Student Senate

Student Senate Minutes – April 3, 2008

Norris – Camargo – Approve the agenda

Norris – Olson – Approve the minutes

Public Hearing

Randall – Email issue

Garman – Thanks for the $35 for the lecture series.  A whole lot of people said they were coming, so thanks.

Reports

Advisor Wiese

The presidential candidates have come and gone.  It's a new process to picking people but the opinions of the students are very important in this manner.  I'd like to thank the student senate people who attended the MSUSA conference on health insurance and have received information.

Treasurer Morse

Garman – They haven't given me the receipts yet because part is going to Student Senate and part is going to Grad Studies.

Vice President Zeiher

Thank you all for your patience with the pictures.  There was a student complaint about parking.  A letter was found in the office, and if anyone is interested in helping, it will be posted in the office.  The candidate for the presidential search has been on campus for the last two weeks, and the committee meets to review tomorrow.  Cabinet is tonight after the meeting.

President Weber

I met with Warren and Exec.  I attended SABC and UPBC, and met with a couple of the presidential candidates.  I, along with Vice Chair elect Jennifer Ohren; will be attending a strategic planning weekend for MSUSA.  Let me know if anyone has any suggestions for the future of the organization.  I worked on election stuff for our wonderful election chair.  I attended the Spring Delegates conference.  We made a lot of changes to the platform including adding International Student Off-Campus employment reform to both our state and federal legislative goals.  I took part on the health insurance pilot presentation, and MSUSA passed a motion in support of allowing us to do the pilot, so now we should be getting more information on it. 

I won't be here next week as I am traveling down to the cities to take part in an exciting Model UN conference.  Never fear, we will still be having the meeting.  The Health and Wellness Center director interviews will be starting shortly.  Senator Griffin has reached her point total. 

Garman – How did Senator Griffin get her point total?

Garman – When she joined the senate did she know she was going to be going and she told the senate?

Weber – No, but she did know last semester she was doing Euro spring.

Norris – Really?

Weber – Really, you should have come.

Olson – You lead a fascinating life.

Secretary Randall

Zeiher – I would like to make an announcement and if you need help getting points taken off, please talk to me.

Campus Affairs – Chair Brungardt

I spent most of this week catching up on stuff from last week and finishing up everything from last week.  I started working on my transition manual.

Committee on Committees – Chair Norris

We convened throughout the week, and made the appointment list for this week.

Marketing – Interim Chair Williams

Attendance:  Treasurer Morse, Chair Williams, Senator Weiss

The marketing committee met this week and my continued efforts to retrieve the t-shirt information from the former chair have been to no avail thus far.  I hope that stalking her at her job will work in getting the information before the end of the year.  Marketing is working on a project to promote voting during the last week of this month.

We also hope to plan an inaugural party for the newly elected (or newly re-elected) senators and officers.  Anyone that knows more about planning parties please talk to me or come to our meetings.  They are Wednesday at 2:30 pm.

Legislative and Internal Affairs – Chair Jenson

My April event will be a brown bag lunch with the Mayor.  Letters will be going around to get signed by everyone.  I wrote up the constitutional amendments for the ballot.  I went to the MSUSA Spring Delegates conference, and I sent letters to Morrie Lanning and Keith Langseth.

Weber – As far as that bonding information is concerned, have they officially voted on it?  I think it's not official yet.

Jenson – It's in limbo but as of right now that's what we've got.

Tuition Fees and Oversight – Chair Randall

We will be meeting tomorrow at 1:30 to go over MSUSA's budget to figure out if it works in its current form or can be changed.  I have also started work on the bookmarks and pamphlets on student fees so they can be ready to go for fall orientation.  As well, I will be working on the April event, probably on the health insurance, but possibly on student fees.

Diversity – Chair Abey

It has been a busy week.  Tomorrow is going to be the last day of diversity week.  AS you know, we had a series of events and talks lined up.  Celebration of Nations was a success and we had about 400 people attend the event.  Other events, such as the carnival and diversity dance did not see much attendance but the individuals who did attend had a lot of fun.  I would like to thank all of the senators who attended the events and helped out.  I think it is a very good concept and event that can take the school to the community.  Therefore, I see fit for senate to continue this program.  One of the main aspects that we lacked was publicity and I am sure that we can make it a success with more publicity.  Also, I would ask for you to wear the DW t-shirts tomorrow.  Finally, I would like to thank Alex Ellsworth for the effort and time that he put in for the diversity week.

Garman – I spoke to a few people since the weekend and they said had they heard of the events they would have come, so maybe next year we can do more advertising.

MSUSA Campus Representative Lovcik

Names for the April conference in Winona must be in by next Thursday, so if you would like to go, get your name to me by then.

MSUSA Diversity Representative Ellsworth

Diversity week went well, but I do think that we should no longer continue the carnival and have the diversity committee focus on the week's events, rather than that plus the carnival.  Part of the problem is we have an apathetic campus, but there is a way to fix that for next year.

Garman – I'm not sure what you said about the carnival.

Ellsworth – I said that maybe next year we should skip the carnival and have the committee focus a lot more on diversity.

Garman – I took my son and nephew to CON and they had no experience with minority groups and had the time of their lives.  It's a great opportunity for kids to meet people from other countries.

Abey – I agree with Senator Garman.  I spoke with someone and she told me that there are certain groups who are underprivileged, refugee children and we could invite them.  If we get the attendance then it will be successful.  We should continue the carnival and there would be a lot more.

Garman – Focus on people with disabilities and let them know.

Olson – I feel like as far as advertising, we can do a partnership with other organizations so there's less pressure on diversity committee and other orgs can take pressure off.

Garman – News stations.

SPA Ohren

I attended SABC and UPBC, attended the MSUSA conference this last weekend, and updated the website.  I began working on gathering more information about off-campus housing and expenses. 

Elections – Chair Camargo

Filing is now complete, and the ballot is up for approval tonight.  Please vote for it so we have a ballot.  An advertising blitz for the upcoming elections will be starting soon, with posters and the like around campus.

Old Business   (None)

New Business

Motion – Approval of the Ballot – Motioned by Elections Committee

5 Minute Caucus – Motioned by President Weber

Camargo – There's some typos, errors, and those will be fixed.  And Withanachi is an off-campus seat; he just filed again, so that won't be on here.

Ohren – Will the typos and grammar be fixed before getting onto the ballot?

Randall – Yes.  There are some mistakes I made while making the ballot, but some were done by the writers and will be left as is.

Ohren – So the errors will be fixed?

Randall – Yes.

Garman – Is it too late to write something up?  I wasn't sure of that. 

Weber – If it's approved as it stands, I say yes.  Basically, if anything else wants to be changed, there has to be something in the motion saying they'll be allowed to submit by such date.

Olson – I think if he wants to write something out, then they should be able to.  It was actually a technical problem.

Staves – It was stated that there was someone missing?

Motion – Amendment – Move to substitute "before Wednesday, April 2" with "before midnight of April 4th" – Senator Staves, SPA Ohren

Staves – I don't want to miss anyone on the ballot.

Vote – Amendment – Passed Unanimously

Elsperger – I would just like to say that I feel we had some technical difficulties and problems with people filing, I believe the deadline should be set and concrete.  We've extended the deadline four times.  It doesn't seem democratic, and I would ask you not to approve this ballot.

Norris – I would like to ask to the previous speaker – If we don't approve the ballot, what would you have us do?  I agree with the main thrust of your argument, but if you're going to have some kind of sanction I don't know what that would be.

Garman – I think the spirit of democracy is to include as many people as possible and for opportunity.   The more people we can get involved in the process, the better.

Olson – I think the previous speakers have made good points, but from practicality.  If we went for the deadline, we would have no one running for president, and 3 or 4 people running for anything.  We had technical difficulties – we got a full ballot now and as the previous speaker said, including as many people as possible makes it better rather than having it is a little unfair.

Camargo – I know that in the ballot there are stars next to the people who filed late.  Two of these people had problems and it did not go through.  If you want to look through those are the last few people that filed over the weekend after the filing deadline had been set.

Weber – If it were to pass there would be no more extensions to the deadline because it would be binding.

Ohren – We approved the ballot up until midnight tonight.  If we approved this ballot, anyone could really file until midnight tonight.  So we would be approving this with those additional people.

Elsperger – I believe that we should take note of this next year and make a solid deadline so we don't have this problem next year.

Ellsworth – As somebody that has worked with these wonderful elections in the past and know how stressful it can be and how many issues there can be between whoever is election chair.  I think not personal issues but issues with getting stuff done and getting stuff to work.  S*** happens, you have to go with it, and you have to go with it and say that this deadline was not the best and push it back.  SO I don't think there is really an issue with it and be flexible.  That's what life's about.

Weiss – I filed before the deadline.

Olson – If we reject this motion and this ballot, what do we go with?  The ones with stars aren't on it?

Weber – If we reject this ballot, there is no ballot.  An alternative ballot or motion would have to be done.  If not, we probably would not have an election, and we would have an emergency election this fall.  If anyone knows someone that did not get on the ballot and filed, let the chair know they did file and if they want any kind of written statement.  If they did, there's nothing we can do besides give them the opportunity.

Camargo – I can give you my email and get this done by midnight.  This is why we had extended deadlines.  People came up to me and asked, and I told them I didn't.  We got it worked out with IT.  I really wish we could have done a straight deadline, but we had to do it this way because of the problems we ran into.

Norris – Olson – Call to Question

Vote – Motion – Passed

Motion – Sidewalks – Motioned by CA

Elsperger – The problem is 6th avenue and 9th and over by Nemzek, the speed limit is 30 mph.  There are a lot of people walking around over there.  I talked to Michael Parks about this, and this is an issue they're trying to deal with, because we should have some crosswalks or reduced speed limits.  He can't get through to the city the way it is.  It is a risk to the students here and it's only a matter of time until someone gets hurt.  The university doesn't want that, we don't.  He recommended we make a recommendation to the city to have them do this and put some signs up for crosswalks.

Garman – They've started the process because there are some crosswalks going off to the residential area.

Wiese – I'm not sure.

Elsperger – There is a crosswalk right on the one way, but that's one. 

Jenson – I almost did get hit by a car walking back from the Wellness Center.

Butrum – My friend did get hit by a car two nights ago. 

Dolney – As someone who walks from the parking lot to Nemzek, there does need to be a crosswalk there.

Olson – I'm in favor of this.  I was walking across the crosswalk and he honked at me.  I felt very offended.  I think it's time the pedestrians take back the streets and are given rights.

Ellsworth – Can we actually recommend stuff to the city?

Weber – It's a recommendation.  That's why we're here.

Elsperger - Mike Parks encouraged the recommendation.

Reuther – Olson – Call to question (passed)

Vote – Motion – Passed (1N)

Diversity Week – Ellsworth, Lovcik

Ellsworth – Senate changes year to year and I think it's useful to have Warren as our advisor.  I think it would be good to look at adding a position to look over diversity week and still stay with senate.  But if people planning it have issues or trying to find speakers maybe someone who had a relationship previously.

Olson – It's a good idea.

Ellsworth – They're creating the position and there would be a hiring process for it, but there is going to be someone.

Vote – Motion – Passed

Randall

Jenson – Considering he was walking up, he was trying to keep it from falling out onto the floor.

Garman – Handles.

Ohren – Would Secretary Randall be in charge of purchasing the container?

Randall – yes.

Vote – Motion – (1A)

Norris – Jenson – COC Nominations (approved 1N)

Norris – Jenson – COC Nominations (approved)

Points for the Good of the Order

Zeiher – You should have gotten your invitations to the banquet, but you need to RSVP at the 11th, otherwise you won't be able to eat.

Jenson – I need the letters back, wherever they are.

Olson – Is the banquet the same weekend as MSUSA?

Weber – One vehicle will be leaving early to get there for board.  It's a long drive so I can send the campus rep in my place.  The bigger vehicle will be leaving after the banquet – it's my fault I didn't think of this when planning so everyone else can sleep I will drive.  We will be getting there late.

Virnala – I had a very vigorous workout and it was great.  I highly recommend it.

Camargo – I'm going to sit right here when we adjourn.

Announcements

Zeiher – Cabinet right now.

Williams – How long does that usually last?

Adjourn (passed)