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Minutes for Nov. 3rd

Student Senate Home > Get Informed > Minutes > Nov 3 2005

Opening & Reports

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

 

President Holmes called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. by the Senate Clock.

Roll call

Guests:

  • Travis Maier

  • Nick Huck

Proxies: 

  • Katie Flock - Senator Deutz (1/2 meeting)

  • Jered Weber - Senator Czapiewska

  • Stephanie Simonson - Chair Wilson-Mattson (1/2 meeting)

  • Nicole Nagel - Senator Madara

  • Scott Campbell - Senator Ludden (1/4 meeting)

Attendance

Name

Attended Meeting

Committee Meeting

Office Hour

Total Points

Landon Ascheman

 X X X 2

Dave Bard

 X X X 5

Kendall Bliss

 1/4 E E X 5

Chris Braddock

 X X X 7

Jessalyn Brown

 X X X 0
James Cailao U X U 9
Hassan Chaudry U U U 43
Zuzanna Czapiewska E X X 8
Vanessa Deutz 1/2 E X X 5
Nicki Elkin X X X 0
Jake Ellefson X X X 10
Shauna Haken X X X 4
Billy Holmes X X X 0
Syed Hussain X U U 25
Justin Lien 1/4 E X X 8
Tami Ludden 1/4 E X X 2
Madara Maurina E E X 11
Emilie Mihal X X - 0
Mike Obach X X X 9
Kemi Oni - X X 2
Grace Pugsley X U X 4
Omar Randhawa 1/4 E E X 10
Daniel Schmit U X X 8
Justin Schwegel X U U 6
Jordan Smolley X X X 5
Brian Vrtis X X X 6
Adrian Welle X X U 10
VP Warren Wiese X - - 0
PA Kate Wilson - - - 0
Leigh Wilson-Mattson 1/2 E X X 3
Laura Zeiher X X X 0

 

Approval of the Agenda

Unanimous Approval.

Approval of the Minutes

Unanimous Approval.

Braddock: I said students asked me why the library was not left open on Friday and Saturday to prevent drinking. <corrected by EM>

Minutes from 10-27-05 Approved.

Public Hearing

Janet Haak Aarness, Director of Academic Support Programs

 

We have programs in place for students who want to improve their academic standings.

 

I work with academic appeals and suspension appeals.

 

Academic appeals include liberal studies and graduation requirements, mostly from transfer students.

 

Jill Holsen, Director of International Programs

 

I work with study abroad programs- from one or two weeks long up to a full year and occasionally two full years.

 

I am the international student advisor; I help with admissions and counseling.

 

Students can receive credit for studying abroad.

 

Randhawa

 

So we have exchange students coming here, but we can also go study abroad?

 

Jill Holsen

 

Yes.  If you have any questions, you can stop by Flora Frick 151.

 

Hussain

 

International Students pay $800 for one year of Health insurance.  Is it possible for an international student to obtain health insurance from an outside agency?

 

Jill Holsen

 

It is MnSCU policy that international students pay this.  It is comparable to the plan offered to other students, and would pay to have you sent home if you got sick.

 

Elkin

 

Dr. Conteh talked about someone who had a heart attack on the 3rd floor of the Bridges/McLean complex, and that person passed away, but the body was not able to fit in the elevator.  If there is an emergency, there is no way to take someone out on a stretcher except from the stairs.  Conteh felt this should be taken into consideration with the proposed remodel.

 

Travis Maier, former Student Senate President

read the following letter:

 

Dear Senators, proxies, liaisons, chairs, advisor(s), executive members and guests,

I sincerely apologize for the wasted time you have spent discussing and debating the "merits of the missing transition manual" (side note: it sort of sounds like an episode of Scooby Doo). To prevent any additional loss of valuable time by any senate member, I have turned in a transition manual that meets the requirements set forth by the constitution.

 

Rest assured that a more comprehensive transition manual will be given to the next president of the MSUM Student Senate.  If anyone would like an explanation of my actions, please feel free to e-mail me and I will forward a document detailing several motives.

 

<Travis Maier's e-mail is maiertr@mnstate.edu -EM>

 

I simply want to clarify and/or refute a few points made by William Howard Holmes:

 

First of all, I would like to shed some light on the history of the transition manual; after all I was one of the three people who developed the idea and authored the language.  In an e-mail on the senate listserv, William says that the [sic] " the body the president leads and represents wrote a constitution which requires the president to complete the transition manual one week prior to the end of his/her term.  Not only that, that same constitution was ratified by the students of MSUM." In reality, three of us who wrote the transition manual section and it was passed by senate in the form of a bylaw and was later pulled into the constitution during a 5-year SOAC review...my point being the students of MSUM have never ratified any transition manual language.

 

I also find the original resolution interesting because it said, "Whereas the president's required transition manual is part of the president's duty to this body and all salaries and stipends were paid assuming completion and surrender of all projects."  Did the [sic] William read the constitution when drafting this motion?  It makes no mention of withholding Executive Member salary and/or stipend for failure to complete the transition manual; that is the case only for chairs.

 

Next, you will note William's discussion of the transition meeting which he missed in his email on the listserv.  He may very well have notice the time at 12:20, but could he have not called the senate office and left a message letting me know he would be late.  I was at the office until 12:30 on the day in question.  I can understand being late for a meeting; what I can't understand is why William did not talk to me about the missed meeting until one week later when we randomly met on the sidewalk and after the matter was brought to his attention via public hearing.

 

I agree with William that senate would have been well served by a meeting between the two of us early in the semester.  However, the transition manual is not of much use anymore.  At this point in the semester, William will have already discovered any helpful hints I could share.  I admit that the documents such as letters to MnSCU, President Barden, etc. may be useful but he already has access to them on his computer.  I can assure you of this because, in his convocation speech, after using part of my speech from the prior year in which he did reference me, he stole my intellectual property by using an excerpt verbatim from the speeches I gave as president without asking permission or referencing me.

 

William may claim that since I wrote and gave those speeches in the role of president, they belong to senate, not me.  Please, however, think of this scenario:  Who gets gets credit for the speech "Four score and seven years ago," the office of the president of the United States or Abraham Lincoln?

 

Now, a few other quick hits:

In an email, William essentially accused me of hypocrisy because during my presidency, I stopped the precedent of allowing the secretary to debate on motions and during my public hearing a few weeks ago, I spoke against the current rule that does not allow the secretary to proxy.  The secretary, when serving as the secretary, should not be able to debate.  She or he does not represent any group of individuals.  However, during my presidency I did allow the secretary to proxy and consequently retain all rights and privileges of the member for which he or she proxied.

 

I also hear William continually talk about forgoing the pettiness in senate, how about your President starts leading by example instead of continually wasting everyone's time with crap like this.

 

He talks of creating rules that will regulate senate and prevent such petty behavior in the future.  Let me ask you this, what helps students more?  A new stringent policy on transition manuals or a motion to create a student housing task force composed of a consortium of students and administrators from MSUM, Concordia, and MSCTC to deal with the potentially student discrimination housing rules proposed by the Moorhead City Council?  PS. Which there needs to be.

 

Many, many of the previous senators and executive members of this organization have been placed on pedestals as great leaders; William, to become one of those esteemed leaders, may I suggest you build your own pedestal instead of trying to knock your predecessors off theirs.

 

I apologize for the time in which I taken from you tonight.  In closing, I will repeat the line William so graciously included in the email on the senate listserv that was originally sent to him privately: Billy, "I wish you luck for the remainder of your presidency, not for you individually, but for the students of MSUM-- the people who are truly hurt by your questionable leadership."

 

Your former president

tm

 

 

Mihal

 

I know there is a motion about the Taxi-Cab program coming up.  I just want you to consider that I use the cab program to get home because I don't have a car, not because I drink.

Reports

 

Advisor Wiese

 

There are some vacancies in some committees.

 

The media will likely be at this meeting sometime.

 

As students, none of you have obligations to speak to the media.  You can say "no response."

 

The media has not been particularly friendly to this institution lately and not presenting stories in the best of light.

 

Justin Schwegel (Treasurer)

  • $2530.24 (discretionary)

  • Pay for your t-shirts.

James Cailao (Vice President)

  • Hello Senators, Greetings from the Zenith City of Minnesota, Gateway to the North Woods!

  • I am currently in Duluth, Minnesota, attending an Association of College Unions International Region 10 conference. (Actually, I am sitting at my desk in the Senate office, typing up this report for Director Mihal and submitting it late) This week I have had the pleasure of chairing yet another wildly productive meeting of SOAC, attending SABC, and am working on typing up my notes from the MSUSA Cultural Diversity seminar to give to the CD chair for reference.

  • Thank you, and have a productive meeting.

Billy Holmes (President)

  • Meet and Discuss with President Barden is next Thursday.

    • Remember to be thinking about the university budget that was presented to you and prepare questions to ask Dr. Barden.

    • Meet and Discuss is also the time we take our semester Senate picture.

      • Be sure to dress in business casual/business formal attire.

  • There are a lot of motions coming up tonight; many of them pertaining to constitutional amendments and also the ballot.

    • Be sure to engage in discussion. These are changes that directly impact this organization.

  • I received a resignation from Senator Trenbeath sighting a Thursday night schedule conflict.

  • Also, there are two senators being brought up for removal due to absence limits; Senators Chaudry and Hussain

  • Sustainable Campus Committee:

    • Co-chaired by Paul Dustin and Dr. Karen Branden

  • Fall Delegates Assembly:

    • Great job last weekend!

    • State Chair Kimball let me know that “Moorhead really has their stuff together.”

    • Two of the four at-large directors are MSUM students; Nick Gaines and S.P.A.M.

      • Access them and convey your thoughts to them as well as Courtny Warns from SCSU and Loralee Broer from Metropolitian.

  • Please help out as much as you can when there are tables and promoting of Senate activities.

    • Remember when your committee may need some help you can more surely count on it if you’ve helped others.

  • I spoke to Angela Boser in regard to the Senate employee agreements.

    • The agreements do not violate any SOAC mandates and have been negated.

    • However, I will hold that neutral speaking by employees to for the good of the order and not guaranteed by Robert’s Rules, the Senate constitution, or any other provisional document.

      • Since I did not author any of these other provisional documents I am not the creator but the regulator.

    • This does however give the senators who need to miss a meeting the liberty of pre-approving employees to proxy for them if they wish

    • Pre-approval is required by the constitution and simply means the senator must have asked the individual.

    • No one can simply proxy just because someone an absence is noticed at the table.

  • Student Activity Fee Review will meet this fall before we begin spring semester fee discussions.

  • Also, I will be serving on the Orientation Review Board.

Grace Pugsley (Secretary)

  • Did minutes

  • Did attendance

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

  • Attended the five hour Leg meeting

  • Assisted Braddock in notification methodology.

  • Updated the website in various ways that aren't too noticeable but that take time.

Campus Affairs (Chair Randhawa)

Attendance

  • Randhawa (Excused)

  • Oni (Present)

  • Lien (Chaired, Present)

  • Maurina (Excused)

  • Bliss (Excused)

  • Mihal (Guest)

  • Kemi talked to Kim Gillette regarding insurance for International Exchange Students.  She needs to talk to Karen at the Hendrix Health Center.  Kim gave Kemi a pamphlet on insurance.

  • Kemi is contacting other campuses regarding insurance and if those policies work.

  • Mihal ran into a student who had a hold on his account because his financial aid was too small.  He didn't know he could appeal his financial aid award.

  • Why does the two hamburger special through Sodexho not include french fries?

  • Only one bathroom in Lomen is handicapped accessible.  Lien is collecting data to present to Campus Affairs, Senate, Disability Services Board, SPED, Foundation, Education Departments.

  • Lien had a student who complained about heat/cold temperature extremes in Lommen.

Committee on Committees (Chair Obach)

Attendance

  • Obach

  • Braddock

  • Bard

  • Czapiewska

  • Haken

  • COC discussed ways to fill remaining seats and also which ones they felt were priority; student affairs committees still take priority over university committees. Chair gave a lesson in spreadsheet usage; he discussed the fact that Braddock's role would have to diminish some, which is understandable. For duties Haken was put in charge of any ad hoc committees that spring up.

Legislative & Internal Affairs (Chair Wilson-Mattson)

Attendance

  • Wilson-Mattson (Present)

  • Elkin (Present)

  • Ascheman (Present)

  • Zeiher (Present)

  • Braddock (Guest for a five hour meeting)

  • Mihal (Guest for the same five hour meeting)

  • Holmes (for some of the meeting)

Constitution

  • Amendment process must be much clearer

    • To be Researched and introduced in the spring

     

  • All large members

    • Where as The position does not appear to reflect their position

    • All senators at large and elections to be done ½ at a time

    • Don’t have Rep for Neumaier because nobody wants it

    • Looking from the Election chair position

    • Taking away all specific rep bad

    • Some Restructure might be needed

    • Could work if people take work upon themselves

    • What about ½ being at large being elected ½ at a time

      • Based on Article IV Section 2 part A motion dies

      • Based on the opinion that etc. includes killing the motion

      • SPAM agrees to kill motion or change the motion to reflect the CD motion

  • Cultural Diversity Committee

    • Needs membership that is marshaled by attendance

      • Oni does all the work currently

      • There is no current pay

      • No regular members

    • CD originally had 2 members

    • Co-chair CD and Campus Affairs

    • 3 members required for Campus Affairs (currently 2)

    • CD currently under Campus Affairs

     

  • Two motions to come out of Leg to be suggested to be placed on the ballot.

Marketing (Chair Schmit)

Attendance

  • Schmit

  • Ludden

  • Brown

  • Deutz

  • The Marketing committee is currently working on several tasks, and is very grateful to have another member added to the committee (Tami Ludden).  We have received an e-mail from the Student Savers Club.  Below is a list of current participating businesses:

    • Papa John's

    • Grand Junction Grilled Steak Subs

    • Blimpie Subs

    • Grazie's Italian Grill

    • Adrian's Autocare Center

    • Jiffy Lube

    • Firestone Tire & Service Centers

    • New Dimension Hairstyling Salon

    • Sungods Tanning

    • All Star Lanes

    • Days Inn

    • Paramount Sports

    The card will continue to be worked on for the remainder of the semester.

  • The committee will continue to work with Election Chair Mihal. 

  • The sweatshirts are being worked on and a sign up sheet will be sent around for everyone to select what they are going to order.  This is a final sheet; if you are unsure it will be placed in the office for the next week. 

  • Pricing: 

    15-18 sweatshirts $27

    16-24 sweatshirts $24

    XXL $2 extra

    8-15 long sleeve $14

    16-24 long sleeve $1.75

    XXL $2 extra

    Last name on hood/sleeve will be $4 extra

  • Please select what you would like to order so we can inform you on what price level the item will be at.  T-shirt sign up is done November 11, 2005.  All money is to be in the office the following week November 18, 2005.  The final look of the apparel will be sent around for all to view.  Any and all questions on t-shirts can be directed toward Senator Brown. 

  • Marketing will also continue to work on name tags, and researching the possibilities, also the search for a senate logo is on.  Rumor has it that senate has a log; however, nobody seems to be able to locate it.  Next semester a possible competition between graphic design students under the instruction of graphic design professors will be in effect; however, this competition would also be open to all students to create a logo for student senate. 

  • Thank you and have a great evening!

Tuition & Fees Oversight (Chair Welle)

Attendance

  • Welle (Present)

  • Ellefson (Present)

  • Vrtis (Present)

  • Smolley (Present)

  • Hussain (Unexcused)

  • We discussed the resolution to change the Drive a Dragon program to make the
    following cuts:

    • Cut services Sun thru Thursday Nights

    • Change times of services to 10:30pm to 3:30am

    • Cut Bar to Bar business, cut address to bar business, cut business to business services.

  • After some discussion the resolution passed the committee 3 yea and 1 nay.

  • The meeting was cut short so senate members could talk to MPR

Cultural Diversity Sub Committee (Chair Oni) & MSUSA Cultural Diversity Rep. (Oni)

Attendance

  • Kemi

  • Volunteers

  • Hello beautiful people, sorry I'm not able to attend the meeting today.  I'm on duty for Dahl/Ballard tonight

  • Okay, this week I attended as many meeting as I can.  The Muslim Student Association is still having Arabic lessons if anybody is interested, and International Student club is planning their International dance night.

  • I e-mailed all the Cultural Diversity Reps from each campus and asked them about their insurance policy for international students.  I haven't yet received any reply from them.

  • Also I got in touch with Deb White concerning the meeting that I'm planning for Pro-Life and Pro-choice groups.  She was very interested in the idea, but I'm still trying to get a hold of Mark Wallert who is the Advisor for pro-life.  With that, I'm still working on some other stuff that I will fill you in on next meeting.

  • Much luv,

  • Kemi

MSUSA Campus Rep. (Schmit)

  • There was currently a call-in day that was held this Wednesday.  A whopping 110 calls were placed at the table in the Comstock Memorial Union.  Thank you to all of those who helped out, it is greatly appreciated. 

  • This past weekend, however, was the fall delegates' conference which took place in Arden Hill at the Holiday Inn.  The conference went very well and ran smoothly.  Those of you who attended the conference please fill out your evaluation forms you received in your conference packet and put them in my mail box by this Friday!  Congratulations to the four delegates particularly Emily Mihal and Nick Gaines.  For those of you who don't now know, these two will serve with the seven school's student body presidents along with Courtny Warns (St. Cloud) and Loralee Broer (Metropolitan), who were also elected this past weekend.  I thank those who attended this past conference for their hard work and dedication to the Student Senate and MSUSA.

Campus Safety Committee (Braddock)

  • The first meeting of the Campus Safety committee will be Tues Nov 8th at 4pm in the senate office.

  • Directors Conner and Woodberry were invited to the Senate meeting; neither could make it.

  • Director Conner provided me with a letter providing me with what I wanted to know.

  • I am pretty sure that is it.

Election Board (Chair Mihal)

  • A bit of a calendar:

    • Tonight we pass the ballot.

    • Next week is candidate forum .

    • Next meeting I will have a "go-over" of the rules.

    • Then the elections are Nov. 14-15.

Old Business:

None

New Business:

COC Appointments

 

Zeiher moves, Schwegel seconds to open COC nominations

Unianimously approved

 

Student Health Advisory Committee

Michelle Kleist

 

Sustainable Campus Committee

Scott Ubben

 

Braddock moves, Haken seconds to close COC nominations.

 

Motion 06-35 TFOC

 

Whereas TFOC was instructed to evaluate the cab program,

 

Whereas there are funding issues with the current cab program,

 

Be it resolved student senate implement the following changes to the Drive a Dragon taxi cab program:

  • Change hours to 10:30pm to 3:30 am

  • Change days to Friday and Saturday

  • Eliminate bar to bar, and business to business traffic, also eliminate address to bar, but still allow bar to address

Schwegel moves, Ellefson seconds, to enter executive session.

Motion passes.

 

Obach moves, Welle seconds, to have a five minute caucus.

Motion passes.

Call the previous question

Motion passes.

Braddock moved to vote by secret ballot.

Motion fails with 4 yays, 18 nays, and 0 abstentions,

Motion 06-36 Ascheman/Elkin

Whereas TFOC was instructed to evaluate the cab program,

Whereas there are funding issues with the current cab program,

Be it resolved student senate implement the following changes to the Drive-a-Dragon taxi cab program:

  • Change students required payment to $4 per passenger per ride,

  • change MSUM's required payment up to $5

  • eliminate bar to bar and business to business traffic, but still allow address to bar and <as well as> bar to address

<additional wording to add clarification -EM>

Ellefson moves, Welle seconds, to exit Executive session.

Motion Passes.

Welle moves, Ascheman seconds, to call for a roll call vote.

Ascheman Y

Bard Y

Bliss Y

Braddock Y

Brown Y

Czapiewska Y

Deutz Y

Elkin Y

Ellefson Y

Haken Y

Lien Y

Ludden Y

Maurina Y

Obach Y

Schwegel Y

Smolley Y

Vrtis Y

Welle Y

Wilson-Mattson Y

Zeiher Y

Motion Passes.

Motion 06-37  Leg/Int'l

Whereas the Senate president, vice president, and treasurer currently receive a maximum of $500, $425, and $350 tuition respectively at the beginning of each semester,

Whereas should an executive member be unable to complete a term and, in the event an executive member ends service mid-semester, any successor to these positions would not receive a tuition stipend for completion of the semester,

Be it resolved that the following proposed amendment to the MSUM Student Senate Constitution be put to referendum on the Fall 2005 election ballot.

[Art. II Sec. 9]

<Additions are in red; Deletions are in red strikeout. -EM>

Section 9.  Compensation.

A.  President's Compensation

The senate president shall receive a maximum of $500 stipend [tuition] per semester.  One half to be paid in the first three weeks of the semester, and the second half to be paid within the last three weeks of the semester.  In addition [and] a stipend of not less than $45 per week to be determined during fall semester budget discussion.  Tuition and the stipend will be received while school is in session during the academic year.

B.  Vice President's Compensation

The senate vice president shall receive a maximum of $425 stipend [tuition] per semester.  One half to be paid in the first three weeks of the semester, and the second half to be paid within the last three weeks of the semester.  In addition [and] a stipend of not less than $30 per week to be determined during fall semester budget discussion.  Tuition and the stipend will be received while school is in session during the academic year.

C.  Treasurer's Compensation

The senate treasurer shall receive a maximum of $350 stipend [tuition] per semester.  One half to be paid in the first three weeks of the semester, and the second half to be paid within the last three weeks of the semester.  In addition [and] a stipend of not less than $25 per week to be determined during fall semester budget discussion.  Tuition and the stipend will be received while school is in session during the academic year.

[end excerpt]

Motion passes.

Motion 06-38 Leg/Int'l

Whereas the CD Chair has numerous duties to perform,
 

Whereas the CD Committee does not have membership marshaled by attendance requirements,


Whereas the CD Chair needs regular attendance to perform the required duties,

Be it resolved that the following proposed amendment to the MSUM Student Senate Constitution be put to referendum on the Fall 2005 election ballot.

[Art. VI Sec. 2 part A]

 

<Additions are in red; Deletions are in red strikeout. -EM>

A. Diversity and Campus Affairs [Campus Affairs]

Diversity and Campus Affairs' [Campus Affairs’] focus is in policy areas including but not limited to academic affairs, administrative affairs, alumni relations, [cultural] diversity and student affairs. This committee shall work with university committees, task forces and other structures to ensure student input in and review of current campus policies and actions. This committee is responsible for taking action on the behalf of students in these areas. Subcommittees may be formed to specialize in specific topic areas. The vice president of Student Senate shall monitor this committee.

1. the Diversity and Campus Affairs Committee be co-chaired and each chair to receive standard pay as listed in Article VI Section 3 part d.

[end excerpt]
 

Welle moves, Proxy Pugsley seconds, to amend by deleting subsection 1.

Ellefson moves, Proxy Pugsley seconds, to move to call the previous question .

Motion Passes.

Motion on Amendment passes.

Braddock moves, Schwegel seconds, to move to call the previous question.

Call to question passes.

Division called on Main motion.

With 9 yays, 11 nays, motion fails.

Recess

Proxy Pugsley moves, Ascheman seconds, to go into a five minute recess.

Motion passes.

Motion 06-39 Braddock/Zeiher

Whereas a MSUM student's time is very valuable,

Whereas the Student Dragonews mailing list is very lightly moderated,

Be it resolved Student Senate request that the appropriate moderator begin to distribute the Student Dragonews via the same mailing list, but in a journal format that delivers all the same news in the same day in one message.

Be it further resolved that the Student Dragonews mailing list moderator reserve the right to send out time sensitive material in separate messages.

Motion passes.

Motion 06-40 Marketing

Whereas elections are crucial to Student Senate,

Whereas advertising helps recruit and inform students,

Whereas advertising will help increase the participation in the upcoming election,

Be it resolved that Senate allocate $36 to be used on poster and mailbox stuffers to help recruit students for the upcoming election.

Motion passes unanimously.

Motion 06-41 Election Board

Whereas students filed to be on the ballot,

Be it resolved that the following students be placed on the ballot:

Mihal

There was a bit of an irregularity; three students signed up after elections closed.  I seek direction from this body on which list to use.  List A has only those who signed up by the deadline; List B has all those who signed up.

Elkin moves, Obach seconds, to use the list without the people whom signed up late.

Division is called.

With 10 yays, 7 nays, motion passes.

The list is as follows:

Off Campus

Britta Trenbeath

David Bard

Mike Obach

Jennifer Ohren

Nicole Elkin

Alex Ellsworth

 

NGH

Kendall Bliss

Temie Giwa

 

Dahl/Ballard

Laura Zeiher

 

Snarr

Tami Ludden

 

Neumaier

no one signed up for Neumaier

Obach moves, without objection, to pass with unanimous consent.

Welle objects.

Ellefson moves, Schwegel seconds, to move to call the previous question.

Call to previous question passes.

Motion passes.

Removal of Senator Chaudry

Welle moves, Pugsley seconds to table to next week.

Division called- 13 yays, 7 nays

Motion tabled.

Removal of Senator Hussain

Elkin moves, Welle seconds, to table the motion

Welle withdraws his second.

Schwegel seconds

Motion fails

Ascheman moves, Obach seconds, to move to call the previous question.

Motion passes

Motion passes- Senator Hussain is removed.

Leader of the Month

Obach moves, Bard seconds to nominate Senator Brown as Leader of the Month.

Motion Passes

Points for the Good of the Order

Ellefson

We've had a lot of quality work here tonight.  I resign.

Pugsley

read the following letter for Senator Lien:

I feel fortunate to be on MSUM Senate as a newer senator and to be able to vote and make decisions regarding out campus and the main vision and the intent of our students.  My main focus of joining Senate was to meet new people at MSUM, and help change or better the student population.  I have met so many great people-- leading to great friendships and personal professional contacts. 

Currently, being a very busy individual I no longer feel my time is being effectively utilized within these meetings.  When I heard "pettiness ends now" but did it really? Why is my e-mail account being plummeted with e-mails regarding personal issues to being taken at the beginning of the semester?  That is not my my point --> There is hostility within this senate -- I don't know why completely -- I don't always know who-- but frankly I DO NOT CARE!! This is really confusing to some senators especially new ones -- if there are problems get them out or move on!! (Shit or get off the pot)  MSUM Student Senate is better than this.  Many senators are better than this.  Please move on and let bye-gones be bye-gones.

With that said, I regret to inform you that I am resigning as Ed/Human Services senator effective immediately.  I apologize if this comes off rude or hard to some of you, but I wanted to clarify my opinion.  I appreciate all the relationships I have made here and all the new knowledge I have accumulated being part of this organization.  I will be an available proxy in the future and hope to continue my roles in the University Committees, if COC approves, and continue my hard work on improving the accessibility in Lommen hall beginning with the restroom facility.  All of this I hop to continue as a student of MSUM

I (heart) you all- please don't hate me!

Justin Lien

Pugsley then read her own letter:

Student Senate

I am addressing you with my opinions and concerns of the current state of this organization and the leadership it has been under this semester.

I have been a student at MSUM for 2.5 years, and have been extremely involved, not only with Senate but with the campus community as well.  My involvement with Senate has spanned more than two full academic years.  I served one semester as a senator and am currently in my fourth semester as the Secretary

Outside of Senate I have sat on seven different university committees throughout my career as a student here.  These experiences have given me the opportunity to know several administrators and faculty on this campus.  I have also had the opportunity to take part in several important decisions that affect this campus.

The past two years I worked in President Barden's office.  This experience gave me even more contact with administrators, and really cool people like Warren Wiese, and greatly expanded my knowledge of this campus and the day to day occurrences.

I feel I have been and still am very involved on campus and can add a lot of input on certain decisions, which is the source of the following...

This year I walked into my position as Secretary with the same expectations that my job entailed last year.  Instead, I was confronted with a "contract," made by President Holmes, with stricter guidelines placed on my position, including restricting me from being able to proxy.  As the Secretary of Senate I understand the need for this position, not being elected by the student body, to remain neutral and un-biased.  However, as a student of this institution I feel I hold all rights to proxy and express the views and opinions of another Senate member who cannot make the Senate meeting.  Through my personal opinion, and through discussion with current and former members of Senate, I believe that this restriction was placed on myself to restrain my opinions and I quote "shut me up." Yes, this is my personal opinion, but with the amount of hostility the presiding president has continuously directed towards  me, it seems only logical for me to feel this way.

On another point, this organization has taken a definite turn for the worse.  The MSUM Student Senate is in place to be a communication link between students and administrators and also to provide services to the needs and wants of students on this campus.  These things are lacking greatly in the current senate, due to the current leadership.  There are a handful of senators who do most of the work within this organization.  The problem that has come up this year is that those senators are more intent on focusing inward to secure student senate's respectability and to uphold Senate as an effective and professional organization.  This is a major problem, and Senate will not be able to turn its focus onto the student body under the current president, who is the root of the aforementioned senators worries.

As I stated previously, I have been on Senate for almost 2.5 years, and NEVER have I seen this organization provide so little to the students of MSUM.

For these reasons, and many other personal reasons, I will no longer be serving this University as the Secretary of Student Senate.  I wish Senate the best of luck and hope the organization can overcome this problem.

-Grace Pugsley

Obach

Some might've known that this was coming.  This is a very new Senate, but we've had a lot to overcome & we've got a lot done.  I hold nothing against those leaving- we've made an obligation.  It is an integrity thing. We are doing a hell of a job.  This was my original Point for the good of the order.   We got a lot done tonight.  Here's the Sergeant pep talk to keep our heads up.

Schwegel

I think tonight was great- no meaningless debate.  I don't think it is time to loose hope in this organization.

Schmit (read by Brown)

Once again thank you for all of that have helped out with Call-In tables, distributing flyers, and other events Student Senate or MSUSA have sponsored.  Your commitment and efforts are always noticed and greatly appreciated.  You are the backbone of this organization and set the standards high for everyone else.  I not only urge but challenge the rest of you sitting in this room to raise the bar even higher.  But most of all thank you for all your hard work and efforts.  Thank you!

Welle

I apologize for my harsh language ahead of time.

Welle then read his letter.

Fellow Senate Members:

First of all I would like to apologize right now for any harsh language I may say, but it is relative to the issue I will be discussing. I believe the MSUM student senate is in a steady downward spiral and in serious danger of becoming the most discriminating school in the MnSCU system, and most discriminating student senate in the history of MSUM.

It all started off with discrimination against our very own secretary and special project’s assistant, not being allowed to proxy at our senate meetings. Although they both are students here, both attend classes and both are very knowledgeable in student senate issues, they are not allowed to voice their opinions. They are students, and that is the fact at hand. They should be allowed to have a voice, like any other student at MSUM…..Discrimination by employment.

Next, I tried to apply to be on the new student senate security sub-committee as the off-campus student representative. I was told that I am a senator not a student. I hate to point out the obvious but, aren’t student senators, students?? Should I go through all COC nominations and remove all senators holding student positions?? Was the issue that I was a senator really the issue or was the issue that I have opinions on security concerns that differ from members of senate? I think the issue at hand is the latter…. Discrimination due to personal bias.

Third, I planned to attend MSUSA delegate’s assembly, as a delegate and notified the proper people an entire conference in advance. I was informed the conference was full and if spaces became available that I would be the next in line. Spaces became available and yet again I was over looked, so I volunteered to pay my way to the conference. Turns out in the end I didn’t have to pay. I attended the conference as the longest sitting member on MSUM’s student senate, and had been attending MSUSA for three years. Although I was the longest sitting member, I was not a delegate at the conference; I was not even first alternate. The campus rep was even placed as a higher alternate then I. The issue at hand is I am not a conformist, and we need conformists at the delegates table…Once again Discrimination due to personal bias

Fourth, at the cultural diversity breakout session, biased comments were made. One of our delegate arrived to the conference wearing a pink shirt, and without hesitation another of our delegates turned and made a derogatory homosexual remark, referencing to said delegates shirt. The second delegate continued to make additional derogatory comments or remarks towards homosexual men for the remainder on the conversation. This was a cultural diversity session and these comments were made. This type of behavior is to be considered inappropriate at any time, but even more so at a diversity conference in the direct audience of other schools….Discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Lastly, during the MSUSA election for the four at large board of director positions, many comments were made through note passing with other schools. Our delegates wrote notes pertaining to which way they would vote for certain candidates and why they feel that way. The first note said, no, there is no need to explain why. This was written even before the candidate spoke based on personal bias against the candidate. The next note was the most disturbing note I witnessed, this note read, no, because she is a black women. Since when do we discriminate against race? This was very upsetting to me and to many other schools. I was approached after the meeting by different members from four different schools, about why our delegates were lobbying them on personal biased opinions. I was shocked and disgusted in our delegates. These members from these schools informed me that they have lost all respect for our university… .Discrimination based on race and personal bias.

Some of these issues have since been resolved but the other events are very disturbing to me and very disappointing. We need to end pettiness. I can not believe that our “Student leaders” are doing these things. We are all here to represent the students at MSUM and do what is best for them, not what is our personal bias. Let me ask you this, what has this body done for the students of MSUM this semester? I was never once asked my opinion on anything; these decisions were made by five individuals. I will not, in any way, be associated with a campus organization that is so discriminating that four other campus have lost respect for MSUM, so for these reasons, affective immediately I am resign any and all positions I may hold on MSU-Moorhead’s Student Senate, and I encourage all other members of this body who are appalled by these actions to resign as well.


Adrian Welle

Elkin

There was great debate tonight. Things do need to change but quitting is not the answer. We now all have to step it up.  Congratulations to Senator Brown and Mihal.

Deutz

I am not going to quit, but if what Adrian said was true, then that is disgusting.  But we need to improve. There are some things that are wrong, but I don't want to quit.

Obach

That was not accurate- he was not coherent.  The candidate in question had a vote because she was a black woman.  We mad great bonds out there.  We got two out of the four seats.  We got two candidates on the board.  Those comments were false.  Ascheman, Cailao, Braddock, Elkin, etc were all there and they can tell you what happened.

Braddock

This is an example of jumping at the first impression.  "We need to stop and think before moving on something." "He took a lot of things out of context." We need to all stop and think.

Ascheman

Obach should leave Sergeant talks to the Sergeant. "We've done an excellent job today."  Nobody saw completely eye to eye at the delegates conference last weekend.  There were certain things that were taken out of context.  Notes did come from other schools, and we immediately said that was wrong and the reasons for discrimination were wrong.

Elkin

We need to stick with the idea that nothing is personal.  We should be able to leave as friends at the end of the meeting, no matter how much we disagree.

Wilson-Mattson

We have a strong and capable group.  Everyone should find a project and focus on it.

Mihal

I had a question about my contract, so that's why I wanted to know if it was fine.  Now that I know it is, I still intend to hold to it, even though it no longer applies.

It may be to my merit that the Moorhead delegation liked me, but it isn't to my merit that I won.  They got me elected.  Thank you.

Wilson-Mattson

Don't roll your eyes at me, but we could do roses.  Instead, though, we could call it "gavels."  That is where we pay someone a compliment.  I give a gavel to Steph, for she is always willing to proxy.  One to Brown for doing all the stuff for the candidate forum.  One to Elkin and Leg we kicked but this week.

Wiese

I am proud to have students selected for the board of MSUSA.  They're both individuals that'll serve the campus well.  The cab program motion tonight is a fine compromise.  We are going into the unknown here.  This will affect other institutions.  This isn't necessarily bad.  In regards to media, I have a word of caution.  They may contact you and I suspect they'll talk to others.  This could be a war in the future, but you were well behaved when he was here.  It'll be interesting to see the 10'o'clock news tonight.

Braddock

Despite the end result tonight, Welle and Ellefson still deserve a thank you for their hard work on the taxi cab program.  I would like to see a cabinet meeting tonight.

Vrtis

I would've joined the band wagon, but I'll stay to help the students.

Holmes

"Wow I just don't know what to say."  "I am someone who researches things well" but not this time.  Cabinet after this is a good idea.  Ideology is a huge source of problem here on senate.  If you want to be in a folk group, leave the bickering at home.  I need to do that. 

Just to clear the air, I didn't write the contracts alone.  Each employee had an opportunity to discuss them.  They caused a rupture, so I ripped them up today.  It is your senate. You regulate things. 

I likely won't be at this university next year.  I am in financial trouble right now.  That is why I am testy right now.  So cultivate new presidential candidates now.  You [the new president] will have two transition manuals.  But you can always call me up next year.

Schwegel

Can we have your phone number then?

Obach

You might want to stick around to let them know.

Announcements

Proxy Simonson

[Elections] is hardly enough to fill seats.  What is the process to get on Senate? 

Holmes

Residential will be full next semester, but not academic.  I will take applications even if you just write it on a napkin.

Mihal

What do you want to do about the secretary for now?  Should it be me?

Holmes

Let's take a straw poll to see if that is okay.

[straw poll agrees that it is fine for Mihal to be the temporary secretary. Mihal is not sure how she feels writing about herself in the third person.]

Obach

Next Wednesday is the final for Beverage Management class from 7 to 11ish.  We'll make sure you have a good ride home.

Proxy Nagel

If I could go back to points for a moment.  I love proxying.  I don't know why I didn't file.  If any of you are concerned about what I write down, it is just some notes.  I try to make it clear to the editor that she should contact Senate and not just go off of my notes.  "I love senate it is fun."  "I would never use anything against Senate."  I spend more time with Senators.

Elkin

We had Delta Zeta initiation tonight, but that was put off until next week.  So I will be gone a part of the meeting then.  Leigh and I are going to go to Paris for Spring Break.

Brown

Thanks to Obach for the nomination.

Ascheman

I notice that someone is taking a lot of notes here [hint that Nagel should apply for the secretary position].

Nagel

She is considering it.

Holmes

I see there is a letter of resignation in front of me from Senator Hussain.  So we should rescind that motion next week.  We have a lot of work to do.

Adjournment

Braddock moves, Bard seconds, to adjourn

Adjourn at 9:15pm .

 

Housekeeping

Letters of resignation were received from

  • Syed Hussain,

  • Britta Trenbeath, and

  • Jake Ellefson.

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