All in all, Social Council's mission is to provide the student body with fun social activities to release stress from the daily pressures that the Amherst College workload puts upon us. In order to accomplish our mission we do much more than sponsor TAP parties. You will periodically see cookie decorating in Valentine, cider and doughnuts in the Campus Center, popcorn at "OC in the CC," karaoke in Schwemm's and a BBQ at a football game. Social Council does provide a wide variety of events and really does attempt to make Amherst a fun place.
The designated TAP areas of every TAP party are substance-free. Social Council hires and pays student security to monitor the area. Student security monitors the TAP area to make sure that no student brings a beverage that they might have gotten elsewhere. The fact that students have alcohol upstairs in their rooms is beyond Social Council's control. It is not Social Council's responsibility to police areas that are outside of the designated TAP areas. Social Council does not have a choice as to where TAP is held. TAP must be held in a dorm because dorms are the only areas on campus with common gathering spaces. Furthermore, the dorm must have a large enough common space to accommodate a large portion of the student body. Because of this, TAP cannot be held in Coolidge Dormitory or Pond Dormitory. In addition to restraints being placed on TAP locations due to the physical properties of the buildings on campus, several College administrators determine the designated TAP areas. In a previous editorial a student accused Social Council of having Endless Summer in Stone Dormitory because it would enable alcohol consumption. Social Council does not choose to have TAP in Stone Dormitory because of the students living in it. Social Council chooses Stone Dormitory because it has a large basement, it is approved by the administration and it is a tradition to have Endless Summer there.
The only event that Social Council sponsors that is not substance-free is Senior Bar Night. However, this event is for 21+ students, and Social Council usually spends no money on it. Social Council simply takes on the responsibility of emailing every senior and suggesting a bar.
The students on Social Council are well aware that we are only a small percentage of the Amherst student body. It would be impossible to represent everyone on our board. For that reason we have a co-sponsorship program through which we give money to other campus organizations to help them to hold events. When a club wants to throw an event they usually approach AAS to ask for funding. In most instances, AAS points the organization in our direction because they know that we are more than willing to help with a social function. Social Council's criterion for co-sponsoring an event is that the event is substance-free, open to the entire Amherst student body and is somewhat social in nature. We have given money to co-fund events sponsored by organizations such as the BSU, La Causa, Drew House, Katrina relief and by individuals who have approached us.
In the past, Social Council has made efforts to get ideas and opinions from students. We have tried polling students. However, as most students are aware, putting surveys in mailboxes, tabling in the Campus Center, tabling in Valentine and emailing surveys are all ineffective. Because we have tried these methods in the past without success, we have instead elected to have general members on Social Council. Any student can be a general member. General members can attend every meeting or they can attend one meeting a year. It is through our general members that Social Council attempts to reach those students who feel that their needs are not being met or who have fun new ideas for social events.
It should be noted that Social Council is one of the oldest organizations still here today, created after the abolishment of fraternities in order to provide a social environment outside of the classroom. As a council, we do work very hard to create this atmosphere for the Amherst community.
Flato can be reached at aeflato@amherst.edu
McMullin can be reached at ammcmullin@amherst.edu