Priorities and Initiatives

It is common sentiment and knowledge across the student body that Vassar’s campus is widely inaccessible, with buildings lacking both basic and detailed accessibility features. Over half of student responses to the Annual Comprehensive survey indicated a belief that Vassar takes accessibility in its buildings either not at all seriously or somewhat unseriously (figure 99). 

A common refrain is that ramps must be installed to provide access to buildings. The reality is that all building entrances should and must be accessible entrances –  justice is not served when people with disabilities are confined to finding far-away ramps and elevators to access the same spaces as their peers. This means that we must make accessible all building entrances currently serviced by staircases, while also implementing doorways that are universally accessible – not too heavy, and able to be operated by electrical push-buttons or other means. Campus classrooms must contain furniture which is comfortable for all users and the campus landscape must be shaded, speckled with adequate seating areas, and navigable by well-maintained and smooth pathway surfaces. Buildings must be cooled with central air conditioning and adequately heated in the winter. We note that over a quarter of students currently report feeling uncomfortable or very uncomfortable in their housing for reasons related to temperature control (figure 97), and that accommodations for air conditioning units currently can take long, hot weeks of time before those accommodations are realized. Tap card readers must continue to be implemented over swipe card readers and elevators must be improved for reliability, speed, and ease-of-use.

The Vassar Student Association will thus, through our power on the Campus Master Planning Committee (CMPC), various Building committees, and Accessibility Committee, hold the College to account on its commitments under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the recently-adopted 2022-2024 Vassar College Accessibility Plan, while pushing past these very basic obligations to ensure a campus with truly universal access for all. Efforts will also be taken by the Chair of Communication to ensure campus awareness of the Vassar College Accessibility Plan and its contents, which is currently lacking (figure 32).

Contact: Traci Francis, Chair of Equity and Inclusion (vsaequity@vassar.edu); Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu); Jyotsna Naiudu, Chair of Community Affairs (vsacommunity@vassar.edu); and Izzy Rico, Chair of Environmental Action (vsaenvironment@vassar.edu).

81 percent of Vassar students believe that “Vassar's dining services [should] be obligated to fully and clearly label the ingredients of all menu options” (figure 42). Of students with food allergies or intolerances, 26.5 percent report having consumed, inadvertently due to Vassar’s current system of labeling, an ingredient which may pose a risk to their health and/or comfort (figure 43). Such a reality is unacceptable and steps must thus be taken to do what is obvious: properly inform students as to what ingredients they are putting into their bodies. The Vassar Student Association thus commits to lobbying for more stringent labeling practices in all dining areas.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu); Traci Francis, Chair of Equity and Inclusion (vsaequity@vassar.edu)

While Vassar students broadly feel safe in their housing assignments (figure 96), Vassar’s apartment areas have been regularly targeted for break-ins over the past several years. Approximately 72 percent of students who have lived or currently live in these apartment areas feel that Vassar’s response has not adequately improved safety and security (figure 27). Moreover, 67.6 percent of such students feel that additional safety patrols would not improve their feeling of security in the apartment areas (figure 28). Notably, a substantial minority – 16 percent – report that the presence of safety and security officers make them feel less, not more, safe (figure 98). Rather, approximately half of students who have lived or currently live in the apartment areas report that main entrance locks on doorways feel insufficient for security (figure 29). The Vassar Student Association will thus lobby the College to implement plans for, or expedite existing plans for, improvements to apartment area building security features. Steps will also be taken to develop a broader safety approach for these areas that does not depend heavily upon sporadic and reactive increases in security patrolling.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)

In the Annual Comprehensive Survey, 44 percent of Vassar students report feeling that the room draw system is neither effective nor fair (figure 30). And, 46 percent of students who have received housing accommodations from the AEO office report that these accommodations were not immediately honored during the housing draw – additional advocacy by themselves or the AEO office was required for those accommodations to be fulfilled (figure 31). The Vassar Student Association will thus investigate, develop, and implement a proposal to ensure housing accommodations are honored during the housing draw process in collaboration with the College.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu); Traci Francis, Chair of Equity and Inclusion (vsaequity@vassar.edu)

Precisely 87 percent of Vassar students indicated in the Annual Comprehensive Survey that they would use a drinking fountain if one were provided in their residential house (figure 95). Installing drinking fountains is a basic step Vassar could take to encourage reusable water bottle use and would enhance the lives of students in a basic, but tangible, way. Existing water fountains, furthermore, must be retrofitted to fit a water bottle and enhanced with new filters to ensure the cleanliness of water supplied. The Vassar Student Association will thus work to enhance and install water fountains across campus, especially in residential houses. 

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu) and Izzy Rico, Chair of Environmental Action (vsaenvironment@vassar.edu)

Approximately a quarter of Vassar students report that, when considering a typical meal, they feel the food is never or rarely tasty or nutritious (figure 102). Conversely, a quarter of students feel the opposite, while a substantial middle ground feel the food is “sometimes” tasty and nutritious (figure 102) – dining is hit or miss! Furthermore, 56 percent of students feel dining does not provide an adequately diverse range of options. About 60 percent feel the range of Kosher and Halal choices is insufficient (figure 37), and 53 percent feel similarly about the availability of vegan and vegetarian options (figure 38). Among vegans and vegetarians, half feel the range of options is balanced adequately, while a quarter feel there are too many vegan options and insufficient vegetarian options and a separate quarter feel the reverse (figure 39). The Vassar Student Association’s Dining Committee will thus continue efforts to ensure high-quality, tasty, nutritious, diverse and pleasing food options across Vassar’s dining areas.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)

57 percent of Vassar students have remained on campus over a break, intersession or during the COVID-19 closure (figure 44). Of these students, 23.3 percent have remained during the summer, 10 percent have remained during the winter, 28.3 percent have remained during the spring, 30 percent have remained during October break, and 8.3 percent have stayed during the COVID-19 closure (figure 45). A third of these students reported insufficient food options during their stay; just over a quarter reported dining hours conflicting with their athletic or work commitments; 13 percent reported an inadequate range of vegan and vegetarian options; 7.3 percent felt the meal plan was unaffordable; 5.7 percent faced difficulties finding safe food options due to allergies or intolerances; 4.1 percent felt the options for Kosher and Halal foods was insufficient; and only 9 percent face no such issues (figure 46). The Vassar Student Association will thus work to provide institutional support and continuity behind the efforts of the Break Advisory Group (BAG) and lobby to rectify these issues for those who may in the future choose or have no other option but to remain on campus for a break, intersession, or otherwise unpredictable closure.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu); Kyle Flynn, Chair of Athletics (vsaathletics@vassar.edu)

According to Annual Comprehensive Survey data, 41 percent of students report that a typical load of laundry only “sometimes” results in their clothing being properly washed and dried, and without any damage. Approximately 30 percent, furthermore, say that Vassar’s washing machines work “rarely” or “never” (figure 103). Moreover, students broadly indicated that the recently won VWash stipend should be expanded to encompass more students and include greater funds (figure 50). The Vassar Student Association will thus work to develop and implement, in cooperation with administrators, a plan to improve the quality of campus laundry machines and a program for laundry refunds in the event that a machine does not wash or dry clothing as it is supposed to. Efforts will also be made to expand upon the existing VWash scheme.

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)

As mentioned in Initiative 7.3, Vassar students broadly feel safe in their housing assignments (figure 96). Despite this, approximately 72 percent of students who have lived or currently live in the apartment areas feel that Vassar’s response to frequent break-ins has not adequately improved safety and security (figure 27). Vassar’s response has largely depended on increasing Safety patrols in these areas, which 67.6 percent of such students indicated do not improve their feeling of security in the apartment areas (figure 28). A stunning 30 percent of students, furthermore, say they feel Campus Safety officers are not effectively completing their  job. And, a substantial minority – 16 percent – report that the presence of Campus Safety officers make them feel less, not more, safe (figure 98). Of those who had interacted with a Safety officer before, 85 percent had a positive experience – but a notable 15 percent report feeling that the officer was neither respectful nor fair (figure 25).

The Vassar Student Association will work to improve the effectiveness of Safety patrols while also establishing plans to improve student relations with Campus Safety. Such plans may include shifting the language used to refer to Campus Safety away from topics of “security” and titles of “officer” or “lieutenant.”

Contact: Max Bergman, Chair of Residential Affairs (vsaresidential@vassar.edu)