156th
Session
Advocacy Agenda
About the Advocacy Agenda
The Senate is required to establish an advocacy agenda at the beginning of each academic year consistent with the mission statement of the Association and the Strategic Plan of the Association. The agenda consists of a series of student concerns to be advocated for by the Senate for the academic year.
A mid-year and annual report are conducted to review the progress of the Association’s efforts to advocate for the student concerns established in the agenda. These reports are publicized to the student community to facilitate accountability and improve student relations.
Please note that the number assigned to each agenda is administrative in nature and does not reflect the importance of said agenda.
Thriving at Vassar
Promoting Equity and Inclusion and Health and Wellness
Priority 1: Intentional and Effective Student Governance
For the past several years, the VSA has polled the student body about the Board of Trustees, their transparency, and student engagement with the board. Data from this year’s Annual Comprehensive Survey (ACS) revealed that 91.2% percent of students support a student vote on the Board of Trustees, which has increased an additional 5.4% since last year's polling (Fig. 145). The spirit of shared governance lays bare the logic behind such a proposal: arguably the most powerful body on campus must have at least one meaningful student vote if we are to ever claim shared governance truly exists on this campus.
Tensions have risen to unforeseeable levels over the past academic year, and students feel unheard and disillusioned by the representation provided to them by their student government. A student vote on the Board of Trustees would be a major step towards the collaboration with the board that students seek. The Association thus pledges to continue previous lobbying efforts to secure a vote for our President on the Board of Trustees.
Contact Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu)
The 2024 VSA Annual Comprehensive Survey revealed 91.2% percent support for a student vote on the Board of Trustees (Fig. 145). While the VSA remains steadfast in our pursuit of this student vote, there has also been an internal push to include other members of the VSA Cabinet on Trustee committees that relate to student interests. One student observer on the board of trustees only provides a snippet of the whole story and allowing other members of the Cabinet who advocate for specific issues would allow for a more substantial impact.
The Association thus pledges to continue previous lobbying efforts to expand upon our desire to secure a vote for our President on the Board of Trustees by calling for more meaningful Cabinet involvement with the Board of Trustees.
Contact Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu) and Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu)
The past academic year was one marked by rampant tensions and a shared sense of division amongst students, faculty, and administration. Students in particular have expressed their disappointment with the transparency of the administration in matters that pertain to legal disputes, divestment, and the overall crisis management process as it occurs on Vassar’s campus. The Vassar Student Association, although quite diverse in scope, is committed to advocating for students rights, concerns, and desires for more communication between the student body and members of the administration, faculty, and Board of Trustees.
Several open-ended comments on the Annual Comprehensive Survey, as well as a 91.6% of student vote towards more transparency regarding military divestment has made the need for more clear communication of the college’s ongoings apparent. The Association thus pledges to lobby our efforts for more transparency between the administration and the student body through more frequent and streamlined communication.
Contact Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu)
While all Student Organizations are an important part of Vassar’s vibrant campus life, there are several organizations that provide essential functions and services to our campus. Student Organizations are voluntary and should stay that way, however there should be safeguards to ensure essential organizations retain their ability to provide for students and the greater Vassar community.
The VSA has the ability to work with Student Organizations to turn them into Chartered Organizations. The purpose of this is to ensure that if there are circumstances that result in an organization desiring additional support, that the VSA is able to aid them in the execution of their organization’s services for students. Chartered organizations thus create a mutually beneficial relationship between the VSA and an organization where they are able to support each other through an outlined set of shared responsibilities.
Contact Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu)
The internal operations of the Vassar Student Association are imperative for the proper maintenance and functioning of the Association as a whole. The members of the 155th session worked to create a smooth transition from the previous year’s restructure, but the governance of the Association is an ongoing project, and requires amending as we observe flaws in our new system.
Much of this maintenance must come from the clarification of newly added sections to our Bylaws, which may include implementing new reforms, amendments or policies. The Internal Affairs Committee will work on collaborating with all Association members, including those in the Judicial Branch, Cabinet, and Elections and Appointments Commission, to ensure that each sector of the Vassar Student Association receives whatever reforms that are necessary for the clean execution of the 156th session and all future sessions to come.
Contact Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu)
Last year’s Senate passed numerous resolutions for our advocacy efforts. While many of these accomplishments have already been significant triumphs, many require further attention and follow-through.
The Vassar Student Association will continue to pursue the resolutions previously passed in two ways: first, through requesting notice from the College on the status of these points of advocacy; and secondarily, through additional advocacy efforts, as needed.
Contact Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu) and Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu)
Being a treasurer of a Student Organization can be a difficult job, especially while balancing being a full-time student. Previous Directors of Finance have created manuals for them to compile all the necessary information into one place for easy reference.
The Division of Finance is in the process of updating previous manuals and creating a new one for treasurers this year. Having this manual to pass down will prevent students from having to struggle over the same tasks each year will be largely beneficial.
Contact Dylan Ouderkirk, Director of Finance (vsafinance@vassar.edu)
Priority 2: Increasing Communications
This initiative addresses constituents' concerns about their trust in the Vassar Student Association as well as the ease of finding information related to the Association. According to the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Survey (ACS), emails are by and large the most preferred mode of communication for receiving information about important VSA initiatives, deadlines, opportunities, and events. Given the apparent interest and preference for this mode of communication, it would be in the interest of the Association to reinstitute the Brewer Bulletin in the form of regularly published email newsletters.
It is necessary to increase the number of communications about the internal and external affairs of the Association to promote transparency and thereby build trust in the Association with the student population. To this end, the Office of the President and the Division of Communications is committed to reinstituting a regularly published email newsletter in the form of the Brewer Bulletin.
Contact Emily Doucet, VSA President (vsa@vassar.edu) and Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
Last year’s Division of Communications focused much of their efforts towards ensuring that our instagram account was vibrant, fun, and accessible. While we have made excellent strides towards clearer communication in this regard, there is still much to be done in terms of bolstering our outreach with students. The 2024 Annual Comprehensive Survey revealed that 57.6% percent of student respondents are unable to easily find and access information about the Vassar Student Association (Fig. 137).
The Division of Communications is committed to improving the online presence of the Association. The Association's website is due for general ergonomic and aesthetic refinements, as well as updated information on all branches of the Association. Furthermore, several respondents expressed their desire for a centralized online location on the Association’s website to find information about campus events and news related to the Association that students can continuously reference. Such refinements would also make the Association’s website more accessible, which would serve to both increase transparency and build trust.
Contact Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
The governance of the VSA is complicated and can often be confusing to people who are not already familiar with our processes. Raising awareness about the internal structure and affairs of the Association serves to increase transparency and trust in VSA’s operations. Last year, there were multiple misunderstandings of the Association's structure and governance among students and administrators alike. In order to remedy this, the Office of the Vice President and Division of Communications is seeking to increase knowledge of VSA’s systems through direct outreach concerning the governance, including handouts and newsletters.
Contact Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu) and Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
For many student organizations at Vassar, the VSA is a complex and confusing body that oversees the policies and budgets of the Student Organizations. It is known by the Division of Finance that many treasurers and presidents feel like they do not know what the VSA does specifically and often feel that the VSA has been unfair to them in some way.
In an effort to increase communication, transparency, and engagement between the VSA executive board and organization leadership,the Division of Finance endeavors to create a VSA Finance-specific google form that takes suggestions from presidents and treasurers on how VSA Finance could improve or help Student Organizations. Although this form could not be anonymous in nature, this would give students a way to submit ideas of how the Director of Finance could support them in the best way possible. There would also be an option for the student to meet with the Director and discuss the issue in-person if they would prefer.
The Division of Finance will review the form submission on a weekly basis, discuss how the suggestion could be implemented, and reach out to the individual to let them know where their idea stands and how the VSA will aim to help them.
This form will be included in the signature of the VSA Director of Finance email address as a link that students can link on to submit responses.
Contact Dylan Ouderkirk, Director of Finance (vsafinance@vassar.edu)
In recent years, there has been tension between Student Organization leadership and the VSA’s annual budgeting process. It’s understandable that organizations care about the size of their budget, and the Annual Budgeting Commission has a lot of pressure and restraints to take into consideration when planning the budgets for the next year.
The Division of Finance intends to increase the transparency of this process and allow organizations to better understand the budgeting process. When deciding budgeting for the upcoming year, the Commission should record a short list of bullet points as to why the organization was allocated that amount. Giving concrete examples of what the committee discusses will help organizations understand what is involved in the process and the legitimacy of the final decision.
Contact Dylan Ouderkirk, Director of Finance (vsafinance@vassar.edu)
Priority 3: Resources for Student Organizations
Many students feel very disconnected from the VSA and our internal operations. Within the Division of Student Organizations, we should encourage more open communication and practices across the board. In order to combat these issues we will: ensure the accessibility of budgeting information through clear and concise minutes, provide and publish information regarding organization status opportunities, and increase club fair opportunities such as a second club fair being held at the start of the spring semester. These goals will help create a more transparent relationship between Student Organizations and the VSA.
Contact Mariano DeCarvalho, Director of Student Organizations (vsaorgs@vassar.edu) and Dylan Ouderkirk (vsafinance@vassar.edu)
Our student organizations are incredibly talented and VSA collaborative events have been extremely successful in the past. We have access to significant space and resources, and supporting organizations while they attempt to host events is an effective way to promote a good relationship between the Association and the student body. More emphasis should be placed on working with and serving the students by creating events and opportunities for the Vassar community. We should host more joint events with organizations, offer more mug night opportunities, and utilize the VSA office space to host more of these events.
Contact Mariano DeCarvalho, Director of Student Organizations (vsaorgs@vassar.edu) and Faye Stevens, Director of Student Events (vsaevents@vassar.edu)
Student organizations provide most of the programming and events on campus, and yet it can be difficult for students to find and join student organizations well into the academic year or after their first year. Additionally, 89.5% of respondents believe the VSA should do more to facilitate access to VSA-certified organizations (Fig. 144). The only time this is made simple is at the start of every fall semester with the annual Organization Fair.
Collaboration between the Division of Student Organizations and the Division of Communications will create a centralized organization database complete with contact information and organizations' missions statements on the VSA website. This will encourage more people to branch out and discover passions through organizations which is always our primary goal.
Contact Mariano DeCarvalho, Director of Student Organizations (vsaorgs@vassar.edu) and Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
While the ALANA Center offers many opportunities and resources for identity based Student Organizations, the Office of the Equity executive aims to provide a more student oriented space. This allows orgs to support each other as they try to combat the systematic issues that affect them in diverse ways. A culture of supporting one another will not only provide greater opportunities for learning about each other, but also will provide new avenues for addressing these issues with bigger populations of people.
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
Priority 4: Student Activism
The implementation of boycotts or other restrictive purchasing practices is a high priority of many members of the student body. However, it is irresponsible to unilaterally allow every proposed purchasing practice without fair consideration from the powers that be. The EOPF, established last year, allows all relevant bodies to have a say regarding these practices before they are officially proposed to the VSA senate. This speeds up the process, encourages compromise, and makes operations much more transparent. Utilizing and publicizing the EOPF as an option, through the VSA website, is a huge goal.
Contact Mariano DeCarvalho, Director of Student Organizations (vsaorgs@vassar.edu), Dylan Ouderkirck, Director of Finance (vsafinance@vassar.edu), Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu), Miles Harris, Vice President (vsavp@vassar.edu) and Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu)
The Office of the Equity Executive is committed to continuing work with the commission that is carrying out the Vassar Inclusive History Initiative to reexamine Vassars’ history as an institution. The commission will be holding conversations to begin what we want our work together to look like and set concrete goals. This is an ongoing initiative carried through from last academic year and may continue into the next year as the commission has not set an end date.
Additionally, the Office of the Equity Executive intends to research and record aspects of Vassar’s history that may otherwise go unacknowledged. Collaborating within the Association and its Student Organizations to conduct the research necessary.
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
The Office of the Equity Executive is committed to developing a resources folder, similar to the one seen in the email signature of the Director of Finance, that includes equity based materials for students. These materials may span from the meeting time of an identity-based-org to administrative policies. Having a one-place destination for many of these questions will benefit many students who often feel they don’t know who to turn to for support or clarification on what to do.
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
Much of what happens on the Vassar campus would not be feasible without the tireless work of our staff, many of whom we can aid in their jobs with more compassion. The Office of the Equity Executive will begin a campaign with both students and administrators to express gratitude and help the work of Vassar’s staff members. This can be done by either having events dedicated to the appreciation of those staff members, or communicating with students to ensure they are pitching where possible to support the staff that make their time at Vassar possible.
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
Priority 5: Student Wellbeing
Numerous students who participated in the Annual Comprehension Survey stated concerns with Vassar’s counseling services. There is a need for more counselors on campus, with an additional desire for counselors that represent the diverse ethnic and racial background of Vassar students. A greater pool of diverse counselors would create a more comfortable atmosphere for students, to ensure that it is easier to ‘connect’ to their therapist with shared backgrounds.
In the spirit of the aforementioned concerns, the Association’s Office of Wellness is committed to expanding and re-evaluating approaches to mental health support on campus, including: a student video or guide illustrating how to access counseling resources, more meaningful conversations with Professors about how to appropriately accommodate students and more engagement with Metcalf .
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu) and Sofia Balich, Wellness Executive (vsawellness@vassar.edu)
On multiple occasions, students with allergies or dietary restrictions have had problems at the Gordon Commons due to a limited list of ingredients. Other institutions like UNC-Chapel Hill list all of the correct ingredients on the online menus for students with allergies, so students can more easily and comfortably access food that is safe for them to eat. With the easy accessibility of these labeling practices, it will save time for students and give the staff at the Gordon Commons a more outlined guide of the ingredients in the food so that they may label more efficiently. During school held events, ingredients of food being served should also be provided as well.
The Association’s Office of Wellness is thus committed to re-evaluating labeling practices at the Gordon Commons to ensure that each Vassar student is properly informed about all food items prior to ingestion.
Contact Sofia Balich, Wellness Executive (vsawellness@vassar.edu)
Numerous students have participated in ‘all-nighters’ just to complete the rigors that a Vassar education offers. The Association’s Office of Wellness is committed to the establishment of a sleep wellness program that will help confront this. This program will be a support group where students can all learn and keep each other accountable for healthy sleep hygiene practices, so everyone can get a better quality of sleep, which in turn, will help students physically, emotionally, mentally, and academically. Time management is a vital key in this issue as well, so in this support group, students can help each other manage our schedules in a more efficient manner as well.
Contact Sofia Balich, Wellness Executive (vsawellness@vassar.edu)
In partnership with a student chapter called It’s On Us, an initiative started by the Obama-Biden administration to combat sexual assault on campuses nationally, there are free workshops where students can learn how to be educated about bystander intervention, sexual assault awareness & consent education, survivor support, online dating safety, and more. The Association's Office of Wellness is thus committed to further and more meaningful collaboration with It’s On US With to combat sexual assault.
Contact Sofia Balich, Wellness Executive (vsawellness@vassar.edu)
Living at Vassar
Residential Experience and Community Engagement
Priority 6: Residential Experience
Last year, the Residential Affairs Committee achieved a historic feat by reaching an agreement with dining administrators to provide students with four Guest Swipes into the Deece per semester. While this move was well-received and highly appreciated by students, it was only a pilot program. Moreover, there are still students who are unaware of Guest Swipes. Thus, it will take continued efforts to support the continued implementation of Guest Swipes on campus. Retaining access to Guest Swipes is important for students, families, and guests within the Vassar community.
Members of the Residential Affairs Committee will continue to work with dining administrators to monitor and implement the program, and explore the possibility of increasing the number of Guest Swipes allotted to students each semester.
Contact Connor Dalgaard, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)
Being first-generation and/or low-income at Vassar is challenging. Beyond integrating into an often bizarre social scene, low-income and first-gen students are tasked with navigating harsh situations as well. With this in mind, the Residential and Student Financial Affairs Committees will work throughout the year to produce a guide to navigating Vassar as an FGLI+ student with the help of the Communications Division. This guide will include every fund and free resource available to students as well as tips for navigating Vassar. Once produced, this guide will be updated regularly by future administrations.
Contact Connor Dalgaard, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu), Charlie From, Chair of Student Financial Affairs (vsasfac@vassar.edu), and Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
The week leading up to Commencement is perhaps one of the most exciting yet anxiety inducing and conflicting times students will have at Vassar. Not only are students preparing to venture into a world of new job opportunities, internships, and graduate school, but they are also tasked with bidding farewell to the Vassar community. Considering how busy seniors get towards the end of their final semester, especially with the anticipation leading up through Senior Week and the Commencement ceremony, the practice of expecting students to move out of their spring assignments by 9:00 AM the morning after is unacceptable.
There have already been several articles written about this practice by the Miscellany News, complaints provided by seniors each year, and efforts made by students that have all been shot down. On their final day at Vassar, students should not be expected to evacuate their homes at risk of a fine and should instead be given the time to have a more ceremonious send off. Given this context, the Association is committed to negotiating the senior move-out time with the Office of Residential Life.
Contact Emily Doucet, President (vsa@vassar.edu)
Priority 7: Student Services
The V-Cycle bike program, which was launched last year with the introduction of 27 bikes for student use, has been well-received by the campus community, and students are eager to expand locations with docking stations. There have been several proposed locations in areas across campus from Central Receiving to Joss Beach. With this feedback, the Division of Services intends to review and analyze the possibility of implementing new bike racks.
The Division of Services plans to work with the grounds team to establish new docking station locations. This is a primary goal of this Division as it will allow students to commute around all parts of campus and explore areas around Vassar to connect with local vendors and the community.
Contact Olivia Del Tatto, Director of Services (vsaservices@vassar.edu) and Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu)
The VSA aims to further enhance the VCycle program by advocating for the implementation/painting of bike lanes both on and surrounding the campus.
To ensure the safety and convenience of bikers, the Office of the Sustainability Executive will work with Vassar administration and potentially the Town of Poughkeepsie officials to establish bike lanes both directly on campus as well as nearby (ex. Raymond Ave). This would create a safer environment for students and promote sustainable transportation options.
The Office of the Sustainability Executive and Division of Services are committed to monitoring the success of these initiatives through ongoing student feedback and collaboration with campus services to maintain and possibly further expand the V-Cycle program.
Contact Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu) and Olivia Del Tatto, Director of Services (vsaservices@vassar.edu)
Last year, the Residential Affairs Committee began conversations with administrators to pilot a shuttle program to Newark Liberty International Airport. While Vassar offers shuttles to airports in New York and Massachusetts (Laguardia, JFK, and the Boston Area), no such service exists for students traveling out of New Jersey. Unfortunately, a lack of student data prohibited the expansion of Vassar’s current shuttle offerings; however, the Chair of the Residential Affairs Committee ensured that the Annual Comprehensive Survey included questions about a potential Newark Airport Shuttle. In order to adequately serve the student body and meet the needs of those traveling off of campus, the Residential Affairs Committee will work to continue explaining the need and utility of a Newark Airport Shuttle Service.
Contact Connor Dalgaard, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)
Last year, the Residential Affairs Committee, along with the Student Financial Affairs Committee, had ongoing conversations with administrators in an attempt to reach an agreement that would consolidate VWash and VPrint allotments into one fund. That way, students whose need for one fund exceeds the other can budget accordingly. For instance, many students expressed frustration that they ended the semester with excess VPrint funds, but ran out of VWash money early on. With one fund, students would be given a certain allotment to spend on printing and laundry however they need. Given that conversations were ongoing about consolidating the funds and increasing them to match with Vassar’s constantly increasing cost of attendance, the Residential Affairs Committee will continue to advocate for students’ printing and laundry needs.
Contact Charles From, Student Financial Affairs (vsasfac@vassar.edu) and Mila Seifert, Class of 2026 Fall Senator (mseifert@vassar.edu)
Last year the Vassar Student Association piloted a safe sex supplies vending machine in the Old Bookstore in the College Center, which has received positive feedback from students. This machine offers supplies from tampons to pregnancy tests and is the first vending machine in the nation to offer free Plan B to students. Considering how positive of an impact this service has been, the Division of Services is committed to expanding the locations of VSafe. Additionally, the Association is committed to maintaining a consistent supply of resources for students across campus.
Potential locations may include the 24 hour section of the library, the Bridge Building and the AFC.
Contact Olivia Del Tatto, Director of Services (vsaservices@vassar.edu)
Given the longstanding history of Project Period and its mission on Vassar’s campus, the Division of Services is committed to providing menstrual products to students on campus. There are several buildings that do not currently have dispensers for these essential products and instead have bins that often stay empty or underfilled. As a result of this practice the Division of Services is committed to maintaining a full stock of products or students so that these materials can always be easily accessed.
The Association is committed to surveying these buildings to ensure that the bins are restocked regularly and that the distribution is widespread across campus and not only located in “core buildings” like the Deece or Bridge Building.
Contact Olivia Del Tatto, Director of Services (vsaservices@vassar.edu)
Considering the implementation of VCycle, the VSafe vending machine, and the various administrative services that are offered to students, some services may not be as openly publicized as others. Given this, the Division of Services along with the Division of Communications is committed to further publicizing all the services provided to students so that they may be able to more frequently interact with the resources offered on this campus.
Contact Olivia Del Tatto, Director of Services (vsaservices@vassar.edu) and Hayden Ehrenfeld (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
Priority 8: Student Labor & Financial Aid
While Vassar aims to fulfill 100% of a student’s determined financial need through a mixture of grants, loans, and work-study awards, it is not always guaranteed. Low-income students are expected to work 8-10 hours a week in order to fulfill their allotment in their financial aid packages, used for books, toiletries, and other miscellaneous living expenses. While the system seems sufficient on paper, it does not consider several things, like how students may need to access money for books and supplies at the beginning of the semester, and not when they receive their first paycheck. Additionally, finding a job as a first-year, even as a designated work-study student is difficult as only 43.8% of students found the JobX system easy to navigate (Fig. 126). Students also have reported that only 29.5% of students receive notification back from employers when applying for work-study positions (Fig. 127). This means students do not have the money they need to go through the school year, which could push them to seek off-campus jobs.
Furthermore, the 8-10 hours/week expected out of all work-study students creates an ingrained time inequity for low-income students. This means all students assigned a work-study package will have 8-10 hours less each week to focus on academic work or contribute to the campus community. 8-10 hours a week is enough to be an active member of an org, participate in an intramural, take on a CEL internship, or take another unit of classes. The Student Financial Affairs Committee believes that loans are not a suitable alternative to what is promised as financial aid.
Considering all of the aforementioned context, the Student Financial Affairs Committee is dedicated to decoupling work-study and financial aid. If successful, this means work-study students would receive the amount of their work-study award in the form of an additional Vassar grant, then all students would be allowed to work for however much they need. When asked in VSA’s Annual Comprehensive Survey, this proposal garnered approval from 59.9% of the students, while only 3.4% were against it, the remainder being unsure or the proposal was inapplicable to them (Fig. 124).
Contact Charlie From, Student Financial Affairs (vsasfac@vassar.edu)
Currently, student workers are classified as at-will employees, meaning they can be fired at any time without cause. The only limit to this is with anti-discrimination laws, which are difficult to enforce since an employer can fire a worker for discriminatory purposes without listing a specific reason. Prior administrations received anonymous complaints detailing this exact concern. Considering that work-study jobs are essential for students on financial aid, this presents an opportunity for larger inequities to take root in the student employment system.
Given this context, the Student Financial Affairs Committee is committed to implementing just-cause termination practices, which will require employers to list an acceptable reason before terminating a student’s employment. This has been shown to drastically reduce discriminatory and otherwise unjust firing practices across the board.
Contact Charlie From, Student Financial Affairs (vsasfac@vassar.edu)
While VSA's Raise the Wage Act included wage increases until January 2025, after that date the wage for student workers will remain at $15.50 per hour without a scheduled increase. Every other Vassar employee receives periodic raises to account for performance and living cost increases. While the conditions of Vassar students differ, inflation impacts Vassar students as well. The price of books, food, and transportation are all subject to market fluctuations, though our wages are not, creating a large future problem.
To solve this, the Student Financial Affairs Committee will advocate for cost-of-living wage increases of 3-6% each year, depending on the inflation rate. We propose the College measure inflation using the Consumer Price Index with added weight for food and general transit costs.
Contact Charlie From, Student Financial Affairs (vsasfac@vassar.edu)
A significant number of students at Vassar occupy work-study positions or are employed on campus. Student-workers possess unique legal rights that are inherent to their employment status, but the Vassar Student Association has seemingly encountered difficulty in the past with communicating this information to the student body. According to the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Survey (ACS), 57.6% of student respondents indicated that the Association had not increased their awareness of the unique rights of student-workers (Fig. 125). To ensure that student-workers fully understand their rights and the financial resources available to them so that they may derive the maximum benefit from their positions, the Association must do more to promote the interests of this constituency through outreach and education initiatives. Furthermore, a large number of the respondents to the ACS who have used the JobX system to apply for work-study positions did not find the system easy to navigate. The Association should help its constituents secure work-study positions which are in many cases vital to the Association’s priorities of living and thriving at Vassar.
The Division of Communications has a variety of outreach methods at its disposal to convey information to our student-worker constituency. The Division of Communications is thus committed to informing the student body of the unique rights and financial resources student-worker possess or may qualify for, as well as providing work-study applicants with greater support to apply for jobs on campus. The Division of Communications will work with the Chair of the Student Financial Affairs Committee to accomplish these objectives.
Contact Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu), and Charles From, Chair of the Student Financial Affairs Committee (cfrom@vassar.edu)
Many aspects of college life, especially at Vassar, are based on the assumption that students already have the financial means to participate in the activities associated with that experience. Vassar College often leaves these students without financial support in times of emergency due to how students’ financial need is calculated. Vassar’s practices can leave low-income students facing the tough decision between an activity with friends and maintaining enough savings to cushion unexpected costs, like surprise medical bills. Working with FLI and the Student Growth Engagement Office, the Office of the Equity Executive will seek to provide more avenues for obtaining much-needed resources on a campus. This is crucial to serving a community of people who wish to have a more equitable college experience.
Contact Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
Priority 9: Student Engagement & Activities
There are ‘off-seasons’ for student events between our large campus events where Vassar has fewer traditions that students look forward to. Such times include, following winter vacation and before Founders Day. In order to remedy this dull period, the Division of Student events is committed to start brainstorming with the SARC, MUG Managers, and Student Organizations to implement smaller scale campus-wide events that could break up that time. Additionally, the Division of Student Events hopes to establish an all-campus event tradition of St. Matty’s Day around St. Patrick’s Day.
An additional potential way to bring more regularity to campus programming would be to reestablish MUG Nights. These could be how we involve collaboration with organizations, deans, or departments. There is a lot of opportunity for different groups to organize events and for the Division of Student Events to help moderate and better advertise said events to increase their traffic and turnout.
The last idea is something similar to Residential Life’s Brewer Olympics. This could look similar to the house competitions. Programming like this would help to involve the campus apartment areas, as well as off campus students, to try for as much campus involvement as possible. There could be faculty or administrative involvement. In order to expand on the work of the Association's three executives, students could earn points for their class in wellness, equity, or sustainability aspects. This engagement can be broad, and may include a rewards system for recycling, or composting, getting narcan certified, attending various campus events, etc.
Contact Faye Stevens, Director of Student Events (vsaevents@vassar.edu)
This on-going initiative relates to all campus-wide events that require individuals to navigate large areas, be exposed to potentially overstimulating noises, stand for long amounts of time, or any accessibility limiting situation. These situations can often result in a neglect of safety and comfort, especially for participating individuals with disabilities. There should be a greater emphasis on inclusion and comfort of all individuals within the college community.
The Division of Student Events in collaboration with the Equity Executive is committed to identifying how campus activities can be more inclusive. Additionally, large-scale all-campus events shall have designated ‘wellness spaces.’
Contact Faye Stevens, Director of Student Events (vsaevents@vassar.edu) and Matthew Tavarez, Equity Executive (vsaequity@vassar.edu)
Priority 10: Committed Climate Response
Continuing last year’s initiative, through a collaboration with the Division of Student Events and the Association’s Office of Sustainability there will be an annually scheduled Green-Up Day centered around Earth Day. Green-up day is when the campus community comes together to pick up the side of the roads and local areas of litter and debris. This annual event builds community via collaboration with buildings and grounds and Vassar students, and is an opportunity to clean up our campus and the environment. Further collaboration may involve the Pougkeepsie community.
Contact Faye Stevens, Director of Student Events (vsaevents@vassar.edu) and Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu)
With the success of the Vassar VIE program and the numerous students interested in entrepreneurship on campus, the Office of the Sustainability Executive is dedicated to the creation of a Green Fund. This fund will empower students and faculty to apply for grants that support a wide range of environmental initiatives that they have created or are interested in creating, including renewable energy installations, waste reduction programs, and new sustainable technology.
The Green Fund will serve as a catalyst for innovation, allowing the campus community to actively contribute to Vassar’s sustainability goals. By providing financial support to projects that align with our environmental mission, we aim to foster a culture of sustainability across campus.
To ensure the success of the Green Fund, the Office of the Sustainability Executive will collaborate with the CCE and Vassar Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VIE) Offices. These partnerships will provide the necessary resources and guidance to manage the fund effectively and promote it to the broader campus community.
Contact Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu)
This year, a series of workshops and seminars focused on key topics such as energy conservation, sustainable living, and climate change would help educate the Vassar population on sustainable practices and methods. The Office of the Sustainability Executive intends to ensure that this becomes a reality. These educational sessions aim to engage the campus community in meaningful discussions and provide practical tools for incorporating sustainability into daily life. Potentially, incentives or partnerships with Professors could increase the attendance and participation of the student body at these workshops.
The workshops will feature a diverse range of speakers, including faculty members, students, and guest experts, offering a broad perspective on environmental issues and sustainable practices. By participating in these events, students will gain valuable knowledge and be empowered to make informed decisions that contribute to a more sustainable campus.
The Office of the Sustainability Executive is committed to making these workshops accessible to all students and will work closely with campus organizations to ensure a wide-reaching impact.
Contact Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu) and Hayden Ehrenfeld, Director of Communications (vsacomms@vassar.edu)
In an effort to increase participation in the campus reusable takeout program, the Office of the Sustainability Executive aims to introduce several key improvements designed to make the program more convenient and engaging for students. 92.7% of students have never used Green2Go and of those that have, 67.7% still found it was inconvenient and ineffective to utilize (Fig. 23 & 24).
To address the inconvenience expressed by students, we will be increasing the additional return/pickup stations in high-traffic areas across campus, including residence halls, study spaces, and near main campus exits. By making it easier for students to return their to-go boxes, we aim to significantly boost the program’s usage and reduce the reliance on single-use containers. There will also be major pickup/return stations at places where students tend to sit and dine such as Retreat, and Express.
To further motivate students, we intend to introduce a rewards system for returning to-go boxes. Ideally under this system, students who bring their Green2Go Boxes or choose to use one will have access to another, faster priority line for food. This initiative not only encourages responsible use of the reusable dishware but also fosters a sense of community involvement in our sustainability efforts. Students will be able to easily obtain these boxes at the expanded pickup/dropoff locations.
By implementing these changes, the Office of the Sustainability Executive is committed to making the reusable dishware program more accessible and appealing, ultimately reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable campus culture.
Contact Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu)
The Office of the Sustainability Executive remains committed to ensuring that all purchases made through the Association adhere to our established sustainable purchasing guidelines. This year, we will not only continue to enforce these guidelines, which prohibit the purchase of single-use plastics and encourage resource-sharing among organizations, but also improve upon them by regularly updating the guidelines to reflect the latest in sustainable practices and product availability. We will work closely with the Directors of Finance and Student Organizations to provide ongoing education and support to organization treasurers, ensuring that these practices are not just followed but embraced as a fundamental aspect of our campus culture. By continuously refining these guidelines, we aim to make sustainable purchasing a seamless and integral part of campus operations.
Contact Jay Chung, Sustainability Executive (vsasustainability@vassar.edu), Dylan Ouderkirk (vsafinance@vassar.edu), and Mariano DeCarvalho, Director of Student Organizations (vsaorgs@vassar.edu)
Learning at Vassar
Academic Expectations and Support
Priority 11: Curricular Choice and Enhancement
Vassar’s robust and broad curriculum provides students with knowledge in various different departments and realms of academic inquiry. Most recent Annual Comprehensive Survey results show an overwhelming students’ desire to have some correlates expanded to full majors (i.e., Creative Writing, Migration and Displacement Studies, Arabic Language, etc.) as well as the creation of new correlates based on existing majors (i.e., Drama, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Science, Technology, and Society, etc.).
The Academic Affairs Committee is committed to advocating for students’ desire and working with various academic departments to enlarge the selection of correlates or majors. The changes, once implemented, will provide students with opportunities to enjoy a robust Vassar curriculum and pursue various academic interests.
Contact Karolina Naidon, Chair of Academic Affairs (vsaacademics@vassar.edu)
Non-Recorded Option of Vassar classes is an essential tool that encourages students to try classes that pose a greater academic risk or to venture into new academic interests. While some departments courses that are NRO eligible, others do not provide this option to students. This is especially the case for introductory 100-level courses, which are essential to understand a new department. If a student is unable to NRO the very first course in a department , it may discourage further exploration and academic inquiry that defines a liberal arts education. In the Annual Comprehensive Survey, 83.3% of students stated that they want to see all 100-level coursework eligible for NRO (Fig. 95).
Given that the Academic Affairs Committee successfully advocated for the NRO eligibility of 100-level Dance and Language (with the exception of Italian and SILP), we are committed to continuing to lobby for making NRO-able 100-level classes in various departments.
Contact Karolina Naidon, Chair of Academic Affairs (vsaacademics@vassar.edu)
Laboratory work is an integral part of STEM classes at Vassar. While an important part of students’ learning, 4-hour labs every week are not eligible for accreditation despite the students’ additional hard work and time. Even though lab work is considered during grading, it plays a small role in it, leaving students’ work under-credited.
Vassar students continuously express their desire to receive credit for selective lab work, and the Academic Affairs Committee continuously attempts to find a compromise on these issues with departments. We are committed to continuing the committee’s advocacy efforts to implement credits for Laboratory work and make the time-consuming work of students visible.
Contact Karolina Naidon, Chair of Academic Affairs (vsaacademics@vassar.edu)
There are various events on campus dedicated to stress relief throughout students’ academic journeys. The recent Annual Comprehensive Survey results showed that 58.3% of the students want to have more events dedicated to the celebration of their academic-related accomplishments, while 35.2% of respondents were not aware of already existing events of this type, specifically the sophomore year’s Major’s Toast (Fig. 100).
The Academic Affairs Committee along with the Division of Student Events is committed to expanding programming around academic accomplishments and especially working on celebrating Seniors’ accomplishments, related to graduation and thesis submission and presentation. The Committee is also dedicated to further promotion of existing events related to accomplishments and collaboration with academic departments and administration.
Contact Karolina Naidon, Chair of Academic Affairs (vsaacademics@vassar.edu) and Faye Stevens, Director of Student Events