The first thing I noticed at last night’s council meeting was a fake skeleton sitting regally upon the podium. Public input regular contributor Richard Thompson quoted “Hamlet” in honor of the skeleton that he bought on discount after Halloween, and also in honor of promoting humanities at UCSD.

In a special presentation, Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Alan Houston introduced UniversityLink, a new admissions program to assist low-income transfer students from the San Diego area. It will replace the current TAG program, which will expire after this year.

Questions from A.S. councilmembers led to discussions about unrelated topics, including the Student Fee Advisory Committee, school spirit, the Sun God Festival and student art.

One interesting proposal Houston shared was to reduce Sun God binge drinking by holding a Bear Garden concurrent with the festival. You read that right: The best way to fight Sun God drinking is to serve more alcohol. Hey, it might work.
“Beer is not a high-risk liquor in the way that students usually consume it,” Houston said. “For students over 21, Bear Garden might provide a way for students to kick back, have a drink, and then head on over to Sun God.”

He then discussed his children:

“I have a 19- and a 23-year-old. The 19-year-old is a straight arrow, probably never drinks; the 23-year-old has been around the block,” Houston said. “I can’t imagine something as silly as losing either of them to binge drinking or someone else drinking and driving them. It’s not about liability, it’s about the tremendous human loss. At some point, I would have to call that parent, and I do not want to have that conversation.”

Campuswide Senator Simran Anand then announced that the space formerly occupied by Plaza Cafe will be reopened as a new dining hall called 64 Degrees. Revelle Senator Soren Nelson then explained the name comes from the average temperature of La Jolla (64 degrees), the year that Revelle College was founded (1964), and Roger Revelle’s height (6-foot-4). A thermometer in the dining hall will record average temperatures throughout the year, with the hope that by the end of the year, it will read 64 degrees.

Next, the A.S. Bylaws Committee presented on their work to improve efficiency on council. It was informative and effective, aside from the glaringly obvious misspelling of the word “judicial” as “judical.”
The Council Factor of the Week, Social Sciences Senator Colin King, was introduced as “never afraid to speak his mind, always very critical, but also hard-working.” He was honored with the aptly chosen Miley Cyrus song “Wrecking Ball.”
Someone nearby him said, “They either think you’re a wrecking ball, or you’re Miley Cyrus.” I couldn’t see who said it, but props for the humor.

And props to Thanksgiving, which has become my new favorite holiday for getting me out of next week’s council meeting, if there even is a meeting the night before Thanksgiving. For council’s sake, I hope there isn’t. To everybody reading this, have a good break! I’ll be back in two weeks.