On Friday, May 1, our president Tatiana Kaehler will be presenting the newly passed divestment resolution and the recent student referendum to the Board of Trustees at their spring meeting in Memorial. This is our biggest ask yet. College campuses across the nation are having sit-ins in support of fossil fuel divestment in their admissions buildings; Harvard, Tulane, Yale, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, and others have hosted similar events.

Join us for an hour long sit-in to show the Board of Trustees that now is the time to take real action on climate change. This will be a quiet sit-in– signs are encouraged, but no chanting– we want to build an atmosphere of respect and collaboration. The most important thing is that we occupy Memorial in solidarity. Media may attend.

Now is the time for Whitman to be a leader in this movement. Let’s demand action.

MEMORIAL BUILDING
FRIDAY MAY 1st
11:50 am- 1pm

PIZZA PROVIDED

The Senate met this past Sunday for one of the year’s final meetings, considering the transition into next year, confirming appointments to the Council on Student Affairs, considering the leadership structure of next year’s Power & Privilege Symposium and passing a resolution on divestment.

They passed Resolution SRS 15.4 regarding Divestment, urging the Trustees to “recognize the recognize the significant negative impact on our endowment that divestment in the strongest sense could have”– a conflicting and complicating voice to the recently passed student referendum, which urges Whitman’s divestment from the fossil fuel industry. The resolution suggests a weaker form of divestment, capping the amount of fossil fuel exposure in the endowment to 1 percent, and further urges a re-evaluation of the financial impacts of divestment after three years.

Rising sophomore Molly Unsworth, rising junior Dennis Young, and rising senior Eloise Willemsen have been appointed to the Council on Student Affairs, with rising juniors Blake Landenburg and Lorenzo Silva as alternates. Council members are assigned to serve for the duration of their time at Whitman, and are selected through a highly detailed and thoughtful process considering the candidates’ ability to understand and operate within the complicated, confidential, and sensitive nature of the Council’s activities. The selected candidates bring both diverse experiences and an emotional intelligence which will serve the Council well over the next few years.

The Senate convened for its third to last meeting of the school year this past Sunday, covering some new legislation, continuing the solidification of next fall’s campus wide leadership positions and beginning to ponder the transition into next year. The Whitman Tabletop Games Club, already an appreciated presence on campus with regular, popular game nights in the Lyman Lounge, was formally recognized by ASWC. The ratification of the will open new doors and give the club a chance to expand its following and its impact in the community.

New legislation included a resolution urging the Encounters course to require the use of trigger warnings for texts with specific instances of sexual assault, physical and gun violence, and suicide or self harm. Despite a mixed, hesitant response from the program, a reflection of the current national debate about the need for trigger warnings, the Senate passed the resolution. Another new piece of legislation modified the ASWC Election Scholarship Fund to be set at $300 instead of $1000, a more reasonable choice given the amount the fund is actually used.

Nominations presented the appointment of rising seniors Jessica Palacios and Linnaea Weld as next year’s blue moon editors-in-chief, two highly qualified individuals who look forward to next year’s possibilities both in terms of the actual publication and the advertising component.

Rising junior Gillian Gray and rising senior Meritt Salathe will serve as next year’s quarterlife editors-in-chief. Their passion and dedication to preserving the unique, accessible, and quirky image of quarterlife will serve the publication very well. The future of both magazines is bright.

The Senate convened on March 8 for a productive meeting. The Senate ratified Whitman Chess Club as an official ASWC club, and voted to adequately fund the Climbing Club’s Red Rocks trip.  ASWC also confirmed the new Pio and KWCW leadership for next year! ASWC is pleased to announce that Sarah Cornett ’16 will serve as the Pio’s Editor-in-Chief, and Marra Clay ‘17 will be the Publisher. The Senate also confirmed Carolyn Erving ‘16 for the position of KWCW General Manager. All of the new leaders are extensively qualified, capable, and innovative. The future of these organizations rests in great hands!

The Health Center has long been a topic of interest and concern within the student body, and last night action was taken to increase student involvement in this process. The Senate passed an act to form a committee, which will serve as a liaison between the Health Center and the student body. The Senate expects this change to positively affect student relations with the Health Center and offer students an opportunity to engage with this important component of the community.

On another note, ASWC is busily in the heart of nominations and election season. Information on how to fill out a petition is available on the ASWC website, as are details on the Election Scholarship Fund. Please spread the word– especially as we leave campus for spring break, increasing community conversations regarding elections will ensure a successful nominations season!

In the wake of the Power & Privilege Symposium, a conversation has been ignited about the possibility of Whitman changing its mascot.

The Whitman College mascot has undergone a more complex evolution that we often consider. The Missionary mascot was designated by Reverend Eells when he created the school, and over time the phrase “Fighting Missionary” was adopted in the spirit of competitive athletics. Since the adoption of the name, there has been lingering debate over which, if any, logo should be used to represent the Fighting Missionaries. Eventually designed by the Angelus-Pacific Company of Los Angeles, the original icon is officially not used by the College today. Approved logos include the intertwined W and C often seen in the Athletic Department, and the traditional clock tower logo. Any images of fighting missionaries are absent from the College’s approved icons.

For many members of the Whitman community, changing the mascot has long been a goal, and the conversation is getting serious. During Senate last Sunday February 22, Vice President Sayda Morales initiated a call to action to make this change during an update from the Student Affairs Committee. Senators first-year Emma Bishop and junior Nick Hochfield, also contributors to the project, emphasized the importance of listening to student feedback as a new mascot is brainstormed. Although the project is still in its early stages, suggested plans include gathering ideas for a mascot from the student body, and eventually writing a Resolution discussing reasons the Fighting Missionaries need to be left behind, and why it is time for Whitman to unite behind a new mascot.

As student involvement and feedback will be vital throughout this process, all members of the Whitman community are encouraged to voice their thoughts and ideas! The process of deciding on a new mascot can serve not only as a chance to make a tangible change in the community, but as an opportunity for students to rally together in support of an important cause.

Interested in learning about Whitman’s sustainability initiatives? Looking for ways to get involved in sustainability-focused clubs and projects on campus? Come to the Reid Coffeehouse at 7 p.m. on February 25 for an exciting evening uniting the college’s green clubs, ASWC and Whitman’s sustainability leaders for conversation, updates and chances to brainstorm and network within the community.

This Town Hall event is a great opportunity to learn about the on-going green initiatives of various campus clubs, including Re-think Dams, Divestment, CCC, Green Leaders, Outhouse, Mycology Club, SAW, Organic Garden, Glean Team, Cool the Schools and the Bike Share Program. Come strategize future projects, get involved with new opportunities and learn more about sustainability at Whitman. There will also be a chance for open group conversation, so bring your own ideas!

ASWC convened last night for a productive meeting which addressed a variety of issues, passed a significant amount of legislation, and witnessed multiple members of the Senate demonstrate their socks and tie matching skills.

First on the agenda was the approval of funding to be allocated to a safety and leadership training program for members of the Whitewater Club. Given that the certification given by this course is necessary for students to lead trips with the OP, the opportunity for new students to gain this certification and bring their qualifications back home is vital for the future of the whitewater community.

Next, the Senate confirmed the nomination of junior Heather Gaya to the position of ASWC Sound & Lights Director. Gaya hopes to expand the role of Sound & Lights in the Whitman community, and intends to improve communication with clients– did you know that you, too can request equipment from Sound & Lights for your event or performance? Check out the ASWC website (www.goaswc.org) and look for Sound & Lights under “Supported Programs” for access to this awesome service.

Various leadership positions in the Whitman community were also discussed: a co-leadership structure was approved to continue for the Pioneer, and the role and responsibilities of the Sustainability Director position was debated. The general sentiment in the Senate was that the position ought to be renewed for another year, which will serve as a trial period for the position to truly take shape and perhaps become permanent.

Ideas were flying– brainstorming the future potential of a Sustainability Committee, and wondering about what might occur if green clubs on campus united under an ASWC header and held a strategic planning session about the future of Whitman sustainability. In fact, a similar event is being held this weekend– come to the Town Hall Sustainability Summit for a rockin’ collaboration of campus-wide green projects, and to hear about new opportunities to get involved with sustainability initiatives on campus!

Stay tuned to ASWC Unpacked for upcoming crucial information on the newly passed Tenure Resolution, reflections on the Power & Privilege Symposium, and more!