College Council Meeting Minutes, Monday, April 13, 2026
4:15-5:30 p.m.
Alumni Guest House
Present:
Council Members:
Staff: Alison Byerly, Carolyn Livingston, Michelle Mattson, Solvei Robertson, Emily Shields, Dina Zavala
Faculty: Mike Hemesath, Andrea Mazzariello, Susannah Ottaway, Caroline Turnage-Butterbaugh, Adriana Estill
Students: Vivian Agugo ’26, Olivia Gottlieb ’28, Sonja Holtey ’28
Alumni Observer: Lisa Nordeen ’90
Trustee Observer: Carol Barnett ’86 (on Zoom)
Guests: Elise Eslinger, Mary Dunnewold, Rachel Everett (on Zoom)
President Byerly called the meeting to order at 4:17 p.m.
I. Welcome and Introductory Business – Alison Byerly
Now that we are in third week of spring term, campus card access has returned to normal after earlier precautions regarding ICE. Planning for the annual employee recognition event is in progress. The introduction of the Impact Awards has brought many dozens of nominations. Representatives from Staff Council, FAC, and Cabinet have considered the nominations and selected the inaugural awardees.
II. Reports and Updates
Faculty Update – Adriana Estill
Thank you to Dan Hernándes and Summer Forester for taking part in the Impact Award selections. FAC is working on the faculty grievance procedure and Faculty on Continuing Appointment (FOCA) review descriptions. Faculty committee elections will be held later in spring.
Staff Council Update – Emily Shields
The Staff Council hopes to identify ways to recognize staff with gaps in service and retirees who continue to work on campus in different positions and to recognize staff engagement on various committees. Staff Council is also holding elections in eighth week. Many updates are shared on the Staff Council webpages. Sarah Fortner will be hosting an information session Carleton’s sustainability work on April 14. The next town hall for Staff Council will be held on April 29.
CSA Update – Vivian Agugo
The CSA election cycle is on-going and held during the first 4 weeks of spring term. This year elections for executive officers, class representatives, and office liaisons can occur simultaneously as a result of the CSA’s constitutional amendment, which now states that every position serves in office from fall-spring (as opposed to spring-winter for executive and class officers). Working groups are incorporating recommendations from students for dining hall improvements; exploring the creation of a Carleton-run Carls app; CSA outreach efforts; and more. The CSA reviewed the updated draft of the postering policy. Student feedback was well-received by the Advisory Committee for Student Life.
III. New Business
Presentation and Initial Discussion of Chalking and Posting Policy
President Byerly provided some background on this initiative, noting that this is a community policy, as students, staff, and faculty play a role in monitoring chalking and postering across campus. It is easier to encourage free speech when there is a clear policy. Often, objections will be from one community member to another community member’s posting. We don’t currently have a clear policy to govern this, so the Student Life Advisory Committee has been asked to draft one.
Dean Carolyn Livingston walked College Council through the policy, which has been crafted the Advisory Committee for Student Life, a group composed of faculty, students, and staff. The process has included seeking input from a variety of groups across campus. Dean Livington shared some of the topics that the committee has discussed and factored into their thinking:
- more bulletin board space is needed in order to avoid damaging walls
- personal vs. public spaces; residential spaces
- fire code requirements
- protection of free speech; anonymity
- community standards as an underpinning
Several College Council members offered edits to address these topics, which Dean Livingston will take to the Advisory Committee. This was an initial discussion of this policy; it will come back for further consideration at the April 27 meeting.
Review of Proposed Title IX Update
Mary Dunnewold, an advisor to the College on Title IX policy, presented seven recommendations for policy changes based on changes made to state law during the 2025 legislative session. The proposed changes include revised expectations for reporting requirements for students who learn about a situation of sexual conduct while working at their Carleton job. (There will be allied trainings offered to employees and supervisors.) The changes also include an update to the definition of “retaliation” and to replace the Title IX definition of sexual harassment with the Minnesota State law definition. The motion to adopt the policy changes passed without dissent. The item will now go to the Board of Trustees for consideration.
Meeting adjourned at 5:27 pm.