The second General Assembly of the fall 2018 semester took place on Oct. 7. Topics covered included updates from issues discussed at the previous GA, the idea of potentially introducing caps on printing, activating unused spaces on campus and other upcoming campus events.

The meeting began on a solemn but impactful note, regarding the recent suicide of an NYU New York student. Student Government held a minute of silence for the student and emphasized the importance of reaching out for help and utilizing the NYU Wellness Exchange hotline and application.

With regards to the Health and Wellness center’s opening hours — an issue raised at previous fora — Student Government clarified that the opening hours of the center are unlikely to change in the near future. It was also announced that a new certified dietician will be joining the university after fall break to fill the place of the previous dietician. Additionally, Health and Wellness is looking into the issue of unnecessary dental procedures in the UAE which has recently been discussed among the student body. The Health and Wellness Committee published a form for students to share their experiences with local dentists in an effort to advocate for better dental assistance.

Another issue addressed at the assembly was the recent increase in problems related to WiFi connectivity on campus. Student Government urged the student body to report such issues to the IT Center, either directly in the Campus Center or via their email alias, nyuad.it.help@nyu.edu.

Student Government also announced the establishment of a partnership between the Office of Public Affairs and a student task force. Applications for this task force were previously advertised on the student portal. The purpose of the task force is to provide a wider platform for student voice in matters relating to public affairs.

Regarding upcoming events on campus, the Student Government Programming Board is currently planning a Halloween Ball for students. Additionally, class representatives continue to plan and coordinate class events for the rest of the semester.

The most popular issue discussed at the assembly was the idea of putting caps on printing — a topic that has been raised in the past and was brought to the community’s attention by the Sustainability Committee. Suggestions made by students attending the GA included different caps depending on a student’s major, and e-book readers as an alternative to excessive printing. Class of 2020 student Gugó Tadevosyan asked if there would ultimately be a referendum regarding printing caps. In acknowledging the idea, the Student Government clarified its intent of first promoting discourse on this issue and conducting consultation with the university community before forwarding a potential solution. Ultimately, as per the procedures of the constitution, the Student Government has jurisdiction to take action with an internal decision.

To end the meeting, Student Government asked attending students if they had any issues they wanted to discuss in future GA sessions. Class of 2019 student Anita Duskova proposed the creation of a point-based system for residences which would allocate a certain number of points to each student based on each student’s behavior in their rooms in previous years; assessments could include damage to walls and other property in the room. Another student suggested some sort of resource for NYU Abu Dhabi students who encounter visa issues upon arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Finally, Student Government pointed to Ideascale as a platform on which the student body can share their suggestions and ideas for potential events or changes on campus. Updates on the topics raised during this GA will be given at the next GA held on Nov. 4, 2018.