Minutes for September 29th 

Student Senate Home > Get Informed > Minutes > Sept. 29 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:

• Tami Ludden - Snarr Hall Rep.

• Ron Jeppson

• Bob Reltce

• Nicole Nagel - Advocate

• Stephanie Krenz

• Jeff Dado

• Edward TJ Brown

• Saqib Sheikh

• Jessica Endres

Proxies: 

• Jess Endres - VP Cailao

Approval of the Agenda   

• Welle/Randhawa

• Unanimous Approval

Approval of the Minutes  

• Randhawa/Lien

• 9-22-05 minutes approved

Public Hearing

Jeppson

• Hello!

• I am the Dean of the college of Natural and Social Sciences.

• The difficulty in functioning as a college is that many students don't know which college they belong to.

• I am trying to change that.

• Social and Natural Sciences include departments such as Political Science, Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Anthropology, Physics, Computer Science, Math, Speech Language and Hearing Science.

• Departments are put in a college for administrative purposes and for unifying the tie between departments and faculty.

• Universities always have a number of colleges, depending on the size of the University.

• We are focused on helping students achieve experience one on one with faculty

• Also focused on Student Academic Conference.  We have a large number of students who are involved with that conference.

• Another major focus is outreach.  We want to be part of the community and have relationships with K-12 students, businesses, and non-profit organizations.  We are inviting them to our campus as well as going out in the community!

• We have a new science building which just needs to be polished up now.  The ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 10am Thursday. 

• Hagen Hall is still under renovation and should be done in about a year and a half.

• The cost of the floor in the science building was a requirement of the state.  A certain % of the budget is required to be spent on artwork.

• Center for Excellence

  • This was the Governors idea. 

  • Wanted MnSCU to recognize 4 or 5 centers in the state, ones that excel in their field.

  • They have to have a good relationship with area businesses, have an impact on society, and have a potential of attracting students and providing them with good jobs after college.

Sheikh

• Muslim Student Association President.

• I am here to talk about the Muslim Student Association constitution.

• It was first submitted in the Spring of 2003.  OSA had the constitution for a year to fix typos and clarifications.

• By the end of Spring 05' the constitution was still not ratified.

• It finally became ratified by SOAC and I have spoken with the current VP and changed the wording (disrespectful) and would appreciate your decisions.

Wilson-Mattson

• We will be going over the constitution Monday at 9:00pm.

Edward TJ Brown

• I have run into several students who can't seem to find a Math tutor.  They were 1st told there was no money to have a tutor and then later were told that they couldn't find students to be tutors.

• Many students are concerned about Student Safety.

• I don't think most students on this campus consider underage drinking and binge drinking a problem.

• What really frustrates students is that the tragedy didn't have to happen...students have a code where you don't walk alone after consuming alcohol.

• I think Senate should take some sort of action.

Reports

Advisor Wiese

• Health and Wellness Center project is having another presentation Wednesday from noon to 1:30 in the CMU main lounge.

• Homecoming is coming up.

• Thank you Senate for the appointments to University Committees.

• The first Student Tech. Fee meeting is planned!

Justin Schwegel (Treasurer)

• Attended SABC

• Budget $2848.11

• My jaw hurts

James Cailao (Vice President)

• Report

Billy Holmes (President)

• DC: Lobbied on issues three main issues: H.R. 609, Budget Reconciliation, and Pell Grants

• Patrick Kycia

  • his passing is currently under investigation

  • there is no concrete information

  • premature for this body to take any positions

  • it's easy to get caught in rumors during situations like this. Please speak only the facts; not unconfirmed statements

  • my advice is to not make any statements or take any action until the investigation has run its course

  • I express deep sympathy for Patrick's family, friends, and our shared community

• As Advisor Wiese mentioned there will be open forums in regards to the Wellness Center. All times and locations of those forums will be forwarded to you

• I submitted a nomination to the OSA from Student Senate for Mike Obach to be the Student Leader of the Month.  He has led his committee to do great things and has earned recognition.  Congratulations!

Grace Pugsley (Secretary)

• Did the Minutes

• Attendance - people are getting close so be careful

• Chairs please fill out and return sheets by the END OF THE MEETING

• Mihal and I purchased a Senate fish who has since parted ways with us, but we have upgraded our Fish living quarters and will soon be providing this organization with Thomas Lane the Fish #2. *I know Thomas the 1st will be in your thoughts! :)

• Yay, we now have FrontPage on the SPAM/Pugsley computer...we no longer have to kick you off the front computer. (But we have full authority to make you leave the back computer!)

• I sent information to Chair Schmit regarding Leader of the Month but was not told that the process for that was changed and that I no longer was involved....

• Working on talking with Tara Wilkens to get Senate RSVP'd for Science Alumni Social on October 6th at the Courtyard by Marriot.

• Working on updating Senate Contact Sheet.  That should be done next week.

• Attended SABC, Student Conduct Committee, and will be going to Liberal Studies committee bright and early tomorrow morning at 8am

• Voted for Homecoming court!  Good Luck to all of those people!

• Quote of the Week:

  • Faultfinding without suggestions for improvement is a waste of time. - Ralph C. Smedley (Founder of Toastmaster)

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

• Same as Election Board.

Campus Affairs (Chair Randhawa)

Attendance

• Randhawa 

• Maurina

• Lien - E

• Bliss

Guests

• Emilie Mihal

• Discussed Cultural Diversities Sub Committee

• CD Issue discussed involving Security and Moorhead Police Department

• Spoke about scheduling meeting with Todd S.

• Discussed Senator Bliss' "Special Project"

• Discussed Library Textbook project

• Kise/Sodexho problem resolved

Committee on Committees (Chair Obach)

Attendance:

• Obach (FCO)

• Czapiewska

• Bard (Sparrow)

• Braddock (Lt. Beef)

• Shauna "Soaks Up Information Like A Sponge" Haken

• We continued to appoint people to committees.  Each member has been talking with the chair of their assigned committees.

Legislative & Internal Affairs (Chair Wilson-Mattson)

Attendance:

• Wilson-Mattson

• Ascheman

• Trenbeath

• Zeiher

• Elkin

• We pushed back the original date for Textbook Action day due to the death of the MSUM student

• Had a meeting on Wednesday and on Monday!

• We all read over material that we found on our own account about textbooks and why prices are so high.

• Main topics that we decided to focus on:

  • Bundeling

  • CD Roms

  • International Pricing

• We will also address:

  • Buying back of used books

  • What professors can do to help

• We are going to put notes all over the table on facts about books.

• We will have a "fish bowl" drawing for the T-shirt and sweatshirt

• Have students sign name, what they could've bought with money used to buy books, phone and email.

• Pass around table sign up sheet!

• We are having another Call-In day on October 11th in Flora Frick

• COC stole our idea for the TTN

Marketing (Chair Schmit)

Attendance:

• Schmit - U

• Peeters - U

• Chaudry - U

• Deutz - U

• No Report

Tuition & Fees Oversight (Chair Welle)

Attendance:

• Welle - U

• Ellefson - U

• Smolley - U

• Vrtis - U

• Hussain - U

• No Report

Cultural Diversity Sub Committee (Chair Oni)

• Report

MSUSA Campus Rep. (Schmit)

• Report

MSUSA Cultural Diversity Rep. (Oni)

• Report

Election Board (Chair Mihal)

• Getting website ready for elections

• Working on profiles & pictures- I want to add more pictures

• Checked number of students in each "district" for elections- for every 700 students, there is one senator.  The check turned out the following

  • Off Campus- 6127- 9 senators

  • Neumaier- 106- 1 senator

  • Dahl/Ballard- 438- 1 senator

  • NGH- 626- 1 senator

  • Snarr- 440- 1 senator

• This means that Off campus gained a seat, and NGH lost a seat

• One senator brought up the point that since Grantham is under construction, there are less residents there.  So likely NGH will gain back that seat in another year

Old Business:

• Welle/Braddock - take Motion 06-15 from the table

Motion 06-15 Braddock/Welle

Whereas MSUSA Delegates need to make informed decisions during MSUSA conferences

Whereas the MSUM Student Senate President has information not generally known to delegates

Be it resolved that the Student Senate President be encouraged to attend MSUSA General Assemblies to answer questions from the MSUM delegates and provide pertinent information to subjects of discussion within the bounds of information the President is allowed to disclose publicly according to MSUSA policy or legal constraints

Be it further resolved that this participation be in the form of question and answer, initiated by the delegates, to aid the President in avoiding issues of propriety and influence.

Motion 06-15 passes unanimously

New Business:

Open COC Nominations (Braddock/Bliss)

Unanimous approval of all appointments

SAFR

Adrian Welle

Leigh Wilson-Mattson

Student Tech Fee

Adrian Welle

Kendall Bliss

Cultural Diversity

Madara Maurina

CUC

Ben Hanson

Athletic Board of Control

Britny Sayler

Financial Aid Suspension

Justin Dornbush

Mackenzie Taylor

Close COC Nominations (Obach/Randhawa)

Motion 06-16 Braddock/Schwegel

Whereas Student Senate has been invited to participate in the Celebration of the Sciences

Be it resolved that the October 6th Student Senate meeting adjourn by 7:00pm to attend the event.

Motion 06-16 passes unanimously

Motion 06-17 Welle/Schwegel

Whereas underage and excessive drinking in the MSUM community is *concerning

Be it resolved that the University Alcohol Task Force report its current activities to the Student Senate,

Be it further resolved that the Student Senate, within its judgment and purview, work with the Alcohol Task Force to implement their recommendations.

• Braddock/Welle - Amend - passes

Motion 06-17 passes unanimously

Motion 06-18 Marketing

Whereas Student Senate will be participating in homecoming activities

Whereas this would be a great opportunity to be among fellow students, and use this opportunity to recruit and inform those students about senate.

Be it resolved the Marketing committee asks for the amount of $30 to attract students to the table during Dragon Fest.

Motion 06-18 passes unanimously

Motion 06-19 Marketing

Whereas student senate is holding a benefit for victims of Hurricane Katrina/Rita,

Whereas student senate will join efforts with the homecoming committee and "co-host" Goodings on Thursday evening where hot chocolate would be sold to help raise money to donate,

Be it resolved that Marketing requests $25 to help pay for hot chocolate and cups.

Motion 06-19 passes unanimously

Motion 06-20 Welle/Obach

Whereas MSUM has experienced a tragic loss in our campus community

Be it resolved student senate instruct President Holmes to write a letter of condolence to the family of Patrick Kycia on behalf of student senate and the student body.

Motion 06-20 passes unanimously

Points for the Good of the Order:  

Announcement

Obach

• My roommates are going to Iraq so Friday afternoon there will be a BBQ

Braddock

• I received a $2 raise at work.  My boss thanked me for being a good worker!

Vrtis

• The Tri-College Career Fair will be in November.

• There will be a Graduate Service Monday from 1-5pm at Concordia.

Ascheman

• I know some people that are taking the LSAT at 8:00am on Saturday.  Please give them encouraging statements.  If you fail the LSAT, you fail law school!

Welle

• Homecoming events, if you go, tell them  you are from Student Senate!

Holmes

• If you are attending next weeks gala, dress nicely!