The following are meeting minutes from the House of Organizations meeting. The House meets every Tuesday 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 House, Nayana Davis, in advance so you can be added to the agenda.
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I. Call to Order
5:34
II. Roll Call
Absent: Ben
III. Approval of Minutes
Approved
Cabinet
A. Jordan- Funding for study place. November 1, during free hour it will be open indefinitely.
B. Carrie- Study space. Thank Steve and Andy for organizing stuff. Dr. Skolov is fac. advisor for Study group. House and the Senate Poli 369- We have been studying electorial systems. We talked about how SGA members. The class would like to take different elections and would like to come in and give a presentation on alternative methods for election. They would present about 3 or 4 different methods. They will also have to look up computer programs to count votes. They would present for about an hour. I want to make sure that you are interested in it. Are you interested in listening to it?
Ozel- I am for it to interact with the community. It will show our support for the students. There si no harm done is seeing alternative methods.
Alex- Downside?
Carrie- We can change the way we elect the cabinet elections. If that is alright with it.
Ross- It will be interested to get people outside of SGA to give ideas.
Carrie- They have to make it easy to understand. It is just hearing different options.
C. Phil- New student orgs were recognized, there training is next Tuesday 6:30. It will most likely be in student orgs place. Business services center wanted another total for food items. There is a max for food. Only two additional allocations for Thursday.
D. Jay- has nothing to say.
David- Communiversity- there is a risk that students are going to get drown out. It will be helpful for the SGA members to talk about it. You Me and Dupree. Thursday- Bonfire. Friday- Talent Show 10:00. Saturday- Communiversity event- carnival games, free game room. Volunteers will be need, about 40. students orgs wanted to help with the games.
Jordan- We have tee shirts for those participating and you also get a UMBC homecoming shirt.
David- How do we create a buzz. How can we get people motivated to partcipate? How do we recruit student orgs to take on one of the carnival games? Maybe give them an incentive of about $200. It would be open to everyone.
Ross- How would we create a legislation?
David- I heard that we could put it into the budget. I hoping we can take 2000 dollars out of the $20000. Brittany created the correct number of slots, and we need everyone to partcipate.
Ross- Any ideas how to get orgs involved?
Phil- I think that the money incentive is plenty. Talk to people.
David- And that is why we volunteered.
IV. New Business
A. HL 16-0607- Additional Allocation for Party Like a Greek
Nayana- They want the gameroom, food and drinks.
Jordan- It says the gameroom costs $550.
Ross- It should be $15 an hour, so it is a total of $75.
Nayana- Any questions?
VOTE For 4 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
B. HL 17-0607- Additional Allocation or American Model United Nations
Nayana- Transportation and hotels, and the lottery. They asked for $5600 and it went down to 2910.
Jordan How many eople?
Nayana 16
VOTE For 3 Opposed 0 Abstaining 2
C. HL 17-0607- Additional Allocation or First Semi-Annual Go Club
Ross- They are having a tournament. They invited people from other schools. The fee is for their chapter to partcipate in tournaments. The membership is a requirement to partcipate in the tournaments. They are charging $5 for the events because they don’t have any money.
Ozel- Why can’t the students pay for the membership?
Phil- The $10 membership will be for the whole year.
Ozel- These people will be able to participate in the event.
VOTE For 4 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
D. HL 18 - 0607- Additional Allocation for Fair Hill International Field Trip
Ross- They are a special interest. They are going to see horses.
David- They get no exercise.
Ross- Some of them own horses. I’m a member but i don’w have horses
VOTE For 4 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
E. HL 19 – 0607 Additional Allocation for Movie on the Lawn
Nayana- Christian group want to show The Princess Bride. We don’t think that they show the movie outside in October.
David- Club relationship to movie?
Nayana- None
Ozel- Purpose of the event?
Nayana- To bring students together from UMBC.
Jordan- Advertising?
Nayana- It is under misc. expenses
VOTE For 2 Opposed 2 Abstaining 1
Nayana is opposed… does not pass.
F. HL 20- 0607
G. JL 04 – 0607- General ledger Allocation for Dell Colour laser Printer 311cn
Jay- To purchase new laser printer for the office. It is 6 or 8 years old. It has been great but right now it has a fuser problem.
Phil- It only jams on tray 3.
Jay- This printer is less than $800. It is networked. It is colour, it is usually $1500. But we have a deep discount.
Phil- It says 3 yr next day response. Full extent of warranty? Can we make it longer?
Jay- There was either 6 yr limited warranty: if it wears out due to anything due to age. But 3 yr warranty and we could beat it with a baseball bat and get a new one. The copier can print but Xerox is unreliable. So if the copier breaks, we will be out of business.
Carrie- Why do we need to be large?
Jay- They aren’t sold any smaller. it would not be networked and we won’t have colour. And they tray would be filled once or twice a day.
Carrie- Are there ways that the colorness fo this printer is not being abused?
Jay- Colour can be turned off with an approval code. And those with the code can always be reached.
David- Was there a way to take it out of the general ledger?
Jay- It would have taken about 4 months, if I read it right.
David- I think our first step always has to be to look for the money that is coming in.
Nayana- Why is $800, and $748?
Jay- I couldn’t get a straight answer whether they charge for shipping.
Ross- What did senate say?
Jay- I was in Arlington. Next Monday I will be going to the Senate meeting to answer questions.
Joy- IS the printer not working?
Jay- The fuser is not working. $200 repair. And tray 3 will jam. We will have a sizeable upgrade.
Joy- do we have to get it now?
Jay- it is better for the what if scenario. But what if the copier/printer breaks down.
Nayana- What about the Xerox machine?
Jay- If we don’t have a copier or printer, we can’t do work.
Phil- What would it take to change a line item in the budget?
David- It would be a reallocation. So the money would go to some other purpose. We have $1200 for that budget.
Phil- What will happen to the printer right now?
Jay- I would say it was broken, it might go to the basement in the commons.
David- Students on the second floor who have access on the 2nd floor will be seen printing out homework. I think the concern was, are students using the office as their personal homework space?
Jay- Even though students may be printing a little bit of homework, I have a problem with it. I don’t have a problem with people using it to use for things related directly to SGA.
Nayana- Vote
VOTE For 4 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
H. JL 04 - 0607 Funding for the Study Place at UMBC
Nayana- Friendly amend- be it resolved, include that it is from the general ledger.
Jordan- The study space is going to cost $16,000-$17000. We could have funded the whole thing. We got $6000 from the president’s council. OSL has promoted the space. We have requested $8000. Security- card swipe. Students will have access to the study space for meetings. Most of the cost will be one time costs. Tables, maintenance. We may have to pay $1000-2000 a year. Off campus student services have donanted people for 9- 4 30. Computers have been donated. We have gotten a lot of money from other places. It is a partnership for the entire university.
Ozel- What do you want to add to the space after awhile?
Jordan- We can move the study groups there. We have the math TAs wanting to do work there. Long term- we want to create an alternative space to the Atrium that si open 24 hours. A study place that is going to meet
Joy- Where is it going to be?
Jordan- The bottom floor in the university center. The space has not been used in 4 years. We want to create a space where students are going to learn and like it, they won’t take it away from us.
David- The cost is going to be more to $19.000 for security to keep equipment. The comment about Imperialism- We don’t know how long that space is going to be used for that purpose. This may be a worthwhile investment, it’s not the same as creating a space that will be controlled forever. The money to renevate it, the university doesn’t have the money.
Ross- It would be nice to see a breakdown of this.
David- Security cameras $5015. Swipe 3660. Break in protection system $1985. marketing $2900. $2100 for mobile white boards. $750 for wiring.
Ozel- Are there going to be printers and scanners available?
Jordan- At this point no, but there will be computers. Right now it is just going to be a study space.
David- Freedman has used the study space as an example of the way that the student body is excellent. The president is saying look what SGA has done.
Nayana- At yesterday’s senate meeting, it seemed like it wasn’t specific what our $8000 is going for.
David- That is doing it without all of the extras, that is just to open the doors.
Nayana- Our $8000 is pretty genereal now.
VOTE For 4 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
V. Reports
A. Executive reports
B. Ex- officio Reports
C. Officer Reports
XI. General Discussion
A. In House Elections- October 17. I found last years in house application. I am thinking about keeping it for the most part the same. We might put in the categories or change up the questions.
Ross- I would like to see a question added about time commitment.
Joy- I like the idea of seeing how much they are willing to commit.
Nayana- This is a FYA-Archama. bio chem. major. I am interested because I was in SGA in high school. Any other changes aside from the time commitments.
Ozel- We could ask for their schedule.
Nayana- Find people from your organizations and find good people. And budget hearings will be two weeks later.
Gabe- character traits that describe yourself.
XII. Announcements
Jordan-SGA elections are only a few months away. Think if you want to run in the spring. Hopefully all of you realize the impact you are making. I hope you encourage your friends to come out and apply for SGA.
Ross- Bring a friend to SGA meeting.
Jordan- Can we do it with the Senate? Next week then.
XIII. Roll Call
Absent: Ben
XIV. Adjournment
6:30