To browse through submitted requests, navigate to the SBC subpage of the WSA website and click on the link to the page entitled “View SBC Allocations”. This page will provide brief instructions and a link to a search engine within your e-portfolio that will allow you to sort through requests processed by the SBC.

The student activities budget is your money, drawn from the semesterly student activities fee levied on all students, and for that reason the SBC is firmly committed to complete transparency with regard to its actions.

What: Student-Trustee Gathering

When: Friday, November 20 from 5-6 PM

Where: Zelnick Pavilion

After wrapping up a three week long debate on Budget Priorities in the current financial situation, the WSA swapped one green agenda item for another. This past Sunday, WSA member (and Sustainability Officer) Josh Levine, introduced a resolution creating the ‘Wesleyan Green Fund.’

The purpose of the aforementioned fund is to create a pool of money that will finance initiatives that decrease the carbon footprint of the University, decrease waste, increase Wesleyan’s use of energy from renewable resources, and/or increase visibility of environmentally responsible practices on campus. (The money will come from an (opt-out) fee of $15 per student per semester)

Environmental sustainability is a priority for the Wesleyan University community and this resolution fulfills our commitment to environmental sustainability and makes available financial resources for the same. The resolution was passed by the Assembly with an overwhelming majority and will now move forward to the student body for approval in the upcoming winter elections.

Send Toni (azosherafata@wesleyan.edu) any of your experiences and recommendations for how to assess and document campus climate issues, and finally what you think can be done to solve these issues!

But what is it actually like? We meet once weekly with you fine folk, group leaders ranging from Argus editors seeking the big bucks for a major twice-weekly publication to the contacts from groups like the Wesleyan Whiskey Collective, who just want to drive to a distillery to see their favorite beverage brewed. In doing that for hours every Monday afternoon, you learn to appreciate the passion each leader has for their groups. People who clearly have put in an outstanding amount of time and effort deserve praise for going out of their way to make Wesleyan a better, more interesting place, and we make sure we tell them that. Which might explain the connectedness us SBC’ers feel for one another. We have all become, by proxy, the voices for these groups within the larger WSA. Having heard each group present a worthy argument, we feel it is our duty to help keep student life active on campus. We want everyone to know that we are not an obstacle to overcome, but a friend to call on. If you ever need help with your group, the SBC will be fighting for you all the way. Together.

ASHA is leading a sexual health workshop in Connecticut public and private schools which will include a condom demonstration using the dildos. The request was fully-funded. Kudos ASHA for raising sexual health awareness!

Going off-campus for Thanksgiving Break? Take a Wesleyan shuttle (schedule below)! You can pay in person at the Usdan box office .

Also––under the “Student Life at Wesleyan” section in your ePortfolio is the Rideboard, where you can arrange to hitch a ride (or request to hitch a ride) to various locations from other students.

Shuttle Times:

New Haven Shuttle, $9 each way

Tues, 11/24: To New Haven, 10am & 2pm

Wed, 11/25: To New Haven, 10 am

Sun, 11/29: From New Haven, 11am & 4pm

New York City and Boston, $20 each way

Tues, 11/24: To NYC (Grand Central Station) or Boston (South Street Station), 5pm

Sun, 11/29: From NYC (Grand Central Station) or Boston (South Street Station), 3 pm

Bradley Airport, $25 each way

Tues, 11/24: To Bradley, 5:45am, 12pm & 4:30 pm

Wed, 11/25: To Bradley, 5:45am & 12pm

Sun, 11/29: From Bradley, 1pm, 6pm & 10pm

The Green Fund would be an important step forward in furthering Wesleyan’s commitment to sustainability. Following many of our peer institutions, Wesleyan would implement an optional increase of the student activities fee to finance the long-term ecological goals of the university.

The budget priorities debate will draw to a close as we discuss the specifics of the reorganization of academic departments as well as propose new possibilities for income. As always, outside ideas are more than welcome.

Last on the agenda is the first of the academic issues series, during which will discuss different aspects of academics at Wes.

As usual, a boisterous night awaits!

Post written by Organization & External Affairs member Alexander Hoyle ‘13

- Written the Green Fund resolution, with the help of others.
- Worked with the Green Building Committee, and helped create policy for university to only purchase Energy Star appliances.
- Expanded Do It In The Dark to program houses (as opposed to only senior houses).
- Helped put on Climate Project presentation with Jeff Wolfe P’11,’12 (http://www.theclimateproject.org/)(http://grosolar.com/the-grosolar-team/)
- Put on an Activism Skills Workshop (11/8) (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149755493179#/event.php?eid=160701940865&ref=mf)

Congratulations Josh! You make us so proud!

Having passed a resolution that any cut to financial aid is unacceptable, the WSA had a long but productive debate on -

Eliminating subsidies for WesPress, WESU & Green Street Art Center (over a Five Year Period)

Reductions in the Major Maintenance, Co-curricular and Athletics Budgets

Reductions in Library Acquisitions, Discretionary budgets and Graduate Programs

Reorganizing of Academic Departments

Increasing Faculty teaching loads

Freezing Faculty Dependent Tuition Benefits, and another year of salary freezes

Elimination of Staff positions through attrition

The 3 ½ hour meeting had moments of passion, and moments of clarity, but the final outcome was the general feeling that everything is really on the table, at least for a discussion. Every one of these proposed cuts is painful, but every one of these areas can make a reduction in excesses and save some amount of money, perhaps large, perhaps small.

Tonight the WSA will be continuing its discussion on Budget Priorities. Come have your voice heard in Usdan 108 at 7 PM.