The Executive Board of Duke Student Government presented their year-long agendas at the Senate meeting Wednesday evening.
Among other topics, President Stefani Jones, a senior, focused on dining and construction on West Union, developing the gender equity taskforce and clarifying the alcohol policy in her agenda. Each of the vice presidents presented plans for their goals.
“Construction on West Campus is really affecting us, and dining is one of the biggest ways,” Jones said.
The gender equity taskforce will work to provide additional resources for victims of sexual assault—including academic support and the possibility of a single-semester leave of absence, Jones said. She noted that currently victims are only able to request a leave of absence for a full year.
The goal of strengthening the guideline of students found responsible of sexual assault was realized this summer, Jones added.
The current alcohol policy does not create a safe drinking culture on campus, she said.
“A lot of the high risk drinking behaviors are happening at the off-campus, less safe locations,” Jones said, adding that she plans to meet with President Richard Brodhead and other administrators to change the policy.
Junior Nikolai Doytchinov, executive vice president, focused mainly on strengthening the internal affairs of DSG, but he also highlighted plans for working with policies in student conduct and University finances.
In addition to converting course evaluations to an online format, junior Ray Li, vice president for academic affairs, said his committee is actively working to create an Asian-American studies program at Duke.
“We are expanding the Duke-Durham discount program,” said junior Derek Rhodes, vice president for Durham and regional affairs, adding that the program gives students incentives to support local business.
With recent changes to voting law, Rhodes said that he will be working to determine the future of on-campus voting sites.
Aside from working with Jones on the gender equity taskforce, senior Jacob Tobia, vice president for equity and outreach, said he will be working to create University policies that support undocumented students.
During a time of construction on campus, junior Ellie Shaack, vice president for facilities and the environment and a columnist for The Chronicle, said that she aims to ensure residential construction supports the new house model.
If students living in the Edens Quadrangle are allowed to have 12 members in a block, there will be a greater sense of community, said junior Jacob Zionce, vice president for residential life. His committee plans to work on this goal before applications for 2014-15 housing are due.
Senior Leilani Doktor, vice president for social culture, said that her committee will be working closely with Jones to amend the alcohol policy on campus.
“In encouraging parties to be on campus, we avoid a lot of legal issues,” Doktor said. “Drinking on campus is actually a lot safer.”
Communication, dining and biking are the main focuses of sophomore Lavanya Sunder’s year-long agenda.
Sunder, vice president for services, will also be working to expand the merchants-on-points program in the Spring.
Junior Joyce Lau, chair of the Student Organization Finance Committee, said that she will be working to create a process for de-chartering student groups that have become inactive.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
In other business:
Senior Daniel Strunk was inaugurated as the chief justice of the DSG Judiciary. He then swore to “preserve, protect and defend” the constitution of DSG.
Rhodes announced that through consultation with the Duke University Police Department, the closing of roads on Central Campus is no longer being considered. The discussion of the closures began in response to recent crimes across campus.
The Phi Beta Sigma fraternity appealed the SOFC decision not to allot any money for their Casino Royale Event. The senate voted to approve $2,550 for the event.
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