The following are meeting minutes from the Senate meeting. The Senate meets every Monday at 5:30 PM in Room 318 on the third floor of The Commons. These meetings are open to all students to listen to discussion. If you would like to present an issue, please contact the Speaker of the Senate, Steve Gilmore, in advance so you can be added to the agenda.
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September 11, 2006
5:34 Meeting called to order.
Steve Gilmore resigns as speaker of the senate. Until new one can be elected, Carrie Mann will take over.
Assistant speaker coordinates what committees others serve on, and fills in for the speaker in his or her absence.
Nominations for Senate:
Steve, Thaddeus, Elani.
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Words from Steve:
Being speaker means giving up part of individual right as senator; have to think about entire group. Best as working as a team player, cooperating with others.
(Brittany) what kind of projects did you have in mind for coming up?
A: Harbor Hall Café. Important to redeem ourselves – show people we don’t just start projects, we finish them.
(Terrance) What strategy do you have for being an effective Speaker?
A: Communication key. Problems at meetings or issues outside, should be able to be brought up. Cooperative, but not going to let one person slide – will hold individuals accountable for actions.
(Avi) What ideas do you have for student outreach?
A: Going to students more – using Res halls for events more. Have to start thinking of Senate as not just “second floor of the commons.” Need to show presence around campus more.
(Adrienne) what is your availability?
A: Very involved on campus; Mamas Boys and Pi Kappa Phi, taking 18 credits (music credits). Made schedule to work around other things. Around all day long. When I’m not in class, around student orgs office.
(Alex) How formal do you plan to run meetings?
A: Need to keep formality to keep organization, but won’t be overbearing. Talked to Brittany recently about how important it is that everyone gets a chance to talk. Not going to be terribly strict on technical stuff, more concerned with making sure people can get their opinions out.
(Carrie) How do you see yourself keeping meetings short, to the point, and how do you see yourself facilitating that? Also, how will you help members keep you accountable?
A: Projects and committees shouldn’t be meeting once a month, should be more regular. If there’s legislation, need to more strict about when legislation is due. If not in by certain time, can’t be talked about on Monday (should have weekend to look at it).
Always open for suggestions and constructive criticism.
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Words from Thaddeus:
Junior, political science and sociology major. Think most qualified for position, most experience in legislative body. Think has leadership skills to run meetings, and can be impartial in situations that require speaker to be unbiased. Feel qualified to be able to address administrators and other students outside the meetings. Thinks leaders shouldn’t hold peoples hands and be in the forefront. Leader should lend advice, coordinate with others, collaborate, etc. Leadership style would be one of helping everyone else do their jobs and achieve goals they want to achieve. Think most effective way.
(Terrance) What strategy would you have to run meetings?
A: Sending out agenda, making sure everyone has seen everything before meeting starts, making sure committee reports get submitted, etc.
(Adrienne) Availability?
A: Significant course load, but doesn’t have anything on 2 days. Has a lot of time to commit to Senate.
(Brittany) What kind of project goals?
A: Culture of athletics change, more students involved (preferring to stay on campus on the weekends)
(Carrie) How do you see yourself keeping meetings short, to the point, and how do you see yourself facilitating that? Also, how will you help members keep you accountable?
A: Most project work should be done outside of meetings. For addressing an issue where there is a heavy split on, meeting is appropriate place for that.
Take SGA very seriously, including when he was in it as a Freshman. Always thinking about what the SGA can do. Thinks that can help him stay accountable. Also planners and personal notes.
(Brittany) How do you make sure work does get finished outside of meetings?
A: Lots of responsibility on project leaders. Knows schedules are crazy, hard to get everyone together at one time. Not matter of large amount of people coming together, matter of individuals sitting down and taking criticism to further project. Weekly reports are a great idea to keep people accountable.
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Words from Elani:
Sophomore, Political Science. Realizes doesn’t have a lot of qualifications, but is very passionate about what the SGA is doing. Has experience from high school, was the Commander of highest ranked cadet in ROTC in high school.
(Adrienne) Availability?
A: 19 credits. Honestly, could be better, but wouldn’t take away from effectiveness.
(Brittany) what kind of projects did you have in mind for coming up?
A: Maintain what we had at retreat. Flowing of ideas like we had at retreat. To finish the goals in time frame we decided to finish them.
(Carrie) How do you see yourself keeping meetings short, to the point, and how do you see yourself facilitating that? Also, how will you help members keep you accountable?
A: Understand need for formality, but not too much. Caucus could be used when necessary. As smoothly as possible. Because I’ve not been in many meetings, not really sure how to answer that question.
Deadlines are important – doing my best to get what needs to be finished by a certain time finished and of best quality.
(Brittany) Do you want work done in meetings or out? How do you plan to have that work?
A: Seems like a big problem is making sure you get the legislation in senators hands before meetings so they can vote. Accountability with senators is very important. If you have not seen legislation before, could take a lot more time, and if you have, then should speed up process of voting.
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Steve: 7
Thaddeus: 1
Elani: 2
New Speaker of the Senate is Steve Gilmore.
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Nominations for Elani, Adrian, Brittany, Thaddeus
Elani:
(Adrienne) Are you comfortable accepting position as opposed to position you originally ran for?
A: Definitely. One of my weaknesses is lack of experience and it’d be great to have this position and get to understand how things work better.
(Steve) How comfortable are you with accepting things the Speaker would need you to help out with?
A: Comfortable because I guess, it’s a little more specified, and I know exactly what I have to do.
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Thaddeus:
(Adrienne) Are you comfortable accepting position as opposed to position you originally ran for?
A: Yes.
(Steve) How comfortable are you with accepting things the Speaker would need you to help out with?
A: Conversing with Speaker outside of meetings to be voice by proxy. Could be speaking for Steve, if an issue you felt passionate about but felt it were inappropriate to speak about.
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Elani: 7
Thaddeus: 3
New Assistant Speaker of the Senate Is Elani.
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Parliamentary Procedures
Set of rules.
Speaker will make basic decisions about how meeting will run. Anyone has the right to challenge that by making a motion to overrule decision.
“I move to…” is the formal way to propose something happen.
“I move to amend…” is a special one because it takes priority.
Remarks from Kristina Gaddy
Is Assistant to the President. Work on internal things (making sure SGA has a place where it can work, ordering new supplies, organizing special projects Exec should do).
NOTE: All Exec members are required to work 10 hours of Office hours a week, and attend Executive meetings.
JL01-0607 Life Size Chess Board at UMBC
Alex B. working on this project, especially with the 40th anniversary coming up.
Makeitchess.com
Could be highlighted at communiversity day.
Plan is to chalk board by library, then have them by the pond permanently.
Very sturdy, will be there for a long time. Tradition.
Will be stored (Breezeway)
Will be used more for special events where Chess could be highlighted.
Legislation calls for $7,000.
Two sets; smaller one could be used more frequently.
Not only event at celebration; an event out of lots of events.
Money is already budgeted for 40th – Emma Curran has $10,000. Brittany Hoke has $20,000 to use for Communiversity.
Chance for SGA to aesthetically add to campus. Would really catch your eye.
Proposed place is across from Bio building, by pond, where bike racks are.
On good relations with company ordering from – not worried about getting pieces replaced and the such.
SGA would have an invested interest of maintaining this, as well as the Chess Club (Alex is V.P. of Chess Club.
SGA gets money from student activity fee and from money that’s unspent during year that accumulates in pot called the general ledger.
For: 8
Opposed: 1
Abstain: 1
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JL__-0607 SEB outdoor movie series budget proposal
Over the Hedge had already been playing and SGA cannot reimburse.
Seb is getting money for MI3 from welcome week committee.
Down from 12,000 to 7,263 dollars.
Over the Hedge had a good turnout.
SEB is taking a big hit by allowing them to be played for free on Saturdays.
(Thaddeus) Why does the SGA have to pay for an organization that we already fund?
A: This isn’t something normally comes out of their budget. Normally it’s not free, but they were trying to let people see it for free.
(Steve) Why did they plan an event that they couldn’t afford?
A: Yeah, not organized as well as it could be, but for those of you who went to Over the Hedge can tell that it did help students.
(Carrie) Is it possible for at the end of the year for SEB to come for an additional allocation from the House?
A: Can apply for more money later, yes.
(Carrie) We are not guaranteed they will run out of money later.
A: Eric told me that they will not have money later.
Motion to table. No objections.
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JL02-0607 Confirmation of Brady Walker
Junior, poli sci major. Chief of Staff under Jordan. Liaison between Exec and House/Senate. Also working on some projects within exec (making sure students know where student org space is, and organizing debate for upcoming elections?)
For: 10
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0
SL02-0607 Confirmation of Executive Branch Director
Gabe Rettaliata(Director of Academic Affairs)– study group programs. Getting some professors to get on board. Helping with opening of study place (First floor of UC)
Jay Lagorio (Director of Communications) – take care of websites (ourUMBC and SGA’s channel on myUMBC). Works on office hour website stuff. Library – implementing SGA online library. Also text book capitalism. Also helping Jay out with a lot.
Narmin Anwar (Director of Diversity Affairs) – wants to focus on religion, also those students who are handicapped or married, making sure everyone has their representation at UMBC.
Amir Najmi (Director of Financial Affairs) – “Chris.” Assistant to SGA Treasurer, Phil Graff. Writing budgets in legislation to bring to House, tracking reallocations from student orgs, good resource for helping to planning an event.
April Lewis (Director of Student Outreach) – Public relations and developing programs. One is a voter registration drive – go to SEB and have them register, get a free movie pass to movie before end of semester. Also trying to get SGA’s name out in community.
Andrea Roskam (Director of Student Services) – New position to cabinet. Developing a “mystery shopper program.” Basically a student who goes through to do things that students need to do on a regular basis to evaluate how their experience was. Trying to get concrete information.
Kristina Gaddy (Assistant to the President) – see above.
For: 10
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0
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SL02-0607 Confirmation of Executive Branch Assistant Directors
Tabassum Majid (assistant director of student outreach) – one of biggest goal is to get SGA’s name out. First year students.
Amanda Rosenbush (assistant director of diversity affairs) – was in house last year.
For: 10
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0
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SL03-06-07 Confirmation of Executive Branch Staff
For: 10
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0
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SL04-0607 Confirmation of Brian Bailey
Responsibilities: Go out in community and make partnerships with local businesses (eg. expand red card program). President of USM Student Council. Very highly qualified though he will be unable to spend full amount of required time on campus. Compromise is for Brian to receive half stipend since he will only be able to spend half required time on campus.
For: 10
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0
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Carrie’s Executive report:
Fee forum is being postponed. Want to get 500 people there, and don’t feel it could be done as is, so going to wait.
40 students involved in study groups. Very big deal that the study groups are as successful as they are.
FY ambassadors will be getting informational emails and will be meeting sometime soon.
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Announcements
If you don’t have corp. time, please get on and post your schedule. Please see Jay if you have trouble.
House general budget hearing (to distribute money for rest of year) takes a week, but if it’s only House members (six members) that do this, it can’t be done. At same time, made a promise to organizations that this would be done (are funded for September, but not afterwards). Is Senate open to helping out with this?
Time commitment depends on how many people are willing to help out.
Third week of October.
There could be 30 people for 6 days, but if it’s only 6 people it’s going to be a lot more difficult.
First Year Council meeting is Wednesday at 5.
If there’s anyone (specifically First Year Ambassadors) who would be interested in trying to get SGA’s stuff in the Retriever, please let Adrienne know.
Meeting adjourned at 7:45.