It was back to business as usual for Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) Wednesday night, as representatives completed their first meeting in several weeks without a visit from a College official. Discussion centered largely on a proposal, initially introduced last week, which called for reform of the Judicial and Sexual Assault and Misconduct Boards' information dissemination process.
To reinforce the significance of both the Honor and Social Codes, the BSG Affairs Committee made five core proposals: that the boards provide a report semiannually, that they provide more specific detail of the circumstances and consequences of each case, that they send the report to the Orient, that they publish the report online and that they better educate incoming students about the codes.
Some debate occurred over a proposed amendment offering students returning from a suspension the opportunity to present their case to incoming first-years. Most members, however, seemed to concur with Vice President for Academic Affairs Sam Dinning '09, who said, "I don't think that putting students in more uncomfortable positions should be something we're doing." The opinion, without the proposed amendment, went on to pass unanimously.
BSG discussed several other items during its meeting, including its ongoing investigation of the Health Center. During the past week, President Sophia Seifert '09 and Vice President for Student Affairs Carly Berman '11 met with Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Margaret Hazlett and Director of Health Services Sandra Hayes to discuss student complaints surrounding Dudley Coe.
"Sandra and Dean Hazlett have never heard many negative complaints about the Health Center so far," said Berman.
Yet, as results of a recent BSG survey show, respondents recorded 54 cases of misdiagnosis and 21 cases of wrong prescription administered. Seifert stated that both Hazlett and Hayes were "disturbed" by these reports.
Representatives also turned their attention Wednesday to issues reported during and after the last two course selection processes. Members discussed a resolution asking that College committees involved with course selection make every effort possible to place students in their first-choice classes, particularly when space is available in those courses. This measure came in response to 23 incidences last year of students being placed into undersubscribed second-choice courses when their first-choice courses still had space available.
On a similar note, BSG introduced a resolution asking that the College reinstate the ability of first-years to rank their seminar choices. Members will vote on these resolutions after Thanksgiving Break.
Two funding proposals rounded out the evening. Members approved up to $1,500 for a "Social Issues Event" to occur early in the spring semester. Additionally, the body appropriated $400 for student massages during reading period. With this service, BSG and Counseling Services hope to reduce student stress at the end of the semester.