Yale College Council
 Crest of the Yale College Council | |
| Established | 1972 |
|---|---|
| President | Daniel Avraham |
| Vice president | Kyle Tramonte |
| Executive officers |
Andrew Grass (Communications Director) Leigh Hamelton (Finance Director) Eli Rivkin (Events Director) Benjamin Ackerman (Student Organizations Director) David Lawrence (Academics Director) Maia Eliscovich Sigal (Student Life Director) Sara Samuel (University Services Director) |
| Affiliations | Yale University |
| Website | ycc.yale.edu |
The Yale College Council (YCC) is the undergraduate student government for Yale University. The YCC coordinates student events and works to craft and change campus policies with the Yale administration.
The Yale College Council was established in 1972, under the leadership of founding Chair Floyd Bradley.[1] In 2008 YCC merged with YSAC (Yale Student Activities Committee),[2] and since then the YCC has been responsible for putting on large-scale events such as Spring Fling and Fall Show. YCC members are tasked with both event planning and policy initiatives.
Initiatives and Accomplishments
In 1984, the YCC oversaw the development of the Ivy Council, and in 1989, created a public service internet database. In 2001 the YCC hosted a town hall open forum[3] with President Richard Levin in addition to spearheading the push for online course evaluations.[4] In 2002, cubbies and two-ply toilet paper were introduced in Yale bathrooms as a result of a YCC initiative,[5] in 2007 it successfully helped to implement financial aid reform[6] and in 2009 it successfully petitioned the Yale administration for gender neutral housing for Yale seniors.[7]
More recently, the YCC, in conjunction with Yale Dining and the International Student Organization, organized Thanksgiving break meals for students on campus during the break in 2011.[8] The YCC Science and Engineering Subcommittee has doubled the number of shuttles going to Prospect Street on school day mornings. The YCC Technology Committee implemented the start of email grade notifications in 2011. In 2012, gender neutral housing has been extended to include juniors[9] (originally approved for seniors in 2010). The YCC has created sophomore spots in seminars as well as sophomore-exclusive seminars in the history and political science departments,[10] and continues to push for more across departments.
Today, the YCC is also working on solidifying relationships between mental health fellows and the student body, running the 2012 YCC App Challenge, and expanding summer storage, among many other initiatives.
Committees
- Academics Committee - The Academics Committee listens to student opinion on academic policy in order to work with administration and professors to improve Yale's academic atmosphere.
- Communications Committee - The Communications Committee seeks to work with the YCC Secretary to oversee communications between the student body and YCC using platforms such as email Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media. The committee also oversees the writing of the YCC Final Report and establishes institutional memory.
- Dining Committee - The Dining Committee seeks to collaborate with Yale Dining to better serve students on projects such as extending meal hours and days of service and expanding retail options.
- Facilities Committee -The Facilities Committee works with Yale Facilities to implement new programs around campus and to bring facilities issues from students to administrators. Past issues have included reopening the gate between Lanman-Wright and Durfee and the ongoing implementation of Laundry Cubbies in the residential colleges.
- Mental Health Committee - The goal of the Mental Health Committee is to improve access and awareness of mental health resources at Yale. Mental Health aims to create synergy among existing service programs and implement new reforms like the Mental Health Fellows for undergraduates.
- Science and Engineering Subcommittee - The Science and Engineering Subcommittee is a new initiative started in 2011 to improve science/engineering academic and social life at Yale. It is composed of members both in and out of YCC, which allows the committee to leverage YCC's connections with administration and individual students' knowledge of faculty programs.
- Sexual Harassment Committee - The Sexual Harassment Committee works to address the issue of sexual climate on campus, meeting with administrators and students to understand the idea of climate from multiple perspectives, and working on initiatives such as publicity of Title IX requirements and changes to freshman education.
- Technology Committee - The Technology Committee works as a liaison between Yale ITS and students, we pursue such initiatives such as App Challenge, Netbooks and Cell Phone Share, emails for grades, EliApps, and the conversion to Yale Bluebook.
- Undergraduate Career Services Committee - The Undergraduate Career Services Committee works to act as a bridge between the student body and UCS by informing students of career panels and educational opportunities, connecting students with UCS Peer Liaisons, and ensuring that students are utilizing UCS resources.[11]
Subsidiaries
- Undergraduate Organizations Committee - The Undergraduate Organizations Committee (UOC), a standing committee of the Committee on Undergraduate Organizations, funds all registered undergraduate groups at Yale University. The UOC distributes thousands of dollars to student groups for their undergraduate organizations and special events. Student Organizations use these funds for their routine organizations needs as well as to for their special event needs. The UOC also offers a Capital Equipment Rental program for no cost to student organizations where student groups can rent tens of thousands of dollars of capital equipment for their events at no cost.
- Junior Class Council - The Junior Class Council (JCC) consists of two representatives from each residential college. Past initiatives have included the creation of an online database of internships across a number of different fields created in conjunction with Undergraduate Career Services. In 2011, the JCC also partnered with the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) and began a program of career workshops, bringing in alumni from a variety of backgrounds who were able to offer career advice to juniors.
- Sophomore Class Council - The Sophomore Class Council (SoCo) consists of two representatives from each residential college. Responsibilities of the Council include the planning of class wide events and working on pertinent sophomore issues (e.g. advising reform, career opportunities).
- Freshman Class Council - The Freshman Class Council (FCC) consists of two representatives from each residentital college. The FCC is responsible for planning major freshman-wide events, such as the Freshman Barbecue, the Freshman Dance, and Freshman Olympics. Past initiatives of the council have included adding price markings to Durfees items, collaborating with the Yale College Dean’s Office to improve the freshman advising experience, and running successful speed-dating events.[12]
References
- ↑ Guide to the Yale College Council Records, Yale University Library Manuscripts and Archives
- ↑ "YCC will absorb YSAC, its duties", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "At forum, Levin answers students", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "YCC calls for online course critique", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Former presidents apply lessons learned on YCC", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Former presidents apply lessons learned on YCC", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Coed housing approved for seniors", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Dining expands Thanksgiving services", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Gender-neutral housing extended to juniors", Yale Daily News
- ↑ "Seminars extend to sophomores", Yale Daily News
- ↑ Yale YCC"Yale College Council Website"
- ↑ Yale FCC"Freshman Class Council Website"