An increasing number of Senators missing from weekly meetings prompted discussion on a way to prevent further absences. Senators also decided to draft a proposal asking the college to not participate in the U.S. News and World Report's annual college ratings.
Although five senators were absent from Sunday's meeting, some senators have begun to question the Senate's absence policy. The current rule allows a senator three strikes before a senator's out. Senator sophomore Susan Dennehy proposed that the policy be changed to eliminate a senator after the first offense. "That seemed harsh," said senator sophomore Chuckie Kamm.
Senators decided against introducing any draconian measures, choosing instead to work on clarifying which excuses are valid. "We're doing a whole lot better than last year," Kamm said.
Members of Senate also discuss the e-mail they received last week from a group of students at Stanford University who are organizing to end the annual college rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. The students at Stanford believe that colleges will change with an eye on their ranking rather than their students, according to Kamm. Senators decided to formulate an official proposal asking Oberlin to bow out of the annual ratings.
Senate closed the meeting by breaking into workgroups to discuss academic advising, Winter Term, meal plans and the Domestic Policy.
Senator sophomore Drew Terenzini, the organizational senator from Oberlin Gamers' and Roleplayers' Establishment, resigned from Senate because of work commitments.
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