Fourth Floor Cabinet
The Fourth Floor Cabinet was an informal student government organization consisting of a committee of the heads of various student activities. Although existing informally for years before, in 1944 the head of Kings Crown Activities, Benjamin Hubbard, attempted to get the Cabinet to act as official student representatives to work with King's Crown.[1]
In 1944 the Cabinet consisted of the heads of the student organizations with an office on the fourth floor of John Jay Hall, then the hub of student activities on campus. Its members in 1944 were Jester, Review, Spectator, Columbian, Band, Chess Team, Debate Council, Glee Club, Orchestra, Columbia University Radio Club, and Rifle Team. By 1950, the chess team had been replaced by the Columbia University Players.
In 1950, the Cabinet petitioned for an overhaul of Student Board after SB demanded that the Glee Club change its name from Columbia University Glee Club to Columbia College Glee Club. Yup.[2] The Cabinet indignantly "passed a strong resolution condemning the Board's name-change demand and requesting that the Board first investigate the limits to its jurisdiction in relation to the activities," while a "Glee Club Fact-Finding Committee reported on February 20 that the majority of Glee Club members favored keeping the organization's present name. The Board then ordered the Committee to reconsider its findings."
In later years the Cabinet was based in Ferris Booth Hall and operated as an umbrella organization for certain student groups.
In 1975, the Cabinet was part of a proposed shake-up of student activities governance, which was split between it and the Columbia College Committee on Student Organizations.[3]. As a result, it and CCCSO were subsumed into the Student Union Polity in 1976.
