Student Government Association (SGA) members discussed University concerns regarding Spring Fair at their weekly meeting in Charles Commons on Tuesday. According to Director of Student Leadership and Involvement Calvin Smith, Jr., who serves as SGA’s advisor and spoke at the meeting, the University will start to strictly enforce a no open container policy on campus.
Smith specified that the Beach is an area of concern for the administration.
“Typically on the Beach during that weekend people like to drink and engage in different types of activities on the beach. I would advise you not to do that. You cannot drink in public,” he said.
Sophomore Class President Sam Schatmeyer questioned whether this was a change in policy from previous years. Smith responded that the policy has not changed but is now being strictly enforced.
According to Smith, if a student on the field is seen consuming alcohol, they would be asked to show their ID. A report would be filed and the student would have to attend a student conduct meeting and hearing.
SGA members also confirmed the leadership for the Black Student Caucus. Senior Class Senator Madeleine Uraih, who introduced the bill to create the Black Student Caucus in March, was unanimously approved as chair. Junior Class Senator Claire Gorman was voted in as vice chair.
The Black Caucus was created in March to represent the needs of black students on campus and seeks to invite leaders from black student groups to discussions at least once a semester.
Next, SGA went over the nominations for the Ethics and Conduct Board. Students serve on hearing panels to examine violations of the academic code and the conduct code. Graduate students Caroline Western and Jessica Oros presented on the board.
Western explained the significance of the Board in the Hopkins community.
“We’re safeguarders for our community. We maintain the dignity of the community and respect for one another,” she said.
Executive President AJ Tsang serves as one of the presiding officials of the Ethics and Conduct Board. He discussed the duties of the Board and encouraged SGA to take a more active role. The Board comes before SGA every spring to confirm nominees. This year’s nominees were Mariam Diakite, Tihitina Aytenfisu, Alanya Banner, Manuel Hernandez-Meza, Medha Kallem, Cherease Lamm, Tabitha Laurent, Chidebelum Nnake, Benjamin Salazar, Ryann Schutt and Sejean Yang. In an email to The News-Letter, Tsang wrote that multiple members of SGA were invited to apply to become part of the Board. He added that over 25 students applied.
Sophomore Senator Sam Mollin expressed concerns regarding the Ethics Board.
“This administration has been regularly threatening to bring students before the Board You did not communicate with us at all,” he said. “They always try to be really vague about it and say anything can happen. Also there’s not any activist groups on this board. I would encourage you guys to reach out. The students on the ethics board serve to limit the excess of this administration,”
In an email to The News-Letter, Mollin clarified his concerns.
“Given the critical role of student members in providing a student viewpoint to the ethics/conduct board, and protecting against the abuses of the student code of conduct by administrators, I suggested that the ethics board reach out to members of student activist groups to apply to bring a critical viewpoint to the board,” he wrote.
Executive Vice President Miranda Bannister reminded SGA members that the issue at hand was confirming nominations and not the workings of the Board.
Oros and Western said it made sense for Mollin to want activists on the board, but said that including them was not their primary responsibility.
James Scharf contributed reporting.
