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Dormcon GBM 2/12 Meeting Minutes

  • Pepper Sky
  • 7:35-9:42

Exec Updates​

  1. Tech
    1. working on REX updates
  2. Housing
    1. EHS doing re-check of makerspaces
      1. wanting to formalize check process
    2. people who got off the housing waitlist will still have to wait because of McCormick closing
      1. that is still the plan, will confirm by April
      2. trying to find woman only gym for residents during renovation
    3. thinking of raising cancellation fees and housing intent late fees
    4. rooftop discussion continuing
      1. hours are implemented
      2. can talk to HRS about buddy system
  3. Dining
    1. flex dollars changed
      1. no one was notified of change beforehand
      2. limited their use to on campus but raised amount to $150
      3. did this to support Concord
    2. two pilots coming up
      1. they are cool, and after spring break
  4. Underclassmen Rep
    1. transportation committee - Andrew wants to write a cheatsheet for campus shuttles and implement into CPW materials for pre-frosh
    2. Ericsson - wants to make post for instagram
    3. met with Trinidad(?) about CPW
      1. want to make a hosting guide
    4. gcal for dormcon meetings?
  5. Treasurer
    1. budget (PUBLIC) [DormCon] 2025-2026 Budget
      1. might be a good idea to look at and approve the budget
      2. looks pretty similar to Fall, besides dining food pantry stuff
      3. event funding - split into dorm event for everyone (cat 1) vs dorm events between some dorms (exclusive to those dorms)(cat 2)
    2. funding requests
      1. [Spring 2026] New Vassar Pans Funding Request - GBM 02122026
        1. $60 requested for pans to cook in the kitchen
        2. need special kind and pans keep getting stolen
        3. APPROVED
      2. [Spring 2026] Galentine's Brunch Funding Request - GBM 02122026
        1. $450 requested
        2. do a brunch every spring, cook for each other for Valentine’s
        3. invite others as well, need money for ingredients, games, decorations
        4. APPROVED
      3. [Spring 2026] Baker Laundry Pilot Funding Request - GBM 02122026
        1. ~$6000 “requested” (total quote from CSCGo)
        2. Baker free laundry was turned on by CSCGo without warning
        3. but would like to keep it on and now asking for money to pay for the pilot
        4. still need to meet with Baker exec to re-budget
        5. have around 100k in reserves but looking to renovate TV Room soon
        6. DC proposing $1507.77 (one month of free laundry)
        7. $1500 APPROVED
  6. CPW/REX
    1. update dorm chairs, sheet will be sent out soon
  7. Judcomm
    1. two(2) elections today
  8. P/VP
    1. laundry pilot - going to be its own topic
      1. approval to go campus-wide next year
      2. received price for each dorm Laundry Pilot Tracker
      3. cannot recontract until 2028, so will come from house tax before it can be built into rent
      4. must be all-or-nothing for all dorms (HRS doesn’t want amenities inequities), so might have to do a vote at some point
      5. MIT also considering buying out laundry machines, but would need to look at maintenance, water, and other associated costs
    2. retreat Monday 10:30-3:30 in Bush Room
      1. attendance required, attend or send a proxy
      2. breakfast and lunch catered (Olive Garden)
      3. there will be breakfast
      4. Camila will make coffee
    3. last Suzy meeting was all about Campus Security
      1. but also want to do lunch between dorm presidents, dormcon, and senior leadership (DSL)
      2. will be in the Bush Room, maybe, 1:30-2:30pm Feb 23rd
    4. MIT 24hr Challenge on Pi Day
      1. want to set up resident leadership fund
      2. want to get 100 donors(???)
      3. fund can be used for paying RACs, supplying big REX events, attending conferences, sustain dorms going through renovations
      4. trying to assign more value to dorm government
      5. will know more by Pi Day
    5. start thinking about how much to charge for house tax (will be due mid April)
  9. MIT Farm (contact zrap@mit.edu if you are interested)
    1. new student org for connecting students with farms
    2. go harvest produce and bring back to campus to sell at 50% rate
    3. especially looking to connect with 2-3 CFY dorms
    4. and looking for more people to help with harvesting (takes about 3ish hours)
    5. want to use MIT shuttles (14-18 students)
  10. Laundry Pilot
    1. pilot to cover costs of laundry on a dorm level
      1. started in Simmons
      2. would be paid by house tax next year, no longer would need CSCGo app
      3. Simmons has had a few issues - spike in usage at the beginning of the pilot, people leaving clothes in laundry room - but mostly been successful
    2. can contact Richard Hilton with questions
    3. also reach out to dormcon-laundry@mit.edu with any hard limits for your dorm
    4. UA is looking to fund a new project, possible avenue for funding
  11. VP Election
    1. Nominees: Figg/Daniel, Camila
    2. FIGG WON
  12. Campus Security
    1. in lieu of Brown shooting and Brookline professor assault
    2. Campus Security Questions for GBM
    3. some thoughts on question 1 - open campus is more convenient, more welcoming, but some are uncomfortable with tourists/non-students entering classes; some would say it is too easy to get into dorms; the new AI cameras are making a lot of people uncomfortable
      1. Hanwan cameras are the brand installed recently
      2. Suzy meeting - P/VP did meet with them and expressed students would be uncomfortable with increased police/camera presence before camera installation
    4. question 1.5 - people do feel less safe on first floor infinite / main group buildings
    5. question 2 - what to do during emergencies 1.
    6. question 3 - emergency preparedness trainings are available, how to better get the word out
      1. dormspam
    7. how would people feel about the following changes
      1. Currently, MIT ID access is required from 7pm-6am on weekdays. Would you suggest we make any changes to Main Group card access?
      2. Even if we were to increase ID card restrictions, someone could still enter individual offices with ease. How would you feel about leadership telling local units to increase their access restrictions?

President (will continue at Presidents’ Day Retreat)​

  1. Random
    1. two outgoing GRAs
  2. Maseeh
    1. in the process of hiring GRAs
    2. boat cruise planning - getting funds (20k)
      1. only Maseeh can do boat cruises
  3. Simmons
    1. scooter hockey
    2. terrace door broken
  4. Next
    1. annual level 99 trip was wednesday
  5. New
    1. turned over exec
  6. East Campus
    1. did some elections, turned over exec
    2. reopening committee meetings, just ended in IAP
      1. to focus on McCormick
    3. new forms for building modification requests
  7. McCormick
    1. new co-prezzez
    2. will they/won’t they ahh renovations
      1. won’t be confirmed until april
    3. might come to Dormcon with funding request soon
      1. were told there is no money to renew Stud basement room for McCormick (like they provided for BC and EC)
  8. MacGregor
    1. ski trip successful
    2. opened craft room / makerspace
  9. Baker
    1. people love the free laundry
    2. dining closed the past few days
      1. have not been given much info, but something about not being able to get a technician over the weekend
      2. working theory, bad pipes (stinky basement) or rat fell in fryer (there are lots of rats)
    3. working on piano drop
      1. piano WILL be dropped