The Senate deliberated at length over the conversion of Pratt Museum into a dormitory in the hopes of bringing all freshmen back onto the freshman quad.
Vanessa Champion '01 said living in Valentine is a "completely isolating experience" because of its distance from the quad.
Several students expressed concern at the implications of removing the few remaining academic buildings on the quad, believing this conversion emphasizes residential life over academic life at the College.
Marisol Thomer '02, who is a resident counselor in Pratt Dormitory, also noted the cramped living conditions of sophomores in triples. Lieber said the rooms in Valentine could be used to relieve the crowding in dorms like Pratt.
Student Government Organization (SGO) Vice President Michelle Oliveros-Larson '02 said that Amherst's apparent disregard for the architectural history of the campus concerned her. Lieber said that the goals of the quad renovations include establishing a balance and symmetry.
Lieber said that he intends to return to the Senate in January after an expected vote by the trustees which would begin the renovation of Williston Hall.
Travis Bristol '03 presented a report on the progress made regarding to allegations of racial profiling at the Alumni Gym. "Some black students, myself included, when we went to the gym felt we were being questioned to show our pass more than white students," said Bristol. "I guess the individual at the desk did not see us as the typical Amherst student."
Bristol said that as a result, the facility's athletic director, Peter Gooding '83, instituted a new policy. Effective last week, all monitors are required to check the identification of all students entering the facility. Failure to enforce this new policy would be considered grounds for termination of any monitor found not to be in compliance.
"I think this is great," said Bristol. "All I was asking for was some universal policy."
The Executive Board of the SGO also informed the Senate of a letter being written to the faculty regarding registration procedures at the College. The letter addresses issues in the registration process that the faculty and the student body want changed. The registrar has already posted course schedule information on the Internet after a discussion with the SGO Executive Board.
SGO President Steve Ruckman '01 said a major concern is the lack of a true shopping period, since faculty do not want to lose the first two weeks of their semesters and students are fearful of playing catch-up for the month following the add-drop period.
Jake Kaufman '02 said that an online registration system would be helpful for relieving some concerns that students have. Ruckman, however, said that the campus' current network would be ill-equipped for such a registration procedure. At present, however, a new system is being phased in to replace the old network, but the transition will not be complete for at least another three years, according to Ruckman.