Student Senate Prepares to Act on Outsourcing

A formal statement on the college’s outsourcing investigation will be discussed during the Student Government Association meeting on Sunday, several high-ranking S.G.A. sources said on Saturday. The senate is feeling the pressures of time, with only two weekly meetings remaining before Thanksgiving break, and a third before the semester ends.

Debate on a dining services resolution will likely take place on Nov. 15, sources said, but a custodial services outsourcing resolution would be considered, at the earliest, next week, Nov. 22.

Consensus among senators, it appears, is that action would involve two steps: educating the student body, and a formal stance against -- or at least expressing concern with -- outsourcing dining and custodial services.

The student body may not realize the gravity of the issue, one board member said. Several executive board members said individually that misinformation is a hurdle to effectively pushing the issue forward.

As students have become aware of the issue, one board member said, some have asked dining services staff members for more information. But the investigation is the work of the Dining Services Outsourcing Committee, and the service staff has little information to share.

Students appear to be concerned about both the quality of food and custodial services, should those operations be outsourced, as well as concerned about the jobs of current service staff.

And as passions begin to run high, rumours spread easily. Another executive board member suggested that misinformation among the student body would work against the strength of a stance against outsourcing.

At last week’s senate meeting, senators heard a presentation on the college’s investigation into outsourcing dining and custodial services. After a lengthy discussion of how to react, senators referred the issue to two senate committees.

Several students took matters into their own hands, circulating a petition among freshmen.

The room and board committee was charged with addressing the dining services outsourcing, and the welfare committee was to look into physical plant outsourcing. John McDermott ’11 chairs the room and board committee, and Maura Huff ’10 chairs welfare.

A presentation was made by the dean of students, Alicia Finn, Ph.D., who finds herself in a potentially challenging position as both chair of the Dining Services Outsourcing Committee and advisor to S.G.A. Dr. Finn is known as a proponent of constructive student voice in college processes.

Dining services and physical plant, including custodial services, are currently provided by college staff members. The committees are considering the benefits and costs of contracting the operations to outside firms. Vendor proposals for the dining services operation were due this past week, Dr. Finn told The Crier this week.

No specific resolutions or actions were discussed at this week’s executive board meeting, members said. But that does not preclude the senate from acting this week; board members said they were committed to working overtime on the weekend to arrive at language for a resolution.

Resolutions of this nature would typically be prepared prior to the weekly senate meeting, discussed in the appropriate committee, circulated for consensus and feedback, and then put on the weekly senate agenda for formal consideration. Care is taken by senators and executive board members to draft accurate language.

The S.G.A. president, Scott Campbell, suggested that senators use the week to “do their best to become an amateur expert on outsourcing.”

“This is very time sensitive- we only have a few weeks until a decision is made,” he continued.

Were the issue not to be discussed this week, Nov. 15, the final meetings of senate would be Nov. 22 and Dec. 6. The college is closed on Sunday, Nov. 29, and senate does not typically meet once final exams begin.

- gww