Dean of Students Sheilah Shaw Horton updated students on the College’s COVID-19 protocols for the spring semester. She mentioned that the spread of COVID-19 has been significantly reduced on campus, and as a result, testing is now optional, in accordance with national protocols. The testing center is still located at the College Club and will be open three days a week, with hours varying each week. Horton noted that students who opt to self test are strongly encouraged to notify the Health Center to ensure the College’s efficiency in tracking positive cases.   

Horton also reminded students of the COVID-19 bivalent booster requirement, stating that there are a number of students who have not uploaded documentation of receiving the booster. While students returning from study abroad have a later deadline to upload their documentation, all other students who have not uploaded their documentation will be notified to do so as soon as possible via email in the coming weeks. As with last semester, Horton reminded students that those who test positive may still go to the dining halls to get meals to go with their OZZI boxes, but they should refrain from group gatherings both on and off campus. 

In light of the recent news regarding Tyre Nichols’ death, Horton expressed her grief and concern with the ongoing crisis of police brutality. She encouraged students to share with her ideas of programming that would be helpful to provide a space to help students process through this hard time. 

HPC Corner 

Updates were given on the state of the upcoming renovation plans for the Clapp Library. As students were notified last semester, the renovation plans have been postponed due to budget constraints and the extent of work that needs to be done. Two options are being explored in the meantime: a proposition to limit the extent of the repairs at the start and gradually progress one phase at a time, or provide additional resources such as additional thesis carrols and areas conducive to collaborative work in existing buildings while the library is closed for renovations. 

After last weekend’s dangerously low temperatures, HPs reminded students to contact facilities regarding any issues with radiators and/or pipes in the residence halls. 

Open Discussion

Students reported experiencing communication issues with the Title IX Coordinator last semester. Horton mentioned that the current Title IX Coordinator is split between both Wellesley and Olin College and is present on campus on Mondays and Wednesdays, which may have been contributing to the delays in communication with students. She affirmed that any future issues with effective communication be brought to her attention so that it can be formally addressed. Students also expressed concern for the defunct Bike Share Program, stating that many students had issues with securing bikes or never received bikes despite registering for the program last semester. In response to Horton stating that the program has stopped running due to struggles with hiring a new coordinator, students at large proposed making the position a student work study job permanently or temporarily until a new coordinator is selected. Horton said that this is a possibility that can be looked into in the near future. 

Cabinet Announcements

Orgs Chair Sofia Rubio ’23 announced that the second Spring Orgs Fair will be held on Feb. 9 in Tishman Commons. Cultural, religious and spiritual organizations, social justice, health and wellness and special interests organizations will be among those present at this week’s orgs fair. The next orgs fair on Feb. 23 will host club sports, recreational sports, societies, class councils and media/production organizations. 

During the Dean’s Corner, Dean of Students Sheila Shaw Horton addressed students’ questions and concerns regarding COVID-19 testing during the spring semester, announcing that testing protocols and centers will remain the same. She assured students that conversations about improving the efficiency and transparency with tracking cases will continue as we move to the spring semester. 

HPC Corner 

During HPC Corner Gabrielle Szatkowski briefly relayed plans for closing residence halls for winter break, stating that all forms for leaving and returning will be located on the StarRez housing portal this year. With renovations in Severance Hall resuming at the start of winter break, she informed students that residents of Severance Hall have the option of moving halls during the break if needed. All house presidents will share more information regarding fall residence hall closing during their respective house councils on Dec. 6. 

College Government Election Committee Results 

As the fall semester comes to a close, College Government is preparing for the upcoming cabinet election in the spring. This year, there were five candidates for the election committee and only three could be selected to serve – ; At least one senator and one student at large are required to be on the committee. The winning candidates are Sascha Bretzger ’23, a returning election committee representative, Shreeya Lakkapragada ’26 and Idana Wilson ’26. 

Cabinet Announcements

During Cabinet announcements, DOOCA Abby Lucier ’23 announced that two Boston-based artists, Oompa and Avenue, will be performing for SBOG’s fall concert on Dec. 9 in Tishman Commons. Chief Justice Nuzaina Khan ’23 informed students that the Honor Code Council will be compiling a list of resources regarding reading period, testing accommodations and more as we get closer to finals. Secretary Treasurer Yae-won Michelle Jung ’25 announced that the College Government website is now up and running for all students and senators to stay up to date with campus events and important updates from College Government. 

During the Dean’s corner, Dean of Students Sheilah Shaw Horton announced the second COVID-19 booster clinic, which was held on Nov. 11 in Tishman Commons. Many changes were made to ensure the success of this second attempt at providing the new booster for students on campus. Additionally, Horton announced  the start of “First-Gen Week” at the College, in which campus-wide celebrations and activities will be held throughout the week to celebrate students who are the first in their families to attend college. Lastly, Horton addressed the issue of the several alcohol-related medical emergencies that occurred over Halloween weekend. She implored students to practice responsible drinking and announced that she is collaborating with the Office of Health and Wellness to promote safer drinking among students. 

Endowment Presentation 

Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer, Piper Orton, gave a presentation on the College’s Endowment and its implications for current and future plans. Orton first detailed the cost of a Wellesley College education on an individual student basis, noting that the cost per student in 2022 was approximately $104,000, with the net cost after financial aid being roughly $43,000. She explained that each year, the College has to “find a gap” between the $104,000 cost and $43,000 net cost, and that it primarily comes from the endowment budget; the revenue acquired from both the endowment and tuition comprise the majority of the College’s income. Orton then provided a breakdown of the unique factors that financially impact Wellesley College differently as compared to peer institutions. 

During the President’s Corner, College Government President Alexandra Brooks ’23 reminded students to register for the on-campus booster clinic on Oct. 17. With Friends and Family Weekend quickly approaching, students are encouraged to get their boosters ahead of time to ensure COVID-19 safety. 

Dean’s Corner

During the Dean’s Corner, Dean of Students Sheilah Shaw Horton informed students that due to the optional COVID-19 testing protocols this year, fewer people are testing this year, making it harder for the College to track the exact number of those who test positive. As a result, she urged students to immediately notify the College Club of positive results from rapid tests, and to “continue to practice being COVID-19 safe by wearing masks and staying smart.” Addressing student concerns over testing accessibility, Dean Horton said that no changes will be made to establish another location for testing on the west side, and that all testing will remain at the College Club. Students with disabilities registered with ADR, however, can request rides to the College Club from Accessibility and Disability Resources. 

HPC Corner

During HPC Corner, Gabby Szatkowski ’24 confirmed that the limited number of trash cans in residence halls is due to the current custodial staffing shortage at the College. In light of this issue, Szatkowski reminded students that they should continue to dispose of their trash in the trash rooms of their residence halls as the staffing issue is sorted out. 

Announcements from Transportation and Mail Services 

Peter Eastment, director of Transportation and Mail Services, gave updates on campus transportation and future changes to mail services. Eastment mentioned that Local Motion will continue to be the College’s preferred transportation vendor this year. He also announced that the exchange bus schedule now has an additional 8:00 a.m. departure time from campus, an hour earlier than the former 9:00 a.m. departure, to accommodate students with 9:30 a.m. classes at MIT. During Fall Break, the Senate bus will operate on its regular schedule, but with a limited schedule on Oct. 10. Eastment mentioned that students will receive an email with the updated Fall Break Senate bus schedule in the coming days. Additionally, the Babson-Olin-Wellesley shuttle schedule has been updated to include more breaks following drivers’ requests. Eastment also announced that the Office of Transportation is working on securing an additional van for the Movie/Mall shuttle to keep up with the increased number of students taking the shuttle on Saturdays. Both Eastment and Dean Horton noted that eligible students can even apply through the Office of Public Safety to become paid drivers for the Movie/Mall shuttle to ease the stress on the current two drivers. 

Eastment also spoke on the significant backup of mail services, stating that the mail center in Lulu lacks adequate square footage to efficiently manage and scan the high volume of packages, thus causing the delays students have been experiencing. He announced that new technology to scan packages with mobile phones, in lieu of the current manual scanner, will be introduced in the near future to increase the speed and efficiency of mail services. Furthermore, the implementation of drivers to deliver overflow packages from Lulu to individual residence halls will also aid in this process. 

Senate Officer Elections

Candidates for Senate Officers delivered their SOI’s before the Senators, and the winners were announced at the end of the Senate. Izzy Torkornoo ’23 was elected as Social Chair, Hailey Lunceford ’26 was elected as Historian, and Alison Lu ’26, Anna Boland ’24, Mia Cadena ’25 and Shreeya Lakkapragada ’26 were elected as Academic Council Representatives. 

Open Discussion

Students at large raised concerns about limited seating at the Lulu dining hall and proposed opening Tishman Commons during dining hours to increase seating capacity. Students also proposed bringing rapid testing to residence halls. 

Students voiced their mixed feelings about the Wednesday date of Lake Day this year, with some disliking that it was on a day where they had few to no classes or had a scheduled lab, and others appreciating the mid-week break. Ultimately though, the overall opinions of Lake Day were positive among Senators and their constituents. 

Cab Announcements

Orgs Chair Sofia Rubio ’23 announced that applications for new orgs will be reviewed in two weeks’ time.

Student Bursar Amy Rose ’23 announced that the deadline for ARC applications has been extended to Oct. 6, and encouraged students to apply for the Transportation Advisory Committee to work alongside the Office of Transportation and Mail Services. 

During the Dean’s Corner, Dean of Students Sheilah Shaw Horton spoke on the purpose of her role in Senate and updated the College community on blue lights, testing and washing machines. According to Dean Horton, when the College investigated the blue emergency boxes last school year, they found many that were broken or were not actually emergency boxes. There are over a dozen of these emergency boxes around campus in order to make it easier for students to call Campus Police in case of an emergency. New emergency boxes were installed this week and are currently being tested. According to the Dean, they should be functional by the first week of October. 

Dean Horton also gave some updates on COVID-19 guidelines. When asked about student concerns over testing accessibility, Dean Horton said that she had not been made aware of any accessibility issues. Given that only 500 students are currently signed up for testing, she said the College could not afford to hire staff for both sides of campus. She also mentioned that there would be a booster clinic on Oct. 17. 

Cab Introductions

During Cabinet introductions, various College Government committees announced their updates and plans for the year. The Chief Justice, Nuzaina Faisal Khan ’23, proposed plans for moving towards more restorative and transformative justice for the student body, while the Political Engagement Chair. Liz Huang ’24, promoted “The Update,” the committee’s political digest. The Director of On Campus Affairs (DOOCA), Abby Lucier ’23, announced several opportunities to get involved with SBOG and campus events throughout the year, encouraging first-years in particular to get involved. Applications for ARC committees are due on Oct. 3. 

Open Discussion

Both Senators and students at large raised a variety of concerns during Open Discussion. A popular issue of the night was the limited availability of trash cans in the residence halls, with representatives of Beebe Hall raising concerns about there being no available trash cans. The addition of recycling bins in residential halls to potentially minimize this problem was also proposed by students. This issue is also partially due to an ongoing custodial staffing shortage. 

Concerns about future renovation plans at the Clapp Library were also voiced, particularly regarding the issues of class and library staff relocation. Furthermore, Vice President of Finance and Administration and Treasurer, Piper Orton, announced new efforts toward round trip travel reimbursement benefits for students seeking accessible reproductive health care in the area.  

For many students, these to-go containers offer a way to obtain meals from the dining hall on busier days.

“I work at the library right around lunch time, and I can’t bring food into the library, so I just get the OZZI box,” Hannah Williams ’26 said. “I eat outside the library [before] my shift, and then I return the box after my shift.”

The new program is a welcome change for many current students who appreciate the additional option for to-go meals. While dining halls have had to-go containers and silverware, they were made of single-use plastic or paper, were not available in the beginning of the year and were provided somewhat sporadically.

“It’s really useful because my meals are ‘to-go’ all the time if I need them to be,” Arianna Groover-Landis ’25 said. “That resource is always there versus last year, where we weren’t allowed to bring our own dishes into the dining halls, obviously because of COVID-19, and they weren’t providing to-go containers all the time.”

In an email to The News, Resident Director of Dining Services Julie Jordan wrote that Wellesley Fresh decided to introduce the OZZI system after working with the Office of Sustainability and the Dining Service Advisory Board for about nine months. They chose OZZI’s program after contacting other universities and introduced a pilot program over the summer to test the system. 

However, the sustainability of the OZZI box system relies on the cooperation of students.

“It’s a good step toward sustainability, but I do think that students need to use the Ozzi box more than they use disposable items for there to be an actual impact,” Williams said. “But I think it’s a good introduction for students to start using reusable stuff.”

In addition, the to-go boxes are meant to help students who need to take food to-go between their classes or for late at night. 

Students may pick up their initial containers at the cashier at the Bae Pao Lu Chow dining hall. Faculty and staff may purchase an initial container for five dollars. After use, a container should be wiped out and deposited in a return bin in Lulu, Bates or Tower, from where a token will be dispensed. These return bins scan a barcode sticker on the bottom of the container; the stickers should not be removed.

To get a new container, people may then give that coin to any member of dining staff at Bates or Tower, or to the cashier at Lulu. OZZI containers should not be used at Stone-Davis as the dining hall must remain kosher.

“Please use the OZZI container as opposed to removing dishes from the culinary centers,” Jordan wrote. “The dishware has the tendency to accumulate in the Residence Halls, creating additional work for our dining and custodial staff.”

Overall, student responses to the OZZI box program have been generally positive.

“This is a really great addition to the dining halls,” Groover-Landis said.