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The Boston University student government confirmed officials from the Boston intercollegiate government and a Quarantine Learning Support Act, as well as updates from the cabinet at a Monday night meeting.
FAT is a coalition of undergraduate students from the greater Boston area representing 14 different universities, each with two different representatives.
The meeting began with confirmation from BIG representatives from BU: Alex Theon, sophomore student at the College of Arts and Sciences, and Katherine Sabido, a CAS elder.
Sabido was previously vice president of BIG Last year. With her confirmation by StuGov, she will continue to hold the post.
“BIG is kind of a baby organization that rebooted during quarantine… that’s why I think it’s really important to keep the same people that are there,†she said.
Theon said one of his goals was to “bring together†the municipal affairs department of BU and BIG.
Theon and Sabido were confirmed as BIG representatives with 36 affirmative votes.
The meeting continued with StuGov’s introduction of his Quarantine Learning Support Act.
The bill “would provide faculty from all colleges and departments with the ability to record and display classes for students unable to attend classes in person due to the following extenuating circumstances: a. COVID-19 infection b. Family emergencies c. Medical emergencies d. Illness e. Missed COVID-19 test appointment (yellow badge.) “
The bill’s introduction follows an Aug. 25 announcement by provost Jean Morrison recommending that students contact their friends in class for grades if they were to be placed in quarantine or in isolation accommodation. The teachers were informed do not record lessons or allow students to join remotely.
“Right now the administration is doing everything possible to discourage teachers from recording, but what needs to happen is that they have to support us as students and encourage teachers to do so,” said Dhruv Kapadia, vice president of advocacy. Committee and a second year student at TAS.
The bill would also allow professors to restrict video recordings if students began to abuse this accommodation.
To support the bill, Richard Segalman, chairman of the Expect More and junior committee at Questrom School of Business, conducted an investigation September 22-26 via Instagram accounts from @cas_stugov and @busstudentgov and Facebook groups for Classes 2022 to 2025.
Of the 711 students surveyed, 97.6% said they found the current accommodations for quarantined and isolated students unfair.
“Below 1% found it to be fair,†Segalman said. “In fact, more students had no opinion than [those who] felt it was fair.
In addition, 99.58% of those polled said they believe the University should have improved learning facilities for people in quarantine or isolated. Segalman said only one student voted against this option.
Kapadia said the plan is to survey faculty next, with similar results expected.
“Their expectation is simultaneously to meet their students one-on-one or in a private setting almost in their free time, and then to resume the course they have just taught,” he noted. “So it’s either that or they record it once.”
The bill passed with 32 votes in favor, bringing StuGov members closer to a petition to the BU administration for the implementation of the policy.
The meeting ended with updates from the cabinet.
Municipal Affairs Director Ana Obergfell and Communications Director Ting Wei Li continue their roles from the previous year.
Li noted his celebration of the BU StuGov Instagram which recently gained over 3,000 followers. Obergfell said she plans to continue the work of Municipal Affairs in partnership with BU votes, a group of students, professors and employees who organize voter registration campaigns.
Social Advocacy Director Vivian Dai promoted upcoming town halls throughout the semester, including one where transgender and non-binary students can share their experiences with student health services.
The latest updates included a movie night in October, information on the continued progress of the student information system overhaul and work to make compost more accessible to students living in university residences.
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