SGB suggests new roundtable

While some Student Government Board members had concerns about the format of the Dean of… While some Student Government Board members had concerns about the format of the Dean of Students Advisory Council, they never intended to have DSAC disbanded, according to a memo released Wednesday.

“In the end, we did not want that to be dissolved,” SGB President Kevin Washo Jr. said. He added that SGB just wanted to give their side of the story.

The memo, which was reviewed at the SGB meeting Wednesday night, stated that it was a way of clarifying SGB’s opinion in relation to the advisory board, after the statements given by SGB members were misrepresented in the Feb. 21 issue of The Pitt News. Washo said that none of the facts or quotes were incorrect, rather that there were concerns in how the article was interpreted.

“The way the article was presented was not the way we intended,” he said.

Washo stated that the eventual aim of the SGB’s ideal of an advisory council would be a “centralized voice, so that the administration doesn’t have to question what groups or committee the have to go to.” This voice would not just be SGB, but rather various groups working together so that no student voices are excluded.

Beginning with an apology for “the actions undertaken to disband the Dean of Students Advisory Council,” the memo continued by giving first a list of concerns about the council and then suggestions for improvement.

According to the memo, the main concern in the format of the advisory council was that it was not controlled by students. The memo stated that this could result in a variety of problems ranging from the discreditation of the SGB as the student voice to confining the agenda to issues that are priorities of the administration. Many of the cited possible problems were focused on a lack of communication and cohesiveness between various student groups that could occur in a student committee not controlled by the students.

As a solution for some of SGB’s concerns, the board suggested an SGB advisory roundtable and listed various directives that the roundtable would have. The memo said the purpose of the advisory roundtable would be to “establish the best way to serve the administration, student government and the student body.”

The roundtable directives focused on student control and leadership on campus. Included in the directives for the roundtable were promoting student cohesion and communication, and giving equal opportunity for all students and groups to be represented.

The memo concluded by promising SGB’s diligent work to help “ensure open communication to attain the optimal structure.”

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Dean of Students Jack Daniel had no comment at the time. Daniel said that after viewing and considering the memo, he would release a written statement in reaction.