On a Tuesday afternoon in early August, I had the pleasure of speaking with new SGA president Rachael Borthwick ‘21. Through our new normal of the all-too-familiar Zoom screen, Borthwick passionately explained her goals for SGA during this unparalleled semester, as well as her own values and opinions towards the role of student government. Although a daunting year to be taking over as student body president, Borthwick remains steadfast in her excitement about the position.
Borthwick, a Religious Studies major and Gender Studies minor, spent her summer working part-time at a local grocery store and interning with a higher education commission in her home country Scotland. On top of normal summer activities, Borthwick served on multiple Skidmore committees, including the COVID-19 Administrative Working Group, the COVID-19 Student Working Group, and the Committee for Educational Policies and Planning. Borthwick joined SGA during her freshman year and before being elected as student body president, served as the class of 2021 Unity Officer, Sophomore Class President, Elections Commissioner, Transport Commissioner, and Vice President of Club Affairs.
An unusual summer has preceded an extraordinary semester, SGA has taken no time off and has instead been consistently working towards making our student government more accessible. Borthwick emphasized the importance of “conversations about equity and inclusion” and acknowledged “SGA has not been an inclusive area for all.” Student leaders have been working to rectify this situation with an internal review of all of SGA’s bylaws and practices.
“For far too long, students have not had access to administrators,” Borthwick remarked. She elaborated on this comment by saying, “opening all college committees and spaces where decisions are being made is so important this upcoming year.”
Student leadership has been an impactful force on campus most recently seen with changes related to grading policy for the Spring 2020 semester. Borthwick, along with Riley Filister ‘21, brought up inequalities within the college’s current grading system to the Committee for Educational Policies and Planning after students were sent home due to COVID-19. Student leaders Borthwick, Filister, Tucker Boyd ‘21, and Raymi Ramirez ‘21 recognized marginalized communities would be unfairly affected by the transition to online learning. These students worked with administrators and professors to implement a new S/CR/U grading policy which provided a more equitable grading system given the extreme changes and disadvantages of online learning.
The impact of student leaders has reached beyond the classroom walls. Borthwick reflected on the impact students have had on her personally, as she reminisced about the “amazing student leaders” Skidmore produces who are vital for institutional and Borthwick’s own personal growth. Students have been impactful with “decision-making and [SGA] needs to become more accessible with who is able to occupy that time.”
When asked what she considered the most important value for SGA, Borthwick answered immediately with “transparent communication.” The prompt answer serves as a testament to Borthwick’s commitment and belief in being an accessible institution to everyone. From my perspective as a peer student, this goal has so far been achieved as SGA’s emails to all students this summer have been highly informative on current actions and plans for the new semester.
An SGA email, sent on June 6th titled “Taking Action in Saratoga Springs and Skidmore College,” outlined anti-racist practices that student government will be integrating into their own structure, as well as highlighted questions the student body wants our college officials to begin to investigate and answer. The email called on Skidmore to “publish a concise list of actions the college plans to take in addressing not only its historical role in perpetuating racial discrimination but also its current effects on the Black members of its community.”
This semester, SGA aims to press the administration in working towards Skidmore becoming an actively anti-racist institution. SGA’s email specifically called for action from President Marc. C. Conner, Dean of Faculty Michael T. Orr, Vice-President for Finance and Administration Donna Ng, and Director of Campus Safety Tim Munro. At the time of the interview, only President Conner had responded.
SGA leadership has had a few meetings with President Conner, notably before the recent protests in Saratoga, and discussed steps to move forward. Borthwick emphasized Conner’s response to the protests as “not substantial enough” and noted that he was “not breaking his institutional silence” to support the Black Lives Matter Movement and Skidmore’s Black students, faculty, and staff.
Skidmore cannot continue to “hire BIPOC faculty until [the administration] addresses the bigger climate issues,” Borthwick highlighted. “[It is] one thing to higher diverse faculty members, but another thing to make them feel welcome.”
Borthwick and SGA will continue to hold faculty and the institution accountable “specifically in regard to making Black students and Black faculty comfortable at Skidmore and in Saratoga Springs.”
Moving forward, SGA will continue with a planned internal review which constitutes auditing and evaluating the requirements to run for SGA positions, leadership training for representatives, and holding open dialogues with students to understand additional steps. SGA will also continue conversations and actions to hold Skidmore accountable in part by working directly with department chairs and program directors. Borthwick urges any and all students who are interested in seeing and aiding change on campus to consider joining SGA or a working group. “This semester will feel different,” she explained, but “there are ways to get involved and benefit the community.”