SLC voting cancelled, no changes made

All proposed charter changs postponed until next year

The voting to approve proposed changes to the Student Life Committee's (SLC) charter, which have consumed much of the Committee's time this semester, was put on hold last week. This leaves the committee with the same charter that it had at the beginning of the semester.

Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole-Newkirk said the voting was ended after concerns were raised about taking a final vote over e-mail.

According to senator senior Devin Theriot-Orr SLC chair Gloria White sent committee mambers an email ending the vote. "She said she didn't have time and postponed the voting until next year," Theriot-Orr said.

White said she had no comment about the issue. She said she is busy finishing up work from this semester. White is leaving the College at the end of this semester.

Accociate Professor of Theater and Dance Jane Armitage said the voting simply got to close to the end of the semester. "It just didn't fly," she said.

The final proposed changes to the charter would have cut the size of the committee and given voting privleges to the dean of students, who does not currently vote. The propsed membership of the committee would be three students, three faculty, one Administrative and Professional Staff (A&PS), the dean of students and two associate deans of students. The committee is currently composed of 18 members.

Because the final meeting of the SLC this semester did not have quorum, those present wanted to get the final charter approved over e-mail before the end of the semester. After several members of the committee expressed concern over the final vote beng conducted over email Gloria White, associate dean of academic services and chair of SLC, decided to cancel the vote.

"Members of the committee objected to voting on email," Cole-Newkirk said.

Concern had also been raised by Student Senators that final changes to the propsal, specifically the proposal to give a vote to the dean of students, were added without adequat discussion or approval by the Senate.

Therior-Orr said he is frustrated by the way things turned out. "I hope that next semester the charter can be passed," he said. Theriot-Orr said he hopes next semester's SLC will be able to use the progress the committee has alread made to pass a new charter.

Cole-Newkirk said she was not disappointed by the lack of a vote. "I didn't expect the committee to finish at the end of the year," she said.

Aramitage was named chair of the committee next year. She said she found out she was chair when a memo was sent out with the membership of the committee next year, with her name on top. "I'll get over the shock in a bit," she said. "But I'll work my way through it."

Armitage said she plans to bring the revised charter back to the committee in the fall. "It'll make for some lively first meetings," she said.

"I'm excited that Jane is going to be chair," Theriot-Orr said.

Other faculty members of the committee next year include Chris Howell, associate professor of politics, Ron Kahn, professor of politics, and Armitage.