TRANSPARENCYREPORT

FALL 2021

329th SessionWilliam & Mary Student Assembly

President Meghana Boojala ‘22Vice President Zenobia Goodman '22Chief of Staff John Cho ‘23Senate Chair Owen Williams ‘23

LETTER FROMEXECUTIVE

Dear Students,

When our administration began the 329th session of the Student Assembly, we were devoted tosolving real, relevant problems that students face with strategic solutions. We wanted totranslate lofty goals into tangible outcomes for the community.

As students ourselves, we find that this work is incredibly fulfilling, but also challenging. Weconstantly face setbacks and run into dead-ends, but we have continued to make progress involatile and uncertain times. Although it is customary for the Student Assembly to release an in-depth annual Transparency Report in the Spring, we wanted to provide you with a synopsis ofthe work we have done so far at the end of this semester.

Many of the milestones mentioned in this report are long-term goals gradually translating intoreality and are successes that we have worked tirelessly towards — we know that many issueswe are trying to address will take years to resolve, but we have learned to celebrate every smallstep in the right direction. We request you hold us accountable and work with us as we navigateour college experiences together.

Some of our overarching initiatives created spaces for candid conversations with students,Student Assembly, and administrators. Our Town Halls on COVID-19 and DEI resulted in newideas and reform supported by members of administration. SA has coordinated with the Provost,the Dean of Arts & Sciences, and the WMPD to create student advisory groups, where a diversegroup of students elevate relevant issues from the student body to high-level administratorsand officials that can enact transformative change. These initiatives, along with the projectsdetailed in this report, are the wide-ranging highlights from the academic year so far.

We are deeply inspired by all the students who bravely stand up for their values and beliefs. Weare thoroughly grateful to our community partners for working with us to solve issues oncampus.

We are a part of the Student Assembly because we want to give back to the community thatgave so much to us. We are thankful that we have this opportunity. Please do not hesitate toreach out to us with questions, concerns, or ideas.

Sincerely,The Student Assembly of William & Mary

The Academic Diversity Project is a part of SA’s The Plan to TackleSystemic Racial Injustice on campus. Through this project, we areworking with administration and various faculty to implement tangiblechanges in the classroom and within other programs on campus.Examples of these objectives were submitted in a working groupproposal sanctioned by the Provost and include editing courseevaluations, increasing Coll 350 enrollment seats, and advocating forthe hiring of more diverse facultyConducted two rounds of the Academic Climate and CurriculumSurvey and is currently working on analyzing, synthesizing, anddisseminating results to stakeholdersServed as representatives on the Pass/Fail Committee to reform policyWorking to forge future partnership with the Democracy Initiative. Working on increasing diversity within STEM fields with the CohenCareer CenterConsulting to cancel classes on Election Day in future years

The Department of Academic Affairs is centered around improving theclassroom experience for students through advocating for stress-alleviating academic policies, flexibility on Election Day, and increased DEIin the classroom. The long-term, large-scale projects have required SA tobe resourceful and creative with creating working connections on campus:

DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SECRETARY: MARY KARDOSDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: MEL ONWUSIKA, ANNA PETERSON, TARUNCHANDRASEKAR

DEPARTMENT OF COLLEGE POLICY & STUDENTRIGHTS

SECRETARY: LAUREN MILLER DEPARTMENT MEMBERS: AIDEN GOSSETT, AMANDA GILL, EVANABNEY, LAUREN GRAF

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SAFETY

SECRETARY: AMELIA GROSSMANDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: EMMA HERBER, NATALIE ZYBLUT, JAI SONI, KATE MURPHY

Served on the Conduct Council Selection Committee to help interviewand appoint new membersAdvised the Honor Council to reform their selection process. Advocated for expanded sexual assault training for studentorganizationsSupported the Student Rights Initiative in bridging resources andconnections

The Department of College Policy & Student Rights has continued itscommitment in ensuring the protection and advocacy for the rights of allstudents at William & Mary

Worked with the Senate to pass legislation to provide funding for freepregnancy testing and emergency contraceptivesSolicited student feedback on mental health resourcesTo ensure that SA upheld the same values of self-care and wellnessthat we promoted, we began weekly initiatives so our members couldconnect and engage in meaningful wellnessSupported campus-wide Seize the Awkward and Let’s Get Consensualcampaigns

The Department of Health & Safety has been working diligently this pastsemester, in partnership with campus stakeholders, to advocate forimproved access to resources and information for students

Griffin on the Go Instagram promotion where we highlight visible SAcontributions to campus such as the traffic flashing beacon lights andthe free menstrual productsIncreased Student Assembly presence on social media so students getto know the people within SA, not just the institutionUpdating and constantly modernizing our website so that we aretransparent with our internal initiativesConducting increased outreach regarding elections so that we havediverse candidates and higher voter turnoutSoliciting homecoming t-shirt designs to involve talent within thestudent body with outreach effortsDesigning and funding pronoun pins for all students on campus. Weare currently printing more due to high demandConducting outreach on SA’s Town Hall series so that a diverse rangeof students, representative of the student body, attend the eventWorking on intensive website redesign and innovating outreachmethods that are more accessible to students

This semester our primary focus has been to increase connection betweenstudents and the Student Assembly. The Department of Outreach isincreasing awareness regarding SA initiatives and at the same timeorganizing venues for students to voice concerns directly with SAmembers. Some noticeable initiatives this semester include:

DEPARTMENT OF OUTREACH

SECRETARIES OF GRAPHICS AND CAMPAIGNS: ABBY VARRICCHIO ANDMIKAYLA FULCHERDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: ELLIE BOWMAN, DALY MARTORANO,ISABELLA STRAUSS, DAIWIK MUNJWANI, ANUP RANJAN, JUSTIN KELLY,MONICA BAGNOLI, ABDI HASSAN, CYDNEY HELMS

Debated and structured new, more flexible guidelines for organizationsCreated an infrastructure that follows a quarterly application system sothat organizations can apply as needs ariseSimplified the application and approval processAligned guidelines and workflow with the needs of organizations, ratherthan historical precedentsThe new guidelines and Code will be presented to the Senate byFebruary 1st, 2022The Department will begin training and educating organizations nextsemester

During the last academic year, the Student Assembly passed legislation toreform the entire process of allocating the Student Activities Fee to fundRegistered Student Organizations on campus. The purpose of the reform,the first in over two decades, is to make SA funding more equitable andapproachable for all student organizations on campus, regardless of size ormission. Since then, the Department of Finance has:

Along with reform, the Department of Finance has been helpingorganizations with funding current activities and events.

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

SECRETARY: SULEIMAN TAHIRDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: MARIE THOMAS-SINDEH, KUSHALI PATEL,SOPHIE HALKETT, DIANA TIAN

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SECRETARY: BRYCE EARLEYDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: ELLA COLBERT, JEREMIAH FOLTZ

DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT LIFE

SECRETARY: KIRSTEN KNISELYDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: ELIJAH POETZINGER, ALEX CHONG, MAXBERCKMUELLER, SOPHIE BRUNS

Worked on programming to implement and educate students on theCommunity Values PledgeAdvocated for dedicated parking spaces in front of the Sadler Center forpharmacy, counseling, and health center appointmentsPlan to implement “Welcome Back” initiatives next semester providing freerefreshments, recreational activities, and food for students

This past semester, the Student Assembly has been working to engage andreestablish student life and our sense of community. We have utilized newlycreated liaison positions with various campus organizations and studentpopulations to ensure that concerns and feedback are appropriately receivedand elevated. This semester, the department has:

The Cohen Career Center: The Department is collaborating with the CohenCareer Center to discuss ways to increase student engagement andknowledge of off campus employment opportunitiesCity of Williamsburg: As members of the Williamsburg community, we find itnecessary to create and foster a relationship with the city of Williamsburg.Through this, we have gained knowledge of City Council initiatives and areactively working on making off-campus living fair and safe for studentsBonding Events: We began preliminary meetings with Student Unions &Engagement to begin asking about class-wide bonding events as a way toincorporate the broader student community into campus-wide discussions

The primary focus of the Department of Public Affairs dealt with off campusemployment and the community labor shortage, relationships with the City ofWilliamsburg, dining services, and other initiatives:

DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY

SECRETARY: TAIMA AL-IRIANI DEPARTMENT MEMBERS: SYDNEY THAYER, TATE STEVENS, UBAIDKAZIANGA, ALLISON DORSEY

DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT LIFE

SECRETARY: KIRSTEN KNISELYDEPARTMENT MEMBERS: ELIJAH POETZINGER, ALEX CHONG, MAXBERCKMUELLER, SOPHIE BRUNS

Advocate for campus departments to utilize electric-powered tools andvehicles Create partnerships and relationships with organizations with similarsustainability goalsReceive a plot at the campus gardenPartner with SA’s Period Project to promote the use of reusable feminineproductsAdvocate for more outdoor seatingInvest in four more strategically placed compost bins in remote areas oncampusIndexing courses related to sustainability before Fall 2022 course registrationWork towards creating a working group to connect students passionateabout sustainability projects

The Department of Sustainability focuses on multifaceted sustainability goals.This past session, the department has created numerous new projects whilecreating partnerships with other SA departments and stakeholders on campus.Some current and future projects include:

ATTORNEY GENERAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL: RORY FEDOROCHKO

Explained impeachment procedures to the SenateFiled a complaint about an illegal Senate closed session, resulting in afavorable Review Board rulingProvided individual legal counsel and assistance to Senators and Cabinetmembers on bills and initiatives

The role of the Attorney General ensures that the Student Assembly fulfills theresponsibilities detailed in its Constitution and Code through presentations,emails, and verbal reminders.

Working to develop a digestible, short newsletter for the student bodyincluding local events of interest, internships, local government andelections informationProvided funding for research, travel, and workshops for The Plan toTackle Systemic Racial Injustice at W&MPassed legislation that forges tangible connections between SA andthe student body and funds outreach efforts, created specialized fundsfor students and student organizations to fund projects of theirpersonal interests and meet direct needsFunded advertisements for flu shots and HPV vaccinesInitiated and executed a finance reform process that moves StudentAssembly and all funded registered student organizations to aquarterly budgeting system that aims to increase the accessibility offunding for student organizations and allow for greater flexibility in theplanning and execution of club activities and eventsFully funded the Steer Clear safe-ride system to restart operationsbeginning in the Spring 2022 semester and provide students with aresource to get home safely and securely at nightHandled event requests each week to allocate additional funding toclubs, allocated over $47,000 out of the Student Activities Reserves

The Senate is currently focused on a range of multifaceted issues thatimpact the student body. The following list of projects and tasks includeannual, standard Senate actions and newly legislated and executedprojects led by elected Senators across all four social classes and theGraduate schools:

SENATE

Called on the BOV to strategically divest the University’s divestmentfrom fossil fuels.Funded, organized and executed cultural events like the SankofaLegacy Fest and Gala that showcase student excellenceBrought outstanding civil rights leaders to campus such as ReggieWilliams and Benjamin Crump (Feb. 2022)Provided funding for the previously created SA-adjacent diversity andequity reform task forces for them to execute their goalsCreated a working group to promote helpful counter-speech efforts tocampus demonstrators and promote a culture of inclusivityCreated a Town Hall series to provide students with a platform to voicetheir experiences and opinions on relevant issues to campus such asCOVID-19 and DEI reform effortFunded pronoun pins to promote a culture of innate acceptance andinclusivity to be distributed at major campus eventsFunded a new batch of emergency contraception, feminine hygieneproducts, and subsidized pregnancy tests for the first time to bedistributed at the Health CenterCreated a new system in coordination with the COVID Response teamto gauge the food accessibility of students who test positive for COVIDand connect them to an SA-subsidized food delivery network toaddress their needs during quarantineSubsidized the costs incurred for RSOs by the state-mandated changeto compostable utensils

SENATE CONTINUED...