October 2nd, 2007
Commons 318
Meeting called to order at 5:41-
Christine, Ahsley, Igor, Ozell, Joy present
Golden Key Induction Ceremony:
Every year new members inducted into Golden Key based on credits. Expect to induct 150 this year. About 170 show up for ceremony and bring their families, etc. We reserve the ballroom and we have the leaders present themselves. We offer refreshments for the families of the inductees. We decorate with blue and gold, which are our colors. It is simply a recognition of new member’s achievement.
Joy: How many people will be present?
About 175.
Ahsley: Where are you having this?
In the ballroom. We also have non members come to see their friends get inducted. So its open to te entire community.
Joy: This is free of charge right?
Yes
Ahsley: Do they have carryover?
Joy: We don’t know. Do you(Golden Key) have any idea how much you have in carryover?
Im not sure we do have about 1000 which we use for scholarships for our members.
Joy: What kind of refreshments are you serving?
Drinks, tea, cookies, napkins, paper plates etc.
SGA Advisor: How does one qualify for membership?
The top 15% of the university. The cut off is 60 credits with a GPA of 3.5. All of those people are invited but not all join.
Golden Key International Honor Society’s Halloween Party
Joy: Can you tell us about the Halloween Party?
Yes every year we go to help foster kids at Timomium, MD Villa Maria and set up a Halloween party for them. Everyone brings a bag of candy to give to the kids. We team up with the honors college and pre med society as well. We organize other activities such as bean bag toss, etc.
Ozell: And the event is open to all UMBC students but you carpool to a location off campus?
Yes, we have to go there as the kids stay on the property there.
Joy: Thank You.
5:48pm: David arrived.
First Year Ambassador:
First candidate: Fouad-
Steve: Why did you apply for the FYA position?
I decided to apply because its similar to a position I held at my previous high school where I basically looked at different activities and helped plan them. The FYA position will be similar to what ive already done. However I understand college is different form high school but it’s a good way to get into SGA and I want to get involved.
Ashley: you said you did things for finance activities?
Not finance activities, just general events and activities. We would organize the events and assign people to take responisibility for aspects of the event and then make sure everything went smoothly.
Ashley: Are you comfortable speaking to a roomful of people/
Yes
Joy: Whats your weakness?
Well I lived overseas for a while so I haven’t really “re embedded” in the culture. I havnt been able to take a position or hear about a lot going on in the country. However ive been back a year and I am picking up the general idea again.
Ozell: what skills can you bring to the position?
Im good with planning, Im good with computer work. I cant think of anything that is good for the finance board but Im good with numbers and math but I was a decision maker in my old school.
Ashley: how much time can you devote to SGA?
7 hours a week about. Im live on campus.
Igor: How do you think SGA will aid you in your career goals?
It will help me coordinate different opinions to decide on good monetary decisions.
Second Candidate: Yasmin-
Steve: Introduce yourself and why you want the position?
I wanted to become more involved with the school. Im familiar with working with faculty and student body from high school.
Joy: What is your biggest weakness?
Sometimes I throw myself into things and find out im overwhelmed later.
Ashley: How much time are you willing to devote to SGA?
Im taking 18 credits and all I do is study so I have a lot of free time other than that.
Steve: What do you like best about UMBC and what do you like least?
I like the diversity the most. However I also don’t like how social circles are divided based on ethnicity and background.
Third Candidate: Jane
Steve: Introduce yourself and why you want the position?
I wanted to be further involved in the school.
Ozell: What do you want to get out of SGA?
I want to be in leadership and become more involved.
Chrsitine: Whats your weakness?
Procrastination.
Igor: Where did you go to High School?
Elmsville.
Ashley: How much time are you willing devote?
Im in no other organizations so I can devote a lot of time.
Christine: How many credits are you taking?
5 classes so 15 credits.
Thank You
Steve: The FYA program was designed to get new students involved in the SGA system. It doesn’t necessarily give them power but it trains them to be better leaders. This year we had 14 applicants more than any other year and we trimmed it down by interviews. They wont be voting members but they will bring insight and contributions. They will also be our representatives on the First Year Council which is made up of people from organizations on campus. These FYA will be on the finance board. You may need to reiterate what you guys are talking about as they will be new but eventually they will be a gain.
SGA Advisor: These members will be full members, they will have nameplates and will be involved in discussion. The only thing they wont have is the vote. They are full SGA members. This is a way to get involved in the SGA and start making a difference.
Discussions on Candidates:
Joy: This is a one time thing? There wont be any others later on in the year?
Steve: No this is a one time thing. Last week I interviewed all of them.
Ozell: I didn’t pick up anything negative from the candidates, I just think we need to help them catch up on whats happened.
Christine: They seemed really confident for first semester students.
Steve: All the FYA had the common motive of getting involved in SGA. For previous applicants their motives were for their resume, etc. This year’s FYA candidates wanted to be involved and learn about SGA.
Fouad, Jane and Yasmin for FYA positions:
Voting:
For: 5
Approved.
Candidates brought back in.
Joy: Congratulations. I need to swear you into office.
Candidates sworn in.
Vietnamese Student Association’s Pho Night:
Joy: Tell us about the event.
We hold it every semester. Pho is a Vietnamese dish which we will serve on campus in one of the basements. We will order it from a local Vietnamese restaurant. WE will charge $2 dollars. We want to educate people about Vietnamese culture.
Joy: How many people do you expect?
50-75.
Igor:Is it open to all UMBC students?
Yes
Joy: Did you have this event last year?
We had this event last fall in early October.
SGA Advisor: Why are you charging admission if we fund your event?
We need money for our carryover for events later.
SGA Advisor: If we fund this event then will you make the event free to UMBC students?
We can do that as well.
David: Theres something new we’re trying to do. The students on campus already paid the activity fee so we’re trying to make events free so that later if you need money for an event you can just come back to us. We’re trying to make events open events. So would you be willing to make it no admission cost.
Yes we are open to that, we can make it free.
David: Are all the items here the total cost?
Yes all of the money reflected on the sheet is everything we need. We don’t have any other costs.
David: So the $470 will pay for everything?
Yes
SGA Advisor: You said this was meant to educational. How?
We’re going to have a video on Vietnamese culture, as well as recipes of food that people can make. We also have club members who can go around and educate people on our culture if they have questions.
Joy: Were these the cheapest quotes you could find?
Yes we’re making most of the food ourselves so the quotes are just the ingredients themselves.
Joy: Thank You.
David: Did we decide if they were charging admission?
Ashley: No she agreed to make it free.
Pre- Med society’s Halloween Party:
Joy: Tell us about the party.
So this is an event we’ve been holding for the past 4 semesters. Members of the society have been participating. Our reasons for holding it are for the benefit of the community. We hold it at a home for children who have been abused, etc. We have to show that there is somebody to help them and that they can be happy. The past couple times we’ve been there, the amount of happiness in their eyes is spectacular. We often get asked if we are coming back. Also we try to help the undergrad pre- meds increase their community service hours to look better on their resume when they apply to med school. We find that UMBC students with excellent grades don’t get into med school because they have no community service. So this event will help them to appear better to Med schools.
Christine: So its not just for pre meds?
Yes anyone can participate. We will be sending out emails to people.
Ashley: have you guys worked this out with Golden Key? They’re going to the same place.
Well we don’t know if theyre doing it this year but we will email them.
Igor: What date will your event be?
28th or the 27th.
Igor: It’s the same date as the Golden Key.
Ashley: But she did mention she wanted to do the event with Golden Key and Honors College.
IF we do the event on the same day then we can both co sponsor it.
Joy: Can you explain the charity issue?
SGA Advisor: SGA cannot give money to charity. SGA can fund something like Habitat For Humanity where students get benefit.
Well keep in mind that this also benefits UMBC students as they can get something on their resume.
Joy: Which parts are most important to you?
Well both are important. The gas price is the major issue however as we don’t want our members to have to pay for gas. If golden key is doing it on the same date then they might be bringing food and snacks so we’ll have to talk to them.
David: Will you be using carryover?
We have about $40 in our carryover, but we’ll spend about $1-$7.
Joy: Thank You.
Discussions:
Ashley: I think they shouldve known that Golden Key was doing it on the same date.
David: Well we cant give them money for the candy anyway. We’re allowed to give them money for the gas legally but we cant donate to charity by giving them candy.
SGA Advisor: The furthest SGA can go is for example pay for the tools for Habitat for Humanity.
Joy: How do you feel about funding the Halloween party?
Igor: I’d rather we stick to one stance like we did for the on campus Halloween trick or treating.
David: They don’t have a track record, should we give them the benefit of the doubt?
SGA Advisor: Why don’t they have a track record? Because theyre a limited funded organization.
Golden Key Induction Ceremony?
Ashley: Even though it has a cut off GPA don’t they allow friends of inductees?
SGA Advisor: This is the same as a fraternity or sorority asking for money for an induction?
Christine: I don’t understand cant anyone enter?
Igor: Yes, anyone can enter. It’s the same as the Pho Night.
Jewish Student Union:
We’re going to be raising awareness about Israeli culture and tradition. This would be a workshop open to the entire campus community. It will be co sponsored by the Freedom Alliance, Alpha Epsilon fraternity, etc. We’re going to be hiring a “krav maga” expert to come and teach on campus. It will be a two to three hour workshop. Everyone ive spoken to who has been to it before has enjoyed it. It works under much more realistic situations.
Joy: Where is this taking place?
It takes place in the RAC.
Ashley: And its free?
Yes anyone can come.
David: Are any organizations using their own carryover for this?
Well we’re not sure, whatever isn’t funded by SGA we’ll have to make up from other funding sources.We’ve contacted some of the other martial arts groups on campus and the womens center who would be interested in co sponsoring.
Igor: Did you get quotes for all this?
Yes we did.
SGA Advisor: Are you aware that JSU has a deficit in its carryover?
No.
Christine: So you really want this person to do the workshop, you don’t want anyone else?
Well yes, whats unique about this guy is he knows what hes doing, especially with college students. I can send you the campus news paper articles on his seminars.
Ashley: So you say this class will give people more confidence walking on campus at night time and defend themselves?
Yes it will be basic training, it will help people from keeping their heads in times of unexpected worst case scenarios. It shows how to react in the spur of the moment and on instinct.
Christine: How are you advertising for this?
We’ll be using our list procs, fliers around campus, etc.
Joy: Will you post it on myUMBC?
Yes it will be on the calendar and facebook.
Igor: If you didn’t receive full funding would you still fund the event and get a local expert?
Yes but the difference is they run a different type of workshop which is much more commericial which will be less hands on. We want this guy as he will relate to college students.
David: How are the other organizations involved contributing?
Well we worked with the other organizations on what we wanted covered. Each club told us what they wanted to be displayed by the expert so that more people can be helped.
Thank You.
Golden Key Induction Ceremony:
Joy: How did you feel about the event?
SGA Advisor: Im confused by the support from some of you. This is an induction event. The fact that people can come to the event doesn’t change the fact that by supporting this you will be going against your own rules.
David: It’s the same as funding a Sorority or Fraternity.
Voting on $180 for Induction Ceremony:
For:0
Opposed:4
Abstaining: 1
Fails.
SGA Advisor: This seems to be the Finance Board restricting funding to groups with selective membership. At the same time the Finance Board isn’t discouraging such events.
Pre- Med Halloween Party:
Voting on $70:
For: 0
Opposed: 4
Abstaining: 1
Fails.
Vietnamese Student Association’s Pho Night:
Ashley: I like that she had no hesitation to cancelling the decision to charge admission.
Ozell: I like that they were going to try and explain their culture and what their club is about. Its not like theyre just giving out free food, they actually have a purpose.
David: How prepared were they for the event?
Ashley: I think she was prepared.
Christine: I think they were prepared and were making the food themselves, they’ve also done it before.
Ashley: She said that they would pay some out of their pockets as well.
Voting on Pho Night $470:
For: 4
Opposed: 0
Passes
Jewish Student Union’s Krav Maga:
SGA Advisor: A few years ago they had an event that cost $2500 that they are now in deficit for. They haven’t been funded since then. The event however happened long before anyone who represented them today was in the club.
David: I was looking through the track record and last year they were given $2500 but their was a blank record for what they spent. It was from Fiscal Year ’06.
Joy: yeah they came almost every week last year.
David: Yeah in Fiscal Year ’06 they were treated like a regular organization and it wasn’t reflected they had a deficit.
Christine: And there was no record of how they spent it?
Joy; They did spend money though because business services gave me a list of their expenditures.
David: Id be much more comfortable funding one of the other sponsors of the event. But on the request they’ve put JSU as the organization.
Christine: Id like a record of their expenditures.
Tabled
Hindu Student Council:
Returning from last week, Garba was tabled.
Joy: We tabled it because we wanted to know if you would cut your admission costs.
Well I know you want UMBC to come in at no cost but I don’t know if its possible for our organization. We don’t want non UMBC students getting in for free. We can lower the price however.
Joy: How much will you lower it by?
Well we can lower it upto $3.
Christine: How much are you charging non UMBC students?
$8. That was our price before and since you are lowering the price for UMBC students we can do that. This will bring more UMBC students.
Ashley: what are you using the admission money for?
Basically to cover the cost that we are paying for our carryover account. We also use this money to set up more events later throughout the year. For example we have a social dinner for the South Asian Society where we provide free dinner. We have temple trips. Next Semester we have some events also. This year we’re having religious events as well.
Ashley: Basically youre using the admission money for your carryover?
Yes but we’re using it to fund UMBC student events.
Ozell: Why aren’t you using carryover money for this event?
We are, we’re using it for custodian costs, etc.
David: Again, how much are you charging UMBC students?
$3.
David: And you want to do this why?
Because we don’t want non- UMBC students coming in for free.
Joy: Couldn’t you check for UMBC id’s at the door?
Yes but in the past people like to buy tickets at the Commons Desk. So when it comes to entering the event people come in huge groups and we can usher them in quicker.
SGA Advisor: So if the finance board reduced its allocation to you by the amount you’re charging UMBC students you will still be able to show that SGA funded the event?
Well that depends on how many UMBC students show up.
Joy: We’ll be cutting your allocation by $900.
Well of the 350 people who come not all will be non UMBC students.
SGA Advisor: Well the use of the ballroom requires you have one UMBC student per non UMBC student.
Yes we are aware.
David: So you want to be sure that non UMBC students pay the $8 rather than let them get away with it.
Yes. Our main concern is that the rest of our events are free for the rest of the year. The money we make from UMBC students is going to go to them anyway. We do other events. Our problem with giving them for free is that the Commons desk wont remember who has come more than once.
Ashley: Why cant you do the Id’s at the door?
Well people come in huge groups and it is frustrating for people who stand at the door for half an hour. If students by tickets at the commons it makes it quicker, but the Non UMBC students can stand at the door and wait in line.
SGA Advisor: So if the finance board decides to give you less than the full amount as they assume you’ll make the money back and as a result you have less money in your carryover you still have the option to come back for more money.
Right but the thing is SGA has been reluctant to give money for food and social dinners, etc. We want to ensure that we have enough money so that UMBC have a good time.
When will we find out about your decision?
David: You’ll know by Thursday.
Thank You.
Ashley: Why do they have a band and a DJ?
Chrstine: I think they want an Indian DJ but I don’t know why they want a band as well.
Ashley: That’s the most expensive as well.
Joy: Their top priorities were Band, Security, DJ, Decorations, Flyers, Tickets.
SGA Advisor: I would suggest not cutting anything that will advertise this to UMBC students such as the fliers, etc. I also don’t see how they’ll spend $300 on tickets. Its close to a dollar per ticket.
Ashley: I don’t think anyone has ever asked for this much money for tickets.
SGA Advisor: I’ll go down and get the Commons Tickets and Prices.
Calling HSU:
HSU: The band is for the first part of the events which will be more traditional music, the second part is the more modern bhangra part and will require the DJ.
Ashley: Why is the band so high priced?
It is a pretty average price for a band so that’s how much they’ve charged every year.
Joy: Where are you getting your tickets from, its $300 here?
We’re getting them from the Commons.
Ozell: And they cost $ 300? We’ll probably cut it down but don’t worry the common vision tickets usually aren’t that high.
Well we didn’t know how much they would cost at the time. Its ok if you cut it down.
NAACP:
Christine: what is the poetry jam?
We have people coming from the radio station but the band that’s coming is pretty famous. The cost is $250 for 4 members. The radio will just provide a standard DJ. We also needed more money towards security but since we realized we’d need more security we need about $200 to cover that cost. In addition the event is free and there is no need for tickets. We’re advertising heavily to the UMBC body and the majority of students are UMBC students.
Ashley: Is it still benefiting the Jena 6?
Yes it is still an awareness program.
David: Have you cleared it up with the Safe Committee?
Well we have to schedule another meeting with them but they did tell us we would need additional security.
David: Just to clear up, we gave the Poetry jam $368 so far.
Thank You.
Back to HSU:
SGA Advisor: I was wrong, printing color tickets with stubs costs $1.05 per ticket. Black and White tickets are $60 cents.
Ashley: How important are tickets?
Ozell: Some people like to keep their tickets as memorabilia.
SGA Advisor: If youre talking about cutting out part of the event as you’re expecting them to pay for it then it doesn’t matter whats essential and what isn’t.
Ashley: So it has to be stuff they can pay after they take in tickets.
SGA Advisor: No im talking more along the lines of what Ozell is saying: that we take away an equal amount from each category.
Equestrian Club’s Washington Horse Show:
Joy: So the $35 more you’re asking for is for what?
Its for more tickets so that our members can go for free.
SGA Advisor: Why shouldn’t the people who are going have to pay some amount of money to pay?
Well it’s a good way to get people who aren’t interested in the equestrian club to come.
Joy: Out of the 7 people going, theyre all part of the club?
No, 3 people are not members of the club.
Thank You
Returning to HSC:
Voting on $2280 for HSC’s Garba:
For: 5
Opposed: 0
Abstaining: 1
Passes
NAACP Poetry Jam:
Voting on $450:
For: 5
Opposed: 0
Abstaining: 1
Passes
Equestrian Club:
Fouad: They should be expected to pay some money.
SGA Advisor: You’ve given this organization $230 to take 7 people to a horseshow. If you don’t give them $35 more then each person will have to pay $5 more to an off campus event.
Ashley: Why aren’t organizations using more carryover money.
SGA Advisor: Part of it is because this new policy on not charging admission is because it is only a week old and people don’t know yet. The hearings over the next few weeks will be where student organizations will find out about the new policy.
Joy: Do we want to vote on Equestrian Club’s event?
Ashley: I feel like they can pay $5 each for the balance of their tickets.
Ozell: A majority of the people going are already in the club. They should pay.
Voting on $35 for equestrian club:
For: 0
Opposed: 5
Abstaining: 1
Fails
AIGA:
Joy: Tell us about the lecture at BMA:
It’s a lecture which is mandatory. We’d like to provide a bus as we want people who don’t drive.
Joy: How many buses?
I don’t know yet as I don’t know how many will be attending? Each bus holds 30 people.
David: Where did you get your quote?
We got it from the bus company.
David: This is open to all UMBC students?
We have 18 people who have confirmed out of which 2 are non graphic design majors.
Ozell: For students who aren’t members, how will they go about getting into the lecture?
Ive spoken to the lecturer and organized a way for them to do so.
Joy: Was this the cheapest quote you could get?
Yes it’s the UMBC charge.
Joy: How do you plan to advertise?
Word of mouth, emails, fliers. But in the first 3 days I got the 18 people form emails.
Thank You
SGA Advisor: One way of looking at whats happening is in order to fulfill the requirements for their course work, students have to go on this trip and SGA is being asked to subsidize classroom education.
Ozell: Shouldn’t the art department take care of this if it is required. For example Mock Trial has a class and they had to go on certain trips and they weren’t funded.
David: If youre in the class then youre required to be on the Mock Trial team. The club and the class are pretty much synonymous, similar to Model UN.
Fouad: So why didn’t the visual arts department fund this?
Steve: I don’t think the bus was their idea but it’s a trip required for visual arts students. I guess the students want to find a bus to take them there.
David: This could have been the teacher suggesting that SGA pay for this.
Ozell: If this event is for a class I don’t think this is a good way to spend the activity funds.
SGA Advisor: to me its not so black and white. I think its tempting for anyone else in the University to come and use the Student activity fee to subsidize its events.
Ozell: Shouldn’t the funding of this event be the responsibility of the department itself. It shouldn’t be the student fees that are used for this.
SGA Advisor: If you passed this request it would be the same as paying for any additional course fee, including things such as textbooks.
Ashley: Where is the event happening?
Ozell: Somewhere downtown
Joy: its not more than 20 miles.
Voting on $300 for VMA lecture:
For: 0
Opposed: 5
Fails
Improvement Initiative:
Alani: A major issue is that students lack school pride. SGA can do soemthign about this. A committee of 3-7 students will plan a project. It will be a project or program of a huge budget and it will be a structure, an event. The budget will be $50,000. If the idea doesn’t use all this money then the $50,000 will give $5000 to the committee of 3-7 students who organize this. We would like Activity money for this as well.
Ozell: Can you explain the incentive?
What we require is the group be in good academic in the university.
Fouad: Do they have to be an official group?
No, they can be a group of students of atleast 5 students.
Joy: So this group of students that wins will get $5000 for themselves?
Yes in a way. We encourage the group gets sponsorship from other organizations. But that 5 member committee will make the decisions along with the SGA.
David: So if those 5-7 students don’t have any organizations on board they would get a check of $5000?
Yes.
Ozell: Advertising for the improvement program, how will this be done?
I plan to come before the finance board to ask for a significant amount of money upto $2000 for advertising. The campus has never had an event this large and im talking about having 10 foot banners all over campus, in the garages, on the website. A lot of word of mouth, homecoming and midnight madness are also huge events where we will advertise for this project. We would also like to do an October blitz where SGA would have a session in each dorms where we would explain what SGA can do for them
SGA Advisor: The more the people who apply, the more the number of great ideas you will get. Because SGA has been conservative with money, it is sitting on over $400,000. There is money sitting for good ideas to be funded.
Fouad: Is this to improve UMBC or to improve UMBC’s image?Are we trying to achieve a better internal or external UMBC?
I think it is something UMBC can be proud of. Not just pride but something every student can be proud of. I don’t want to limit the scope of this but if it can be that big then why not.
Fouad: The goal of this is to improve UMBC and to create a sense of pride through this. How will the GPS help us do this?
That wasn’t the best example for this initiative but its not part of the program.
SGA Advisor: you can say that what makes you most proud of UMBC is the things that UMBC has that other colleges don’t.
I think the betterment of this campus is the goal but we don’t want to put a set definition to constrict peoples thoughts and ideas.
Ozell: What are the restrictions on the contest itself. What if a UMBC student decided to make a football team?
We’re trying to build this project based on reality and feasibility. This team will not only be comprised of SGA members but also advisors to decide on feasibility,
SGA Advisor: This application isn’t due till November and the team will decide whether the proposal is feasible based on their research and if they’ve gone to the people they need to speak to.
The committee will also include SGA members, administration members. Members of the Retriever Weekly and SEB are not eligible.
SGA Advisor: You’ve mentioned three different amounts of money. Within the next week you would need decide what the General Ledger request will be.
David: So this is aimed at a group of 5-7 students, not specific organizations.
Alani: Is there anything else you would like to clear up first?
David: Is this something we’re looking to do every year?
Alani: Im not going to commit the SGA to doing it every year.
Joy: If anyone has anymore questions they can email Alani.
8:35pm meeting adjourned.