Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) President Sophia Seifert '09 offered an accurate description of BSG's meeting on Wednesday evening when she announced that members would "have a pretty light meeting." When she called BSG to order, Seifert suggested that someone "call a friend," a reference to the lack of initial attendance which left the body without a quorum. More representatives soon arrived, allowing the Government to get to work.
Most of Wednesday's debate centered on a proposal recommending that the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) allow first-year students, beginning with the Class of 2013, to rank their first-year seminar choices. This proposal was in response to the seminar selection process instituted this year, which does not allow prioritization. Discussion began with several anecdotes from BSG representatives regarding their personal experiences with first-year seminars, but quickly turned the conversation back toward specific elements of the pending measure.
Not all representatives agreed that returning to the previous system would lead to greater satisfaction among students with the seminars that they receive. Indeed, Representative-at-Large Rashá Harvey '12 stated his belief that "the system we have now is the lesser of two evils." Representatives brought up the idea of a hybrid system allowing students to either rank their seminar choices or continue with the current manner of seminar selection. This measure soon died due to a belief that it would not be technologically feasible.
Referring to the regular course selection process, Class of 2010 Representative Alicia Martinez summed up the general attitude in support of prioritization.
"This is the way everything else works?why shouldn't first-year seminars work the same way?" she asked.
Adding Martinez's sentiments in an amendment to the original bill, BSG passed the measure with three members opposed and two abstentions.
BSG moved on three other resolutions Wednesday in its penultimate meeting of the fall semester. Following through on a promise it made earlier this fall to pay for a massage to a randomly selected Health Center survey respondent, the Government approved $70 for this service. Members will choose the massage recipient later this week.
Representatives also approved funding for more discounted movie tickets. Vice President for Facilities Mike Dooley '10 announced a plan to limit ticket purchases to two per student at any one time. He hopes that this measure will regulate ticket purchases for larger groups and suggests that clubs seeking to purchase large numbers of tickets "request money through the SAFC so that other students can have tickets." Quickly put to a vote, this funding proposal passed unanimously.
Due to previous debate on most issues presented Wednesday, BSG adjourned its meeting after one hour. The body will meet for the final time this semester next Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.
This article was corrected on December, 30 2008.