Student Senate
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Minutes – March 13th, 2008
Chair Norris moves, Chair Jenson seconds to approve the agenda (approved)
Chair Norris moves, Chair Jenson seconds to approve the agenda (approved)
Public Hearing
Michael Parks – Director of Campus Security
Been a busy day for us – I did get some questions from Kara to get make some kind of response.
Question 1 – What was the impetus for the new emergency system?
Should have received an email regarding e2campus – the vendor we are using to provide text / email alerts to faculty, staff, students and sometimes parents or other loved ones not residing in our community. We recently received funding for the promotional material from student affairs. We're really excited about having this system on our campus because it increases awareness. We all know about the findings from most recently NYU in the shootings, and not the only reason to implement. Back in May there was a mercury spill on campus and an event that could have caused harm to the staff and students. There is a lot of discussion at MSCTC and Concordia to adopt a system – we made the decision to move forward with this free service. The cost of the program per year is $6,000 and that has been paid for by the university. The cost is not being transferred under the student fee and not part of tuition to force people to pay for it. This is an opt-in program. We don't load cell phone numbers or emails into the system and you won't receive any solicitation for programs or propaganda through the text service – it's just for emergencies.
Weber – When you graduate will you be automatically removed or will you have to opt out?
We've had this service for 2 and a half months – the management side, how do you import or export students? If you withdraw, transfer or graduate, I would like to say I'm confident that you will be removed once you graduate. I would say there's a high probability you would be removed once you graduate and by clicking a few buttons you can opt yourself out. Because this is a new system, we think we have a plan for that but in the interim I would opt out of the service if you're leaving and or graduate.
Question 2 – How widespread is it going to be?
It will be university-wide. You can enter your cell phone, email but also a parent or loved one's email. It's wide reaching, but we need to see what the response is from the university is. Today we have about 1,100 faculty and students signed up for the service. If there's room we would certainly like to add community members. First we have to see where we fall in line.
Question 3 – Walkie talkies or some sort of PA system to contact…
Right now there is no plan in place to implement some kind of handheld device. We have for maintenance and housing, but for a variety there may be too much traffic and inoperable. You have to be disciplined. There is not an infrastructure for a PA system. We can use the one included in the fire and emergency alarm system – you can hear this is a lockdown instead of fire alarms. You would have to be aware of the alarm and what it means. The capability is there but we want to make sure it doesn't confuse people. The other piece is when we traditionally talk about lockdown, this is something that has happened in the past two weeks. We had the ability to lock the interior doors in 90 percent of our buildings. We have the availability to shut everything down, meaning restricted access. It doesn't prevent someone leaving in an emergency situation but hopefully prevent someone from entering without a key. Those are some changes we have made to protect our students and our university.
Staves – When you say 90%, which buildings are unable to do that?
When I say 90% I mean academic side. Academic buildings – Hagen and Science lab run a different system than the rest. We want to make it so they can communicate with each other so we can lock them down at the same time. We want the card reader systems to react the same way. We're working on those differences. We did a test last week during spring break, and within 10 seconds they had all locked down.
Gallery – If they don't get the message for some reason, could you be liable?
There's been some discussion – as technology develops, they say it either takes too long and doesn't get there fast enough. Is there a liability to that, I think there is. I think we're doing a greater disservice to the community if we don't get it out there. I'm fairly confident you will get that information. It's critical that you validate your cell phone and update the information and I am fairly confident you will get this. I'm not sure if something happens globally – the equipment we have on campus is software, it's internet and web-based application. We don't house the equipment on our campus and hopefully they have the technology in place so that does not happen.
Question 4 – What is your biggest concern on campus?
Parking is an issue, I'm not in charge of the parking issue. I know it's a concern about parking on the street. Many of us have received parking tickets and some frustration. I think it's an issue but most people don't get hurt or injured parking their car. From my perspective, it's the safety and security of our students on the university side. I take the goals I've set for the university very serious. Those give people on my job sleepless nights because I worry about that happening here or elsewhere in the region. NDSU had a person on campus with a pellet gun – anything that rocks the safety and security feeling is something I think about. Fires in the residential halls is a concern – anytime you're dealing with those halls there is an evacuation to make sure the people get out safe. Chemical spills – any act of violence as well. Alcohol is an issue as we've seen with some tragic events. I think we have a good handle on it as to the safety and security of our students.
Question 5 – Could you explain your hiring policies?
I did hear a question or comment that asked had they changed and was somewhat confused because nothing has changed in the hiring policies we have. The only thing that is changed is hiring the most dedicated confident employees we can find. They must be able to multitask, be ethical and hard working. They must be student centered and have strong communication skills – they have to want to serve the student community. In late July I wasn't sure if that was our goal in the employees we had. Our hiring practices haven't changed at all but we certainly look at each candidate as valid, but they have to have some basic fundamentals.
Abey – Some people in your department is giving information about hiring people with criminal justice majors, I'm not sure where that's coming from.
As honestly as I can, is our department looking for criminal justice majors, yes. But at the same time are we looking for qualified young men and women to serve in our organization. Antyhing we can have that will serve our community. We looked at them as a pool of candidates, but the reality is out of the 30 employees we have 4 are criminal justice. But what type of factor is in not being hired, you have to have those soft skills and the ability to do the job. Statistically we're just not seeing that.
Abey – We had a student come in and the reason he got for not being hired he heard it was because they were looking for criminal justice majors.
That was misinformation that person received. I rarely sit in on an interview and it's mostly student employees. We look at things from a whole list of perspective, and it appears from the information you're telling me, certainly we would like to have a contingent of criminal justice majors but we want a variety of people from different majors and backgrounds that will serve our university more completely.
Garman – Does that hiring group consciously look at the people to be representative at the campus as a whole? We have a large multicultural campus, but do they look at the people that are coming to be representative of the university community?
I don't have an answer to that. I can just look at statistics. I try to have a good sample of the community – in the past it has been made up of international students – 40% traditionally make it up – but that number does fluctuate. Currently 30% of our students are international. Do people get terminated, but they are released or resigned for issues I can't discuss in specifics. We take our job seriously – when you call an emergency or for help, you certainly want the best response. I want you to know you'll get a highly competent individual.
Question 6 – Could you give us a description of your professional staff and what their responsibilities are?
I do have…I don't have enough copies for everyone, but I do have the job description of what our staff is responsible for. Our patrol division does supervise our student staff. They supervise the parking enforcement officers, emergency communication support, enforce the university ordinances, and refer any issues that are a violation of MN statute to the proper authority. (list is attached to the minutes)
Abey – Who is in charge of the student roster?
Well we have a roster, our OAS administrator person updates that roster and then the scheduling for both fulltime and student staff is done by her.
They work, the majority are scheduled for 20 hours or under. We do follow the international student regulations rigorously, and I noticed international students going over 20 hours, and make sure that those federal guidelines are being met. With rare exception, in an emergency situation, they may have to stay late, because we can't leave the station empty. There are situations we can go over that 20 hour maximum.
Abey – How often does the roster change, weekly or monthly, every semester?
The only time it is changed is when an employee transfers or leaves our organization. That is our emergency contact list as well as our roster. If requested by the student senate we do have an accurate one that has been updated recently.
Abey – I would like to see it because there's a student who's involved with campus security, and she said she sometimes gets 4 hours a week, or 18 and isn't aware of what she's working every week. And she mentioned that some work more than they're allowed to and there might be some unfair rationing with students. I don't know how true it is, but it should be addressed if it is. The more senior staff do work more hours. We do strictly monitor from the international perspective the 20 hours per week. Those who have been there 3 or 4 years do get priority over the schedule because they are better skilled and are training officers. The reality is we have some senior and senior employees that do get more hours than others, especially new employees.
Garman – How many people are on that hiring committee?
We always have three on that committee. It certainly can depend on which student, but always a student is involved.
Garman – Do they have to be in agreement, or 2 of three?
I can be a tie breaker. Traditionally I have not seen a lot of disagreement, they bring the recommendation to me almost immediately and I usually go with their judgment and observation. I do believe in their recommendation. It is monitored by me to make sure we're getting the best candidate or if they weren't selected, what is the reason? Those are things we look at.
Question 7 – Are you using facebook to monitor students and/or events?
I don't think I would use the term monitor, which would give the impression that staff is always watching. What we do use them for is if we have an employee of campus security, we'll check the Facebook or MySpace to see what is out there. Have we not hired people because of their photos, yes. They would just not be people that have the responsibility to handle campus security. We rarely use it as a screening tool. There was an incident with a party, but we are not here to tell the people not to enjoy the festivities over the holidays. We haven't seen it a lot in the last month, but occasionally someone will say hey have you seen this and we'll follow up on it. We do prohibit our employees from putting inappropriate pictures – we want to present a respectable authority of our organization. We do use it in a limited capacity.
We're an open door organization, and if there's any questions please feel free to contact me or set up an appointment.
Morse – A student wsa talking to me about paying their parking fines online, why can't they just do it online being we pay for a lot of things online already?
Norris – You can pay your parking fees online. On the ticket there is a website.
Staves – Just my own observation, but because of spring half the campus seems to be flooded.
Wiese – I know there's been a history but the days we get a lot of water on campus they'll put out some boards until the water drains because the drains are still frozen.
Abey – I met with the affirmative action officer, and she gave me some documents about discrimination and how it can be addressed. There's something called affirmative action, and it's not a big piece, but she said students are not covered. She said you might have more information.
Wiese – The university has fair hiring practices. It's a federal program and because it is that a parallel program that the university has is written similarly because it is written in the policy.
Abey – the wording is very unclear to me and I would like to know how that can be handled.
Weber – It's hard to discuss something like this in our format, and I will table it to campus affairs.
Olson – I was thinking it'd be something leg/internal can look at.
Wiese – Talk to the affirmative action officer.
Norris – Leg, our meeting is tomorrow at 12:30 pm.
Ohren – That statement, is that intended for university employees, is that for non-student employees?
Abey – This is the document I got from Barb. I don't understand why student employees are not covered under this, and I just don't understand.
Weber – I just think this would be left under a committee.
Morse – Would somebody be contacting the man who came last week and the discrepancy and what we came up with?
Weber – I would recommend chair Abey to contact him.
Reports
Wiese
The President asked I share this with the Senate about the priorities. Keep it in the senate so other students can come and seek information. There's another book with all the bonds and projects in the system.
I attended the first meeting of the new MnSCU mental health taskforce. This is how campuses are responding to the need for more mental health support on campus and there was just one meeting, and you have a representative from MSUSA on it s well. The policy I mentioned in the fall semester, we will talk more about that. We do have a meeting tomorrow and the policy is still scheduled for implementation on July 1st. The student technology committee continues to meet and is making great progress. We'll be meeting again this Monday because the following is a non-instructional day and there are significant requests for funding out there and needs to happen before the semester ends. We're in a marathon of events, and this year is no exception. We have another Dragons After Dark and the Pow Wow on Saturday. In addition we have the presidential search coming up. Candidates will be announced next week. Be sure to attend the open forums, and they should be on our campus for a couple of days.
Abey – The mandated insurance, is anything happening? Karen Lester didn't know anything about it.
That communication has been sent to the office of the chancellor. There are a number of things that have to be put in place with that. It's time that we hear something again.
Ohren – SAFR will be meeting tomorrow?
Weber – We can look into it after the meeting.
Jenson – What time for the meeting.
Wiese - We just secured the contracts for the architects to meet with that group. I'm meeting with folks from the bookstore on that, then we will have the official relationship with that – we need the authority to proceed because it has to be legally in place. All constituencies will have involvement in that.
Withanachi – What's the likelihood of it being brought into effect by next fall and the permission to go ahead with the new insurance instead of what we have right now…is it up to us or all of the other MnSCU schools? What role does MSUM alone play in it?
Wiese - As I understand it, we'll be the pilot institution, I'm not sure if we'll be the sole one, but MSCTC might be as well. If they do a pilot program, they take one or two institutions and take a year or two depending on the policies, and if it's successful there is a discussion systemwide with other institutions that would like to try it. Timing…I wouldn't put it out of the possibility for next fall. I don't know the mechanics because the chancellor is the one who will negotiate with insurance companies. Until we get further into it, I won't agree to a timeline but it's in the realm of possibility by next fall.
Ohren – You're saying the chancellor's office is involved in that?
Steve Frantz works for the senior vice chancellor and he's the person who's been responsible for starting the initiative for the systemwide health insurance, so he is the best resource. Decisions such as this would be the leadership council, and they meet every two or three weeks.
Ohren – Is it more of a consultation?
It depends on the nature of the decision and it's situation specific.
Treasurer Morse
I attended SABC and Exec. I balanced the budget – we have $825 tied up in motions and $1,008.45 in discretionary funds. Those going to DC do not have to worry about keeping receipts. You'll be reimbursed after the trip.
Vice President Zeiher
I attended UPBC, SOAC, and was a proxy for SABC. The student organizations awards ceremony is coming up. The date is April 14th at 12:00 pm CMU 101. The nominations for awards are due one week from tomorrow – March 21sst. You can access the nomination forms from the OSA website – www.mnstate.edu/osa.
Since the marketing chair resigned I will be teaming up with the special assistant to plan the senate banquet. If there is anyone that would like to help with that you would definitely be more than encouraged to just come and see either one of us and we can work something out. Lastly, if any committees need helps with projects or need advise I'd be more than willing to work with you.
Ellsworth – Is Barden going to be at the banquet, and if so are we doing something for him?
Zeiher – He should be, because he usually pays for it. We are going to do something for him, we have talked about it briefly in exec, and we will take ideas. And if we do, we will advise you.
Morse – Did they extend the week for nominating?
Morse - Yes.
Randall – What is going on with the apparel?
Weber – That is still being taken up by marketing.
President Weber
I met with exec, attended lobby day, the lobby core trip prior to spring break, and attended student tech fee committee. I interviewed a senate seat candidate. Randy Harms' certificate presentation will take place on Monday in CMU 205 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. I encourage you all to attend. There are open forums for the presidential search committee from 3:00 – 5:00 on March 20th, 25th, and 31st in the CMU ballroom. There will also be forums in the Science Lab auditorium on March 27th and April 2nd from 3:00 to 5:00 pm as well. I would like to have senators attend as many of these as possible.
I am looking for volunteers to help gather information regarding housing rates off-campus as per the resolution sponsored by Moorhead at the February MSUSA conference. We need to get the information to MSUSA by Wednesday, so I would really like to get this information compiled. I am open to suggestions regarding an efficient way to do this.
Furthermore, I would like to encourage all academic senators who have not done so to file their seats for the spring elections. Also, I would encourage anyone interested in being an officer to file and run. On a related noted, if anyone is interested in running for an MSUSA officer position I think they are still accepting applications so please apply immediately.
Norris – Contact Baeron Warren.
Virnala – You could probably just pick up all those housing guides with the rates next to them.
Weber – No I agree, but it's cheaper and maybe private housing. I would like to get as much as possible and a group to work on it.
Garman – Post a sign up sheet for the Presidential forms, so we can make it as even as possible. I have afternoons free.
Weber – I will keep that in mind.
Garman – Why are students so apathetic?
Weber – Someone is going to open up discussions during new business.
Senator Olson moves, Treasurer Morse seconds for a 5 minute Recess (failed)
Secretary Randall
I did the minutes and attendance and finally started the filing project.
Campus Affairs – Chair Brungardt
I'll be hanging up the grievance policy and should know more next week. I'm finishing up work on the Kise issue and should know more next week. I emailed Michael Parks about the issue with jumping car batteries and the range off-campus. I emailed Cindy Sogn about the pay lot by the CMU as well as students getting tickets.
She informed me that the pay lot by the CMU has the hours it does to accommodate events that go later in the building as well as to provide parking by the library late at night. There will be a meeting with the parking committee in April via open forum to determine if the hours need to be adjusted. All are welcome to attend.
As for the students getting tickets, she said they are working with their parking system to set up late citation email notifications. When it has been set up they will have the ability to notify the owner that they have unpaid citations have their vehicle registered with the school. In the meantime they are working to secure tickets in plain view and securely so they don't blow away and can be seen. There is also an appeals process available to students.
I also emailed Dan Kirk about the daycare hours as well as the availability for the gardening club to have space to garden in; I also emailed Les Bakke about the computer lab in the CB.
Ellsworth – I forgot to put this in public hearing… (out of order)
Morse – Did she say if the lot is metered over the weekends too?
Olson – It's Monday through Friday.
Ellsworth – My question is has campus affairs ever looked into having midterm grades? If not so, maybe they should look at that.
Olson – Like looking into getting midterm grades for all students? Definitely, it's a good idea.
Ohren – The issue of the hand sanitizers outside the computer labs and the buildings, I'm not sure if it's been addressed yet.
Butrum – We did not address that in our last meeting.
Committee on Committees – Chair Norris
We convened throughout the week and I made the appointment list for this week. I would also like to extend a personal thank you to senator Olson for saving Chair Jenson from drowning.
Legislative and Internal Affairs – Chair Jenson
I am discussing plans for the student senate March Awareness activity. I will be contacting Mayor Voxland to come to Senate – a paper will be coming around for questions to write down. The CFA constitution is coming around – please read it as there is a motion coming up later tonight. Constitutional amendments are due tomorrow. I went to lobby day prior to spring break and wrote a thank you letter to PEPP for all their great work.
Garman – I like your tan, it was wonderful, how much did it cost?
Jenson – It was free.
Tuition Fees and Oversight – Chair Randall
There are a couple motions coming up tonight – one is the approval of the proposed SABC allocations, and another is approving the proposed 3% increase in tuition for the DNP graduate program. I will explain more during those motions.
Diversity – Chair Abey
During the spring break I met with Barb Seiler, the affirmative action officer, to discuss how the affirmative action policy applies to student employees. I also contacted Michael Parks to give him a heads up. Apart from that I contacted Japan Club, student TOCAR, and ASSIA to see if they could volunteer for diversity week and present at public hearing.
MSUSA Campus Representative – Mikan Lovcik
(No Report)
MSUSA Diveresity Representative – Alex Ellsworth
Olson – Are you going to have a signup sheet for next week?
Ellsworth – Yes.
Special Projects Assistant – Jennifer Ohren
(No Report)
Elections – Chair Camargo
These are the new posters – they have been going up around campus. A new banner went up in the CMU. I have the display window in the CMU for another week, and am moving on advertising such as TTN and the listservs are up, too.
The sign up sheet is going around. Please sign up. I would like a lot of the people around the table promote filing. Also, chairs, if you want anything to be advertised please get them to me by Monday. I do have a lot of advertising up and most likely will be contacting each department / college to promote it as well. During new business I am going to bring up a discussion of ways to get people to file. Thanks!
Camargo I asked for an ad and I said I'd pay for an ad, and nothing, just a little bitty story, so yes.
Ohren – Please come to me, I can help you to come up with some handouts for filing.
Old Business
Chair Randall moves, Senator Virnala seconds to remove the Motion Uber Woot from the table (failed)
New Business
Appointment – Business and Industry Seat – Phillip Wiese
Applied to student senate to get involved on campus, working 32 to 40 hours per week, and now I have more time so I would like to get involved.
SPA Ohren moves, Senator Williams seconds to suspend rules to question candidate (approved – 1A)
Ohren – What year?
Sophomore.
Garman – Why us?
I wanted to get involved and it's a good thing to have on the resume later, and I wanted to get more people involved to this.
Ohren – Strengths?
Wiese - I don't know much about it, and I'm confident. I know a lot of people on campus that don't know anything about it.
Virnala – Howa re you today?
Wiese I am sweating bullets right now.
Olson – Do you have a specific issue on campus that you care about a lot?
I get really annoyed about parking, but other than that, not especially.
Dolney – Are you involved with other activities on campus?
Ohren – Undecided, leaning toward mass communications, and just have to meet with my advisor.
Ellsperger – Previous leadership positions?
Middle school, I did a speech for student council and I won. I was in snowboarding club.
Moen – Olson – Enter executive session (approved)
Moen – Garman – Suspend the rules (failed)
Moen – Randall – Exit executive session (approved)
Appointment – Wiese (approved)
Motion – SABC Allocation – Sponsored by TFOC
Ohren – We decided to separate operating from travel budget, and maybe Chair Randall might want to go through the process. These are all student organizations and usually they are not affiliated with departments. If it's not necessary for their operating and if something is necessary to be funded to operate – if for example they take a trip, such as construction management, they receive substantial more money for travel.
Abey – The organizations make a request and after the committee goes through it they will be allocated a certain amount of funds, if they wanted more for something but the committee was not necessary is there a way they could come back and justify why they need it.
Ohren – They can always come back for supplemental funding if there is an event. They fill out a request and we review it again.
Olson – If there is a blank column, does that mean it's a zero?
Ohren – We passed a motion to only allocate them a certain amount, because we want the groups to follow the procedure if they didn't submit a request.
Vote – SABC Allocation (Passed 1A)
Motion – Campus Free Thought Alliance Constitution – Sponsored by Leg/Internal
Jenson – Usual constitution with what's required and it's ready to go.
Vote – (approved with 2 N – Senators Olson, Ellsperger)
Motion – DNP Graduate Program – TFOC
Vote – Passed (1A)
Motion – Graduate Lecture Series – Sponsored by Senator Garman and Chair Norris
Garman – This series, there's 2 people that are speaking. They've had low turnout and I'm trying to increase turnout. Im' going to be calling professors and try to get them to invite their students, maybe give extra credit so that way there's more turnout and try to attract a crowd about issues that are important to them.
Norris – I think this qualifies as part of the mission of the student senate to back things of this nature, so I support it.
Morse – Has the university done more to promote this?
Staves – There are some really intelligent stuff that comes out of it, so I support it.
Ohren – Are you going to be taking on this project?
Garman – I'm going to get table tents and posters.
Vote – Passed (1A)
Chair Norris moves, Chair Jenson seconds to open COC nominations (approved)
Chair Norris moves, Chair Jenson seconds to close COC nominations (approved)
Chair Camargo moves, Chair Norris seconds –to open discu