Minutes for Mar. 23rd

Student Senate Home > Get Informed > Minutes > Mar 23rd 2006

Opening & Reports

(No statements are direct quotes unless specified by quotation marks.)

President Cailao called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. by the Senate Clock.

Roll call

Guests:

• Peter Strohmeier

Proxy:

    Jennifer Costley-Mikan Lovcik

Name	Mtg	Com	OH	Tot
Ascheman, Landon	X	X	X	2
Bard, Dave	X	X	X	0
Bliss, Kendall	X	X	X	0
Braddock, Chris	X	X	X	0
Brown, Jessalyn	X	X	X	0
Cailao, James	X	-	X	0
Costley, Jennifer	X	-	X	0
Elkin, Nicki	X	X	X	0
Ellsworth, Alex	X	X	X	0
Haken, Shauna	X	X	X	0
Hepola, Erin	X	X	X	0
Horn, Steven	X	U	X	2
Lovcik, Mikan	E	X	X	2
Ludden, Tami	X	X	X	2
Mihal, Emilie	A	-	-	0
Morse, Stephanie	X	X	X	0
Obach, Mike	X	X	X	0
Ohren, Jennifer	X	X	X	0
Oni, Kemi	X	X	U	2
Rapp, Joseph	X	X	X	0
Schwegel, Justin	X	-	X	0
Short, Niles	X	X	X	0
Vrtis, Brian	X	X	X	0
Weber, Jered	X	X	X	0
Wiese, Warren	-	-	-	0
Wilson, Katy	A	-	-	0
Wilson-Mattson, Leigh	X	X	X	0
Young, Katie	A	U	-	2
Zeiher, Laura	X	U	X	2

Approval of the Agenda

Bard moves/Weber seconds to approve the agenda

Approval of the Minutes

Weber moves/Brown seconds to approve the minutes

Public Hearing

Strohmeir
 

-I would like to go over some leg stuff with you. Today we had the bonding press event, it was very successful.  The secretary from the Fargo Moorhead chamber of commerce said a few words.  The MnSCU capital bonding passed its bonding bill. Although funding capped out at 55 million we are very pleased because that is still 35 million over the governor's proposal. McClean and Lommen were all  funded in the senate bill. -Text book task force, has collected stories  our bills are now jacketed. We really feel that this is going to pass we will talk more about it at lobby day.  In regards to the St Paul student council tax on students,there are two bills that would prohibit them from creating a tax on students. At this point I am open to any questions regarding state leg stuff.

Ohren

What is the text book task force number?

Strohmeir

4032

Braddock

Obach wanted me to mention that over in X lot there are potholes that could swallow small children.  We would like to see something happen there. Aren’t they re- doing that whole lot?

Wiese
 

Yes the plan for that is that when the new lot is developed that some additional things would happen to the left.

Reports

Advisor Wiese

A couple of things, the president has approved fee reccommendations for next year. That document will be coming to senate soon. The fees recommended by TFOC and SABC were approved as well.  Also work for the last two weeks from STF was approved.
Again I would like to thank student participants, there was some amazing work done in a short time. In the following weeks  we should be able to continue that, especially with addition of two new seats.
I was at environmental facilities and grounds committee today and there was not student representation there. There will be a clean up date either April 17th or 19th the goal is to keep the campus clean before dragon days. We will try very hard to make that date as close to earth day as possible. It is always up to the whether. That conversation also brought to mind student senate commitment to the adopt a highway program.  Senate needs to make an effort to fulfill that commitment.
There are some new signs going on display, there will be three to pick from so please take a look at those and make your comments known.  In my committee meeting there was discussion of the heat in the computer lab problem.  There is a building code issue about having the doors open and close, however if we can have lab employees  prop the doors open and remove those props when they leave there will be more airflow. There is just not a lot the university can do.
 

Advisor Wilson

I just wanted to comment that the student senate president did an excellent job at the town hall meeting on alcohol.  He was thoughtful and articulate.  This was basically a gathering of the who’s who in Moorhead, James represented students very well and we are proud of him.
Another thing to put on your radar screen is the taxi cab problem.  I feel bad that the other two schools went with our premise. We are going to have to come up with something different.  I will entertain any questions you have regarding the state bill.

Braddock
 

There will be a motion about the state bill later tonight so there will be ample opportunity for questions.

Wiese
 

I am not sure Wilson is going to be here for the entire meeting,.

Cailao
 

Are there any questions on the policy?
 

Justin Schwegel (Treasurer)

(No report)

No questions on the report

James Cailao (President)

No report

Bliss
 

How is it decided who goes on MSUSA conferences?

Cailao
 

I usually put a sign up sheet early on for you to fill out.
 

Elkin
 

If SABC did pass something on on campus accounts would that have to go through senate for approval?

Cailao

I believe it could but I would like to remind senate that the reason we have SABC and senate members is because senate cannot be everywhere. I do think it would come through senate and then be recommended to the president. I will be sending info to Barden about the Sustainable Campus Committee seats.
 

Chris Braddock (Vice President)
 

-I attended SABC and UPBC again.
-I worked with various people to put the finishing touches on the press conference we just had. Thank you to those of you who attended, and especially Laura, James, Nick, Joe, and Saqib for their hard work.
-On Monday and Tuesday President Cailao and I met with members of the AASCU visiting team to discuss student life on campus and receive their initial pre-accreditation report. I think we had a lot of good discussion and I feel like now I really know what the Student Success Summer Institute is going to be like. I'm looking forward to participating in that process.
-As I'm sure President Cailao and Campus Rep Zeiher will include in their reports, we'll be meeting in the Senate office at 11:30am tomorrow so we can be on the road by noon for Delegates. I will leave you behind, sad and destitute that I have thrown you away like so much used Christmas wrapping. Ok, I probably won't leave you behind, but I'll really want to and more than likely will make a comment as such several times.
-At Delegate's I'll be addressing the parental notification bill I e-mailed you all about. Tonight there will be a motion saying Senate supports that bill, so start gathering your thoughts.
-I'm working on setting up a program for entering taxi receipts that will make the job easier now as well as in the future and will provide some method of storing historical information. I tried to do the same thing last semester, but someone yelled at me and told me I didn't know anything about business or computers. If you've known me longer than five minutes, I've probably talked about how I do know a little something about business and computers. I find it mildly ironic that the person who yelled at me left not just Senate but the school because of a lack of what I perceive to be business skills.
-As Advisor Wiese mentioned we need to start thinking about Adopt-A-Highway. I drive past our stretch a lot and it needs work, so it may be easier to do it in waves. Expect to hear more about that soon.
-Starting next week there will be a candy dish on my desk. It's mostly to support Joe Rapp's sugar addiction, but you're all welcome to partake.
-I am totally stoked about the 500 tournament, and I hope you all get your schedules in soon so we can start next week.

Bard
 

Are we considering a similar approach to the adopt a highway program as last semester?

Braddock
 

I was thinking we may want to take two days to do it, I liked last years study day followed by a barbeque.

Rapp
 

What kind of candy?

Braddock
 

I am really feeling the whole jelly bean idea.

Wiese

I would concur with what you would said in regards to the  adopt a highway program last spring.  Also there was some conversation today that I think senate should be asked.  What do you think about a similar program for campus? The folks on campus who take care of the grounds have noticed a substantial increase in garbage. They removed 140 bags of trash this last week. One suggestion was why not have student organizations, individuals ect adopt parts of campus to take care of those plots, and relieve the grounds keepers.

Wilson-Mattson
 

For earth day during homecoming week the different organizations compete for points we could do some of that.

Oni
 

RHA also does that for earth day, those who get the most trash win points for that, they may be interested as well.

Ohren

Earth day is the  same day as  the dragon fire walk, there will be a lot of stuff on campus that day.

Short
 

Has there ever been any consideration for making the campus non smoking?

Cailao
 

I don’t know of any discussion on that.

Wiese
 

There hasn’t been anything official. I would say that based on that comment that many people are considering that. That is an initiative that should be discussed on our campus. That would be one of those things that senate would discuss.

Ellsworth
 

If smoking were banned on campus and were strictly enforced the streets around campus would end up with a lot of trash.

Elkin
 

Is there any progress regarding our Campus Affairs Chair?

Cailao
 

That is in an interview state right now.
 

Jennifer Costley (Secretary)

• Did minutes

• Did attendance

No questions on the report

Emilie Mihal (Special Projects)

No report

Committee Reports

Committee on Committees (Chair Obach)

No report

Campus Affairs

Attendance:

      Bard

      Rapp

      Ellsworth

Guests:

      Ohren

-Computer labs

How often they are turned off ect

-Housing survey put on list serve.

Cailao
 

Hagen hall may smell like a dead body because there are in fact dead bodies in that building.

Bard

In regards to the computer labs I sent an email to the right people and they are supporting turning off the computers.
 

Cultural Diversity Rep. (Oni)

Attendance:

      Oni

      Weber

      Vrtis

Guests:

      Ellsworth

-Together MN discussed

-Possible hiring discrimination discussed

-The FYE implementation of a uniform diversity curriculum was discussed.

Weber
 

It isn't that she doesn’t hire accents, its not discrimination its ability to communicate.

Haken
 

I got a thing in my mailbox and it said work study preferred but did not say required.

Weber
 

She just discovered that wednesday when I talked to her.

Oni
 

We are going to try and set up a meeting with her.

Cailao
 

Is this Veronica Micheals

Brown
 

I have the application and it does say with work study funds.

Oni
 

It is my understanding that work study positions are issued in October and if they do not fill them then others can apply.

Wiese
 

This issue is not uncommon, low funding for institution departmental funding is stressed a way to supplement is to hire work study students. You will see many more things like this in the future. The funding is just not there.

Cailao
 

Thank you Weber and Oni.
 

Legislative & Internal Affairs (Chair Wilson-Mattson)

Attendance:

      Ascheman

      Wilson-Mattson

      Ludden

      Lovcik

-Appeal process for senators removal and appeal process for advisors.

Marketing (Chair Brown)

No report

Braddock
 

Is senate responsible for updating that bulleton board forever?

Brown
 

For this semester yes, and if successful forever.
 

Tuition & Fees Oversight (Chair Elkin)

Attendance:

      Elkin

      Ohren

      Morse

      Hepola

      Rapp

-Health services cap

-VP Braddock working on a program to allow TFOC to count taxi receipts

-Green fee is also being reviewed

-Senator Rapp has also been added as a TFOC member.

Campus Safety Committee (Vice President Braddock)

Attendance:

       Braddock

-The job is still done

MSUSA Campus Representative (Senator Zeiher)

No report

Ascheman
 

Does the bio include blackmailing material?
 

Zeiher
 

Long dramatic pause…no
 

Cailao

Thank you senator Zeiher for all of your help.
 

Election Committee (Chair Young)

No report

Old Business:

Elkin
 

Wasn't there a motion tabled until next week?

Braddock moves/Elkin seconds to move from the table the resolution for cultural diversity.

Unanimous aye motion carries


Wilson-Mattson

Same as last week.  Diversity felt that they did not want to define it and be smushed into one definition of diversity.

Ascheman

The discussion last week was the idea that  we do not need to have diversity defined in statement. If you look at several committees you will see that none of them are defined by exactly what their definition is.

Weber
 

The definition should be left up to the committee itself and be put on the ballot
 

Unanimous aye
Motion carries
 

New Business:

SP06-33 (Leg/Int)

Wilson-Mattson

As it stands now the constitution does not have any wording on employees of senate. There is no clarification as to the right to speak and be able to proxy.  Because they are employee and not voted on by students.

Elkin

I think it’s a great motion I yield.

Motion Carries with one abstention.

 

SP06-33 (Leg/Int)

Cailao
 

Is this redundant to the previous motion

Schwegal
 

This seems out of order because of the redundancy.

Zeiher
 

Isn’t secretary different than employee’s?

Ascheman
 

Being as the secretary has a different role we wanted it clearly defined as opposed to general .

Zeiher
 

Under employees does it state that employees don’t have a vote unless they are proxies?

Asheman
 

Employee of senate section is to be a new section.

Braddock
 

Under duties it says shall be employee of senate making it 100 percent redundant. I think we should strike this one.

Motion withdrawn
 

Motion SP06-32 ()

Wilson-Mattson
 

The motion pretty much explains itself.  It just says that representatives should have

the right to speak and proxy
 

Ascheman
 

Again like employee of senate, but it gives the opening to have other representatives from other organizations.

Brown
 

Was it on laisons?
 

Cailao
 

Representatives.

 

SP06-33 (Leg/Int)

Wilson-Mattson
 

Yield

Unanimous Aye
Motion Carries
 

Motion SP06-34 ()

Wilson-Mattson
 

This is the one from last fall. Without enough voters it did not pass.  The problem was that they were being payed in tuition so the person that got their spot would not receive funds.

Braddock
 

So now financial aid cannot jack my pay.

Unanimous aye.
Motion Carries
 

SP06-35 (Leg/Int)

Elkin
 

The budget cap is only reviewed periodically, 3-6 years is the number we were given.  Also the cap needs to be more flexible as we discussed earlier this year we are already at the ceiling for this motion.

Wiese
 

The health center directors from system were unanimous in their support of this motion. It allows flexibility for health services from individual campus to decide their fee. Three institutions probably have one of those upper chair health centers others have lesser services.  This allows the campus to choose the sort of health services they want for their campus. It is safe for the students as it puts you in the same vote with the health center directors.

Unanimous aye
Motion carries

 

SP06-36 (Exec)

Braddock
 

This is the thing I emailed you all about.  After talking with doctor Wilson and Williams I have come to the conclusion that this is obviously a good thing. This only applies to you if you are under 21. Implementation will be decided on a case by case basis.

Wiese
 

It would be left up to an administrator who is responsible for that particular area. It would not be an employee without significance.

Braddock
 

MN is the only state in the area that has not adopted this.  We are not putting anything in our law other than referencing the code. This is really for the benefit of students in need. A student in December developed issues, drinking problems which progressed into meth problems, those are the types of situations we hope to avoid. It is not guaranteed that we will contact families. All things will be taken into consideration before anything is done. I would like our senate to pass this motion to smooth things over with MSUSA.

Elkin
 

First off, the state laws  only limitation is that the person has to be under 21. Do we not want to put anything in to put in certain parameters. The administration told us that counselors would be involved.

Ascheman
 

We cannot make a motion to amend MN law, so we must very carefully analyzed what this law entails.  It is not how it is stated in the law.  It is stated that if you get caught with an alcohol bottle they can notify your parents. If it were a lot more specific then it would be very helpful and very beneficial.

Braddock
 

If you want to ask the administration to more narrowly define this that can be considered.

Wilson-Mattson
 

What else will the school be able to do with this, scholarships, academic probation ect?

Wiese
 

At this point we wouldn’t do that. If the students life is in peril the notification is something simple and direct.  For example,  your daughter has been taken to Americare hospital tonight and we are making you aware of that. It is also the universities responsibility to prevent students from creating further damage. The notification process is pretty specific. We aren’t going to do anything like that. I think it would be illegal. All its doing is letting the parents know so that they can be supporters of the students.

Haken
 

Should a student have a specific reason why they don’t want their students to be involved?

Wiese
 

I don't know how that information would be known, if student is unconscious in the hospital the student may not know that information. If we have a telephone number for that parent we would call them.

Haken
 

What if its just an alcohol violation and you are independent of your parents would they still be called?

Wiese
 

The policy does not make it mandatory to do so. There have been instances when that call has not been made.

Schwegal

What kind of ward is going to be set up to deal with this on a case by case basis. What about my ability uses, what if the university does not report and two weeks later I am killed in an accident could that reflect on the university?

Braddock
 

This would be at the ddiscretion of our medical and counseling staff, so it would not be any additional cost to the university. This is for people with repeat offences.

Short
 

Is there a probationary period after two offences? Then that is when they inform the parents?  The way this reads medical staffers could make that decision.

Ascheman
 

Like I said before I am definitely against this, while the administration says this is what we may do with this power, there is no definite.  However, that is not the proposal up right now. It is do we support the overall statement that if you were caught with a can of beer we can tell your parents. There is so much that can be done with this power.

Bard
 

I think the email speaks volumes. I think we should trust the people in authority with this. I would rather take the risk.

Weber
 

This is just a clarification?

Cailao
 

I wouldn’t use the term clarification I would say putting in line with.

Braddock
 

There is a clause in the federal law .

Short
 

I really thought when a person is 18 they are an adult but in a lot of ways most often students enter this university and are not paying for it. There are students paying there own tuition however many of there parents foot the bill.

Ascheman
 

The law does not differentiate between the too.

Oni

I don’t see what the real big deal is. If I am passed out and am in the hospital I would want my parents to be contacted. I just don’t see the big deal in this back and forth.

Obach
 

I know I said that when you come in you should abstain however, I do think that I don’t see the university as being misleading.  However, when I was 18 I am pretty sure I was an adult. I had already voted and served. I don’t understand how they can single out this group of people that have been singled out over and over again.

Zeiher
 

I do see a flaw with this if you are claimed independent. As it was stated earlier sometimes your parents are the problem.

 
Weber
 

Concerning financial aid, students are  dependent until they are 24.

Bard
 

There are a lot of people that do make the transformation into adult world during the college years. You have more real world experience. Your outlook at 22 is quite different then 18.

Wiese
 

With all do respect to Obach, you are from a different generation then the generation we are talking about.  In this particular instance the message I have gotten is that the current generation is much different then former generations.  How this generation treats and views consumption of alcohol is either they drink a great deal or abstain.  The middle ground is shrinking considerably.  In regards to Schwegal's liability question.  Sometimes you are damned if you do and sometimes you are damned if you don’t. We say we can't contact the parents however a persons life seems to be more significant then liability. A lot of what you are talking about is relevant but for very different issues.  What you have been discussing does not have a lot to do with the law yet it does have a lot to bring to the table under different circumstances. I would encourage you to really thoughtfully consider this.

Rapp
 

I had a small side discussion with Ohren it sounds like this applies as they contact your parents. Whatever the case may be you put personal contacts in case of emergency. Some people might be more comfortable having that person contacted rather than thier parents. Is that a possibility, using your personal emergency contact instead?

Elkin
 

I believe that the state law says that it is parents. Secondly Senator Ascheman and I have written a motion asking administration to put into writing the way that they are using this policy. I still don’t agree with this motion, in response to a previous question . If you don’t want them contacted it allows them to call them anyway.

Ellsworth
 

Personally I would rather have people have there parents contacted and avoid future issues.

Braddock
I think our medical staff could eek out of a 18 year old that they have problems with their parents and if that is the case they might not necessarily contact the parents.
 

Call to previous question.

Motion carries
 

SP06-3 (Elkin/Ascheman)

Elkin

I think that the state law is very vague and although I  completely agree that our administration has the best intentions I don’t think that means they should be able to decide when to contact parents.

Ascheman

Despite everyone going against me, the law is extremely vague