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The Rice Thresher
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by Rachel Rustin Thresher Editorial Staff In an effort to make all students feel welcome at Rice, four students proposed a resolution at Monday's Student Association Senate meeting. The resolution, proposed by SA Treasurer Ben Horne, Wiess College Senator Ricky Kalra, Jones College senior Michelle Brand and chemistry graduate student Raj Wahi (Wiess '01), aims to make it clear that the senate is "a forum for students to voice personal concerns." "It's about letting Rice students know that the SA is a forum where they can come to express complaints about issues that are beyond the scope of the colleges, that maybe affect more than one college," Brand said. Brand was also one of the authors of last semester's complaint about college cheers. She said she knows people disagreed with the way the complainants went to the administration with their concerns, and she hopes this resolution could help prevent similar situations from developing. "I didn't know that the SA was a place I could go to to express concerns and have solutions and action taken by the SA," Brand said. While some of the discussion focused on whether a document should be developed at all, most of the debate was about what form it should be in, what it should say and what action it should be coupled with. The document was originally proposed as a resolution, but it will most likely be presented as a memorandum at the March 12 SA meeting. "A resolution says we don't necessarily do this already. A memo says that this is already our job, we're just notifying you," Sid Richardson College President Laura Rees, a senior, said. Horne, who presented the resolution to the senate, said many students are not aware that the SA can help them. "This is known, I think, by everyone in the room, but it may not be felt by everyone outside," Horne, a Wiess junior, said. Among those in attendance who supported the idea, there was disagreement about how to make sure students are aware that the SA is a good place to express concerns. Many felt that the document was a good start, but that much more was needed. "I'd feel better if it was actually setting up some way to deal with this, like forming a committee to address these issues," Hanszen College President-elect Erik Vanderlip, a junior, said. "Like going out and speaking with people with different opinions, things like that. I think that would be better for a resolution than just saying, 'We're representatives of the student body.'" Lovett College President Phil Alexander expressed concern that this type of document would infringe on the sovereignty of the colleges. "I don't want the SA coming down and dictating to me the way my college is run," Alexander, a senior, said at the meeting. "There are modes and lines within a college to address this. I worry about this possibly being used as a way to change the structure, for the SA to take more power away from the local governments." Hanszen sophomore Anthony Covington felt such a document is needed on campus. "I think a memorandum needs to be passed, along with the actions," Covington said. "I've spoken to several athletes and several people about the SA. ... They feel like the SA does not serve their needs. To come with a formal statement, and an action behind that, would say more about what the SA wants to do." Horne agreed. "It's not all we can do, but it's something we can do," he said. "There is a certain sentiment that the SA does not reach out to the students. I think the SA is more than willing to reach out to students. I think there's a lack of communication somewhere." Horne said he felt that many of the negative feelings toward the resolution were based on the fact that two of the four authors are running for elected offices. Horne is running for KTRU Station Manger; Kalra, a Wiess sophomore, is running for SA president. By not presenting the amended resolution until after the General Elections, Horne said he feels that skepticism about the motives of the authors will dissipate. After presenting the resolution to the SA, the four original authors asked for volunteers to help them amend the document. The group will meet next week and present an updated version of the memo at the March 12 SA meeting. In addition to forming a committee, suggestions for courses of action included asking senators to make announcements at their colleges and sending senate members to other organizations on campus to publicize the fact that the SA is committed to "creating an environment in which their peers are supported and welcomed." "There are students who feel like they are not a part of Rice culture," Vanderlip said. "I feel like that's wrong."
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