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Student Government Minutes & Attendance

Below are the recorded minutes and attendance records of the HLS Student Government meetings.

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06. Mar, 2012
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Student Government Weekly Announcements –10/8/2011

1)  Thanksgiving Dinner — Nominate Charities by Monday (10/10)

Every year, the HLS Student Government organizes a Charity Thanksgiving Dinner in Ropes Gray.  In 2010, over $6,000 was donated to aid flood relief in Pakistan through the International Rescue Committee, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.  In 2009, over $7,000 was donated to send care packages to service members in Iraq and Afghanistan through an organization called Any Soldier.  This year, we’re reaching out to you to nominate charities for the Thanksgiving Dinner.  The process will be as follows.
  • Students Nominate Charities by Monday (10/10) — Please nominate a charity by submitting a description (up to 1 page) by 11:59pm on Monday to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu.
  • Student Government Narrows the List — The Student Government will vote on the nominated charities to determine 5 finalists.
  • Students Vote on Wednesday (10/12) — The student body will then vote on the 5 finalists to determine this year’s charity.
                                                  

2)  Seeking Committee Members — Submit Applications for Committees by Wednesday (10/12)


The Student Government oversees the allocation of students to ten different committees.  
  • Administrative Board — Makes decisions about student disciplinary issues and exceptions to faculty and administrative rules.  Seeking one 1L.
  • Academic Task Force — Addresses issues with MyPlan, course registration, course evals, etc., and drafts concrete proposals for the Registrar’s office.
  • Student Funding Board — Allocates money to all student organizations and reviews adherence by student organizations to Student Funding Board rules during the year.
  • Harvard Graduate Council — Harvard-wide group of representatives from 12 graduate schools; creates campus-wide events and votes on policies.
  • Clinical and Pro Bono Committee — Contributes ideas and suggestions regarding curriculum development, new projects, etc., and assists with programming.
  • IT Committee — Works with faculty and administration to address tech-related issues, such as e-mail systems and websites.
  • Financial Services Committee — Advises the Financial Services Office about financial aid, LIPP, and SPIF.
  • Wellness Advisory Committee — Assists with “Living Well in the Law” initiatives to promote wellness on campus.
  • Library Outreach Team — Advises the Library on student needs, like making laptop chargers available for check-out.
  • Art Committee — Works with faculty and administration to make decisions about rotating art exhibits in the new WCC building.
Click here for more information and the application.  You can apply to more than one committee.  Please submit your application to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu no later than NOON on Wednesday, 10/12.  The Student Government will review the applications and make selections by Friday, 10/14.
                                                  

3)  Halloween Dance — Save the Date: Saturday, 10/29


Student Government will be organizing the Halloween Dance this year.  More info is to come, but save the date!

  • When — Saturday, 10/29
  • Where — Sheraton Commander, Cambridge
                                                  

4)  Student Government Meeting Highlights  — What We Discussed at Our 1st Meeting

One of our goals this year is to better communicate what goes on during our Student Government meetings.  See below for highlights from our meeting.

  • Student Organization Governance Bylaws
    • The Student Government voted to approve new bylaws governing the process and criteria by which Student Government manages the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of student organizations.
    • The new Bylaws are posted here.
    • Alex Horstmann, the Director of Student Organizations, will be reaching out to existing student organizations to communicate any impact the new bylaws will have on existing student organizations.

                                                  

5)  DOS Meeting Highlights  — What We Discussed with the Dean of Students Office (DOS)

  • Problems with the Evening Taxi Service
    • Some students contacted Student Government about issues with the Evening Taxi Service.  Specifically:
      • students had to wait for the taxi to come to Lewis from Boston, which is where the taxi company is based; and
      • the dispatcher at the cab company did not know where Lewis is located and wasn’t familiar with the taxi voucher program.
    • DOS told us that the taxi company was selected because:
      • past experiences with Cambridge taxi companies have not been great; and
      • other Harvard grad schools (i.e. the Med School) reported satisfaction with the company.
    • DOS will contact the cab company to request that they educate their dispatchers and drivers about the Evening Taxi Service and the location of Lewis.  
  • Broken TVs in Hemenway
    • A student contacted Student Government about machines with nonfunctioning or malfunctioning TVs (e.g., they wouldn’t turn on; the sound is distorted; the volume cannot be changed).
    • We brought this up with DOS, and DOS told us that the Harvard Athletic Department has focused its budget on the big screens in Hemenway, because maintaining the individual TVs is very expensive.
    • DOS will bring this issue up with the Harvard Athletic Department, and we will let you know what we hear back.
  • Broken Coffee Machines
    • A student contacted Student Government about issues with the Flavia coffee machine in Lewis and on the 4th floor of Langdell Library.  The student suggested replacing the machines with machines that are better adapted to serve a high volume of students.
    • DOS is going to bring this issue up with Restaurant Associates, and we will let you know what we hear back.
                                                  


6)  Representatives  —  Announcing 2L and Transfer Representatives

Due to an irreconcilable scheduling conflict between Student Government meetings and his classes this fall, Dave Joch has stepped down from his position as 2L Representative.  Pursuant to our Constitution, we have appointed Jonny Satz (who was recently elected the Transfer Representative) as 2L Representative and Andrew Roach (who was the runner-up in the Transfer Representative Election) as the Transfer Representative.
                                                  


7)  The Hark —  Send Us Your Feedback


Last week, a student told us that the Hark often runs out of soy milk, which is frustrating for students who are vegan or allergic to dairy.  We contacted Restaurant Associates and are waiting to hear back from them.  In the meanwhile, please feel free to send us your feedback about the Hark.
                                                  


 8)  Student Government Office Hours —  Tuesday (10/11), 12pm – 1pm in the Hark


If you have any ideas or concerns, we’d love to hear from you!  Come talk to us during our office hours.
  • When — Tuesday (10/11) from 12pm – 1pm
  • Where — In the Hark
  • How to Find Us — We’ll have a Student Government sign.
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10. Oct, 2011
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Student Government Seeking Committee Applications!

Seeking Committee Members — Submit Applications for Committees by Wednesday

The Student Government oversees the allocation of students to ten different committees.

  • Administrative Board — Makes decisions about student disciplinary issues and exceptions to faculty and administrative rules.  Seeking one 1L.
  • Academic Task Force — Addresses issues with MyPlan, course registration, course evals, etc., and drafts concrete proposals for the Registrar’s office.
  • Student Funding Board — Allocates money to all student organizations and reviews adherence by student organizations to Student Funding Board rules during the year.
  • Harvard Graduate Council — Harvard-wide group of representatives from 12 graduate schools; creates campus-wide events and votes on policies.
  • Clinical and Pro Bono Committee — Contributes ideas and suggestions regarding curriculum development, new projects, etc., and assists with programming.
  • IT Committee — Works with faculty and administration to address tech-related issues, such as e-mail systems and websites.
  • Financial Services Committee — Advises the Financial Services Office about financial aid, LIPP, and SPIF.
  • Wellness Advisory Committee — Assists with “Living Well in the Law” initiatives to promote wellness on campus.
  • Library Outreach Team — Advises the Library on student needs, like making laptop chargers available for check-out.
  • Art Committee — Works with faculty and administration to make decisions about rotating art exhibits in the new WCC building.

Click here for more information and the application.  You can apply to more than one committee.  Please submit your application to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu no later than NOON on Wednesday, 10/12.  The Student Government will review the applications and make selections by Friday, 10/14.

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08. Oct, 2011
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Announcements — Week of 9/26/11

1)  Election Results — Announcing Your New Representatives

  • 1L Representative – Section 1:  Dan Yanofsky
  • 1L Representative – Section 2:  Bo Shi
  • 1L Representative – Section 3:  Michael Waks
  • 1L Representative – Section 4:  Caleb Griffin
  • 1L Representative – Section 5:  Lina Kaisey
  • 1L Representative – Section 6:  Andrew Chinsky
  • 1L Representative – Section 7:  Leon Johnson
2L Representative:  Dave Joch
  • 3L Representative:  Chandler Tanner
  • Transfer Representative:  Jonathan Satz
  • LLM Representatives:  Emanuel Pessoa & Victoria Burt
  • SJD Representative:  Daniel Vargas

                                                  

2)  Room Temperatures — What to Do When Your Classroom is Too Hot/Cold


If you’re ever too hot or too cold at school, you can:

                                                  


3)  Classroom Clocks — How to Fix the Time

 

If the clock in your classroom is too fast/slow (and your professor is relying on that clock), you can:

 

Note:  The clocks in Austin East and Austin North were fixed just this week.
                                                  


4)  Meeting Highlights — What We Discussed with the Dean of Students Office (DOS)


One of our major goals this year is increased transparency about what we do as your representatives and how we are responding to student needs.  In light of that, here are some highlights from our most recent meeting with the Dean of Students Office (DOS).


  • New Evening Transportation Options
    • Students contacted Student Government about the discontinuation of the shuttles from Lewis to apartments in Cambridge.
    • The Lewis shuttles were discontinued because the cost of those shuttles increased dramatically.
    • Students now have 2 alternatives for evening transportation.
      • 1)  Evening Van Service
      • 2)  Evening Taxi Escort Service
        • Students Served — Students who live in Cambridge (beyond Central, Inman or Porter Squares) or Somerville.  Students within the bounds of the Harvard Evening Van Service are expected to call the van.
        • Hours — 7pm to 1am
        • How to Use It
          • 1)  Pick up a voucher at the Langdell Circulation Desk after 7pm during Circulation Desk hours for use the same evening.  Students must show their HUID to the Circulation Desk Attendant and must sign their name and their HUID # on the log.
          • 2)  Call Town Taxi (617-536-5000).
          • 3)  Town Taxi will pick up students in the Lewis Lot (1557 Mass Ave).  Students must write the drop-off location on the voucher.  Gratuities are automatically handled between Harvard and Town Taxi.
          • Note:  Voucher receipts are reviewed monthly.  Use of the taxi vouchers for anything other than transportation from Harvard Law School to Somerville or an address outside the Evening Van Service boundaries in Cambridge and between 7pm and 1am will result in loss of taxi privileges and may subject students to disciplinary action through the Administrative Board.  If you do not use the voucher on the night you received it, you must destroy it.
    • For more info on transportation options, see http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/student-services/transportation.html for more information.
  • Slow Clinical Servers
    • A student contacted Student Government about the slowness of the servers used by students in Clinics and Student Practice Organizations.  
    • We brought this up with DOS, and they are looking into what can be done to speed them up.  
  • Coffee in Austin
    • A student contacted Student Government about coffee not being available in Austin for students with 8:10am courses.
    • DOS will adjust the delivery time of the coffee.
  • Tabling in the Hark
    • Contact tcusack@law.harvard.edu to reserve 1 of the 4 tables in the Hark between 11:30am and 1:30pm.
    • A new system for reserving tables in the Hark is in the works.  More details to come.
                                                  


5)  Student Government Office Hours —  Tuesday (10/4), 12:00 – 1:30pm, Hark South Dining Room


If you have any ideas or concerns, we’d love to hear from you!  Come talk to us during our office hours.
  • When — Tuesday (10/4) from 12:00 – 1:30pm
  • Where — In the South Dining Room of the Hark, near the windows
  • How to Find Us — We’ll have a Student Government sign.
                                                  

6)  Event Spotlight — Living Well in the Law Program: First Speaker (Monday, 10/3, 5pm, Ames Courtroom)


One of our goals this year is to help highlight important events at HLS.  More information is to come on how you can get one of your student organization’s events into Student Government Announcements.  For next week, consider attending the first in a series of speakers coming to campus this fall as part of Dean Minow’s new initiative, the Living Well in the Law Program.  

  • Topic — Practice Wisdom:  The Right Way to do the Right Thing
  • Speaker — Barry Schwartz, Professor of Social Theory and Social Action, Swarthmore College
  • When — Monday (10/3), 5pm
  • Where  — Ames Courtroom
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02. Oct, 2011
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Announcements — Week of 9/19/2011


1)  Representative Elections:  Deadline is Tomorrow at NOON


Get Involved – Next week, students will elect seven 1Ls (one for each section), three 2Ls, three 3Ls, one transfer student, two LLMs, and one SJD to serve as representatives on the HLS Student Government.  The deadline to submit candidate statements is Thursday, 9/22, at noon.

What Representatives Do – Student Government is an excellent way to get involved on campus.  As a representative, your role can include:

  • Brainstorming a new academic initiative or course registration issues
  • Helping decide how funding for campus activities should be allocated
  • Working with your favorite professor to set up a student-faculty dinner at their house
  • Voting on the creation of new student organizations
  • Meeting fellow leaders from other sections and classes at our meetings (twice a month)
Election Timeline – See below for a timeline.  More information will be sent to those who submit candidate statements.
  • Wednesday, 9/21, 5:30pm: You can begin to submit your 150-word candidate statement to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu using your Harvard email account.
  • Thursday, 9/22, NOON: Deadline to submit your candidate statement.
  • Monday, 9/26: Candidate statements will be emailed to the students eligible to vote in your election (e.g., 1Ls can only vote for a representative for their respective sections, 2Ls can only vote for 2L reps).
    • Wednesday, 9/28, 9:00am-5:00pm: Voting occurs. (Note: The date has been changed due to Rosh Hashanah.)
  • Wednesday, 10/5, 7:30pm-8:45pm: Newly elected representatives will attend the first general meeting of the Student Government.

2)  Kickoff Party and Harvard Football (Friday, 4:30pm-7:00pm) – Sponsored by the Harvard Graduate Council

One of this year’s goals for the HLS Student Government is make sure HLS students are invited to and know about events thrown by the other HLS graduate schools.  See below for info about the Kickoff Party sponsored by the Harvard Graduate Council, the university-wide student government for the graduate and professional schools at Harvard University.

Kick off the new year with fellow Harvard students from the 12 graduate and professional schools at the annual HGC Kickoff Party.  After the kickoff party, we will go watch Harvard v. Brown at 7pm in the first home game of the season!

Fun, Food, Live DJ, Contests, Networking and Harvard Football!!
Cost: Free for Harvard Students – You can bring one guest.
Where: Harvard Stadium (Look for the HGC Tent)
When:  Friday, 4:30pm-7:00pm

Go get your tickets here: http://hgc.harvard.edu/harvard-wide-kickoff/

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02. Oct, 2011
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Become a Student Representative!

To the 1Ls, transfer students, LLMs, and SJDs, welcome to Harvard Law School!  And, to the returning 2Ls and 3Ls, welcome back.
Who We Are – We are writing on behalf of the HLS Student Government, which is a body of 17 elected representatives and a 7-member Board of Directors, led by your President and Vice-President.  Our mission is to represent and advocate for your student needs.
How to Get Involved – Over the next 2 weeks, students will elect seven 1Ls (one for each section), three 2Ls, three 3Ls, one transfer student, two LLMs, and one SJD to serve as representatives on the HLS Student Government.
Info Session (Tuesday, 9/20, 12:30-1:00pm, Lewis 302) – Please come to our info session on Tuesday to ask questions about candidate statements, elections, what we do, or how you can get involved in other ways.  Pizza will be provided.
What Representatives Do – Student Government is an excellent way to get involved on campus.  As a representative, your role can include:
  • Brainstorming a new academic initiative or course registration issues
  • Helping decide how funding for campus activities should be allocated
  • Working with your favorite professor to set up a student-faculty dinner at their house
  • Voting on the creation of new student organizations
  • Meeting fellow leaders from other sections and classes at our meetings (twice a month)

Election Timeline – See below for a timeline.  More information will be sent to those who submit candidate statements.
  • Tuesday, 9/20, 12:30pm-1:00pm: Attend our optional information session (Lewis 302).
  • Wednesday, 9/21, 5:30pm: You can begin to submit your 150-word candidate statement to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu using your Harvard email account.
  • Thursday, 9/22, 12:00pm NOON: Deadline to submit your candidate statement.
  • Monday, 9/26: Candidate statements will be emailed to the students eligible to vote in your election (e.g., 1Ls can only vote for a representative for their respective sections, 2Ls can only vote for 2L reps).
  • Thursday, 9/29, 9:00am-5:00pm: Voting occurs.
  • Wednesday, 10/5, 7:30pm-8:45pm: Newly elected representatives will attend the first general meeting of the Student Government.

Contact Us – We always want to hear your thoughts about how we can improve our experience at HLS.  Please feel free to meet with us about your concerns, or you can always e-mail us privately at studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu.

Again, we’d love to have you this year, and we hope you’ll consider joining the team.

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19. Sep, 2011
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Introducing the 2011-12 Student Government Board of Directors

Introducing the Board of Directors

We’d like to introduce HLS Student Government’s 2011-2012 Board of Directors

Director of Academic Affairs:   Allison Ray
Director of Events:   Robin Achen
Director of Faculty Engagement:    Chas Hamilton
Director of Finance:    Dylan Stern
Director of Internal Affairs:    Lakshmi Ramanathan
Director of Student Engagement:    Greg Pruden
Director of Student Organizations    Alex    Horstmann

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19. Sep, 2011
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Board of Directors Application Now Available

The Student Government is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 Board of Directors.

Click here to download the applicaiton.

Rachna and I are very excited about the upcoming year, and we hope that you will consider applying for one of the seven positions on the Board.  We are looking for hardworking and motivated people who will contribute significantly to and help implement our stated vision as embodied in our platform.

The positions are listed below (in alphabetical order).  Please see the attachment for a description of the duties and the application form.

  • Director of Academic Affairs
  • Director of Events
  • Director of Faculty Engagement
  • Director of Finance
  • Director of Internal Affairs
  • Director of Student Engagement
  • Director of Student Organizations

For more information:

  • Please attend one of our two info sessions:
    • Friday, April 15, 12:30pm – 1pm:  Hauser 101
    • Tuesday, April 19, 12:30pm – 1pm:  Pound 207
  • Email us at: skylerandrachna@gmail.com

Please submit your application by Friday, April 22nd to studentgov@mail.law.harvard.edu.

Good luck!

Your HLS Student Government
Skyler Cho, President-Elect
Rachna Shah, Vice-President-Elect

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14. Apr, 2011