wednesday. BSG also addressed two resolutions concerning academic affairs.

In addition to unanimously approving a set of revised Students Activites Funding Committee (SAFC) policies, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) welcomed two major campus figures to its meetings over the past two weeks. Tim Diehl, director of Bowdoin's Career Planning Center (CPC), and Kim Pacelli, director of the Office of Residential Life, attended the October 3 and October 10 meetings, respectively, for open forum discussions.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) held its Wednesday meeting this week in Smith Union's Morrell Lounge in an attempt to promote transparency and engage the student body. Over the din of ping-pong balls, espresso machines, and student chatter, BSG managed to careen through a Common Good Day budget proposal and discuss study abroad language requirements. This meeting was the first time BSG has convened in Smith Union, according to BSG President Dustin Brooks '08.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) cut straight to business at its first meeting of the year on Wednesday, addressing the issue of academic advising left from last year's agenda, while also discussing current issues and outlining goals for the year.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) will urge the College to create a committee that would consider responses to humanitarian issues around the world, the body decided Wednesday. Despite previous skepticism by some members of the body, the proposal calling for the Community Response Committee was approved unanimously.

Discussion with Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols and on Bowdoin's Darfur Resolution was the focus of Bowdoin Student Government's (BSG) meeting Wednesday. Nichols visited BSG for an open discussion on campus safety, and students raised questions about security issues, particularly the recent alcohol bust in Baxter House.

Bowdoin Student Government devoted nearly all of Wednesday's meeting to a lively but sometimes tense discussion with President Barry Mills, who attended to discuss campus issues.

An unusually long Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) meeting was also a productive one, as representatives discussed the proposed revised sexual misconduct policy with Associate Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon and unanimously approved a pair of proposals.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) reflected on its recent discussion with Dean of Academic Affairs Cristle Collins Judd and looked ahead to next week's discussion of Bowdoin's revised sexual misconduct policy during its meeting on Wednesday.

Secrets were at stake on Wednesday night, as Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) deliberated over students' confidentiality and went into executive session during a discussion about Dean of Academic Affairs Cristle Collins Judd's visit last week.

Despite relative progress in the nation's education system, school arts programs, on the whole, have recently been left neglected. Bowdoin sophomore Brandon Bouchard decided to confront this issue in his hometown of Caribou, Maine by organizing a committee called the Caribou High School Music Building Fund, a group with high goals and the energy and ability to achieve them.

Despite the medical advancements that people accomplish every day, sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS remain ominous and pressing issues that warrant the world's earnest attention. H2O, a campus group that formed last semester, strives to spread awareness of STDs throughout the Bowdoin community.

A relatively unknown but powerful organization on campus is the Inter-House Council, known as IHC.

While Bowdoin students spent the bulk of January interning, working, and more likely, sleeping in, students at hundreds of colleges across the country, including nearby Middlebury and Colby Colleges, were already back to the books, thanks to an innovative system called "January Term."