Welcome to the Political Awareness Committee’s Semester in Review!

PAC is committed to nonpartisan political education and activism, and seeks to serve all members of the student body as a political resource.

What have we done so far this year?  Let’s take a look.

Way back in October, we brought in Karl Rove as our Fall Speaker.  In case you don’t know, Karl Rove is a big deal.  He served as Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush.  In Skoglund, Rove talked about Healthcare Reform to an audience of nearly 2,000!

Beyond that, PAC also brings you the ever-popular Dinner Debates.  So far we have tackled healthcare, climate change, gun control, and abortion.  We also post a Debate Debrief video for every debate.  Check them out here.

In addition to providing Dinner Debates, PAC brings in political experts to shed light on various topics.  So far, we have brought you an immigration panel, the State Demographer, and even an Obama year-in-review panel with four of your favorite professors.

Also check out the the No Bull Board, where we cover a new issue every week.  And new this semester is the Oles in Action Board, where we highlight politically active oles.  Both of these awesome boards are located in Buntrock, right across from the cage.

We have a ton of great things planned for Semester Two.  Be on the lookout for more Dinner Debates, more panels, more everything!  We are simply packed with programming.  Also, we are going to be announcing our Spring Speaker soon!  So be excited!

The report can be seen below, or download via PDF.

Comments are welcome!

The entire resolution is below, as well as the letter to faculty. For a word document, click here.

Student Senate Resolution

Date: 12.8.09

By: Eric Sheforgen, Branch Communications Director

Akshar Ramabachan, PAC Coordinator

Daniel Plunkett, SAC Coordinator

Resolution

ATTN: St. Olaf Faculty

CC: James May, Provost and Dean of the College

Victoria Beussman, Director of the Bookstore

Whereas, the cost of tuition and textbooks continues to rise;

Whereas, the economy is at a low point;

Whereas, the total cost of college puts a larger burden on a family now than it has in the past;

Whereas, the submission of textbook orders after the date specified by the St. Olaf Bookstore cost students significantly more because used books are not available for purchase after the deadline;

Whereas, students receive much less money back per used book they sell back because the St. Olaf Bookstore is not able to reuse books directly from St. Olaf students;

Therefore, be it resolved, the student body of St. Olaf College, represented by Student Senate urges Faculty to submit book orders before the date specified by the St. Olaf Bookstore;

Be it further resolved, the student body of St. Olaf College, represented by Student Senate urges the St. Olaf Administration to review a policy calling for Professors to submit book orders on time for each semester and interim.

Be if further resolved, the student body of St. Olaf College, represented by the Student Senate asks the St. Olaf Bookstore to publish a report each semester showing how many orders were received late with the estimated cost incurred.

Letter to Faculty:

January 18, 2010

To the Faculty of St. Olaf College,

As representatives of the student body of St. Olaf College, we, the Student Senate have deep concerns about the increasing cost of attending college. Students have the opportunity to save money on books if Professors submit book orders to the St. Olaf Bookstore by a specified deadline. If book orders are submitted by the deadline used books are much easier to acquire, thus giving students better access to this cost saving resource.

We urge Faculty to submit book orders to the St. Olaf Bookstore by the specified deadline. Our intention is to make college as affordable as possible. We need your help.

Thank you,

Kim Spitzfaden, Chair of Senate and Vice President of SGA

Student Senate

Student Government Association

Taylor Brorby, President of SGA

Student Government Association

Use the Find-A-Way, located on the side of the page to help figure out which option would be best for you!

You may also call x3999, or if off-campus, (507) 786-3999

The Local Bus

Operates Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Sunday Afternoons from 1PM to 3:30 PM
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 PM to 7:30 PM
Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30 PM to 10:45 PM
Stops at both colleges, Bridge Square (downtown Northfield, Heritage Square, Target, Cub and Applebee’s)
Click here for the schedule

Northfield Transit

Operates Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Call (507) 654-7250 to schedule a ride.
Northfield Transit will pick you up from any location in Northfield but you must call first.
You can get free tokens at the Buntrock front desk otherwise it costs $1 per ride.

Break Airport Shuttles

Operates only immediately before and after breaks
You must buy tickets 48 hours in advance from www.stolaftickets.com
It costs $15 one-way
Limit of one bag or suit case plus one carry-on per rider

Movie Bus

Operates on Saturday Evenings only
Goes to the Lakeville 21 Theater
Only costs $5 for a movie ticket and a ride
For a guranteed seat, go to the Student Activities Office (BC107) prior to 4 p.m. on Friday, or you
can buy a ticket the night of
Show up at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday in front of Buntrock

Ride Board

Post a ride or look for a ride with others near to where you want to go
Click here to access the RideBoard

Northfield Metro Express

Shuttle Service 3 times daily, 7 days a week
Stops at Carleton, St. Olaf, Northfield Park & Ride, and MSP Airport
Click here for more info

Van-Go

Operates Monday-Friday from 7 AM to 10 AM & 3 PM to 7 PM
Can be used for service work, working in a school, going to the doctor’s. Not to be used for shop-
ping or dining.
Call or text 507-291-6168 to get a ride from the front of Buntrock
Click here for more info and track the van

Taxi Services

Taxi First Choice (507) 645-4447

With over 120 Oles in attendance, Monday’s debate took place between Pro-Choice advocates Johanna Fay and Jon Riley and Carrie Zimmerman and Lisa Drewry, promoters of the Pro-Life argument. The argument centered on the definition of life, and whether or not the rights of a mother super-cede the rights of an unborn fetus.

The Pro-Lifers opened with arguments concerning scientific studies, and issues of legality and morality. Drewry and Zimmerman argued that life begins at conception, and that a fetus has the same unalienable right to life as any other human being. Do you think that there is a decisive point after which a fetus unmistakably “human”? Furthermore, they contended that the social benefits of abortion were dubious, and that they could be obtained by other means (adoption) while still upholding moral standards.

The proponents of the Pro-Choice argument held firm that the decision to abort a pregnancy ought to be made by the mother-to-be and not the government. Do you agree? They argued that abortions must be legal in order to preserve a woman’s rights to privacy, safety, and the pursuit of a bright future. Fay and Riley contested that many pregnancies are unwanted, and that there are often negative social ramifications associated with the birth of these children. Additionally, they maintained that women will obtain abortions even if they are made illegal, and that the black market form of this procedure will be far more dangerous.

The debate ended with thoughtful questions from the audience, some of which called to attention the social, emotional, and physical distress an unwanted pregnancy would cause a mother, and others that wondered what an aborted child might have done or achieved. All in all, the debate was respectful and thought provoking, and a special thanks goes out to the debaters for tackling such a contentious and potentially incendiary issue.

Now the stage is yours, the debate is far from finished…give us your thoughts by posting a comment below!