SLC finally passes B/D & S/M charter

Although the Student Life Committee (SLC) was supposed to meet for the final time this school year on Monday, its agenda was so full that members only had time to discuss half of its items before adjourning.

With a lot to accomplish in a limited amount of time, pending charters were the first topic of discussion.

Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman reported that members of the organization 12 Inches of Velvet did not show up to the charter subcommittee meeting, so their charter still cannot be passed.

The Oberlin College Debate Team (OCDT) charter was not passed yet either because not all members had read it. It only passed Student Senate the night before the SLC meeting.

"The concern is that members feel uneasy passing something they have not read," Stackman said.

Two members from the Bondage/Dominance & Sadism/Masochism (B/D & S/M) club attended the meeting to discuss concerns about their charter. B/D & S/M members recently had a meeting with a College attorney and the charter subcommittee to discuss liability issues.

"We learned a lot more about the group's intention and purpose and liability issues. They're really an educational group. The lawyer felt the more it focused on education the more it reduced liability. We have no problems with the charter as long as it's a discussion and educational group," Stackman said.

Committee Chair Jane Armitage, chair of theater and dance, reminded members that the previous year the group hadn't promised there would not be demonstrations.

Stackman replied, "The new constitution says no demonstrations. They seem to be okay with that."

Associate Dean of Students Ken Holmes asked if it was possible for the organization to change its name to the B/D & S/M Discussion Group.

Sophomore Sarah Fineberg explained that because its purpose is not strictly discussion, the group did not want to do that.

"They are also bringing in speakers, showing videos and making posters to educate the community about the organization, so they don't want to define themselves as a discussion group," Fineberg said.

Junior Aileen Seoane, the student liaison between the College and B/D & S/M, said, "It seems to me that if it's stated in specific terms in the charter itself that it's an educational group, that's unnecessary. I think that people think it's liability because they don't know the details of B/D & S/M. B/D & S/M is a lifestyle for some people."

Associate Director of Admissions Tammy Dowley Blackman was opposed to the charter passing because of the implications it could have on Admissions and the College's image.

"There will be some fallout from this. It means a whole other realm of possibilities of things to come. We would all be naive to disregard that," she said.

The charter was passed after being on the table for two years, although it was not unanimous.

Two changes were made to it before it was passed, however. The words "of any kind" were added to Article II after the sentence stating that the purpose excluded demonstrations and play parties.

Article VIII was changed to make it clear that if any changes were made to the charter, it had to go through the process of being passed again.

After the long process of passing the B/D & S/M charter, changes to the overnight guest policy were approved. The limit a student can host a guest was extended from three nights to seven.

"Our only problem with the policy now is people don't talk to each other. I'm suggesting harsher language is used saying students have to get permission from their roommates," said Associate Dean of Student Life and Services Deb McNish.

It was passed with the revision that guests can remain only with the permission of the student's roommate and as long as the guest does not cause an inconvenience.

Changes to the appearance policy were also passed, pending approval of the College lawyer.

The current dress policy was expanded to state that any function which has a dress code must make the code clear to potential participants prior to their participation. It is also stated that the College discourages the creation and application of dress/appearance codes unless they are demonstrably necessary to the function of the program.

With too much to do and not enough time, members did not have much time to discuss the proposal forms they are submitting to the General Faculty Planning Committee (GFPC), a process they have been working on all year.

SLC split into three smaller groups at the beginning of the school year to focus on issues of governance and organizations, pluralism and faculty/student interactions. After examining these issues, their task was to make recommendations for improvement to be sent to the GFPC as part of the second phase of the College's Long Range Planning venture.

Armitage and Professor of Politics Ron Kahn disagreed as to what form the proposals should be sent in.

"If you want the proposals to have force you have to submit them together or they won't be taken seriously. The weight of all of us is stronger than some of us. A document from four people is not a document from fourteen people," Kahn said.

Armitage disagreed, saying the subcommittees were formed so that the issues could be worked on separately and she felt that she did not know what the two groups she was not involved in had done. "We have met our obligations separately," she said.

Student senator sophomore Aaron Slodounik proposed that SLC submit a cover letter explaining their process and stating that they as a committee have approved of the document.

In the end his idea was accepted, but it was decided that another meeting would be necessary to continue discussion about it and cover the last two items on the agenda for which they did not have time.