Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Agenda for Shimer College Assembly of 2/27

The Shimer College Assembly, the self-governing body of Shimer College, will assemble on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at 4 PM in the Cinderella Lounge at Shimer. Alumni are non-voting members of the Assembly, and are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

The Assembly will be webcast, in part for the benefit of students in the Oxford study abroad program. It will also be livetweeted -- I mean it this time!! -- commencing at @shimerians and continuing to @samuelhenderson if necessary.

Agenda for the Meeting of the Shimer College Assembly

February 27, 2011 – 4 PM

1) Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of November 14, 2010 (prepared by Secretary Neel Rana)

2) Committee Report Updates and Questions

3) Proposal for an addition to the section on “Powers of the Assembly” in the Constitution of the Assembly (amended by the Agenda Committee from the proposal from Jonathan Timm that was discussed at the November 2010 Assembly meeting):

Election of members of the Assembly to any Assembly committee or office, as well as nominations of Assembly members as representatives to the Board of Trustees, may occur remotely. Participation in Assembly meetings, including voting, may only occur in person except for Assembly members who are participating in a remotely located, official Shimer College program.


4) Two proposals and a motion from the Ad Hoc Committee to Study the Agenda Committee:

a) The Ad Hoc Committee recommends to the Assembly that the Agenda Committee take measures, whenever possible and advisable, to avoid on-the-floor editing and word-smithing of motions and resolutions. We recommend that, to this end, the Agenda Committee continue or increase the use of methods for which there is precedent: A) Committee editorial feedback to the writers of motions and resolutions prior to dissemination, B) editing by the Committee itself with the consent of the author, and C) dissemination of motions and resolutions well in advance of their formal publication in the agenda, with an invitation to community members that they convey suggestions and proposed edits directly to the authors before publication of the agenda.

b) In addition, and to the same end, the Ad Hoc Committee recommends that from now on the Agenda Committee first bring motions and resolutions to the Assembly for discussion and suggestions, including friendly amendment, and then bring them to the Assembly for voting at the following or a later meeting, unless, in the judgment of the Agenda Committee, urgency or other considerations, including the use of method “C” above, prevent, or eliminate the need for, a two-stage process. Friendly amendments would be in order when proposals are introduced, formal ("unfriendly") amendments would be in order when proposals are to be voted on, and debate would be in order at both first- and second-stage meetings.

c) The Ad Hoc Committee moves that: The Assembly accepts and endorses the February 2011 recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee to Study the Agenda Committee, and directs the Agenda Committee to put them into practice. (Motivated by Harold Stone for the Ad Hoc Committee)


5) Proposal for the creation of an ad hoc committee whose responsibility would be to organize Assembly volunteers to assist the College, especially with respect to enrollment and advancement efforts. The Committee would gather lists of volunteers and a way of contacting them, and would then consult with the Admission and Advancement offices abut their needs and how the volunteers might be used. This committee would consist of at least 2 Weekday students, a Weekend student, and member(s) of the staff, with composition otherwise determined by the Assembly. (Motivated by Harold Stone)

6) Announcements

7) Adjournment

No comments :