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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Call to Order
8:18
Roll Call
Absent: Ozell, Stan, Archiana
Approval of Minutes
Approved
New Business
A. HL78-0607- Additional Allocation for JSU’s and AEP’s “Donna Rosenthal at UMBC”
Nayana- The finance committee has meet, we decided to change the honorarium to $500. These groups may be coming back to us with more precise money facts.
Macaulay- All the legislation needs to be updated for the new
Hamza- If there are any questions, I’ll answer them.
Ross- This will be in the skylight room.
Hamza- The speaker has written a book on Israel. She is honest. She is a great speaker. It will be in conjunction with Gaucher, Towson, and JHU. She is on tour. I will come back to you with more realistic money for food.
Macaulay- The safe committee meeting needs to be attended.
David- Is it free and open to everyone
Hamza- Yes
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
B. HL79-0607- Additional Allocation for JSU’s and AEP’s “ Kadima Party”
Nayana- The finance committee thought it would be good for $50 for advertising.
Hamza-The Kadima party is cancelled but there will still be a reception.
Ross- It is kind of strange.
Hamza- There is an X-ray project, showing victims of terror and the speaker is coming on Thursday. We thought that we should tone down the party. The speaker would start at 8 finish at 9. Is it possible for me to ask of additional allocations here.
Nayana- you want to propose a new budget here?
Hamza- we want to add $50 for pizza.
Nayana- I have never heard that.
Ross- We can amend it now, but it has to go through the treasurer first.
Hamza- It is a reception.
Nayana- We have to friendly amendment to change the name.
Hamza- it is not party, it is now reception.
Macaulay- it will be 25-50.
Hamza- we are downscaling so we are expecting people.
Michael- do you still need money for advertising or will the other groups adverts cover it?
Hamza- No.
Carrie- Since you don’t need the lighting anymore, can you use those funds to cover advertising?
Hamza- we don’t have that money yet.
Carrie- Don’t you need to friendly amend it.
Nayana- we did
Ross- I think that it is too much for advertising. They said they would like money for refreshments. So let’s cut some for adverts and add more for food.
David- I don’t like to open the backdoor for the House
Ross- I would like to make advertising light refreshments instead.
David- You had no idea about the refreshments until tonight. That worries me a little.
Ross- It should go to a finance committee then it should be recommended to the house. What do you think Stan?
Stan- I think we should give some for adverts and some for food, but the group can reallocate it.
James- 50 to me doesn’t seem that much too much to me, but since it is so close, but what is left will come back to us.
Ross- you can reallocate within an event, we may need to look at it. We could give them 50 for advertising and they could spend it on marshmallows.
Carrie- I think there is a problem with changing a line items that aren’t previously submitted.
Hamza- The power to tax is the power to destroy. Is it possible to pass on a non-binding resolution?
Nayana- This is new. I feel that this is a little outrageous. I understand why. But we have never had to deal with this before.
Carrie- I think it is a very novelle idea to pass a resolution. I think there are many ways to address this issue without anyway passing legislation.
Nayana- The resolution can’t be made up today. Unless anyone else wants to friendly amend it and keep it.
Ross- we could say that we shouldn’t be allocated to a different event.
VOTE For 0 Opposed 2 Abstaining 1
C. HL80-0607-Additional Allocation for JSU’s and AEP’s Shalosh Ima’ot
Nayana- finance committee will cover the movie and the adverts will be covered. $300 for rights to the film and 200 for advertising.
Carrie- 200 is a lot for advertising.
Hamza $175 are going to palm cards. 66 dollars for a poster.
Nayana- The finance committee would fund one event, since the other event is the next day.
David- Is this event free and open for all?
Hamza- yes and 75-100. It is in the sports zone.
Nayana- Any other questions?
Carrie- is there a set up associated with the movie?
No
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
D. HL81-0607- Additional Allocation for Go Club’s “Spring Tournament”
Nayana- This is for a Spring Tournament, food, fees and advertisements. They originally asked for 1000 because the chess club asked for it. We asked them for what they needed.
Macaulay- They wanted funds for the fall tournament but we can’t do that.
Ross- I think that we should just talk about this thing. I went to their fall tournament and it was very well attended. The place was packed. I think that it is the perfect amount to affect the community.
Nayana- ready to vote?
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
E. HL82-0607- Additional Allocation for College Republicans “CPAC”
- The CPAC traditional event that college republicans have been sent to. It is a large conference in DC with PAGs and conservative groups. It is a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas. We intended to submit this with our official budget but we were confused. The money that we were requesting, we are open to anyone who is willing to come. Liberals are welcome as well. We want to send 16 students. It would be 250 for rooms. The hotels are outside of the district.
Carrie- if the conference is in DC, why are the students staying in hotels?
- There are a lot of events at night and some people don’t have cars.
- How do you select who goes?
- First come first serve basis. We will send out messages to our listproc. Last year our aim was twelve. More people than that go. It is a three day conference, it is the first weekend in March.
Stan- do you have a flyer, where I can find more information?
-CPAC.com. There are a lot of big name people.
Nayana- How much do you charge the sixteen people that are going?
- they don’t pay for anything. They have to pay the extra fees. Metro fees. Carpools to D.C.
-Where is the hotel and where is the conference?
- The conference is held at the Omni Shorum hotel.
David- Did this go to the finance committee?
- We have had some bad luck. We had contacted the treasurer over the break, but I had already submitted the additional allocation form and he didn’t get it till a few weeks later. We intended it to be on our formal budget hearing.
Nayana- Any other questions?
Ross- I remember seeing you in the budget hearing, I was surprised that it took so long. I think it should be voted on tonight.
- If you guys end up reducing this amount, it is more important that we get the hotel fees. We can get people to register for the hotels.
Ross- you can reallocate under the bill. Phil will notify you. We will email you tomorrow.
Carrie- I can send an email tomorrow night.
Nayana- What do you think?
Carrie- I take serious issue for students going to events in DC. The metro station is open till 2. Sometimes we can’t fully fund a hotel in Chicago or New York.
Ross- I agree with that. I know that a group can bond and grow staying in a hotel. You would really grow as a group being forced to be with each other in the hotel room. Being in D.C., I think that we should give them something for the hotel, but some should come out of their pocket.
Stan- We have to realize that something did go wrong with the papers. They say that the hotel is important. This is a really rushed situation.
Carrie- yes there were issues. We are still aren’t able fully fund a hotel for an organization that has a serious need for a hotel.
- The greenbelt station, is only up to 2 on weekends.
Carrie- we have other organizations that need the money to stay somewhere far away.
McCauley- if this was at a finance committee meeting, this is $70 per person.
- I don’t think we have spent a lot of money from SGA. Last semester we were rather self sufficient.
Carrie- 70 is a large proportion to what a student pays in student activities fees.
Liz- Where is the hotel that you staying in?
- The hotel is about 15 minutes farther away.
Carrie- Is that travel expense worth the stay? It is a convenience.
- If we stay in D.C., it is a lot more inconvenient because that allows more people to go.
Carrie- It is probably more expensive to stay in the hotel than it is to travel everyday.
Ross- my biggest problem with the college republicans, the big thing is CPAC, I much prefer to fund an on campus event. If they want to send their slice of student fees, then they should be able to. I think that should be 400 for each.
Nayana- I would agree with Carrie, considering other organizations, that we should not be funding something that is not a necessity. They won’t have to pay for food or the parking fees will be less. I don’t feel they need a hotel to participate.
Ross- The kinetic sculpture club doesn’t have anywhere to build on campus. You would be surprised how many people how many wouldn’t go if they just went for the day. That group really grew when they were forced to spend time together. I think that an experience like this will be good for them.
Stan- I say 400 for each.
Nayana- The hotel is cut down to 400.
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
F. JL-13 Legislation Election Board
KB- I have three of the five election board members with me. Matt Paige isn’t here. If you have, any question asked them.
Nayana- what do you plan to do with these positions?
- I asked someone yesterday what election board is all about. I know they advertise things and they promote, I am a visual arts major. I don’t really don’t know a whole lot that goes on with the election board.
Ross- I would like to know what everyone is studying.
1- I am Chris Crommel. I am a visual arts major. My favourite pie, I like pumpkin pie.
Dennor- My name is Denor, I am a poli sci major. I applied I wanted to get myself involved on campus. I went to leader shape and it motivated me.
Jess- I am a poli sci and sociologically. I like apple pie.
McCauley- do you feel these individuals will help you fulfill your role?
Stan- Has Matt Paige been on the board before?
KB- No.
Jess- I served on the board last year.
Ross- My biggest question for Matt would be knowing everyone, how do you stay impartial?
Nayana- how did you guys get introduced to the positions.
-Carrie, KB, Chett.
5 minute recess. Back at 9:24
Ross- I move to vote
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
You have all been approved.
Student life Legislation:
Martial Arts Club
Ross- they want to bring people who are in martial together. They aren’t interested in competing and that is why they are in special interest.
David- Did you address all questionable issues?
Ross- Yes, I’m comfortable with this.
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0
Buddhist Club-
Ross- They were derecognized 2 semesters. It is a new group of people.
David- SGA did vote to revoke the recognition, they argued that there was a mistake in the paper work. In addition, they weren’t derecognized.
Ross- We could say this is the acceptance in the new constitution.
David- but what if there are two groups?
Ross- But the same officers are the same and the last thing in there was the derecognizing.
David- I’ll look for it in OSL.
Nayana- want to vote?
Stan- if we don’t vote on this now, when can they be active?
Ross- till the 11th week.
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
Billiards Club
Ross- they would like to change their constitution, from being competitive to not being competitive.
Nayana- will they be coming to you with a request a change of their status?
Ross- they will come to us with a proposal to how the house looks at the sections
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
Carrie- what happened to the Arab student union.
Nayana- I will take about that letter.
Carrie- I am just wondering what happened on it.
Nayana- I had sent it to you by mistake and you had already signed off on it.
David- it doesn’t matter if she signed it, if it wasn’t passed.
Nayana- I think I wrote it wrong on my copy.
Ross- If we have the number
Liz- It is HL68
Ross- which is the acceptance of the Arab student union? I move to vote
VOTE For 2 Opposed 0 Abstaining 1
Committee Reports
Ross- I just covered it.
In-House Elections
skipped
General Discussion
skipped
Ex-Officio Reports
NONE
Announcements
Roll Call
Absent: Joy, Ozell
Adjournment
10:27
Pass the Gavel