At its meeting on Wednesday evening, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) hosted Chief Information Officer for IT Services Mitch Davis for a summary of IT’s role in the Bowdoin community.
Davis announced that what most students would probably find as exciting news, that the Internet Technology Advisory Council (ITAC) has come up with a new proposal: an online order form for the pub that would alert students when their food was ready.
Davis’ talk focused on Polaris and “the iffy Wi-Fi.” With regard to Polaris, Davis mentioned that this was “the first time [IT has] done a full student launch. Our goal was to get through this without any major problems.”
He noted that from the feedback he has heard, registering for classes for the spring semester has gone smoothly.
Davis said that while the wireless connection has always been a problem, if students simply call him, he will respond and try to fix the problem as soon as possible.
He noted that while “the relationship with IT is very limited . . . [he believes that] the culture of Bowdoin is changing to become more tech-savvy.”
BSG’s regular business also included reports from various other committees and members.
The Committees for Student Affairs and Academic Affairs were pleased to announce the Uncommon Hour and Food for Thought collaboration event on November 21 at 8 p.m. in Main Lounge where Professor of Music Roy Partridge and Daniel Eloy ’15 will give lectures.
The Student Organization and Oversight Committee announced that it has chartered a mock trial club which will be participating in mock trials and regional competitions if it advances.
Facilities and Sustainability noted that there is now a whiteboard in Thorne—much like in Moulton.
In addition, the committee discussed the rise of airport shuttle rates.
BSG President Sarah Nelson ’14 noted that “we wanted to be able to pick people up from airport” whereas in the past people had to get an expensive taxi ride back to campus. David Levine ’16 noted that they “erred on the side of convenience for the individual.”
Allen Wong Yu ’14 mentioned in the Executive Committee report that he started a program called “Speak Up Bowdoin” where people can go online to a website and annonymously write any idea or complaint they have and other students can vote the remarks up or down. He noted, “it’ll bring together the random grumblings you hear on campus.”
Remarks that get a lot of “up” vote will get a green light by the committee to make those changes.
Nelson made remarks at the meeting, announcing that prior to the Bowdoin vs. Colby hockey game next Saturday, BSG will be hosting an event in Farley Field House at 7 p.m. with music and food.
She hopes that it will be a “cool, new way for us to approach getting people to an athletic event for the beginning [of the game] and a fun event for the student body as a whole.”
Nelson put in a final word about the bias incident and the programs that are already in place, noting “it is important that we take ownership of our community values and be thoughtful about what we want our community on campus to look like. Everyone should take the time to at least go to one of these events.”