By Erin Kamel
Staff Writer
The College’s Committee on Academic Affairs sought testimony on two potential policy changes for dual majors and learning assistants at the Student Government meeting on Nov. 15.
The first policy change will allow students with dual majors to have two courses that count for their majors also count toward their minor. This policy change is expected to be in effect at the start of the next academic year and will not apply to students with a double major.
The second policy change addresses the roles and responsibilities of learning assistants at the College. The policy will include a statement that learning assistants are expected to enhance the learning experience at the College and do not have the authority to grade students.
SG came to a general consensus that the language in the policy distinguishing the distinction between teaching assistants and learning assistants at the College needs to be made clearer.
The Student Feedback on Teaching task force requested feedback from SG regarding the student feedback request forms sent out at the end of each semester, since the response rate has dropped by 50 percent, according to Cathy Liebars, the vice president of the Student Feedback on Teaching task force and an associate professor of mathematics.
Student request forms ask students for demographic information, feedback on professors and questions about course material at the end of each semester.
Cassandra Kriegel, SG’s vice president of student services and a junior English and secondary education dual major, said some students were uncomfortable with how feedback goes straight to the professors. Kriegel also said some students find some of the questions, such as questions that ask how interesting a mandatory class is, to be nonessential.
Baldween Casseus, SG’s vice president of diversity and inclusion, expressed concerns regarding how time-consuming the feedback forms are. She also raised the issue that because the feedback is requested at the end of the semester, the students are not able to benefit from the potential impacts of their feedback.
The task force took SG’s comments into account for improvements with their feedback forms.
SG also proposed two bills to be voted on at its meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
The first bill is to enhance transparency between SG and the campus community by allowing for a public voting record indicating how each member of SG voted on a bill or resolution. The second bill is to correct rollover SG participation points from spring to fall semesters.
SG passed two bills that were introduced at last week’s meeting.
The first bill was introduced to modify qualifications of voting members of the governmental affairs committee. The second bill will ensure that individuals who experience extreme personal circumstances can remain active members of SG despite attendance issues.
SG approved the Strategic Communications club for official student organization recognition. SCC maintains a base of 11 members, and offers students opportunities for networking, mock interviews and LinkedIn workshops.
SG did not approve the Plan of Action club for recognition. POA maintains a member base of 21 official members, and aims to benefit the Ewing and Trenton communities.
The club’s founders refer to the organization as a leadership-focused service club.
POA plans to use small fundraising events throughout the year to support one large annual charity of the club’s choice.
SG agreed that while the club’s ideas are valuable for serving the community, the club is not yet ready for official recognition.
