Student Government Association

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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5:34
Avi, Alex, Steve, Mike and Thaddeus absent.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Adrienne-
Sign up sheet for on campus and off-campus committees in office.
Formal dance tickets are in and available – need people to be down at Harbor to help direct those that drive themselves to event. Will have extra liability forms available. Those that are drunk, high or intoxicated in other ways won’t be allowed on.

Gabe –
Campus connect – trying to recruit faculty mentors and then trying to get students who want to be mentored, in addition to some student mentors.
Cabinet meeting decided would not be prudent to put increase in student fee question on ballot this go round. Running low on time, elections are in 3-4 weeks. If question didn’t pass this time, would doom SGA for next couple years – want to make sure it passes.

Nayana -
Budget policy committee – How budget is now. Changed a lot of wording. Meeting this Friday at noon to talk about how we fund various things.

NEW BUSINESS

Emily Garrett was supposed to come today, but will be pushed till next week.
Some kind of memory piece for seniors was going to be discussed.

JL16-0607
Honors college council holding ball; asking for $1,900 for dinner and decorations. Trying to get out of GL because Honors college council not Student organization. This event has been funded in the past by Honors College, but due to cuts in funds, need help with money.

Would be free for all students. Initially would’ve been $10 for students, but if SGA helps, will be free for students. Will have speakers, too. In two weeks.

Turn out in past told Nayana that usually it’s a huge event – traditional event. Plus now that it’s free, expecting big turnout. House comfortable with this except for them not being student organization – but cosponsoring would fix this problem.

Pass: 4
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 2
Absent: 4

This passes.

EXEC REPORTS
Nayana –
Jambo night had already been funded $6,000 ish dollars. Problem was that they needed more money from SGA – thought would be for AV, but really needed extra $2,500 to bring in entertainer from Atlanta. ASA would still be able to hold without $2,500. Not really any threat to Jambo night. If we had funded that it would’ve been $9,000 going to one organization, for one event.

Narmin –
Report hate box email sent.
Around the world is the 26th. Ask friends if think they could be helpful.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Buy tickets for Dance, only $25 for everything.
Can’t go to national competition (quiz bowl competition) because University won’t fund. Charlie Fey has agreed to match whatever can fundraise.
EcoFest April 13th, Main street – speakers and bands that are eco friendly.

Mike here now. Everyone else still out.

Meeting adjourned at 5:53

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
8:19

Roll Call
Ozell

Approval of Minutes

New Business
A. HL106-0607 – Additional Allocation for Perfected Praise for Dance Fest 2007
Joy: what money for dance class, they reallocated money for this event, total 225
Nayana: any Questions?
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

B. HL107-0607 - Additional Allocation for Maryland Student Legislature for Annual Session
Joy: hey hold this event every year, expecting 10, 30 dollars per person
Randy: where are they going?
Ross: Annapolis.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

C. HL108-0607 - Additional Allocation for Quiz Bowl Team for National College Bowl Tournament
Joy: quiz bowl is going to national. They have not done much fundraiser, asking for 800 but given 600.
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 2

D. HL109-0607 - Additional Allocation for Tai Ji Club/Honors College Council for Honors College Mirror Ball
Joy: so honor college council teamed up with Tai Ji club, about a 100 people coming, held in the skylight lounge. They plan to charge 10 per person. Open to every one. What happen to other money? Were asking for 1000 cut down to 400.
Michael: so the honor college is not a school club is asking us to fund there event
Nayana: it is the Tai Ji club that is asking for the money.
Michael: so it there a reason why they are teaming up with the Tai Ji club.
Kary: this seems fishy.
Tabbassum: we don’t recognize the honor college council.
Nayana: it is the Tai Ji is asking money
Joy: it is open for everybody even though it says honor college mirror ball.
Michael: if the honor college wanted money they should go thru the channels.
Phil: this may be the Tai Ji is co-sponsor contribution towards the event.
Kary: is it still a co-sponsor if the honors college council not gives there own money, they are bringing fund from the “honors college” But not there own.
Phil: the honors college council does not have there own funds.
Michael: is it true that the money they are making from the ticket that they are selling going to the honors college council.
Nayana: yes.
Kary: so the SGA is going to fund the Tai Ji club for an event that the honors college getting the money and is not a SGA organization but will profit from funds given by the SGA.
Joy: they are not trying to make money from this event. They originally asked to break even.
Ross: the honor college has put up almost a dozen events and almost never breaks even.
David: if the house is going to fund this then the meaning of SGA recognized organizations go out the window.
Nayana: they are trying to be honest.
Ross: they don’t seem to be deceptive at all; it should really should come from the allocation pot. The honors college council should be call an organization.
Michael: so this body should fund this because they should be called an organization.
Kary: at the end of the day the honor college is not a recognized organization and they should be fund but I think it is time to take our policies seriously
Liz: at this point we should not fund them because we should be funding recognized organization.
Michael: the question is if we should fund this way or not.
Nayana: should it come from the house because they get it from other parts of the SGA.
Christine: why is the honors college not a part of the SGA?
Ross: the honors college is not letting the honors college council go.
Stan: we should be careful how we spend our money because there are other big things coming up to fund.
Michael: what is the point of the SGA if you fund everybody?
Ross: they originally wanted to get more organizations involved
Kary: if people turned things in earlier, we won’t have this problem.
Randy: I want to support them, but I want this to end.
David: if there is a profit then where would this money go?
Ross: it would go to the honor college council.
Nayana: so we should right the condition that the money they make comes back to us?
For: 2 Opposed: 4 Abstaining: 2

E. HL110-0607 - Additional Allocation for ASA for Jambo Night
Joy: asking for 4900; put in 2900
Phil: we met with Lee in office of student life to discuss this; in the sheet with the expenses and funding they gave us in the finance committee meeting they list 1200 dollars that is coming from their carry over account. When we checked there carry over account today it had 4900 dollars available to spend. If we denied there fund and if they would be allowed to go in to debt and make it up in ticket fund. If they don’t receive this funding they would not need to cancel the event.
Liz: it doesn’t seem that bad to help them
Michael: 6500 is already going to the event and they want more to have this performer.
Stan: when u talked to lee and if they go in to debt. It is possible to make it back.
Liz: the rac is a HUGE place. To get staffing, to get table, to get security. It cost a lot, how do you know if they will break even.
Phil: will they had to turn away people last year.
Liz: the other big issue is CP has the same event the same night.
Kary: I am concerned the information is so different.
Michael: I think the one thing to keep in mind it that the event is going to still going to go on even if this is not given.
Joy: how much is go in debt would they go?
Phil: 2500 dollar but they would make that back with ticket sells.
Liz: last year they had a lot more of carry over. They are trying to get sponsorships. They have worked for it.
Kary: they already gotten 6500 dollars
Stan: well college park doing this same event at the same time, the ASA club may lose a lot of money.
Liz: this is the first time it has been on the same weekend.
Michael: ASA should have chosen their day better.
Liz: we had the date first, then college park chose there date.
Phil: Organizations that hold big events would tend break even on the events.
David: how much in the AA pool left for this year?
Phil: less then 10000 but I do not have the exact amount.
Ross: I know this is a huge event but for one event it is too much.
Michael: this not primarily for umbc students there are going to be other people attending.
Stan: if we don’t fund them, then will office of student life fund them?
Phil: no, if we don’t fund them then the event will go on but the performer will not come.
Liz: how many people go to quadmania? How much that cost? I am looking for a similar event.
Joy: basically cutting this means no performer and they would go in to debt.
Phil they would go into deficient before the event but office of student life is ok with taking that risk.
Michael: office of student life is still confident that they will make it back.
Lamya: the only reason we consider funding them more this is because it is a big event. It does not seem right.
Michael: even this money they will go into debt.
Randy: how is debt work?
Phil: if they are indebt they can not go thru the AA process.
Ross: with a contact of this size no money going out student pocket. It would take 250 people to come to get out of debt. As for quadmania is done by many other groups coming together.
Joy: can we go over
Phil: 3500 came back, this year 145 thousand and now about 7500 is left.
Joy: is it possible to change the amount of AA. Make a move to change the amount to 1000.
Michael: every one seems that debt is bad, but office of student life is confident that ASA will make back there is money.
Nayana: second?
Liz: they would not a problem if the common would help them.
Randy: all members are paying 10 dollars to get in.
Nayana: everyone is paying. Let talk about the motion.
Michael: I think cutting this would complicate it.
Ross: like tabassum said. I think we gave this organizing a lot of money.
Joy: withdraw the motion.
Liz: the only reason they came back because the common is not doing the A.V
Michael: I think the money we gave them is enough.
For: 2 Opposed: 4 Abstaining: 3

F. HL111-0607 - Additional Allocation for TSA for Asian American Forum
Joy: April 5. Money for drinks and snacks.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

G. HL112-0607- Approval of 2008 Student Organization Initial Allocation
Randy: so students for envirmental awareness have been rejected.
Phil: yes they asked for 60 and 80 dollars.
David: even if they were rejected they can still try.
Ross: is ease going to do the cry for help
Randy: the bartlbey 3000
Nayana: that is there total cost for the year.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

H. JL115-0607-Approval of the Fiscal Year 2008 SGA Budget
Nayana: any questions?
Phil: you would be voting for allocations for next year. Basically what it comes down to it
David: the budgeting process: in November to the next November. This year the house can not allocate the amount of money for the pot without the SGA overall budget. The bottom line is the finance committee can not be approved tonight. Tonight when the house completes the process tonight.
Joy: what is the 11000 dollars?
David: the money is for the event for this spring. So what we are doing is allocating money for event before November. “Just in case money”
Nayana: anymore comments?
Randy: is it active over the summer?
Phil: they would need to get it now.
David: the SGA should become a 12 month thing.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

Old Business
A. HL101-0607 - Additional Allocation for the Go Club For Maryland Open Tournament
Nayana: what are we doing?
Phil: we are waiting to see if they are fundraising.
James: 107 seems the same
Ross: last week is because
Nayana: still in the table

B. HL63-0607
Ross: we were told that it will be held on rush week and open to all but advertised as rush.
Nayana: we asked them if it was a rush event and they said no
Ross: that is bad, motion to bring back
(For 7 Opposed 1)
Nayana: it is brought back
Stan: how are we taking back the money?
David: can take it from the account because it never spent.
Ross: I thought it was spent.
Michael: so the money is still in the account tagged for sae, so can we take the money back.
David: we need more info
Ross: if the money is still there we can just take it back and if they spent we can still take action.
Nayana: so if the money hasn’t been spent then can’t we take it back and take action.
Randy: is there a way see if the money is going where it going.
Nayana: table?
Tabled

Committee Reports
Ross: we talked about sports club and stuff we are taking to budgetary policy meeting.
Nayana: as a policy stands we can’t fund a sports clubs.
Michael: we are looking to fund sports clubs.
James: the problem with that is that we don’t have a way to check.

Executive Reports
Tabassum: I have one thing, it is an announcement, not only are we vol. and we need to act like a SGA, so the rules: if you are caught visible drunk on the boat. If you are executive and caught drunk you will be removed from office. In the legislative you will have be filed for impeachment. What you do before and after the dance is you business but we will be turning away people.
Joy: we will talk about that on Monday
Tabassum: the rules are up.
David: it is thinking this thru, is there is going to be resources
Ross: there can be other groups that can be doing other things.

James: fee forum is about new SGA members and that will be coming up.

Announcement
Joy: the ticket for the spring formal will be going on sale Friday or Monday.

Roll Call
Ozell

Adjournment
10:22

Pass the Gavel

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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April 9, 2007
5:32 meeting called to order
Brittany, Danielle and Avi not here.
Minutes approved.

Week in review:

ADRIENNE
70 people plus have bought tickets for formal dance

GABE
Campus connect, last Wednesday had Gala recruitment. Went well, got info out to everyone, and hopefully lots of people have been recruited. Ramona and Gabe are doing events on 17th and 18th.

STEVE
Commons Advisory Board meeting
New furniture in front of Mein Bowl and Wrapzzz – no one on the CAB knew what this was except Joe Regier.
Also, Stress Free Zone meeting.

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KB
Elections are 23-25th. Don’t have any referendum questions right now. Only have one for constitution. Should really have some kind of referendum question, looks bad if don’t. The Retriever Editor and Chief is really easy to work with once you explain what you want.
Referendum questions are sometimes used as guides for the future SGA members.
Need questions latest is next week.
Possible question topics: Readership, PE Requirement changes (Carrie has been talking to Diane Lee. Trying to change requirements to something more flexible, like being able to swipe into the RAC and have that count). Can still do specific classes too.
Elani will set up a meeting on Corp Time, please respond if you can come or not.

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Legislation for funding Stress Free Zone SL12-0607
Asking for $2,130 from Senate

Thaddeus – in future we should look for other pots to fund this, instead of just Senate. Exec’s could chip in. Against Senate being sole proprietor.

In favor: 6
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 1
Absent: 3

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TRW and SEB Budgets JL17-0607

Everyone gets a raise because they are hourly workers and have to be paid minimum wage.
Thaddeus – ask for $4,000 in travel (journalism conference, this year spending money elsewhere, hoping to go next year).
The Retriever publisher didn’t give a bid on time, and had to go with another publisher, which cost another 4-5k.

In favor: 6
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 1
Absent: 3

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One Month to go!
Still keep working and don’t slack.

Transit – Thaddeus
Because of the way we have to put in proposals, it was so specific a very limited number of companies could contract for it. But, that was good because it filtered out the companies that weren’t so good. Waiting till April 30th, will talk to Joe Regier then, and will have legislation in terms of funding for program.

SGA Formal Dance – Adrienne
Boat has two floors (inside and outside), two DJ’s… gonna be sweet!
Only getting 450 tickets instead of 500 – legit though.
Looked to higher outside transportation – some money from RSA but not enough to get coach busses. Decided to go with 4 school busses, or cheese busses as they are commonly referred to by most of the population under the age of 16.

RA’s of Harbor Hall have program coming up. Going to city, BMA, park clean up, and then Walters Art Gallery, then possibly something else. If interested let Mike know by email or phone.

Phil, will finish up budget.

Anyone want to resume the process of a library of info to help future SGA’s? Elani.

Tabassum – Exec Report
Inauguration May 11; going to be in 7th floor of library. Should be on your corp time, if not let me know.
New Students Day is Saturday. As many people as can come, please go.

Phil – Exec. Report
Working with Chris and James
All inclusive manual for student organization treasurers.

Jambo night this Saturday. At 7
ASIA is on Friday
Mama’s Boys performing Friday (Main Street) and Wednesday (DH)

Cross Campus Capture the Flag the last Friday of April, the 27th. Outside, with lots of room, and glow in the dark bracelets to designate teams.

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
8:22
Roll Call
Ozell
Liz
Approval of Minutes

New Business
A. HL106-0607 - Additional Allocation For SEA Camp Retreat in Maine.
Joy: SEA is asking for money, open of everyone, we decided to give the 300 for food and 100 for campground
Carrie: Can they do this event with 400 dollars? Because Maine is far away.
Nayana: We have funded SEA a lot of money in the past. We considered not giving them any money but this way they can do this event in Maryland..
Joy: Lot of the cost is rental vans and driving.
Ross: They can go anywhere here or Pennsylvania or West Virginia. And we have given them a lot of money.
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

B. HL107-0607 - Additional Allocation For MHC First Meeting
Joy: New club; open to everyone; so we funded them for food drinks and flyers. Ask money for second meeting but we didn’t fund it
Mike: This is there first meeting
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

C. HL108-0607 - Additional Allocation For Risk Management Seminar
Joy: Expecting 120 people; educating people about hazing there alcohol. Open to everyone. 6 to 8 pm at the UC. They are having a speaker appear.
David: This is targeted to the Greek communities. About alcohol hazing.
Nayana: So will it be greeks and alcohol hazing?
Christine: Yes you are right it is mostly to the Greeks. But anybody can come.
Mike: Is the event of helping all students.
Ross: Basically you do skits and stuff.
Joy: Does anyone know if all Greeks have to attend this.
Nayana: Don’t know. table?
TABLED For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

D. HL109-0607 - Additional Allocation For Casa Fest
Joy: april 26; expecting 250 people; 5 dollar in advance and 7 at door; last year it was successful and excepting a good turn out.
Mike: What is the difference between audio and sound?
Nayana: Sound for the DJ and audio for the performance
Ross: This event won event of the year
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

E. HL110-0607 - Additional Allocation For Genesis Toastmasters
Nayana: This a speech group, it is for 3 people that
Joy: The first one: is for the district “18 spring conference”. The second one (HL111-0607) is for the yearly membership cost, there are 14 members but they are asking for 10 member.
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

F. HL111-0607 - Additional Allocation For Genesis Toastmaster
Ross: These are the only thing they ask for.
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

G. JL16-0607 – Funding for Honors College Council for “Honors College Mirror Ball”
Ross: This is last week’s legislation, it passed the senate.
Carrie: How did this come to being
Ross: The sga is not co-sponsor it but we can fund it, they said if we wont charge for the event so the event is free.
Carrie: Is there a reason why we used the GL and not the project and intetives. It is never spent.
Mike: I am concerned we are giving money to a no recognized organization, and not getting anything.
Joy: The purpose it to make.
Mike: This kind of goes back to the image of the sga.
Christine: I don’t understand about the image .
Ross: I don’t think they will not be grateful. The leaders of this event were grateful because there was hope last Monday.
Carrie: I am not opposed to the idea. But we should.
For: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstaining: 1

Old Business
A. HL63-0607
Ross: I move to remove the table. Basically doing right now, to determine if we should allocate the money. They say that they removed the
Randy: so it wont go to next year.
Ross: they would need Phil to reallocate it to spend it so I think we should take it back.
Christine: what are we voting on?
Ross: if we give them money. We brought back to reconsider it.
Carrie: pretend we never seen this and voted on it
For: 0 Opposed: 6 Abstaining: 2

Committee Reports
Ross: we talked about what David is trying to get thru.

Nayana: may 3 and 10 is Organizations can come asking for money again.
Joy: that money can’t be used next year?
Ross: it rolls back into the GL.

Ex-Officio Reports
David: I want to mention to you some discussions that are going on in the Office of Student life, about student organizations management and process. We Identified 23 processes Student life. Tomorrow there will be a meeting of a little group to see if there needs to be any changes. So tomorrow I want to propose instead of having process relating to the condition of student organizations, punishment of bad behavior, enforcement of the five member rule, where the process goes student life hears something, everything is put into a file then goes to me, I look through it, review their constitution then pass that off to the chair of student life committee, and he shared it with the rest of the committee, it goes to the house, takes a vote, which is a recommendation to assistant VP of student affairs. 13 steps in all. The problem with this is if a hand off that was not made the right way the only person to know that is the last person to have that. So I want to suggest doing away with this and making a committee of sga member and Office of student life staff members. to do the entire review process.
Ross: will this committee deal with bad behavior?
David: The committee will do this to because that is step-by-step process too. The downside for sga to this is the students would not get much of a voice, they get a vote but it is not the same.

Carrie: we are working on dietary needs please email.
Tabassum: may 11 at 7pm in the library in the 7th floor, your term does not end until

Tabassum: we are planning the stress free zone, with a beach theme. We are looking for volunteer.
Randy: what are volunteers doing?
Tab: staffing the study place, during exams, don’t sign up if you have exams

Announcement
Joy: make sure you buy the tickets. Sign up to volunteer for being monitors

Christine: april is sexual assault avernce month
Ross: april is also national poetry month. We need to start pumping the student fee increase.
Carrie: we will not be asking a fee questions.

Stan: anyone going to be at jumbo night.

Roll Call
Ozell
Liz

Adjournment
9:24

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)
Michael
Joy
Approval of Minutes

New Business
A. HL114-0607 – Acceptance of MOST Club
Ross: they are affiliated with a nation organization, they have been placed in special interest, and had some problems with constitution but got it fix.
For: 5 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 1

B. HL115-0607 – Acceptance of Running Club
Ross: the purpose to promote health with running. I don’t think we should pay for the jersey and tennis shoes.
For: 6 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 2

C. JL17-0607 – SGA Approval of FY 08 TRW and SEB Budget
Nayana: what determines what organization gets a salary and not a stipend?
David: stipend is what you use if you can not pay minimum wage.
Nayana: why does the TRW have a salary and not a stipend?
Liz: are we approving the 08 budget for SEB according to the 06 budget? It says we are approving the 08 budget but were presented with the 06 budget.
Phil: there are lot of pages in the seb budget, and they have a break down for everything.
Ozell: is this what we are going to be expect?
Phil: we have approved.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 1

D. HL116-0607 – Additional Allocation for Risk Management Seminar
Joy: when they are first came we had question. First question: is it targeted to greeks? answer: No. Second question: Do greeks have to come? Answer: No
Ozell: I think _ had already assess this topic
Phil: all greeks have to cover this all the time. A lot of it is how to deal with situations, this always happens at the dorms and students don’t know what to do.
Liz: this is also a problem with athletes.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 1

E. HL117-0607 – Additional Allocation for SPIN
Nayana: a thank you luncheon, they are asking 200 dollars, free for everyone
Phil: for free hour, trying to get UC312.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 1

Committee Reports
Ross: writing up a letter to not impose a penalty on them but write a letter to them that we are not happy.
Nayana: what does a letter serve?
Ross: it tells them that we were not happy they misrepresented.
Ozell: so there will not be any action taken to them.
Ross: well got the money back.
David: student organization leaders tried to steal money from the sga.
Phil: something has happened, SAE can’t make any events.
Ross: I think this penalization of the leaders is a better policy then the whole organization.
Carrie: I think at the very least we need to see what we did. We need to think what kind of statement we will give them.
Nayana: I think something should be done.
Ross: the misrepresentation of an event falls in to tier one. They need
Carrie: I think that is a really reasonable policy
Ozell: I think we should consider the time table now because there is not much time left.
David: it is hard for me to imagine, other then putting other students at risk. That there are more serious violations then stealing money
Nayana: I agree with david.
Carrie: we have policy and procedures and we sometime follow them and sometime we don’t. even though it isn’t the
Lamya: I don’t think writing a letter because it is there fault they need to reflect on it themselves.
Ross: I think it is weird that there is not a warning to them
Nayana: my concern is that I personally call them here.
Ozell: I think a written statement would be a better telling them of there faults.
Joy: we called them this is the punishment you will face and t
Randy: I am curious, if they don’t come then what?
Nayana: if they don’t come then we can do what we want.
Ross: lets all call them, all the leaders, to the osl committee to present a case.

Ross: I think we should have a message go out to the greeks.
Nayana: who is the IFC president?
Christine: we are planning to email all of them and have them come in.
Ozell: I think that we should deal with SAE then make the example.
David: the bad behavior policy talks about three tiers. One of the thing is that the house that choose the tier. And the chair just gives the punishment and it seems that we could have t
Ross: What is the process of what we do?
Ozell: to formally have a written statement of what they did and have them come in on wed and have them presented to the house.
Stan: in order to do that we need to know what tier they are in violation.
Phil: from the budget stand point we can freeze their funds.
David: we need to find out if they are guilty or not, and if the recommendation is guilty it should go to the house and they vote on the penalty. The house can do what it wants.
Ross: the very end of the bad policy, speaks about getting out of the bad behavior. Could we punish them if they come in with clauses?
David: yes they get out.
David: the bad behavior was rewritten.

Ex-Officio Reports
Phil: As you know budget meeting tomorrow. Also house members who will be interested to rewrite the budget policy send me an email.

David: last week I mention that proposing a change to the process the SGA and OSL share, in the student recognitions process, enforcement of five member rule and bad behavior policy. I got a favorable response to that. I also got an additional request the five member rule should be rewritten and enforced. It is really difficult to enforce this policy because you have to go thru all this tracking. Last year SGA manage the information and didn’t do so well, this year osl managed the information and didn’t do so well either. Student life is asking to simplify the process basically by taking out the little steps. Part of the idea a secure organization loses their recognition, and they will have to reapply for it. What they lose is the right for reserving space and using their funds.
Ross: I think we should make sure the recording is handled smoothly.

Tabassum: In honor of the 40th Anniversary we are making an award for a SGA member that could be the highest honor.

General Discussion
A. ASA
Liz: I heard that an email that went out and there were some misunderstandings. There is a representative from ASA.
ASA Representative: when I read it, it is true they were being difficult. The problem we were having was we need money to fund the event on osl standpoint. I would have been happy with anything you would give us. I talk to almost everyone in the house. I heard it went thru finance committee, 2500, great, I was not expecting that much. Nayana gave me a call saying do you mind giving the money back after Jumbo Night, I said that is a great idea; we just need the money to run the event. When a student organization go out do big events.
Nayana: well we talk to osl. They said that if they didn’t have the performer they could still hold the event.
ASA Representative: well the problem with that is Umbc already sent out the contract to the performer and if he signed it we would have to pay that.
Phil: we also had a problem with your carry over funds.
ASA Representative: well some of the check had been cashed and some haven’t been cashed, so do I present a carryover with the money taken out or with them in.
Stan: do you know how many tickets.
Ross: what was tough for us is you said you had to have the money or the event won’t happen and that put us in a tough position.
ASA Representative: I am sorry how the email came out. And you told us to come back at the at osl deadline. After Saturday, you should write this in to the SGA budget.
Phil: there will be fall budget hearings and have the executive member to tell them how important this is.
Randy: I hear there are door prizes.
ASA Representative: we got sponsors for gifts.

Announcement
ASA Representative: Jumbo Night this Saturday
Nayana: all new members see Pat to get stipend.
Ross: Eco-fest is tomorrow. Noon to eight.
Tabassum: around the world is.
Joy: buy formal tickets.

Roll Call (absent)
Michael

Adjournment
9:52
Pass the Gavel

In the spirit of openness during a very tight budget crunch, the SGA has posted our operating budget, including all of the money we expect to get this coming year and exactly where it’s going, to our web site with a narrative describing the reasoning that went behind each decision. Additionally available, as has been the case since the beginning of the 2006 – 2007 academic year, are the most updated budgets for all student organizations. You can view these budgets on our web site at http://sga.umbc.edu/budgets/. If you have questions, please direct them to Phil Graf, the current SGA Treasurer, at sgatreasurer@umbc.edu.

The Student Government Association will convene an open forum on Friday, April 20, at 12:00 noon in The Commons (2nd floor student organization area). Members of the campus community will have an opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns. Representatives from Counseling Services, Residential Life, Student Life, Campus Police, the Interfaith Center, and the administration will be available.

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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April 23, 2007

5:35 meeting called to order
Brittany, Thaddeus and Mike not here.
Approval of minutes – YES!

Week in Review
Elani
University Steering Committee – retention program which includes courses for freshman in particular. Not a very clear idea right now. Left with will bring up to students to figure out what is wanted.

Gabe
Campus connect. Had event last Thursday. Low turnout (1/1000th of invitations). Campus connect going to go forward.

Steve
Filled out banners for VTech

Adrienne
Go purchase your tickets now, everyone will wait till the very end most likely.
Ordered champagne glasses, will arrive on time.
People interested in helping with on and off campus meeting being pushed back to Monday.

Emily Garrett (?)– Alumni
Count down to graduation series. Hoping to start traditions with seniors to make them feel more connected as undergrads, and in turn, alumni.
Carrie said don’t feel as connected to grad year, more to a department that they were a part of.
• Leave your mark (instead of make your mark)
• Senior gift (to seniors)
• Class officers to work towards reunions after
• Black and gold society –
• Plant a tree
• Something fun – painting something, etc. wall mural maybe?
• Something where people could sign and leave a message behind.
• Seniors vs. freshman
• Yearbook with pictures and events that happen during their collegiate experience.
• Retriever cemetery

JL__-0607 Confirmation of Theresa Bruce
Nothing planned in particular, just trying to be fair and diffuse disputes during election times. Can bring fairness. Time: can do. Do you know anyone who is running – what would you do if you were friends with the people? Put friendship aside should a conflict come up.
A two year position.

Enter Thaddeus, he was cleaning up after a class presentation. … apparently.

Favor: 8
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 0

JL18-0607 Funding for Stress Free Zone
Requesting $1,500 from General Ledger
Short on money for give aways
Steve will be sending out a budget for this through email. He might not know it yet, but he is going to.

Favor: 7
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 1

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Randy Jones from NY Times coming next week.
400 people responded to survey for readership program. Strong majority for Sun. People want Times and then Post, and Sun was very low %.
TV, internet, newspaper (15-20%) how people get news
Over whelming # wouldn’t buy papers if they weren’t free.
Don’t really get Post for discount, just get Maryland paper.
Next week is really our last meeting.

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Inauguration next Friday, the 11th.
Keeper of the flame award

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Orientation. Want to move to skylight lounge of Commons. Need money for laptops. Should SGA help fund this initiative?

We’re talking about buying 5-10 laptops that SGA funds, let orientation people use, then they’d come back to use and we could use them for student orgs or voting, etc.
Alex: Don’t see why we can’t have it in the library.
Danielle: doesn’t make sense to buy laptops when we’d only use them a few times a year.
Thaddeus: basement is going to be filled with books in a few years. not happening this summer, but next summer. It’s going to have to move, so why not do it preemptively?
Elani: why can’t we have it on the first floor of the library?
Nayana: having it in a nicer area shows students we’re accommodating them some what. Student orgs also always need laptops.
Thaddeus: 1st floor not reservabale. Basement is disgusting.
25 laptops available already at CIC.
Gabe: great opportunity for SGA to help new students right from the get go. Also, students would wait in student orgs space if it was in the skylight lounge. (nicer, plus opportunity for recruitment)
Nayana: freshman got to move in a week earlier. Free to roam and figure out where things are.
Thaddeus: opens door for SGA involvement.
Elani: was it max $ for laptops we’re talking? Steve: not sure
Danielle: don’t think 1st floor of the library would set a precedent.
Thaddeus: in past, couldn’t use 1st floor because it would set precedent and other organizations would want to reserve 1st floor.
Mike: scavenger hunt through buildings.
Jen: making orientation better will help retention.

Having students actually help advise would be really helpful. Have people broken up by major so they could have a better idea of what you want to take.

“I am dead ass” – the one and only, Mike Pollard

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Wednesday Meeting Recap
Behavior was better as soon as the day after that meeting.
Meeting about keeping a professional atmosphere in the office. Some administrators had raised objections to the language and attitudes around the office.

-

EXEC Reports

David –
A lot of people are putting in votes.
A lot of people are voting so it’s going to take a lot of people to win. Election board will reveal number of how many people have voted.

Gabe
Peer advising interesting.

James
Fee forum is on Friday, free hour. Banner going up tomorrow.

House having student life meeting Wednesday.

-

Adrienne’s meeting pushed back to Monday.
Magic the Gathering… Gathering on May 16th from 12-3 in game room.
This Thursday at 8 ish Halo at least 2, maybe 1. Bring friends, controllers, bring a box to Harbor Café at 8.
Meeting in harbor multi-purpose room. Mike can reserve room, get snacks, and etc. This is like a town hall come-tell-us-your-problems thing.

Everyone here except Brittany and Terrance who left early.
7:13 pm meeting adjourned

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
816
Roll Call (absent)
Liz
Ozell
Joy (excused)

Approval of Minutes

New Business
A. JL16-0607
Theresa: the reason why I applied is because I am interested in law.
Mike:
Theresa: I have intern for judges, at Baltimore city courts and states attorney office; I have the background in the sense not to be bias.
Ross: how would achieve that?
Theresa: I think the SGAs role is what the three letters mean it is for the students. Help promote the school, diversity, interconnection relations.
Ross: how would do that as a justices?
Theresa: the way I understand it is that we settle disputes, especially during election time, and I think that is very helpful.
Nayana: what do you think is your greatest strength?
Theresa: leadership.
Nayana: what do you think is your greatest weakness?
Theresa: headstrong it can be good but you need to know when to fall back.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstain: 1

B. HL118-0607 – Additional Allocation for UMBC Solidarity Coalition Fast for Peace
Nayana: asking for five speakers over five days.
Ozell: who are the speakers?
Ross: Iraq veterans
Mike: where in the commons are they doing it?
For: 8 Opposed:0 Abstain: 1

C. HL119-0607 – Additional Allocation for American Red Cross ARC CPR night.
Ross: they are planning having to have about 40 people to teach CPR at the end you get the certification card. It is 20 dollars for each of the certification.
Liz: when is it?
Ross: May 8 and 10
Liz: require signing up.
Ross: they are going to advertise it to organization that have pre-med/ pre-medicine and they are going to put out flyers.
Carrie: policy aside. It is fairly difficult to find a cpr class on campus.
Ross: I think it is beneficial that is why I am bringing it up.
Mike: so Ross is now responsible.
Ross: this something good to know even if your certification ends you know it for the rest of your life
Nayana: and the instructors are free for this.
Mike: what are the tickets for?
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstain: 1

D. HL120-0607 - Acceptance of Nihonbu
Ross: this is the acceptation of Nihonbu. This is a cultural and ethnic group in providing academic and insight of the Japanese language and culture.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstain: 1

E. HL121-0607 – Acceptance of Sigma Pi Sigma
Ross: physic honor society, they are non-funded because they have GPA recruitment
Randy: why cant then be funded because of GPA requirements?
Ross: they are selective by GPA and therefore can’t be funded.
For:8 Opposed:0 Abstain: 1

F. HL122-0607 – Acceptance of Sikh Student Association
Ross: they put together a new constitution.
David: have they fixed their problem with the membership
Ross: they add a clause that 75% undergraduates and they also fix their election policies to define voting members as undergraduate members.
For: 8 Opposed:0 Abstain: 1

G. HL123-0607 – Acceptance of Student Mentoring Group
Randy: they are a group big brother big/sister group.
Nayana: how is their constitution?
David: the constitution has how to remove the people not how they are elected.
Randy:
David: we once have a situation that election was conducted improperly but the organization constitution was vaguely worded and put the sga in a difficult position.
Randy: it is the same as the template.
David: it is clear.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstain: 1

H. HL124-0607 –Change of Billiard Club Category
Ross: they were a sports club but now they are no longer sports club
James: I just don’t want to set
Mike: has any progress in funding a sports club if it’s beneficial to the whole campus.
Nayana: that
Mike: when was the last one?
Ross: we should put tight restraints on what it is funded. What do we fund is a better club.
Stan: what is the process that takes time or as soon as the constitution changes the category changes?
Ross: we can do what we want in changing constitutions. We can change the category and not the constitution or not change the category but change their constitution.
Liz: now that
Ross: if they want to get performers. To get
Mike: we can change the category anytime right? So can we change it after the budgetary policies are written and change it then.
James: what is the formal definition of a sport club?
Nayana: there isn’t one.
For: 8 Opposed: 0 Abstain: 1

I. JL17-0607 – Stress Free Zone
Tabassum: every year we have one.
Ozell: are we doing anything new?
Tabassum: one of the new things we are doing is having the pool of a night and a study marathon. And the Saturday before finals and we will be doing lemonade and hopeful we will do the car smashing.
For: 8 Opposed:0 Abstain: 1

Committee Reports
Ozell: from the Additional Allocation.
Ross: this is a group we Additional Allocation to but it has to go thru Phil
Ozell: can the group put some of there money in their account and donate it to a charity.
Carrie: they can not do that, they can not donate state money.

Ex-Officio Reports
Tabassum: we had a meeting with Patty about the retriever, having sga leader and editor sit down and see what there role is on campus and what is our.
Nayana: the basics was that
Mike: right now there is a disconnect with the sga and retriever
Carrie: I think it is important since it is near the end of the year.

Carrie: the award is called the KEEPER OF THE FLAME award. Also the black and gold award, please nominate.
Nayana: can you talk about orientation laptop.
Carrie: we want to move the course registration in the skylight lounge but not enough laptop. So Steve thought of funding laptops.
Mike: we need to make sure we have an accountability system
Layma: why do you want to move it?
Carrie: it is sort of un convenient to do it in the basement of the library
Nayana: the laptop can be used for other aspects.
Carrie: I happened to do orientation this year with Patty. It would be worth asking the committee to have an SGA member present at orientation.

Announcement
James: the fee forum is next Friday, basically it is a forum when people about the increases in the student fees.

Narmim: around the world started

Mike: the article is now in the retriever

Ross: art week is wrapping up and is closing at 1pm
James: there is also Quadmania.

Carrie: we are going to have a banner to for VT,

Stan: how did the new student day go?
Carrie: it went well.

Roll Call (absent)
Joy

Adjournment
915
Pass the Gavel

Congratulations to all of the candidates and thank you to the hard-working Election Board we had this year! Thanks also to the 2,180 students who voted in this year's elections!

President and Vice President:
Jay Lagorio and Elani Odeyale

Treasurer:
David Indek

Senators:
Alex Appelbaum
Jeff Badugha
Michael Comberiate
Michelle Danaher
Omoye Ebhomielen
Steve Gilmore
Brittany Hoke
Jennifer Kent
Ben Kitterman
Heather Kopf
Rahilla Tarfa

Financial Board and Student
Organization Advocates:
Joy Adewumi
Joanna Damiano
K.J. Davis
Eric Eller
Ashley Hill
Igor Kukelyansky
Edwin Mayah
Christine Paul
Ozell Sanders
Ali Syed

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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5:36
Everyone here except Adrienne and Thaddeus
Minutes approved

Week in Review

Danielle
Town Hall meeting – Wednesday May 9th in Harbor multi-purpose room. Just SGA representatives.

Terrance
New DVD’s in library

Steve
Commons advisory board
Commute club meets in area right in front of common vision.
Summer projects finalized, most can be undertaken.
Talk about student org storage space.

Narmin
Around the world

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JL20-0607 Changes to the SGA Budgetary Policy

Favor: 8
Opposed: 0
Abstain: 1
Absent: 1

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NY Times Presentation
These programs survive through the professors usage.
Penn state gets just under 3,000 NY TIMES a day
Customized program
Opportunities for being published
By only relying on internet, you only learn exactly what you are looking for. By having the newspaper, you have chance to learn more than just what you are looking for.
Nytimes.com/college
Nytimes.com/timeselect
Times talk – students get together and talk about an article from previous week/month.
40 cents a copy for 14 weeks - $5,600.
Will provide pilot program – month of free, or two months at 20 cents.
Faculty workshop during pilot program.
Randy Jones’ job is rack distribution
USA today is more of a paragraph paper – NY times is more comprehensive and wants to provide more along with the actual paper.
Tuesday – science times; arts and leisure day; different sections every day geared towards different disciplines
Randy Jones
Randy.jones@nytimes.com

Similar or a little more cost, but close.
Very academic school so important to have a paper that understands that.
People probably wouldn’t really miss these old papers if we had the times – a better paper
If we didn’t get a local paper, how would you get local news?
Can get NY times services even without USA today. Major paper would be Sun for local news – don’t need times and post, but can talk to sun and see if they could deliver their papers separate from times.
Having a hard copy of the news, might pick up to look at just because.
Randy Jones promised a sign on racks that could say “brought to you by SGA”

Times and Sun independently ideal. (really expensive)

Maybe we could put some front page samples of all papers, to show why we want both – PDF a couple articles about similar topics to show differences.

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TRW
Eric Grollman and a bunch of other people attended meeting with TRW; discussion about how paper is run. Students thought they don’t do a great job, and TRW said they are under staffed.

Front page article with 22 factual errors (weak attempt to bash SGA and student activity fee).
Opinion editor decided not to change because it was an opinion. Current editors think that opinions shouldn’t be associated with TRW as a whole. TRW really intense about not cooperating with other student organizations.
Opinion section mostly written by editors.

Said reporters aren’t interested in events that student organizations are interested in. If no one picks up stories, they don’t get covered.

Loudly publicize that TRW is under changes – to try to get new people interested so more people would be enticed to work for the paper.

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Town Hall meeting
Next Wednesday

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Formal Dance
Meeting with committees who will be on and off campus
126 tickets sold as of last week.
300 minimum. Before Saturday at noon need to try to double that number. Flyers in office to try to double that number.

Executive Reports

David-
Election board did incredible job on this election. This was most complicated election I’ve been a part of (over a dozen complaints), and had polling station staffed all 3 days.
Also, totals and demographics: in this election, top vote getter for senate got close to 800 votes. When there was more competition, top was 1,300. That gap representative of difference between new record for turnout

Gabe-
Campus connect had event this morning, free hour. Aimed at getting people who were going to be mentors and faculty mentors together in same room.

Phil-
Working on finishing up all projects by end of the year. Finished budgetary policies, working on manual.
Additional allocations for this year finished – for next year will be taken care of tomorrow in marathon meeting. At least 99% allocated

Narmin-
Around the world over.

Tabassum-
Transition materials

Nayana-
Passed legislation to give organization penalty for stealing money from SGA. SAE Fraternity. House is going to make effort to keep records with bad behavior. Organization will present documentation talking about what happened and what they will do to make sure it doesn’t happen in future. Will not be able to reserve any space until they do this.

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Mike
Thursday going to compete in Quiz bowl national championship. Getting back 12:20 am on Monday.

Danielle –
Planning another adopt a road

Phil
Fee forum Wednesday – noon.

Sketch –
Magic the gathering… gathering may 16th

Thaddeus-
Saturday may 12th
Accapacaluau

Tabassum
Vtech stuff – candlelight vigil Thursday night (RSA) and banners have been mailed to Vtech. Unsigned one staying up on main street.

David-
Complete SGA survey.

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everyone except Terrance and Adrienne
7:11