Minutes for Aug. 25th

Student Senate Home > Get Informed > Minutes > August 25 2005

Opening  & Reports

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

President Holmes called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. by the Senate Clock.

Roll call 

Guests:

• Emilie Mihal

• Kody Eidsmoe

• Katie Miller

• Jesse Harder

• Nicole Nagel - The Advocate

• Nicki Elkin

• David Bard

• Dan Schmit

• Britta Trenbeath

• Leigh Wilson-Mattson

• Justin Lien

• Dr. Katy Wilson - Assistant to VP of Student Affairs

Proxies: 

• Kody Eidsmoe - Nicole Booth

Approval of the Agenda  Braddock/Welle

Approval of the Minutes  Welle/Obach 

Minutes from 4-28-05 Approved

Public Hearing

Wiese

• Welcome returning senators, welcome new senators, and welcome to those of you who are up for appointment.

• I have a few things for Senate to think about:

• How you are going to operate as an organization.

• Focus on Important issues to the student body.

• There is a long history of student consultation and collaboration with administrators and Student Senate.

• Committees within Senate are important!  It is great to see information come to the table from committees.

 

• I have been working here for 25 years and have a lot of history with this organization.  I can help this body to make a more informed decision at times. 

• I have noticed over the years that the amount of work Student Senate is expected to take care of has increased significantly from year to year. 

• You have a direct link to the office of the Chancellor in the same way that President Barden does.  Remember you play a very important role on campus.

• You all become role models as Student Leaders on campus.

• There are a number of things for Senate to deal with this year.

• Institution enrollment and fees

• SABC funds

• Food service request for proposal this year

• Wellness project

• Taxi Cab Service

• I encourage you to prioritize these things and to set some goals for the year.

• I also encourage each one of you to participate in at least one University committee, and to show up to those meetings.

• I suggest you bring in the Deans and Directors of the various departments to meet with Senate.

• I hope we have a very successful year!

• Thomas Lane took a position in Missouri so Dr. Katy Wilson will sit in for me when I am absent. 

Wilson (Assistant to VP of Student Affairs)

• I have been here since 1985/86 and this is my 21st year. 

• I hope to learn a lot about this body in my position.

Mihal

• So, people have been saying 'Hi!' to me when I walk by and it confuses me because I think I know them but I don't. 

• During orientation I talked to a lady who was irate about the hours for the bookstore and to get ID's.

• In one of my classes the teacher is getting their doctorate and I have a lame adjunct.

Wilson-Mattson

• NDSU uses the Lucky 7 cab for their taxi cab program and I have had a lot of people come into our office who are mad.

Ellefson

• NDSU has a much larger Taxi Cab program than we do.

Braddock

• One of the History professors was almost killed by terrorists this summer.

Welle

• I thought that it was a policy that all professors had to hand out a syllabus on the first day of class.  But I had some who did not do this.

• I would also like to thank Nicki for her MSUSA letter.

Reports

Advisor Wiese

Justin Schwegel (Treasurer)

James Cailao (Vice President)

Billy Holmes (President)

• I spent my summer in Bemidji and attended UPBC meetings via ITV and conference calls.

• I attended one Student Center meeting via conference call.

• I attended several MSUSA conference calls and also the summer conference at Winona State University.  Which, if any of you haven't spoken to Senator Wilson-Mattson or heard of her 20 hour trip from MSUM to WSU, ask her about that.

• Also, I am proud to inform you that some Senate members have begun to create an extremely close relationship.  However, I don't encourage physical and public expressions of affection quite like those shared by Senator Welle and Treasurer Schwegel.

• I worked out the details of our retreat this summer by finding presenters and free space to make is cost efficient and effective.

• I organized the Root Beer Floats for orientation by getting Cold Stone Creamery and Coca Cola to donate ice cream and Barq's root beer.  Senate's contribution was only $45 for cups and spoons.  Please give those companies your patronage when you can and thank them often.  Also, please sign the thank you cards.  Though we were rained out, I have heard good things about the floats and have gotten some applicants for Senate because of that event.

• I know all of you couldn't be back to help with orientation but please thank those who did: Emilie, Landon, and Mike.

• There are many open Senate seats.  Due to the election results I no longer can serve my former off-campus seat nor as MSUSA Campus Rep. and so both are open.  With me I have resignations for Umer Randhawa - Natural and Social Sciences, Adrian Welle - Snarr, Kristen Eggers - Undeclared/Undecided, Nicole Booth - Neumaier, Damien Scott - Off-Campus, and a verbal resignation was received from Heidi Mingo - Education/Human services.  Mike Stone is no longer a student at MSUM and so yet another Education/Human services seat is open.

• During new business several students will come before you for appointment.  Several excellent applications were submitted and all applicants interviewed great! I had to make some tough decisions as to what applicants to bring before you for approval and I believe you will be pleased and impressed with their work as Senate team members.  Senate has a lot of work to do and we need a full table to handle the load.

• The students whom I did not select to be here this evening were given the opportunity to be on a proxy list.  That way they will have the opportunity to get Senate experience and still be connected to the organization.

• Please note that Nicole Nagel from the Advocate will be with us all semester at the meetings and the  MSUSA conferences.  The press can be our friend or our enemy so I encourage each of you to welcome her and conduct business as we would like to see it on the front page.

• Some of Senate's biggest projects this year will be the Student Wellness Center, Drive-A-Dragon Cab program, and issues with student fees and university budgeting.  More about each of these topics will be addressed at the retreat or in your committees which will form this weekend.

• If anyone is interested in a particular committee and hasn't already let me know, please do so after we adjourn this evening.

• Office hour and committee meeting attendance will be taken beginning Monday.

• The retreat will depart the NE CMU entrance at 4p.m. tomorrow.

•  

Also, during New Business there will be a bill to approve money to purchase food for the retreat.  Please make food suggestions on the list that will be passed around.

• Secretary Pugsley and Special Projects Assistant Mihal (SPAM) both agreed to some employment terms regarding neutrality and professionalism.  Neither will proxy for any Senate member and I will be tabulating their attendance and include Secretary Pugsley's in my report.  Secretary Pugsley served her 4 office hours this week by getting the office ready to do business with supplies and organization.  Thank you.

• Other than that, welcome back and I yield for any questions.

Grace Pugsley (Secretary)

• Welcome back old senators!

• Welcome to all of the New Senators!!

• Welcome proxy Eidsmoe and Mastermind Mihal!  And Advisor Wiese!

• Please fill our the Contact sheet and return that to me!

• Also, if you would like a nickname (i.e., Jake instead of Jacob, Land instead of Landon, Justy, Eids of Moe, etc.) please write that next to your name!

• I had an interesting summer down in South Dakota!  I worked day in and day out, I semi-fractured my foot playing Ultimate Frisbee (which I suggest you not play on the retreat! It is dangerous), and then I re-injured my foot falling out of an RV.  But I did get a chance to go to the 10,000 Lakes Festival which was sooooo much fun!! (Even on crutches)  And I got in trips to Nederland, CO in the Rocky Mountains, and to Sioux Falls to see Modest Mouse!  Also, retired senators Frolek and Eidsmoe made a trip down to the Black Hills (with cougar insurance in hand).  And former Vice President McCoy drove all the way down to buy me Whiskey and Coke on my 21st B-day!  So all in all the summer wasn't too bad.

• However, I am glad to be back in Minnesota and to see all of the people back here!

• If anyone is thinking about chairing a committee, don't start thinking too seriously unless you are prepared to email and/or write reports to me after each and every single meeting that you hold.  MNStateSecretary@yahoo.com  or the mailbox that says Secretary Pugsley.

• EXEC!!! Also send me reports this year!!!!

• Remember everyone to fill our office hour sheets weekly with the date and time you were in the office and turn those in!

• This is year #3 for me on Student Senate.  (I have been on Senate longer than anyone, beating Welle by 1 week!)

• If anyone has any questions about Senate or whatever else, feel free to ask me!  I may not be able to answer but will know exactly who to send you to!

• The quote of the week:

• The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else.  The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.   - Whitney Young (Civil rights leader)

Emilie Mihal (S.P.A.M.)

• Hi, I am Mihal, Special Projects Assistant, which means I do whatever no one else does like the website, or research or whatever

• This past summer I worked on the design of the site. It is simplistic, but I hope more pleasing to the eye

• The week before school started, I started changing the site.  About 6% is done, but it is pages that you will see most often

• I am doing some research and designing a prototype site of apartment listings for students.  I am working on an index for the constitution.  I am working on continuing to switch over the look of the site

• I am willing to do research on Robert's Rules or the constitution for anyone

Campus Affairs (Chair Randhawa)

Committee on Committees (Chair Obach)

Legislative & Internal Affairs (Chair Wilson-Mattson)

Marketing (Chair Booth)

Tuition & Fees Oversight (Chair Welle)

Cultural Diversity Sub Committee (Chair Oni)

MSUSA Campus Rep. (Schmit)

MSUSA Cultural Diversity Rep. (Oni)

Taxi Cab Program (Ellefson)

Election Board (Chair Mihal)

Old Business:

None

New Business:

Appointments

Leigh Wilson-Mattson to Nat/Soc Science

• Close caucus (Welle/Obach)
• 12y/0n/2a/ - motion passes
• Open Caucus (Obach/Welle)

 

Britta Trenbeath to Off Campus

• CC (Welle/Braddock) - pass

• 12y/2n/1a - passes

• OC (Welle/Braddock) - pass

 

Motion to Recess (Welle/Ellefson) - pass

 

 

 

Katie Miller to NGH

• CC (Wilson-Mattson/Braddock) - pass

• 7y/6n/3a - motion fails

• OC (Obach/Ellefson) - pass

 

Jesse Harder to Snarr

• CC (Braddock/Obach) - pass

• 11y/3n/2a - motion passes

• OC (Braddock/Wilson-Mattson) - pass

 

Daniel Schmit to Campus Representative

• CC (Welle/Vrtis) - pass

• 9y/4n/3a - passes

• OC (Maurina/Obach) - pass

 

Emilie Mihal for Election Chair

• 18y/0n/0a - pass

 

Justin Lien to Education/Human Services

• CC (Obach/Peeters) - pass

• 16y/1n/1a - pass

• OC (Obach/Schwegel) - pass

 

David Bard to Off Campus

• CC (Welle/Ascheman) - pass

• 19y/0n/0a - pass

• OC (Obach/Eidsmoe) - pass

 

Motion 06-01 Executive

Whereas the bi-annual Senate retreat is scheduled for the 26th-27th of September 2005, and 

Whereas college students require amounts of food far surpassing any reasonable amount,

Be it resolved this Senate approve an allocation of $150 towards purchasing refreshments and food.

Motion 06-01 passes unanimously

Motion 06-02 Executive

Whereas Senate is in need of more placards for Senate members,

Be it resolved Senate allocate $91 to purchase the necessary amount of placards for Senate members without a placard plus 5.

Motion 06-02 passes unanimously.

Points for the Good of the Order:   

Announcements

Cailao

• Obach, you can sell your 'old' to people! 

• I will be hosting a post meeting.  We will be meeting in the office of the President (Mick's Office)! 

Braddock

• I miss Angie and Kory!!

Obach

• Saturday there will be a party at my place!!

Mihal

• I will be taking pictures on Friday and Saturday!

Adjournment  

Motion to adjourn (Ellefson/Welle)

 Adjourn at 8:10 p.m.