At their meeting this week, the Student Council (StuCo) heard and approved changes to the Witness Theater's constitution. Also approved were StuCo bylaw changes which allowed for the addition of a StuCo member to the Arts Certificate Committee.
Both Justine Olin, president of Witness Theater, and Jessica Kajfasz, Witness Theater treasurer, attended the meeting to present the proposed modifications. According to Olin, the changes established a Witness board hierarchy, added a new position of technical director, provided procedures for both conducting elections and filling vacancies, promoted fairness and confidentiality in casting procedure, and established the Witness Writer's Guild.
According to Treasurer and Student Activities Commission (SAC) Chairperson Elise Roecker, the changes had already been approved by members of the SAC Executive Board.
"The SAC Executive Board found all [changes] in agreement with our own constitution," said Roecker.
Olin told StuCo members that the impetus for the amendments centered on the fact that the constitution "hadn't been changed since it was originally written" at the group's founding.
"Over the years, we found that certain things work better these ways than they were before," said Olin.
According to Olin, the Witness Theater group had voted unanimously to approve all changes.
The motion to approve the amendments was passed by StuCo members after a vote.
Also approved at the meeting were proposed bylaw changes, which stipulate the inclusion of one StuCo member in the newly formed Arts Certificate Committee.
The committee structure will also include the Performing Arts liaison of the SAC, as well as three appointees from student arts groups. According to Roecker, the student appointees will represent the three categories of performing arts: dance, music and theater.
Senior Vice President Sarah Cummings told StuCo members that Senior Secretary/Treasurer Tara Feehan and students from various arts groups had worked in conjunction with the Director of the Homewood Arts Program, Eric Beatty, to examine the structure used by other schools with similar programs. Cummings was involved in planning for the Arts Certificate last year, and Feehan will serve on the committee this year.
"We looked at five or six schools on the same level [as Hopkins] and took out a number of qualifications we think are reasonable," said Cummings.
According to Cummings, the planning for the new certificate "is really on a roll ... [and] a long time in coming for this campus."
Most of the details of the certificate have "already been hammered out," according to Vice President of Institutional Relations Noel De Santos, but the criteria for eligibility are still in the planning.
"[The Arts Certificate] is a great stride at Hopkins ... [and] a testament to the diversity on campus," said De Santos.
Commenting on the status of the new exam reserve system, StuCo President Manish Gala said that he had met with various department chairs, who were "very receptive to all [of StuCo's] concerns." Gala reported that some faculty members planned on compiling old exams and handing them over to StuCo. According to Gala, "a lot of exams should be up [online] shortly."
Sophomore Representative Charles Reyner discussed efforts to improve the van escort service and the lighting on campus.
"We are working on checking why there aren't many vans on Friday and Saturday nights ... [and] are compiling a list of places [where] we want lights," said Reyner.
Roecker also commented on the van escort service, informing StuCo members that she had met with Dean of Student Life Susan Boswell to discuss the possibility of obtaining more vans. According to Roecker, parking space is a main concern.
Roecker also reported that signs had been placed on various locations around campus that read, "Stop taking down posters." Roecker believed that the message was in regard to the SAC's new postering restrictions and subsequent removal of illegally placed signs and posters.
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