Following President Debora Spar’s globalization intiatives for Barnard, the college’s Student Government Association discussed international concerns for Barnard students among their usual business Monday night.Gretchen Young, dean for study abroad advising, stopped by to speak with SGA about her programs this year. Under President Spar’s administration, she has been moved to the provost’s office, where she plans to focus on the academics of study abroad and how faculty members at Barnard can help improve the list of approved programs. Young is working with Hilary Link, assistant provost and dean for international programs, to help incorporate international students into Barnard’s community. In the spring, around forty international students will be on campus, and, as Young noted, students will need to help them get acclimated to life here. She is experimenting with a new venture, the Barnard International Group, which has already begun a dialogue between students who have studied abroad and those who may want to. Young hopes to include international students in that mix, too, and hear their opinions.  Voices already spoke out at the meeting. For example, international student and sophomore class president Bo Yun Park, BC ‘12, told Dean Young, “A lot of international students ask themselves why they have to study abroad when they’re already abroad.” Such opinions will be greatly valuable to the program.

For planning on meetings to discuss such matters, Young hopes to work further with SGA. “I just turn to you all, because it’s hard to organize things,” she told SGA. For future meetings, Giselle León, BC ‘10, VP of Communications, suggested “maybe having a more focused interest group,” with each meeting devoted to a different location where students have studied abroad. Attendees can share experiences and learn about traveling to that place. Other suggestions included a meeting on why students should consider studying abroad and the process of doing so, perhaps with presentations from students who have done so. “I would love to be able to come in and and show awesome pictures of amazing places,” said Dean Young. BIG’s next meeting on November 24 will deal with safe travel abroad.

Next up, women’s basketball coach Paul Nixon and Dan Spiegel, assistant director for sports marketing, stopped by to promote Basketball Mania, which will take place on November 12. “It’s actually the night before our first game,” revealed Coach Nixon, who emphasized the importance of Barnard women on sports teams across the university. The annual Pink Zone game, which raises awareness about breast cancer, will take place on February 19, he added.

SGA president Katie Palillo, BC ‘10, moved on to discussed the Food Advisory Board formed with the guidance of Dining Services director Al Sorbera. Suggestions for the board have included a comment section to thank the dining staff. Palillo then spoke about the Seven Sisters Conference, in which student government representatives from those select institutions will come to Barnard to discuss women and leadership. That will take place on the first weekend in March. Amy Chen, BC ‘10, VP of Student Activities, briefly discussed the deactivation of four clubs for SGA recognition due to lack of presence on campus, recognition by other governing boards, or no proposals for budgets. It was voted that CU Swing, CU Gospel, SPEAK, and Students Against Silence all have their SGA recognitions revoked.

Want to call home from Cathedral Gardens? You’ll have to use your cell, then, said Sharmin Ahmed, BC ‘10, VP of Finance. That dormitory has no landline phones; the administration has discussed getting rid of dorm phones altogether to cut costs, but complications would arise with internet connections. Ahmed elaborated on the difficulties of removing landlines and the different possibilities for doing so.

Moving back to international issues, León brought up an exciting event taking place on Wednesday, November 11. Glamour magazine is hosting a “Women of the Year” award at Barnard that night; its winners are Hoda Aminian and Azadeh Faramarziha, who are members of the Iranian Women of the World’s Signature Campaign. The group has demonstrated “extraordinary advocacy efforts to reform laws that discriminate against women,” according to a press release from Barnard’s Communications Department. Co-sponsored by the Athena Center and featuring its director, Professor Kathryn Kolbert, the event will have the award winners address the audience about their experiences in Iran. “The speakers really want to speak to a young audience” of students, observed León.

In domestic news, a Barnard Town Hall is scheduled for November 17 from 6 to 8 PM in the James Room. The topic will either be the Diana Center, focusing on its food options, or new programs in the Office of Diversity Initiatves. “The topic will just be based on which administrator says they will come to host the event,” said León, who explained afterwards that it was a last minute change in direction.

To finish out the night, CCSC representative Brandon Christophe, CC ‘12, spoke on his council’s initiatives. He was followed by Marci Leveillee, BC ‘10, representative to Student Services, who mentioned that Barnard winter housing would cost $100 in most cases. The meeting closed out with presentations from various other representatives and class councils.