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Meeting Notes (2022-10-13)

Meeting Begin​

Zawad: Hi, welcome to Dormcon meeting. We’ll go around and do exec updates first. Only agenda item is the election

exec updates​

Sarah: Today, we’re holding election for underclassmen representative. We’ll start with nominations.

Nominate Geoffrey - accept

Nominate Temkin - accept

Nominate Jordan - accept

Nominate Figgis - do not accept

some deliberation about where people will stand

Jordan: take 90 sec to introduce yourself

Geoffrey: Live in Next House, when I first got into MIT, if you look at average student at MIT, they do not have the same background as me in terms of demographics and background. Having a place in student background is very important to make sure the perspectives of people like me are heard. Esp. in an institute where our voices and perspectives are not taken seriously. Dormcon’s projects excite me and with the proper effort they can really take the institute and student body to an entirely new level

Temkin: Live in EC, a 2026. We all come from different places but we all have similar experiences living through the pandemic and continues to impact our day to day lives in ways that MIT doesn’t fully appreciate. I feel like our voices are not heard, but it’s important that our voices are not just heard, but shouted. Everyone deserves to be heard and that’s why I’m running. It’s been a lot coming to MIT, moving far away, meeting new people and making new friends

Jordan: 2025, EC, she/her. I want to run for UR because I want to get things done. The position has a lot of opportunity as a new role to be more flexible and apply myself to what’s needed in the moment whether that’s implementing mural pilot or working with dining chairs. I think the role of an underclassmen rep is to help all aspects of Dormcon in whatever way I can

Jordan: open floor to question from exec/prez

Sarah: Geoffrey, you mentioned some of the dormcon projects excite you, can you mention one that excites you most

Geoffrey: Since I live in Next house, the mural pilot that is soon to be implemented in NExt house and new house. Anyone who has been in Next house has seen the walls in next and they’re just blank. A teeny bit drab and murals could definitely spice it up. On a broader level, murals are an important part of MIT history and student culture. They’re a way for students to express themselves artistically and turn these buildings into unique homes for students. Each mural is an individual expression, but together, they have this syncretism that forms a complete whole that tells a story about the dorm. Esp with the institute being finicky about their policy on murals, it’s important to make sure that this gets off the ground to keep student culture alive

Temkin: Visiting committee. Interested in relationships with MIT offices. Has has personal interesting experiences with DSL from dorm assignment to housing issues. Clarifying the process for how freshmen and sophomores can get involved in changing tehse things and seeing their vision realized is just really interesting. Very interesting to see how MIT transforms with students and their perspectives.

Jordan: AGree with Geoffrey about mural pilots. The world needs a little more colour sometimes. Liek walking through EC and not seeing just plain white walls. Think that what the dining chairs are doing with the dining forum is important. Dining plans are expensive, they shouldn’t be crap. Being able to share the voices of student in particular as far as the many concerns that go into living at MIT

Zawad: How hosed do you expect to be?

Geoffrey: Since I’m a freshmen, I’m not gonna sit here and lie and say that the transition to MIT is easy, with the workload and stuff. But as I’ve been starting to find my feet, I’ve been creating a routine and pattern that really works for me and gives me the freedom to take on such an endeavour as being UR. Before coming here, I really thought to myself do I have enough time and resources to truly give this position the respect and effor that it warrants and I’ve come to the conclusion that I think I do.

Temkin: I agree transitioning is hard, but we all do it and get through it eventually. If the past month is any indicator I’m not expecting to be hosed. I’m taking a good number of units, I got a job shelving books at the library, other extracurriculars, I like elections, actually. I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll be able to devote the time that the position requires

Jordan: I’m a sophomore so I do have grades right now, I don’t think that I’m completely hosed and don’t expect to eb for the rest of the year. I’m taking a reasonable amount fo units and know how to manage my time. I’m diligent about managing my time and know not to take on too many commitments, was here last time but didn’t run because they were running for EC VP but then I lost so now I’m here

Jordan: Are you able to make meetings at this time, weekly?

All 3: yes

Arthur: What would you say your approach is to interacting with figures of authority?

Geoffrey: I’ll continue on that general trend. A very underrated trick to negotiating to ensure that deliberations go smoothly is that ensuring that everyone at the table feels heard and listened to. Even people in the upper echelons of admin are still people. There’s a reciprocity factor to negotiating. If I feel like I’im just talking to a brick wall then why do I have to care and acknowledge what they’re saying. And even in admin with years of experience that still comes into play. Especially with someone that may feel like they perceive a lower standing to them. Keeping this in my head will definitely help me negotiate with figures of authority.

Temkin: Weird seeing how much runs on email at MIT. Talking to someone and seeing their face and being able to talk about your problems really works. It’s good to remember that there’s always a person on the other end. Remember people have stuff going on is how I like to approach communication

Jordan: Have had experience with admin as a RAC for EC and have worked with EHS as bad ideas chair. Most important thing is if you have a difference of opinion, approach it remembering that there’s a person on the other end of the email. Important to balance trying to get what you want with treating admin as actual people. Nobody wants to work with you if you hate them. Remember that people are people and sometimes you have to be very persistent in getting what you want

Question: You two are from EC and many who show up to events like this bc they want to see change. As UR you’re kind of the speaking voice of the underclassmen body and how will you respect the opinions of everybody who may not go to events like this?

Jordan: First thing is communication. Surveys, feedback forms, letting people know that I am the underclassmen rep and people can tell me their problems. Making sure people are aware that they can give feedback without sliding into people’s inboxes every Tuesday night

Temkin: The loud minority are the ones that speak out. There are always two more sides to these issues. It’s good to hear everything but also important to consider the voices that aren’t being heard. You still have to be able to advocate for them. You have to consider this every day and keep in the back of your mind

Geoffrey: I think the solution is quite simple and I think dormcon has done a good job of doing this. If dormcon isn’t actively coming to you, then that indicates that your responsibility as a rep is to make sure that you’re coming to them. Eg. in early arrivals working group One of my central strategies as UR is taking an active approach to the role, whether that’s visiting dorms, holding open houses and town halls, talking to random freshmen, getting your name out there is the way to go.

Zawad: favourite colour?

Jordan and Temkin: Blue

Geoffrey: Red

--closed discussion--

President Updates​

BC​

  • Ganatra no longer works in undergrad dorms
    • Feel free to clear out mailing lists, etc.
  • Sarah and Hannah both on renovation panel for parents weekend
    • Parents asking questions about capital renewal
  • Requesting tier 2 housing for BC b/c there have just been so many problems post-renovation
    • Writing a tech op-ed

McC​

  • Residents almost had riot over the facilities in McCormick
    • 3 working dryers for 258 residents
    • ½ dorm has no heating, other ½ overheated
    • mouse infestation
    • Generally terrible conditions
    • HoH have been really supportive
      • Organized a town hall
      • Vented to DSL and now washlava is free (but still broken)
    • >3 dryers working now, but still not all fixed

New House​

  • None

NV​

  • Just finished elections
  • Most positions now filled
  • doing section rep elections next

Baker​

  • Does anyone know how to update alumni mailing list?
  • Sarah: yeah, Amy Davis

Random​

  • Apple-picking happened
  • Housing sent out a vaguely threatening email
  • AD was talking about “free-standing” floor specific storage
  • Dormcon has had thoughts about organizing pods for each dors

EC​

  • Fredfest happened, was good
  • Having meetings with residents about party safety
  • Meeting about timely warnings bc there was an incident that resulted in a timely warning from an EC party
  • Looking at depopulation and repopulation plans
  • Green building construction is super loud, waking people up at 5 am, Prez trying to get rates prorated, Rich Hilton was like “no”
  • There was a gas leak people could smell in their rooms until a resident called MIT PD and they were like “don’t worry about it there’s a gas leak”
    • If there is a gas leak, first person to contact is MIT PD
    • Rich: “We didn’t know because it wasn’t a problem”

Simmons​

  • Trying to fight DAPER about Briggs field
    • spotlights that shine into windows
    • sports at 8am on Saturdays, extremely loud
      • Sportsball doesn’t deserve Jordan’s 8am
  • Looking at toptionality in Simmons, resulted in unfun meeting with houseteam
    • AD apologized a few days ago and said off the record that a service called ombuds exists and can help with disputes against HoH before filing HR complaints against your HoH
    • ombuds is an informal mediation service
      • available to all of MIT community and a confidential resource
  • If your dorm is having same issue with spotlights then reach out to Jordan and fight Daper together
  • NV stole Simmons’s favourite dining person
    • It was because Simmons “requested better food”

Next​

  • Apple-picking happened
    • Subsidized Random’s apples
  • House operations manager stored stuff in a room while a summer program was running, she left, it disappeared
    • Trying to figure out how to find it or get compensated
  • Next Haunt is happening