In its inaugural session for the winter term on January 14, the Dartmouth Student Government Senate convened to discuss various matters, including recent interactions with College officials, emerging dining and technology initiatives, and the possibility of offering ice skate rentals on the Green.
President Jessica Chiriboga ’24 initiated the discussions by recounting her meeting with Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona during his visit to Dartmouth on January 10. The conversation focused on addressing issues of Islamophobia and antisemitism on college campuses. Chiriboga shared insights into Dartmouth’s approach to campus dialogue and recommended promoting clear freedom of expression and dissent policies across higher education institutions.
Vice President Kiara Ortiz ’24 provided updates on the dining advisory group’s session with Dartmouth Dining leadership. The meeting concentrated on enhancing dietary support, implementing Byte payment systems for vending machines, and organizing late-night game nights and karaoke events. Over winterim, Dartmouth Dining introduced a new gluten-free station in the Class of 1953 Commons and took on full funding responsibility for the food shelf in Dick’s House basement.
The Senate explored the potential involvement of DSG in facilitating ice skate rentals for the Green rink. School House Senator Wenhan Sun ’24 highlighted the lack of prior communication with the Outdoor Programs Office of the Dartmouth Outing Club, responsible for skate rentals, regarding the construction of the rink this year. There were concerns about the absence of discussions on funding or rentals for ice skates.
Senator Alejandra Carrasco Alayo ’25 pointed out that students had held campus jobs related to skate rentals in previous years. She emphasized that providing rentals not only enhances accessibility but also creates winter job opportunities for seasonal student workers. The possibility of DSG making a partial donation to address potential funding challenges was discussed by West House Senator Samay Sahu ’27.
Chief of Staff Anthony Fosu ’24 updated the Senate on DSG’s advocacy with the Office of Information, Technology, and Consulting to improve technology access for students. The GreenPrint printers recommended by DSG for the Fairchild Hall cluster will be installed in the Sherman Fairchild Physical Sciences Center soon. Fosu outlined a long-term program to provide iPads to students in need, contingent on earmarking Provost funds for the fiscal year 2025.
DSG-Hanover town liaison Nicolás Macri ’24 shared insights from his recent meeting with College Vice President of Government and Community Relations Emma Wolfe and Senior Vice President for Capital Planning and Campus Operations Josh Keniston. The discussion revolved around progress on two zoning reforms in Hanover, focusing on repealing parking minimums and allowing denser housing development.
The officials expressed interest in these changes and are exploring how Dartmouth as an institution can contribute to positive developments in Hanover. DSG Senate meetings are held weekly on Sundays at 7 p.m. in Collis 101, open to all students.