The KSC Student Assembly approved the Artists Shouldn’t Starve constitution as end-of-year business and transitional matters were also discussed during the Tuesday, April 29 meeting of the governing body.
Junior and Artists Shouldn’t Starve Co-President Logan Nicholson discussed the organization’s mission and the potential value it will bring to campus life.
“I’ve talked to about 50 different students from our art-related majors. The biggest thing I’ve been told talking to them about this club is, ‘I’m terrified of getting a job,’” Nicholson said.
The Equinox recently profiled the group, which held a workshop event on April 3 about art education and becoming an art teacher.
Nicholson said the group’s mission is to calm art students’ anxieties surrounding potential employment in art spaces.
“This club is hoping to help with that [job prospects] and make it so students who feel comfortable can help teach their peers and bring in more knowledge to each other,” Nicholson said.
There are 151 declared Art & Design Department majors according to KSC’s 2024 Factbook.
“It’s [Artists Shouldn’t Starve is] something that’s missing, it’s something that’s needed, and a lot of students want it,” Nicholson said.
Senior and student-at-large Jacob Favolise commented on the organization.
“I think that any time folks in a particular career field or area see an opportunity to get together under a registered student organization banner … to be complementing and supplementing the in-class, skills-based experience … I like the sound of this a lot, it’s a really good idea,” Favolise said.
Favolise also raised a question in regard to the organization’s constitutional provision on who can serve as an advisor, noting a change should be made to allow for a faculty member to serve as an advisor, as opposed to the proposed wording of “staff advisor,” which would potentially exclude faculty.
Sophomore and KSC Student Assembly Treasurer Haley Hagler made a motion to pass the constitution with an amendment from Favolise, which struck the reference to “staff advisor.” The motion carried unanimously, and the club will operate under official status going into the new academic year.
Hagler delivered the budget committee’s report, detailing the fact that budgets had been sent out to all student organization leaders.
“No huge blowback that I’ve heard of,” Hagler said.
Hagler also mentioned The Equinox transferred $600 out of its equipment budget to be contributed toward KSC Film Society’s movie rights budget.
Additionally, Hagler said the Social Activities Council (SAC) reached out to her asking for a breakdown of the previous fiscal year’s student activity fee pool amount versus the upcoming fiscal year’s amount.
Hagler said the student assembly’s advisor, Associate Vice President for Student Engagement Jen Ferrell, compiled the information and sent it to SAC.
Transitional procedure was also on the assembly docket as the academic year comes to a close.
Junior and KSC Student Assembly Speaker Pete Schmidt said the body’s transitional meeting would occur on Tuesday, April 29.
Schmidt noted newly-elected members would have the opportunity to onboard into their positions and that e-board elections would be held during the meeting.
Both the campus safety & standards and student life committee chairs noted they were compiling a Google Drive folder to aid in the onboarding process as well.
As for the Senate report, Favolise discussed previous concerns surrounding first-year seminar courses possibly not running and delivered an update on the matter.
“I have been told that [first-year seminar] will be running next year in the way that they’re running it this year,” Favolise said
Favolise also discussed the KSC Senate’s then-proposed curriculum moratorium, which will prevent courses from being added or deleted during the next academic year as departments are asked to review their offerings.
Additionally, Favolise urged students to consider joining the Senate, given the power the body holds over curriculum and policy and the capacity to have four voting student members.
“It would be great to see all four of those seats get filled,” Favolise said.
The assembly met for the final time of the academic year on Tuesday, April 29, following the release of results from campus-wide elections.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
This article was updated on May 16 to correct an inaccuracy regarding Pete Schmidt’s role on the KSC Student Assembly. The Equinox apologizes for this error.
