Pinsker ’09 backs three SA bills

Fourteen senators were present at this week’s hour-long Student Assembly meeting and four new bills were discussed. Sen. Matt Pinsker ’09 introduced three of the bills.

After the meeting began with the reading and approval of minutes, Chairman of the senate Walter McClean ’09 sponsored the Blue Books Extension Act, a bill to continue funding blue books for professors at the College. The administration was supposed to take over funding blue books this year, but due to a miscommunication concerning administrative support, this is no longer the case. The bill would give $5,000 from the Student Consolidated Reserve to

Auxiliary Services to continue funding blue books for the 2008-2009 academic year.

In addition, the Student Assembly would give $700 from the Student Consolidated Reserve to Auxiliary Services immediately to fund blue books for the remainder of the academic year. The bill will be discussed in more detail and voted on in next week’s meeting.

Pinsker then introduced the first of his three bills, the Queen’s Guard Act. This legislation aims to reinstate the traditional performance of the Queen’s Guard at the annual King and Queen’s Ball, which will be held on April 18. The drill show was a tradition at the College and was only stopped in 2001 due to safety concerns, although there is actually no record of any injuries occurring. In addition to the connections with the College’s legacy of traditions and royal charter foundation, Pinkser argued that the new formation of the Queen’s Guard will consist of only about six to eight performers rather than 20, as in the former formation. The bill will be on next week’s agenda to be examined further.
Pinkser’s second act was the Mascot Recommendation Act. The act calls for the senate to strongly recommend to the mascot creation committee that a phoenix be named as the new mascot of the College, and that the mascot be unveiled at the first home football game of the 2008 season. Pinsker believes that “a mascot adds an exciting element to sporting events” and that there is a connection between the College’s history and the phoenix as a symbol.

The phoenix design created by Manual Guardian in “The College’s Choice” logo competition was popular among students, Pinsker said. The bill will be discussed further before being subject to votes.

The last act introduced by Pinsker was the Kegs Act, a bill designed to reduce waste and increase drinking-related safety. The basis of this bill is essentially to clean the campus of aluminum cans, their boxes and broken glass shards. The bill would call for the administration to alter its policy and allow kegs back on campus, provided that all state and local laws are obeyed.

It also charges the sponsor of this bill and the executive department of College policy with working with the administration to achieve this goal. This act, along with Pinsker’s other two bills, is subject to discussion.

After new business was addressed, Matt Beato ’09 made some public comments and then Sen. Caroline Mullis ’09 moved to end the meeting by unanimous consent.

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