SOAC proposes restructuring of the process for student organization recognition
The Student Organizations and Appointments Committee (SOAC) announced proposed amendments to the current College constitution that would change the way student organizations are recognized on campus. Under the new system, all organizations would be recognized by SOAC and given profits through SOFC, the right to the “Wellesley College” official name, space reservation through 25Live and a Wellesley domain email account among other amenities. Additionally, all student organizations will have to re-apply for recognition at the start of the spring semester. In an email sent out on Nov. 30, College Government Vice President Saafia Masoom stated that the changes were implemented because “the current system is complicated for both constituted and independent orgs and unsustainable under space and funding limitations, among several other issues.” She added, “To come up with a viable and comprehensive solution, SOAC spent the last several months talking to student orgs and our campus partners in various offices, who are also connected to orgs.”
College Accreditation Steering Committee seeks to review Wellesley College’s values
On Nov. 26, President Paula A. Johnson sent a school-wide email to ask for student involvement in the self-study that is needed for the College’s accreditation. President Johnson asked students, faculty and staff to answer the question, “What aspect of Wellesley has had the most powerful effect on you?” through a Google form included in the email and posted on the school website. In the email, President Johnson wrote, “Over the 18-month course of its work, the steering committee identified a need to review, reconsider and hone the expressed values of Wellesley College. These are the fundamental shared beliefs that guide our community as we live, learn, and work together, and they speak to the singular nature and immense potential of the College.” The College’s Accreditation Steering Committee is in charge of drafting the self-study, and will review and share the results of the survey later this winter.
Wellesley Women of Color Celebrate Ethos’ 50th Anniversary in StoryCorps podcast
StoryCorps, a podcast series whose mission is to “preserve and share humanity’s stories,” recently featured several prominent Wellesley alums on their podcast. The episode was meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ethos, and debuted on Dec. 1. Each woman celebrated the evolution of Ethos by offering a snapshot of the College from different moments in the past. Wellesley Trustee emerita and Ethos founder, Karen Williamson ’69 and physician and educator, Judy Ann Bigby ’73, discussed the early struggles of the organization and its rapid growth. “To be able to go from five students in [Williamson’s] class to 57 students in my class is quite remarkable, and shows the commitment the College made because of the pressure from a small number of students,” said Bigby. Williamson agrees, “When we started, you didn’t think, ‘In 50 years, people are going to be so glad you did this.’ We reacted to a problem, and we worked together, we made some things happen, and it continued through the leadership of those who have come after us.”
