Approval of Minutes

The College Council minutes for the meeting of October 28, 2003, were approved unanimously.

President's Report

President Oden's report focused on the chief issues of the Board of Trustees meeting in October.

• The first issue was the implication of the twin affirmative action decisions allowing colleges to continue to take race into account in admissions. The Trustees agreed that, in addition to continually reviewing Carleton's affirmative action guidelines, the College should continue its special recruitment and programs
• A second dominant concern was the question of the adequacy of Carleton's comprehensive fee. Of the top 25 college overlaps with Carleton, two schools were less expensive, and 23 were more expensive. Carleton, ranking #40 in a list of most expensive schools, has a comprehensive fee $8000 than the most expensive school, Sarah Lawrence
• Thirdly, the Trustees discussed the College Sports Project and the gap between college athletics and academics
• The fourth main issue was the comprehensive fundraising campaign and the Campaign Priorities Committee (CPC). President Oden reported that he is expecting at least two years for a public announcement of the precise fundraising campaign.

DIG and the College Council

In a follow-up to his report on September 29, 2003, President Oden proposed that the Diversity Initiative Group (DIG), expecting a new name in the future, become a subset of the College Council. The motion passed, and DIG was made a committee of College Council. The College Council-DIG liaison is Anne Ulmer.

2004-2005 Budget

Dean Stephen Kelly presented details of the 2004-2005 Budget to the College Council. There will be an increase in the financial aid budget, and 3-5% operating cuts. Exceptions to the operating cuts include employee compensation, including salary and health care, financial aid, and the CSA, whose budget was left flat. Dean Kelly does not anticipate any more operating cuts, and suggested that there may be small increases in some areas. Dean Kelly also proposed that the extra money in the budget be allocated to division heads so that they can make distribution judgments; he will present this idea to the Administrative Council, budget managers, and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. These proposals will be approved by March.

Power Point: College Food

Members of the CSA Dining Committee presented their findings on college food after a trip to the Claremont system schools in California. First, the committee presented their conclusions on the dining hall food. Regarding food quality, the committee found that Carleton's food is comparable to the other schools'. In fact, Carleton's bakery items and salad bar are just as good if not better than the other schools' counterparts. These assessments were made based on tasting the food. In terms of variety, Carleton is lacking compared to the Claremont schools. At the other schools, food is prepared according to students' preferences, and there are multiple options. Suggestions for ways to improve Carleton's variety include making the vegetarian and meat meals different, rather than just a vegetarian option of a meat dish, and differing the menus at Burton Dining and East Dining. Another aspect the committee investigated was preparation and presentation of the food. The committee suggested altering the dining hall setup so that food is prepared in front of students. In terms of equipment, the Claremont schools have kitchen tools that allow for speed and versatility, such as impinger ovens. The committee commented on the differences in facilities, also. At the schools in the Claremont system, the dining areas are intimate, with bright lighting, booth seating, student art, and generally convey a cozier atmosphere. The committee found general satisfaction with the hours of the Carleton dining halls, and suggested expanding the dining hall hours so that there is a wider range of time to eat, specifically during the dinner period. The committee also investigated differences in the snack bars of the Claremont schools and Carleton. Carleton's snack bar food quality is comparable to the other schools', and has a wider variety of food, though the committee suggested widening the options even more. The committee suggested that the snack bar also get updated equipment such as an impinger oven. While the hours of the snack bar are acceptable, the dining committee recommended expanding the weekend hours to midnight. In terms of environment and atmosphere, Carleton's snack bar is much cleaner than those of the Claremont schools. The committee was also intrigued by Internet access locations in the snack bar, and looks forward to investigating that route. Finally, the dining committee presented information on meal plans, suggesting that the options for students increase. Several choices provided include a declining balance, where students purchase a certain amount of points to spend; X meals per week, which is less flexible; Block 160/170 with flex dollars; and Block 80/90 with flex dollars. The committee found that Carleton has the cheapest board plans of all the schools examined.

Birth Control Pills

Joined by Cathy Carlson from the Wellness Center, and students Andy Evans and Brian Marson, Dean Govoni presented the College's current dilemma with birth control pills. In the past, the Wellness Center was able to provide birth control pills to students for $3/pack. However, the pharmaceutical company supplying the pills terminated the program, resulting in an 800% increase in price, so that pills now cost $25/pack. In an effort to assist students with the sudden increase in cost, the CSA and Dean of Students office are going to provide funding. Those present at the meeting were abound with questions, concerning the decision of who receives the pills at a reduced price; the precedent the CSA is setting by choosing to subsidize the price of personal property; the appropriate use of the Student Activity Fee, where the CSA subsidy will come from; the description of the situation as an emergency; and the steps necessary to ensure that this is a one-time occurrence.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 pm.