2:25 pm on Sunday, April 7th, saw the first on-campus Plenary take place in five years. Around sixty-percent of the student body gathered in Goodhart hall or on Zoom to partake in this over one-hundred-year-old democratic tradition. The meeting started out with announcements from SGA President Bryn Osborne BMC ’24 discussing both the history and importance of Plenary, along with a proclamation of guidelines and rules for students to follow to participate in alignment with Bryn Mawr College Honor code.
Before discussion opened on the twelve resolutions, Bryn Mawr senior Maddy Kessler made an announcement about the importance of student contribution to the Bi-College Mutual aid Fund. There was also a reminder that the event was mask-mandatory, a policy which most students followed. With the initial announcements finished, SGA was able to move on to discussing the resolutions.
Over half of the proposed resolutions were routine bureaucratic updates, and did not receive much discussion. These resolutions included a reaffirmation of the SGA constitution, a reaffirmation of the Honor Code and the addition of language prohibiting the use of generative AI in the Honor Code. Other resolutions involved changes to SGA Treasurer eligibility, the establishment of a Disability Justice Committee, and updates to SFC bylaws.
Three of the resolutions, #8, #9, and #10, pertained to campus infrastructure. The SGA E-Board presented resolution #8, which advocated for the repainting of the Rhoads North and ILLC Tea Pantries. They described the tea pantries as being painted an ‘emotionally distressing’ shade of red. Current SGA president Bryn Osborne ‘24 and Erdman Dining Hall supervisor Miya Matsumune ‘26, presented resolution #9, which advocated for the establishment of a campus food pantry. If resolution #9 passes, Bryn Mawr would become a designated Pennsylvania Hunger-Free College. Students had a few questions, such as who would have access to the pantry and how it would be managed, with both coordinators noting that they are open to volunteers. If passed, Resolution #9 could be a starting point for a longer series of policies leading to expanded job opportunities in dining as well as more food options outside of dining hall and campus cafe hours.
Resolution #10, presented by incoming Traditions Mistress Kendall Phillips, involved the re-establishment of the SGA Kitchen and a reworking of kitchen policies in the Well. Students involved in the discussion were concerned about appliances that have fallen into disrepair, as well as the cleanliness of the spaces. Students were also curious about the sign-up technology, management of the SGA Kitchen re-establishment project, and potential asbestos in the SGA Kitchen space. Following the asbestos question, SGA noted that there is not a high likelihood of asbestos in Cambrian Row, and the buildings are currently in use as administrative spaces for the Athletics Department.
The most contentious resolutions were the final two. The first of these resolutions demanded that Bryn Mawr College call for a permanent and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and was presented by SJP and JVP. Students on all sides of the issue had questions about the wider impact of the resolution and its power to affect change. One student, who will be kept anonymous, suggested amending the resolution to include a demand for freeing the Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza. Another proposed an amendment specifically asking the US government to halt sending weapons to Israel. SGA reminded both students that amendments could only be made during the RepCo vote, which had happened one week prior. Students also mentioned that a call for a ceasefire would be in line with the Bryn Mawr Honor Code, especially in light of the ongoing destruction of Palestinian schools and violation of women’s rights in Gaza. On the other hand, others claimed a ceasefire resolution would align the student body with Hamas. Michelle Waksman ‘24 said passing a ceasefire resolution would be akin to “embracing Hamas’ manipulation.” Conversely, one student mentioned that they would feel safer as a Jew on campus if the resolution was passed.
The final resolution, Resolution #12, called for the creation of an Ethical Spending Committee. The committee would observe club spending behavior and where SGA money goes. The resolution is rooted in the BDS movement, which draws its inspiration from the Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa. Though the resolution was presented as educational, many students were concerned about punitive measures. SGA reassured students that club funding could not be taken away based on spending habits. In support of the resolution, Natalie Schliekelman ‘26, head of the SGA Green Ambassador Committee, stated, “Where we put our money as a college…is how corporations see what our values are.” More criticism of the resolution stemmed from concerns about the BDS movement, which some students categorized as antisemitic. There were fears that clubs would have to adhere to policies they did not support, or be ostracized for the businesses they chose to engage with. Again, these concerns were assuaged by SGA who said that the Committee would be held to the same standards as the SFC surrounding sensitive financial information.
The 2024 Spring Plenary proved that Bryn Mawr students are still civically engaged, even after years of virtual Plenary, and reiterated the importance of self-governance to the Bryn Mawr student body and admin. Voting on these resolutions ended at midnight on April 11th.
