PLENARY: STUDENTS NIX PASS/FAIL RESOLUTION, RECOMMEND BAR

At its annual plenary meeting on Sunday, Feb. 29, Bryn Mawr’s undergradute Self-Government Association rejected a proposal to recommend a credit/no-credit grading system for all first-semester freshwomen. The resolution was voted down after hot debate at one of the best-attended plenary meetings in recent memory.

Eight resolutions were considered at the meeting. Among those that passed were a recommendation to the College to open a bar to serve members of the Tri-College community; a request to create an online photo directory of students; and several changes to the composition of SGA committees. A proposal urging the College to offer campus housing to the minor children of students was tabled for a year pending the report of a fact-finding committee. A brief rundown:

• Resolution 1, the annual vote to reaffirm student self-government, passed 529-6.
  
  
• Resolution 2, limiting the membership of the plenary committee to six members and appointing a head of the committee, passed 486-16.
  
  
• Resolution 3, stipulating that no member of the Honor Board other than the Honor Board Head may serve on the SGA Executive Committee, passed 495-10, with seven abstentions.
  
  
• Resolution 4, recommending the creation of an online photo directory of students, passed 470-17, with seven abstaining.
  
  
• Resolution 5, recommending that all first semester freshmen be graded on a credit/no-credit basis, failed with a vote of 100-335, with 52 abstaining.
  
  
• Resolution 6, recommending that the College provide housing for the minor children of students, was tabled pending the report of a fact-finding committee. The vote for tabling was 443-14, with five abstaining.
  
  
• Resolution 7, which called on the College to open a bar on campus, passed by a margin of 257-94, with 69 abstentions.
  
  
• Resolution 8, which would have created a group of 10-20 leaders of student organizations, known as the Bryn Mawr Hooters, was defeated when it failed to garner a simple majority of the votes; the count was 181 in favor, 135 against and 96 abstaining.
  
  

According to the SGA Constitution, Plenary resolutions may, among other things, amend the SGA constitution, make recommendations to College administrators, override decisions taken by the SGA Representative Council, or enact campuswide SGA policies. Students who submit resolutions that recommend actions to the College are responsible for presenting the resolutions to the appropriate administrators in the event that such resolutions pass, but there is no formal structure for this process in the current constitution.

to Bryn Mawr Now 3/04/2004