Student Senate

Chair Jenson moves, Senator Olson seconds to approve the agenda (passed)

Chair Jenson moves, Chair Situma seconds to approve the minutes (passed)

Diane Wray Williams

I think it's important that you invited. I talked to other city council members. Any time you have time to talk with other policymakers I think it's very important. Thanks for having me here. What was the most difficult task involved in serving? Anything new, there's always a learning curve. After that, it's not so difficult. There are 2 things: building consensus. We are not all clones of one another. Anything that costs money, six out of eight have to vote for the expenditure. That is very difficult to get sometimes. The other is getting the correct information and back and forth info to citizens. When we read the report or watch after the meeting, we say what meeting were they at? It's very difficult to get the accurate information back to citizens. There are a few avenues, such as public access. Are there any ideas that aren't on the agenda currently? Housing of all sorts, mostly affordable housing is the most puzzlement to me. The market for housing usually takes care of itself. How do I get affordable housing built in Moorhead? It's much more problematic. We decided we'd sponsor with community education what we call civic university. We started a civic university program. It's held every Thursday night at the city hall. We had about 20 to 30 people sign up for this series, from January into May.

What are my positions on parking? My answer is I believe we should all have a place to park, which I found. None of the things in the report are a foregone conclusion. Comments added at the very end, student proposals and comments. Most of these ideas are things I have thought too, so they don't come out of the blue. It's a question of affordability. I read comments about the colleges should take responsibility about parking. That is easier said than done. Years ago we almost thought we'd have a parking garage, but that fell apart for a variety of reasons – financing, codes. I would like you to think strategically how to solve this problem. I believe there are solutions. We have to be strategic, very short term – a medium range – things we have to work on or they won't happen. And long range – that's where I would put a parking ramp. If it will ever occur, they have better figure out how to convince the administration its criteria this important for either university, can ask money for, and in MN, it means getting in line. Look at the bonding – we're in line, and if the governor has his way, we'll get very little. With a reduction in funds and the unwillingness to tax, the less we get.

There are other things that are referred to. Parking is not the only thing we can talk about. We should look at where you live. If you live close, you can walk. I don't want as a city person to decide these things in a vacuum without knowing how it's going to affect staff and faculty. My positions are let's work on the problem, be smart about it, and increase the convenience of the travel system. Right now, you are the highest user of the transit system. I'd heard that it wasn't very convenient, and you are more than a 1/3 of the users. I think we should sit down with the service and discuss how to increase the convenience of the transit service. My position on the various proposals for Camtown – in the comprehensive, that little place between MSUM and Concordia, between approximately 4^th and 7^th avenue or further – between the two colleges. There is a problematic block over there, between 6^th and 7^th avenue facing 8^th street. The little white houses that somebody owns and are rented out but not taken care of. If you're going to improve Moorhead's looks, that block sticks out like a sore thumb. It would be very wonderful to have wonderful little buildings with shops on the bottom and lofts on top – they look great! Something a little more urban and upscale. Neighbors on 9^th street have gotten a little worried. All of that depends on some developer getting inspired that this is going to be his plane to make a mark on Moorhead. The city is not in the business of building and developing like that. We do the permitting and make sure it's zoned okay. Eventually, something is going to happen. What's our largest problem? Balancing our needs and our wants with our resources, or willingness to tax. If you watched our budget process this year, it was difficult. Certain of us did not want to raise property taxes, at least not a lot, but suddenly we had the information in front of us that we had huge public safety needs. I don't know any politician that says no to public safety. More policemen and more fire people on, how do you do that with the amount of taxes you currently raise? There is nothing like adding personnel to put your budget through the roof. I think it's possible to solve these problems. You're the ones that are most in touch with students, faculty and staff and are going to have the insight.

Morse – So, from what you just said living on your block, do you think that's because of the alcohol policy in place, less parties going on?

Williams – I think it's mainly because the basketball team moved away. On each end of the block we have student houses. It used to be very big parties. Some people took that very well, and said we're going to have a party. We'd have a conversation and didn't jump to conclusions, until things got out of hand.

Weber – I was wondering what your thoughts are on the possibility of reducing 14^th street to one lane or completely?

Williams – What will happen – Bob Zimmerman is the biggest hurdle. Whenever we talk about streets, Bob gets involved because there are a massive number of regulations that control certain streets. Some streets have state aid; we can't just make decisions about that. 8^th street is not just a Moorhead street, but a state of Minnesota road, and sometimes with the county. I can't give you the technical answer. When you look at the map, we have already blocked off a number of those. You're already limited to 11^th, 14^th, and then all the way to 20^th to get all the way through. He'll look at it and I don't know. But that doesn't mean you don't bring things up. You keep asking because that pushes the boundaries.

Garman – How do you work with other council members in changing the attitudes?

Williams – I guess I could make you go live in Minneapolis for a year. If you've lived in a metro area where it's a lot worse to drive than to take transit, there wasn't any place to park. I always took the bus when I needed to do that. A lot of the people in our area live in smaller areas. More exposure to the broader world. Each of us has to look at our lifestyles and know that you're having an effect on the world. K lot is always empty when I drive by it. When I say I can't solve this problem, you know how students think.

Olson – I feel that parking is only a problem if I'm running a little bit late. I don't mind walking – I feel there's enough parking but if you prepare ahead of time you can find a spot eventually. There definitely could be things done on the university level.

Williams – What I ended up with was a very mixed picture.

Braddock – Had a meeting with MEAD and CABstock will be occurring with Earth Day this year. Money that Senate commits to CABstock will be used for T-shirts to be given away.

Zeiher – The money we had allocated, the $1000, we had anticipated the concerts. Traditionally we have given $500, so we were thinking in exec about splitting that up.

Braddock – That was the assumption that I was running on.

Zeiher – I noticed in the window display that the "We Will Serve You" fell down.

Norris – That's symbolic.

Reports

Treasurer Morse

I did not receive any new receipts or bills fro the past week so everything is still the same. I met with Exec and attended SABC. I met with the election committee and looked over the rules. I am still collecting money for the pictures that I will deposit in the account.

Vice President Zeiher

I attended SABC and Exec. I worked really hard on the retreat, which is this weekend – Saturday, February 16^th, 11:00 am – 9:00 pm. I've been reserving rooms, putting activities together, and getting supplies. I wanted to remind the chairs that they do need to give a short presentation at the retreat. I reserved a projector in case people made a PowerPoint.

I've also looked into CABstock and the MXPX concert and determining where they need money. I looked into the benefit concert for the students who lost their home and belongings in a house fire, there's a motion coming up. I helped Chair Camargo by putting mailbox stuffers in student org mailboxes.

President Weber

I attended the student tech fee committee. I testified to the Minnesota House of Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division on behalf of MSUSA regarding this year's MnSCU bonding request. I met with Doug Hamilton to finalize plans for the thank you for Randy Harms.

I met with Exec. There will be Lobby Training next week. The retreat is this weekend, and unfortunately I am submitting myself to the will of PRACS, but I encourage everyone to attend as I am considering this an emergency meeting. The meet and discuss on is on the 28^th, please write down any more questions you might have so I can type them up.

I encourage everyone to join the Lobby Core, or those senators who would be interested to come to the lobby day trip on March 12^th as this is our big day and we need as many people to show up as possible. I know people have classes that day, but it's only one day and we need a good turnout. I talked with Chris Braddock from Cab regarding possible financial assistance for a benefit concert for the two students who were victims of the recent fire.

Morse – Can we send out a signup sheet for lobby core?

Weber – Yeah, during the campus representative's report.

Weber – It's the 12^th, a Wednesday.

Secretary Randall

Did the minutes and the attendance, that about sums it up.

Campus Affairs – Chair Brungardt

I looked into the athletics policy and will be putting it up in the office next week. I emailed Jeff Goebel about the lower floor bathrooms in Lommen. I emailed Michael Parks about the students getting parking tickets and boots without notification.

Committee on Committees – Chair Norris

We convened throughout the week. We are in the process of sorting through everyone's confirmation emails, thanks again to all who responded. There is now a committee agenda box set up in the senate office. It's next to the office hours mailbox, so please put your agendas in there. I am open to any suggestions for advertising to get students on committees.

Marketing – Chair Situma

Legislative & Internal Affairs – Chair Jenson (Proxy Haugen)

I went over constitution issues, and went over committee procedures.

Tuition Fees and Oversight – Chair Randall

Jean Hollaar will be attending TFOC tomorrow at 1:30 pm. We'll be going over the tuition consultation, and will have better numbers now that the faculty has settled. She will be meeting with Senate the following week.

Diversity – Chair Abey

The committee met on Friday and we discussed diversity week briefly. I met with Michael Parks to discuss the complaints made about campus security. We had a healthy conversation and it was interesting to hear that they have no policy to hire criminal justice majors. The statistics of the student employees that I received from Michael do not show any type of discrimination against international students and in fact the last two students hired were international students. He also mentioned that some of the best employees he hired were international students. If we still think there may be a problem, the best way to resolve the matter is by making a proper detailed complaint by which issues could be properly addressed. Also, Michael Parks is willing to attend a senate meeting to answer any questions that we have.

Norris – Is there any particular direction you are seeking?

Abey – I just want to see if you want to pursue this anymore, or how?

Garman – How many complaints did you get?

Abey – Situma brought the subject up with the senate, otherwise it was just in the background.

Garman – Would it be possible to maybe have the students come in and talk to them?

Abey – Yes, because we cannot move forward without anything. Michael Parks is not the problem, but if we need to move forward we need some formal action.

Situma – Maybe I should talk with Michael Parks because I have more information about the situation.

Weber – My suggestion would be to have you and Chair Abey meet and see if you want one of you to talk with Michael Parks; I think that might be the best way to handle this.

MSUSA Campus Representative Mikan Lovcik

I'm working on organizing our lobby core. Our first trip is coming up on Friday, February 29^th. The following people are attending: Srilan, Troy, Jen, Jered, Mitch, Laura, Dane, and me! I will give people information as soon as I get it. Make sure to let your professors know now that you will not be in class that day. When Advisor Wiese gets back I will ask him to contact your professors also.

Along with that, our actually Lobby Day is coming up on Wednesday, March 12^th. I desperately need people to attend, because there are only three people attending so far. It will really be a great experience. Also, MSUSA has offered to pay for hotel rooms so we can come down Tuesday and not have to leave so early. We will be having Lobby Training next Thursday, February 21^st immediately following the meeting. If you are in Lobby Core you are required to attend. The Spring Delegates conference is coming up March 28 through the 30^th. Please sign up if you are interested. The conference will be held in the Twin Cities. There is an article about the Lobby Core in the Forum today. MSUSA is currently seeking a Student Voice Research intern. For more information check out www.msusa.net or talk to me.

MSUSA Diversity Representative Alex Ellsworth

I got things for the Diversity Week finalized.

Weber – What about the Diversity conference?

Ellsworth – I'm turning in the names tonight at 7:00.

MSUSA Financial Aid Intern Kara Brungardt

I emailed Kelly Asche about the financial aid campaign and some stuff I would like to do. I signed up for the Lobby Core March 12^th. I set up a time to talk with Kelly further and nail down some ideas.

Special Projects Assistant Ohren

(No Report)

Elections – Chair Camargo

Most of the advertising is done. Advertising includes: Front page of MSUM, the Advocate, Table Tents, and Posters, the ugly banner in the CMU, dorm stuffers, the TTN, and the list servs (hopefully). The election rules are close to done, they are going to get passed around. Any questions or concerns please come talk to me after or email. Tomorrow I will get the numbers for colleges to adjust seats for the election. The filing form should be ready to go, and filing is Monday, so fingers crossed it will be OK. Please, help the word about filing, thanks!!

Old Business

Mr. MSUM Motion – Brought off the table by Treasurer Morse and VP Zeiher

Morse – It's actually going to a mentally handicapped person who is 40, but has the mentality of a child. So the money is necessary.

Mr. MSUM Nominations – Brought off the table by Treasurer Morse and VP Zeiher

Olson – Yeah. I pick Jered.

Norris – You guys want to hear a funny story? Virnala says… oh, that motion? Yeah, you should totally do it.

Weber – Point of Information – any money attached to this motion? No? OK.

Randall – Griffin – Reinstate the rules (approved)

Amendment – Jon Virnala nominated – Motion Approved

Uber Woot – Virnala, Norris

Zeiher – You're allocating money to yourself?

Virnala – No, to a person to reward ourselves for our efforts. They're undesignated because only one signed on. So what's going to happen is people that I support are going to come here and reward us for what we do for the student body. I would like to compensate these people for coming. They're coming whether we like it or not – they could be a paid guest speaker but they're not really speaking. Okay, they'll talk and you'll like it. It's something that has never happened before; I don't know why you would be against this. We would like to applaud ourselves for this effort

Norris – Power to the people.

Moen – I'm for it on the grounds that it is very clever.

Camargo – Can we find out what this is? What is it?

Virnala – It's all within the decency bounds of anything you could imagine. Everybody would enjoy it, I'm sure.

Camargo – I don't like clowns. I feel like a magician is coming.

Morse – So for my sake, how are we reimbursing them?

Virnala – For them coming in. I would like to allocate this to them for celebrating what we have done for the semester.

Zeiher – I think this motion…if they're going to come in and thank us I don't understand why we need to pay them to thank us. I don't know how it benefits us.

Norris – Moen – Call to Question

Olson – I would be for it on the grounds that we call it the Narcissism Bill of 2008.

Situma – Did I hear you say that is public hearing, and whether we say yes or no they come?

Virnala – I know what they're going to do, I gave them parameters. They are not going to do anything obscene or offensive. They are going to do something that senate has never seen before. I would like to have senate experience that.

Morse – Would a giant thank you card suffice?

Virnala – It could.

Weber – Is this time sensitive?

Virnala – No, it can happen anytime this semester.

Griffin – Situma – table the motion – Passed

Bill – Changing CABstock Allocation – Exec

Zeiher – explained in Public Hearing. We thought that CABstock would be doing three major bands. He split apart and is now doing the MXPX concert. We're splitting the $500 with CAB and the other $500 goes to the concert.

Morse – The $1000 was allocated from money we didn't spend last year.

Ellsworth – MXPX a student event?

Weber – The original, MXPX is a national group, and originally they were going to try to have big CABstock concerts, but became too big, so MEISA is helping with it, so it's no longer a part of CABstock. Now that it's not there, we want to split it in half.

Vote – Motion Passed

Motion – Benefit Concert – Exec

Weber – Asked if we wanted to help with this benefit concert they're putting on, and is a good way to help students out. We are the students' representatives.

Garman – Are we going to help everybody that has problems? Where do we draw the line?

Weber – My thoughts are that we are students and represent the students and this has been getting a lot of press, we should, from a strictly pragmatic level. IF we didn't help I don't think it would help. If a tragedy happens, we should help. It's our job to help the students out financially or administration.

Haugen – I think everybody knows what happened to those 2 students. It was a really tragic situation that could have been a lot worse, a life could have been lost, and there was property loss. We should represent students in good times and bad times. I think it is our job to try to make a difference as leaders and be a part of the community when we can. We have the resources and the money and the compassion.

Griffin – Since Braddock is the one that came in, is there other student organizations that are helping in other ways?

Weber – I'm sure there are other organizations helping. We're looking to help with this event, I'm not sure of the other details. If Braddock's behind it, I'm sure that CAB is behind it as well.

Vote – Motion Passed (1 Abstention)

Student Senate Retreat – Bill – Exec

Zeiher – This will go to different supplies we need for games and programs. I reserved the ROC for an hour and it would go toward our food.

Griffin – Either you guys want to eat or you don't.

Olson – What was the dollar amount again?

Weber – It was $250.00.

Withanachi – Give us a brief rundown of the retreat; is it open to the rest of the student body or just the senate?

Zeiher – It's just the student senate. We'll be going over some training, Robert's rules, handbooks, chairs are giving presentations. Basically it's teambuilding for the senate.

Withanachi – There was a similar situation about allocating money for ourselves, is there a distinction?

Morse – Since it's going to a senate funded – it's built in our budget and been going on, this builds the senate. It's a line item.

Zeiher – It's a line item, so it's already allocated for this event. Most organizations allocate money to train their members.

Weber – We didn't necessarily rule that motion out of order. I would like people to look and make sure. That motion might be completely fine.

Vote – Motion Passed (1 Abstention)

Points for the Good of the Order

SPA Ohren – There was a student that came to the office that was concerned about how students are not being informed of the process for a grievance with the faculty members. They had some suggestions. I have the language that I can forward to whoever.

Brungardt – Email that to me I can look at it at the meeting on Monday.

Norris – This gentleman have a large beard? You are aware this same student comes in and asks the same question?

Zeiher – I forgot to mention we'll have cabinet tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Be there.

Virnala – If you're going to reconsider my motion, it's to the benefit for all and I would like all to benefit from it.

Weber – The retreat – calling it an emergency meeting. It's 4 points unless you come. With that said, I will not be there. I would take the 4 points if I had points. If you feel wronged and would like to come up with a grievance, I am a poor college student and have to do certain things to make money on the weekends. It's PRACS. I want to go, Lobby Core, yeah! Especially on March 12^th. Please.

Moen – Griffin – Adjourn (1 Nay)

Student Senate

Related Pages: