[703] in UA Senate
Re: HDAG Summaries Posted
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Jont=E9_Craighead?=)
Tue May 4 13:59:53 2010
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Jont=E9_Craighead?= <jontec@MIT.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <m2u9d4f87ed1005040902k5631bf49r27b93c94a1df0a6c@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 May 2010 13:00:12 -0400
Cc: David M Templeton <dtemp@mit.edu>, Adam Bockelie <bockelie@mit.edu>,
"ua-senate@mit.edu" <ua-senate@mit.edu>, ua-dining <ua-dining@mit.edu>
To: Daniel D Hawkins <hwkns@mit.edu>
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I think there are actually two "weekly responses". But, yeah, I don't =
think they were especially useful.
I'd like to hear whether people would be interested in writing something =
in the Fall to address/critique the shortcomings in the planning and =
execution of this entire process. There are signs everywhere that the =
process has not been successful and poorly managed. Namely, that (1) the =
IdeaBank was late, (2) the "minutes" are not useful, (3) there has been =
little transparency, (4) low turnout at forums, (5) the is schedule too =
close to spring semester "crunch time", and (6) the student request for =
transparency was ignored without a direct comment. These grievances =
could be presented as an advisory statement to DSL or to administrators =
in general and possibly also "analyze" positive examples of the =
administration collecting student input. I recognize that some of this =
may seem reminiscent of Bennie's editorial, but I am not sure that =
that's a bad thing. By this point, we will have the final dining plan, =
the results of the Athena Working Group (if this is relevant at all), =
and will have seen the impact of Summer Housing as recommended by HSG.
This is just a question posed by me as a Senator. I would like to hear =
reasons for, against, and possibly other problems (or even positive =
things) that we have seen in this process. By virtue of the subject =
matter, we are limited in our ability to be quantitative; while this is =
definitely something to be considered, we should also remember to =
evaluate the merits of a qualitative review.
I realize this might "upset" Dean Colombo, but I am not totally =
convinced that this is a good reason not to do this (unless there is =
something very specific we might gain next year). I am posing this =
question because I believe the UA--as the student voice on campus--needs =
to indicate that this type of approach should not be tried in the future =
and certainly should not be called a "success" or "triumph" of =
collecting student input. I have spoken with a number of students who do =
not understand why the UA is so opposed to the DSL's process--we need to =
make it crystal clear why we've been critical. Furthermore, I think we =
need to distance ourselves from the House Dining Review process--we =
should not be held "responsible" for something that was almost entirely =
out of our control.
Thanks,
Jont=E9 Craighead
UA Senator from Next House
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Course 1C: Class of 2013
On May 4, 2010, at 12:02 PM, Daniel Hawkins wrote:
> I completely agree with dtemp. These tell us nothing. They're also =
really late in the game. And did the "weekly" comments on the web site =
stop after one post? Not that those were useful either...
>=20
>=20
> On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 8:16 PM, David M. Templeton <dtemp@mit.edu> =
wrote:
> I'd like to point out the lack of quality of these minutes; it is =
perhaps disingenuous to even call them minutes.
>=20
> There are no details, no discussion of proposals, no opinions of the =
present members, no votes. This isn't really the transparency we need =
to see if the student members of the committee are doing their jobs =
satisfactorily, or if the admin members of the committee are listening =
to them. Did we expect better minutes, or is this the type of committee =
that keeps ongoing discussion under wraps?
>=20
> Also, I'd like to be able to trace the progression of ideas from the =
HDAG meetings, to the final HDAG report, to the final decision by =
Colombo; this would show us how ideas were shaped over time, and how =
much student input was taken into consideration. Do we even know if =
we're going to get a copy of the full HDAG report at the end?
>=20
> Dave
>=20
> On May 3, 2010, at 7:22 PM, Adam Bockelie wrote:
>=20
> > Senate,
> >
> > HDAG has posted summaries of each meeting on the House Dining Review =
site.
> >
> > [http://studentlife.mit.edu/house-dining-review/updates#May3]
> >
> >
> > --
> > Adam Bockelie
> > 801.209.7233
> > <bockelie@mit.edu>
> >
> > Massachusetts Institute of Technology
> > Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
> > Class of 2011
>=20
>=20
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<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
"><div>I think there are actually two "weekly responses". But, yeah, I =
don't think they were especially useful.</div><div><br></div>I'd like to =
hear whether people would be interested in writing something in the Fall =
to address/critique the shortcomings in the planning and execution of =
this entire process. There are signs everywhere that the process has not =
been successful and poorly managed. Namely, that (1) the IdeaBank was =
late, (2) the "minutes" are not useful, (3) there has been little =
transparency, (4) low turnout at forums, (5) the is schedule too close =
to spring semester "crunch time", and (6) the student request for =
transparency was ignored without a direct comment. These grievances =
could be presented as an advisory statement to DSL or to administrators =
in general and possibly also "analyze" positive examples of the =
administration collecting student input. I recognize that some of this =
may seem reminiscent of Bennie's editorial, but I am not sure that =
that's a bad thing. By this point, we will have the final dining plan, =
the results of the Athena Working Group (if this is relevant at all), =
and will have seen the impact of Summer Housing as recommended by =
HSG.<div><br></div><div>This is just a question posed by me as a =
Senator. I would like to hear reasons for, against, and possibly other =
problems (or even positive things) that we have seen in this process. By =
virtue of the subject matter, we are limited in our ability to be =
quantitative; while this is definitely something to be considered, we =
should also remember to evaluate the merits of a qualitative =
review.</div><div><br></div><div>I realize this might "upset" Dean =
Colombo, but I am not totally convinced that this is a good reason not =
to do this (unless there is something very specific we might gain next =
year). I am posing this question because I believe the UA--as the =
student voice on campus--needs to indicate that this type of approach =
should not be tried in the future and certainly should not be called a =
"success" or "triumph" of collecting student input. I have spoken with a =
number of students who do not understand why the UA is so opposed to the =
DSL's process--we need to make it crystal clear why we've been critical. =
Furthermore, I think we need to distance ourselves from the House Dining =
Review process--we should not be held "responsible" for something that =
was almost entirely out of our =
control.</div><div><div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><div>Jont=E9 =
Craighead</div><div>UA Senator from Next House</div><div><div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: =
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: =
normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: =
0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div>Massachusetts Institute of =
Technology</div><div>Department of Civil and =
Environmental Engineering<br>Course 1C: Class of =
2013</div><div><br></div></div></span></div></span></div></span></span><br=
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br><div><div>On May 4, 2010, at 12:02 PM, Daniel Hawkins =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite">I completely agree with dtemp. These tell us =
nothing. They're also really late in the game. And did the =
"weekly" comments on the web site stop after one post? Not that =
those were useful either...<br><br><br>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 8:16 PM, David M. =
Templeton <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a =
href=3D"mailto:dtemp@mit.edu">dtemp@mit.edu</a>></span> =
wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin-top: 0pt; =
margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.8ex; =
border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: =
rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex; position: static; z-index: auto; =
">
I'd like to point out the lack of quality of these minutes; it is =
perhaps disingenuous to even call them minutes.<br>
<br>
There are no details, no discussion of proposals, no opinions of the =
present members, no votes. This isn't really the transparency we =
need to see if the student members of the committee are doing their jobs =
satisfactorily, or if the admin members of the committee are listening =
to them. Did we expect better minutes, or is this the type of =
committee that keeps ongoing discussion under wraps?<br>
<br>
Also, I'd like to be able to trace the progression of ideas from the =
HDAG meetings, to the final HDAG report, to the final decision by =
Colombo; this would show us how ideas were shaped over time, and how =
much student input was taken into consideration. Do we even know =
if we're going to get a copy of the full HDAG report at the end?<br>
<br>
Dave<br>
<div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><br>
On May 3, 2010, at 7:22 PM, Adam Bockelie wrote:<br>
<br>
> Senate,<br>
><br>
> HDAG has posted summaries of each meeting on the House Dining =
Review site.<br>
><br>
> [<a =
href=3D"http://studentlife.mit.edu/house-dining-review/updates#May3" =
target=3D"_blank">http://studentlife.mit.edu/house-dining-review/updates#M=
ay3</a>]<br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> Adam Bockelie<br>
> 801.209.7233<br>
> <<a href=3D"mailto:bockelie@mit.edu">bockelie@mit.edu</a>><br>
><br>
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
> Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering<br>
> Class of 2011<br>
<br>
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