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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February 26, 2007
5:34 meeting called to order.
Everyone here except Elani and Alex – excused absence.
Last weeks minutes approved.
Week in review.
Adrienne
• Formal dance committee; more things need to be added to the liability form.
• Need to get back in touch with Jennifer White-Torres
• Have transportation (coach buses)
• Have to pay balance then we’ll have tickets available
• Will have 2 crews: one here at UMBC and one down at Harbor.
Gabe
• Referendum question committee meant- hammered out question regarding student activity fee increase. Should have legislation soon
• Campus connect retention meeting. Lots of questions about direction; seems to be still on schedule with mentors and mentees
Danielle
• Readership meeting. Survey finished; should be online soon
New Business
Ramona Arthur & Abigail
Off campus living task force –
• 2002 Dr. Fey
• set up to help with emergency things for students off campus
• think about how umbc and immediate community can work together
Good neighbor service project
• what does it mean to be a good neighbor? (in terms of programs and outreach)
1. good neighbor service project (community service). Spring project and Fall project.
2. Town gown community development.
1. Progressive dinner – start meal somewhere, go somewhere else for the rest of the meal – keep moving around
2. Signage in Catonsville and Arbutus – big banners to welcome new students. Lots of Red Card Program businesses already have this.
Would SGA be interested in getting involved with this?
Every Spring try to adopt a school and find out what they need; suggested lots of students missing school for rainy days (lacking umbrellas and rain gear). Put on drive to collect this gear. Considering Arbutus Elem.
Would like help for advertising, help with setting up donation boxes, making sure deliveries are successful, etc.
Anything the SGA would like to take up. Wouldn’t be an ongoing – an ongoing commitment; another tradition.
Typically cost $2,500 for service projects (spent on advertising).
Steve: putting up signs to state UMBC’s presence in nearby towns.
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Adopt a Highway. SGA could act as an middle man to help organizations take on these service projects.
Signs could help a lot.
Do Catonsville and Arbutus want to be labeled as the college town of UMBC.
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Readership committee meeting
Survey should be up on myUMBC tomorrow (Feb 27)
Emailed to every student… ever?
Incentive? None planned.
Dr. Fey is coming next week.
Questions to ask Dr. Fey:
What kind of money is being asked of the Senate?
How long would this program be expected to exist? Continually like Stress Free zone?
What is the exact amount of money Dr. Fey is able to put forth to this program?
What has the response been from other areas of campus?
What do we say when Dr. Fey asks us why we haven’t done more for this since it’s our program?
We can’t handle this program without having necessary information from Dr. Fey.
We support, but are in need of a means for execution.
Don’t come off to argumentative. Ask questions, get answers, but be respectful.
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JL13-0607 Election Board
Mekeda (Sociology, junior – trying to help voter turnout), Danur (poly science, soph.) , and Chris (visual arts, freshman - advertisements)
Why did you want to be on SGA Election Board
Chris – good stepping stone to get involved
Danur – Erin H. recommended; stepping stone to involvement
Mekeda – election board chair last spring, asked to be election board member this spring
Personal goal –
Chris – want to know what’s going on and help others.
Danur – want to get involved on campus; a good first step. Want to know more.
Mekeda – trying to see what could be done with all new candidates, trying to get as many people to come out as they can. Voted turnout goal around 3,000.
In favor: 7
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 1
Absent: 2
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SGA structure
House unable to have all 17 members
VP for Student Orgs (Exec) – hire staff to work for student orgs, review constitution, enforce student org policies, create long term services and program for orgs (elected by student body same way treasurer is; not on ticket).
Organization advocates (5 members at large) – members run on a campaign to tackle projects relating to organizations, may request funding for project from Financial Board, as elected members, forms relationships with admin to work for organization
House created to help Senate who was bogged down with financial stuff.
Now trying to make sure functions get done, not that we have people to fill all the spots.
Maybe just this one time, we could appoint those that received enough votes to be considered.
In the event that there aren’t enough people to fill spots, President will fill seats.
Nayana: 5 people can do finances, but wouldn’t be able to take on a lot of other things.
If there’s only 5 people, organization could take majority. Would encourage more people to vote.
Easier to work a group like this with a medium sized group than large – Phil.
What about proportional representation of projected voter turnout?
Don’t want to make available seats so big that there isn’t any competition.
What % SGA are commuters. 4-5%. Extremely disproportionate.
Would this be package deal on ballot Yeah.
Hoping to be written into legislation within few weeks. House needs help to get through.
See David, Ross or Nayana if you have questions.
Executive Reports
Gabe – study groups; classes on other campuses; bringing back Arabic and Sign Language
David – 6 big posters in windows of Study space, also 6 posters on the inside – what message should we put forth? Campus looks like nothing happens here that’s very lively, studies are only thing that’s important. Please look over ideas and rank.
Adrienne – phi beta sigma incorporated “Showtime at the Apollo”
Mike – had brunch, doing once a month. Also, weekend of may 5th, umbc quiz bowl team going to USC to compete in college bowl national championships.
Announcements
Inconvenient truth – 28th of march public policy CCI and SEA
New York times rep to talk about separate program
Mamas boys at Apollo (cabaret)– 8:25
Roll call: everyone here except Terrance (class), Alex and Elani
7:05 p