Student Government Association

01/28/2008

Commons 318

Meeting in order 5.32pm

Winter review:

Stress-free zone

* Survey are being read

Prove-it

* 22 projects
* Committee will be meeting and looking at these

Judicial program

* Called 5 schools and asked about their judicial programs
* Assessments and judicial processes
* Some schools are more focused on educational than on judicial

Guest:

Janet McGlynn

* The research programs or creative art programs are not getting enough applicants
* Ways to communicate with students to encourage them to apply for these programs:
o Include relevant information with professors information when handed out to students during class hours
o E-mail students about research opportunities
o Research day include guest speakers to talk about their projects and their research
o Advertisements for non-science majors specifically
o Providing direct research information to students rather than having to send the professors an inquiry
o Have video presentations or summary of students who have done research, this could be posted up as a blog entry
o Faculty members could assign students to attend research day for extra credits
o Mail it to dorms mail-boxes (information about research programs)

James McCauley – Appointment for Election Board Chair:

* Executive board member
* Last year financial officer
* Reasons:
o Could do work well and effectively
* Process of election:
o Gathering election board members
o Candidates
o Campaigning
+ Work with RSA SEB
+ Posters
+ Debates
o Election
* Spending limit?
o Promoting fairness in this election, don’t know about specifics yet
* Election board members
o Diversity in members
o Abilities that Election Board Chair lacks

Spring retreat:

* Saturday 10 am – 2pm

Last semester highlights

* Highlights:
o Stress-free zone
o ATM machine
+ Waiting on confirmation from Reslife
o Town-hall meetings
+ CAB meetings with each dorm
+ Planned a budget
+ February/ March
o Suggestion boxes
o Retriever Weekly meeting
o Congressional File Sharing Legislation
+ Legislation has not been voted on yet (Washington, D.C)
o SGA Blogs
o Specialized housing legislation
o Tail Gates

* Research during the break
* Improvements

Study group programs

* SGA could help set up study groups and professors

Announcements:

* Committee meetings attend them!!!
* Applications coming out for elections
* Successful Leadershape during the winter

Meeting adjourned at 7.03pm

Sga retreat:

Elani: Please come to the SGA retreat with ideas of improvement, things needed for revisions.

Advisor: Perhaps the budget should not occur the way it has been. Maybe an additional allocation system only system would suit better.

Chris: Indeed. If the volume of allocations received proves to be independent of the budget hearings then this should be highly considered.

Highlights from last semester

Christine: Making events free have definitely increased the turnout exponentially.

Indek: On another note, the events that take place in the ballroom aren’t as popular because of the numerous problems associated with planning an event there.

Elani: Moneywise how has the amount you have spent in comparison to the amount predicted?

Indek: The number we gave out last semester was very close to the amount we had projected.

Attendance: Joy, Ashley, Igor, Indek, Christine, Ozell

6:01p

Minutes approved.

McCauley: Im running for election board chair. I am doing this because it is a critical position that needs to be looked after and that is why I have stepped up to fill this position.

Najmi: Will your personal biases impede your decision?

James: no. I like to keep a level of profession.

Ashley: So what about your old position and the tasks you were taking care of?

James: I have made sure that my projects are taken care of by others at the same level I left them.

Joy: Is there something in the past election that caught your eye that made you decide that you need to take on this position.

James: actually the turnout last year was 2x that of the nat’l average so no.

Anime society:

Spring social: way to introduce new members into UMBC and re-greet old members. Improve socialization within the society. Turnout is usually around 90 people. They are willing to put in 25% of the total cost from their carryover. Advertisement will be done.

For 4
Against/abstain 0/0

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MD Student legsislators

Spring leadership training institute:

Held at Salisbury uni., gives a basic overview of organizations purpose, eg. How to write bills. About 10-50 turnout and appx. $30 per person.. Will spend appx. $20 per person for hotel out of pocket.

For 4
Against/abstain 0/0

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CPAC:

Conservative politial action progress. Convention in DC with many conservative leaders. Great opportunity for networking and learning especially for students. Training seminars regarding new digital republican program as well. Received money for registration but wants to reallocate money to hotel and ask for more money to cover cost for hotel and pay registration out of pocket ($25) . Appx. 13 student turnout.

Joy: we cannot fund the hotel because it is within 50 miles. However we can fund your transportation, gas, parking costs.

Indek: we can do a reallocation to change the costs to include these items.

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Pre-Med Society

Chris: I believe that it would not be in interest to fund a speaker who I s a staff member of UMBC as it is part of their job to enrich students with their knowledge.

Decided on $180 for the six non UMBC speakers

For 4
Against/abstain 0/0

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INDS

Invite someone who upholds interdisciplinary work. Their speaker Jeffery does Global Women’s studies. Retriever Ad, Posters and a $500

Indek: If the SGA were not able to fund part of your advertisement and/or honorarium would you be able to continue?

INDS: we are usually accustomed to giving that amount to speakers.

Retriever Ad removed
Cut poster cost in half, suggest myUMBC and facebook
Final cost $725
For 4
Against/abstain 0/0
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Asia awareness forum:

Social forum to bring together students of different nationalities from countries in Asia. Refreshments provided.

For 4
Against/abstain 0/0
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AICE

Engineering week, Gak sliming:
Students will have the opportunity to to mix lime and silly putty to form the infamous
Gak and slime.

Ask to reallocate funds form account
For 0
Against/abstain 4/0

7:26pm
Meeting adjourned: Joy Ashley Christine Ozell Indek