Joint Committee could be a death sentence

Senate passed a funding allocation to the Drake Anime Club at Thursday’s meeting, but most discussion among senators dealt with the possible January term being discussed by Faculty Senate.

Sen. Ben Cooper announced that there has been a proposal by Faculty Senate to form a joint committee among students and faculty to further discuss a possible J-term, but warned that this idea could be a “deal breaker.”

“The idea of a joint committee sounds great on paper, but I think there is a danger that the momentum can be lost,” Cooper said.

Cooper went further by calling the idea a “death sentence” for the issue, which Student Body President Samantha Haas agreed with.

Sen. Reed Allen said that many faculty members, particularly in the business, journalism and pharmacy schools, are concerned that they would not be able to provide enough professors to staff a J-term, meaning that adjuncts would have to be hired.

Cooper also asked senators whether they felt that classes offered in a three-week J-term would be too academically rigorous. Most senators felt that a three-week term would be enough time to cover course materials reasoning that classes that would not fit into three-weeks would not be offered.

“Other schools have a J-term and it’s still three weeks and three credits,” Sen. Amanda Laurent said. “I absolutely think we could do it.”

Haas thanked everyone who attended the J-term discussion with Faculty Senate last week and encouraged everyone to attend the Faculty Senate meeting this Wednesday at 3:30 in Levitt Hall, where the issue will be discussed again.

Senate also unanimously approved a funding allocation to the Drake Anime Club for $350 to help fund their Karaoke, Café and Culture event.  The funding will be put toward food and publicity. The event is slated for April 13 in Olmsted Center.

Candidates for the vice president of student life position, sophomores Matthew Van Hoeck and Amanda Laurent, spoke during the meeting.

The election takes place online today on blueView.  Results will be announced at midnight Tuesday on Pomerantz Stage.  Van Hoeck and Laurent are in a run-off election, after neither received the 50 percent plus one vote requirement set by the Election Commission in last week’s election.

The winner will join Student Body President-elect Greg Larson and Vice President of Student Activities-elect Jessica Hamilton as the third executive officer around the table next year.