SGA Senate 3/23/09
Overview
I. Call to order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
IV. Special Guest: Lisa Gray, Assistant Director for Cultural and Religious Diversity
V. Open Discussion
VI. Project Updates
VII. New Business
VIII. Executive/ Ex-officio Reports
IX. Announcements
X. Roll Call
XI. Adjournment
XII. Pass the Gavel
I. Call to order
5:36
II. Roll Call
All members present
III. Approval of Minutes
Postponed until next week
IV. Special Guest: Lisa Gray, Assistant Director for Cultural and Religious Diversity
Lisa not sure what you all want to know so I'm going to give a general overview. I’m one of the assistant directors in the student life office. We are a student focus support area that does programming and provides resources related to diversity. We don’t define diversity solely in terms of race and ethnicity. We define it broadly. Were always looking to expand and do programs around populations that have not been as visible on campus. Our mission is to Redefine or make it more inclusive of all diversity. Extend the meaning of diversity to age, class, area of study. We want to hear about how were doing. What you all might have been hearing as the representatives of the student body. If you have any questions we’ll be happy to take them
Kara: I’m in the mosaic center Monday through thus 10 to 3. We have 8 student workers mon through Friday. Spread the word about where we are. We encourage people to use the mosaic center as a place to hang out. I’m a student in the LLC (language literacy and culture) program.
Toby: you guys have done a wonderful job with the UMBC talk.
Simi: speaker series are wonderful and Eye opening.
Brian: I also enjoyed the talks. I hear there are a lot of cultural groups on campus; they are supported but they ten to stick together. To you all have any plans to bridge those gaps.
Lisa: that’s something we struggle with as well. Inherent with any underrepresented group there is a mentality to “take care of our own”. A pulling in happens. There may be ways to look at how funding is done, so it doesn’t feel as if orgs only have to look out for themselves. I’m not sure what can be done about his. There is not a lot of reason for orgs to co-sponsor given how the budgeting process is. Orgs may not always think about whom they can partner with. The roll we see ourselves playing is to see how we can affect this. Number of ogs. in comparison to staffing is an issue. Always tension with asking to workers to do more than what they can do. Try to rely on student leaders like yourselves to give us information.
Brian: I also meant students in general. Not just orgs. I was just wondering if you’re trying to address that
Lisa: We see it and we try to address it in our talks. We haven’t gotten at how to impact it. Trying to create opportunities for students to come together. That’s the sprit behind UMBC talks. We would be interested in what you all think about this. You see these dynamics played out in your lives. We would be interested in hearing how you deal with it in the groups you work with. You all are your own best source of information on this.
Chidi: I am interested in your projects about increasing visibility. I know UMBC is diverse. My first question is: What is it that you can to increase visibility on campus. A lot of student haven’t heard bout this. My second question is how do you all target you goals every semester. I hear you all asking for feedback. Way to contact events put project up to makes sure they are being utilize
Lisa: where we get out budge form. Our center is within the office student life, student affairs budget is allocated to student life, and we get a piece of that. What we get is limited to about 10000 for the year to address all the needs you all have asked about. We do what we can to make it go ads far as you can. That Impacts what we can do with visibility. We have to look at resources that are available to us like myUMBC spotlight, webpage’s or brochures. Electronic means to get the word out. Part of the issue is the amount of information coming at people on this campus. We don’t want to bombard people with messages. We try to be calculating with getting word out about certain programs and using myUMBC and lower the amount of emails we send. Those are some of the things we do to increase visibility. Looking to get banners we can hang. Hopefully something that gets rotated on main street. Honesty, it cost a lot to do poster and banners and flyers. We would love to be able to do that, but that’s not feasible. Try do to things like this: come to talk about what we do. Creating a snowball effect, we are slowly getting people to realize what we do.
Lisa: we’re challenged in that this is a very transient population. Some students don’t have the time or aren’t here. We do have limited space to work in. Space wall allocated in 04. There’s never been any discussion round any larger space.
We get a lot of information through office of student life. W would love to do regular surveys of the entire student body to choose what programs would make the most sense, but that takes money.
Simi so if we have any ids of our project, should just come in and stop by
Kara: we have an idea box
Simi: maybe putting it outside the door so people can just stop by would help
Lisa: mosaic@UMBC.edu or interfaith
Michael: I can talk to you about recording UMBC talks and putting them online
There are websites where you can do survey online and send them out for three.
Lisa: we have to be careful we don’t want to overwhelm the student body. I think we have an account to zoomeang
Could put out a survey on facebook page
Lisa and we do have a facebook page. I’m on facebook as well; you can find me that way.
V. Open Discussion
A. Review from Past week
Brian: New frat for Greek life. Will be coming on in the fall.
Whitney: service committed meeting. Peanut better back in dinging hall
5.99 for Refillable coffee mug and refills for 129. Have Passover diner options. Campus Dining hall renaming contest. Will narrow it down and it goes to steerning committees. Forming committee for people who will do the ground opening in the fall.
Aditi: can we petition t rename outtakes the spot?
Josh: there not going to be very receptive to that because Charwells logo places are always called outtakes.
Whitney: the winner gets a pizza party and 4 tickets to oriole’s game.
Rahilla: what are there plans to promote the new name?
Whitney: ill find out for next week.
B. Review of Retriever weekly budget
TRW: Biggest change that we see is advertising revenue is up so had to adjust our expenses. Built in a cushion there, our circulation went down so cut down circulation now printing 3000 per issue instead of 5000. Also taking into consideration minimum wage increase in June. 7.25. renamed some stuff and added a few dollars to staff development. Office supplies reallocated to photography. We are doing too good of a job of bringing in new writers because we bumped up pay. We attracted too many people caning how they get paid. 30 dollars for senor writhers, 15 for staff writhers and 10 for contributing writers. We attracted too many people.
Chidi: $30 to senior writers. I feel like that’s kind of on the high side.
TRW: Only two or three senior writers. The amount and is in line with other places
Chidi: why $30
TRW: That’s in line with others
Chidi: so it could be $25
Aditi: Is other schools budget similar to your budges?
TRW: University of Maryland is daily and Towson is by weekly so it’s hard to compare
Josh: $30 compared to other schools or professional newspapers
A lot more for professional newspapers, 30 well in line with students. You really don’t want to take away from your best writers and photographers; you need to provide an incentive for them to stay.
Josh: for subscriptions for the Baltimore sun, 500 seems like a lot for a subscription
TRW: I actually don't know the exact price of that
Toby: you said you cut back for m 5000 to 3000 copies will you have leftovers?
No we hit the mark on that one.
Rahilla: what are the education funds for?
TRW: For conferences and workshops. Ideal to go.
Rahilla: do a lot of writers attend it? Has this been utilized?
TRW: This is something new, so they haven’t utilized it yet, but we have had people go to conferences at college park
Matt: circulation? In terms of where papers going to go
TRW: We’ve already cut it back to 3000 still distributing it everywhere thought-out campus.
Matt: so the papers that aren’t getting distributed are the ones that you cut
Amber: what was the biggest discrepancy between what you set and what you actually spent?
TRW: For last year to last year, other than the printing, we did well this year not having to spend too much on tech equipment. You see that in 2008, we spent 8000, we wont do that again. We were fortunate we have not had to replace anything.
Yasmin: are there things that are missing. You have probably heard about out beget problems, is there any ting you think is missing from the e budget.
TRW: No. At a certain point it become what could make thing s a bit more efficient
Simi; is that amount hour cutting back going towards the wages?
TRW: No, the money that we save printing is in our goal and adverting revenue. Total expenses drop.
Rahilla: costs with domain?
TRW: For about 6 months we didn’t have a Webmaster and now we do. We host it so no cost.
We haven’t tapped into adverting online yet. The 80k advertising revenue goal has be the same every year but last.
Matt: question said you felt like you were only cutting pleasantries. Say you had a reduced budget, would you still be cutting out pleasantries or sorting Important?
TRW: I don’t think there are too many frills in this budget. First thing to go is advertising. This is pretty Spartan
Amber: I appreciate the attention to detail, but I think we are being nitpicky. They have done a really good job. They have to cut back a lot. They did a good job.
C. Review of SEB budget
SEB: Our treasurer couldn’t not come I will try my best to answer your questions. Were asking for the exact same thing as last year. The Allocation goes to major events, like homecoming, quadmaina. Only thing different this year, we have to move some of our operation expenses into salaries because of minimum wage increase
Rahilla: other weekend events, you all have oriole’s games. I've never seen adds for that
SEB: We do that once every year. That’s an example of things we’ve don it the past. We do a wide range of things, sports zones events, open mic night, and general weekend events. This money isn’t just sitting here.
Whitney: what are operation expenses?
Contracts, security, when we hire people at events.
Amber: how you guys account for recording attending at events and putting the most money into events
SEB: We evaluate every single event. Track which events are more popular. At every single event count how many people are there at the beginning and at the end. Our graduate advisor tracks that.
Josh: what is on there looks good, but I think before anything is voted, we should review a more compete budget, its rather lacing in details.
SEB: Is there any kind of detail you me to provide?
Operation expense only thing listed are major events. It doesn’t total when it ads up. I’m curious where all the money is going.
SEB: SGA dost fully fund this only ask 163 the rest we get from revenue from ticket sales.
Adidt: the company that you gets film from is that the cheapest you can find?
Because of the release dates, tried to cut down by finding slightly older films. Tried to have like a movie pass to cut cost.
Jen: can you get the actual expenders for 08?
Yasmin: actual expenditures will be in the same format. We do it really general. A lot of people expect to see it broken down, but it wont be.
Brian: and idea could be make the old salary a stipend
SEB: It actually is a stipend but we still have to deal with minimum wage. Were still required to bump it up.
D. Review of SGA budget
Yasmin: Anything that’s highlighted I’ve changed for this year. Notes on the side for myself. Mistake in calculation last year. Only nine senators. We dint want make some major cuts. If we cut out all the red, what’s the point of the student activity fee increases. We kept stipend the same. Anything with an asterisk is probably something that would be cut if the student activity fee doesn’t pass. If it does pass 50000 in the red 15000 if we don’t. If the activity fee doesn’t pass, co-sponsorships could go. Asterisks are fist things to be cut.
Naina: why do we allocate SEB 14000 when we already allocated them money?
Yasmin: we don’t have to.
Gabe: they do have to come to us to get it.
Naina: did you guys consider cutting that?
Yasmin: no. Its not like what’s in here is going to absolutely be spent.
We can look at cutting quadmanina
Josh: what is the readershape program?
Yasmin: that is now completely funded by us. It’s the newspapers in the commons. That was one of our main debates. It has been a big investment in the SGA in the past.18-19 for circulation next year.
Toby: what does that do to help raise awareness about student activity fee?
Yasmin: we will be sending out a complete know-it-all about the student activity fee. I will be sending out an email on Wednesday night about forum. Discuss what’s going on.
Co sponsorships problems we saw this year is that we don’t don a lot of work with them. We send away our money and expect things to happen. Things we talked about were events we could really put effort into. Service events were cut. Were not dong it for the finance board. Why do it for the SGA if not for students?
Josh: Programming and initiative fund what is it? Could some of that money be moved to senate additional allocation?
Gabe: exec does projects, SGA senate does not
Josh: 10 for prove it?
Yasmin: a lot of people like prove it. I think it’s a good place to be spending 10k
Gabe: Contest on campus where any group of students or student organization to come up with an idea to affect the campus. The selection committee picked the project they thought was the best: that was greenspace project
The area by the pond to FA building is going to a nice garden space. Place to hang out outside. May not cost whole 50k. But it was a project we were willing to spend 50k on.
Toby: so every year we will do that?
Yasmin the way to put it, this money doesn’t get entirely spent. Next years SGA really decides what they want to do with it. The stipends might not even go through next year.
Yasmin: one thing I want to talk about. We did alto more research this year. Asked a lot ore questions about the administrative overhead. For the pest few years we thought that hat money goes to the university pot. Found out it goes to OSL. Talked with OSL to see where that’s money going. It is something we kept in the budget, but left a lot of room in the budget. 1998 when the agreement started. A lot of place that we cross over, we were looking for a little bit more information as to where the money goes. They do pay overhead to administration. We need to step up our game with it. Get a person at OSL staff meetings and say we want more involvement. I want to let you guys know that we have done a lot of research. By next week ill have a clearer idea of where money goes.
Rahilla if all things go well we will vote on this next week.
VI. Project Updates
A. Increased Library Hours
Naina: having a lull, haven’t been able to research stuff we will do but are getting on that now. Head of study place committee approached me and ask if I would like to take the lead on this. I figured that them directing out approach toward studepy place would be a good idea. Trying to gather history about study place.
B. Reaching out to International Students
Chidi: planning on meeting on Wednesday.
C. Black and Gold Campus Signage
Aditi: Jen and me were talking over break decided to change deadline again. Were having problems with funding. David and I are working on that. Communication gap is the biggest issue.
Toby: how much do you need?
Like $6,000 more. We do have campus partners. We keep having to push it back.
D. Fees
Josh: We need a bit more time.
E. Sales of Gum at stores on campus
Whitney: I talked to Kim Leisey again and talked about issue. I want to see their willing to get gum at the outtakes event thought they’ve been advised against it. Probably a touchy situation.
Josh: gum is sold in the commons - the bookstore does sell gum.
Chidi: gum everywhere on the floor that might be a reason they don’t sell it. Seeing gum everywhere is gross.
Brian: We didn’t ever really debate this. Someone just brought it up and the senate just ran with it. I don’t support it. I think we have legislation
Rhaila: you all could have debated it then.
Brian: I think its Important we have a conversation about it
Josh: I agree with Brian. It makes a mess and people don’t throw it away. If whiney wants to pursue it they go ahead, make sure you don’t tell people you are going on behalf of the senate because I don’t think the senate has debated it.
Aditi: the reason we decided to do this we wanted to look at things form a micro level perspective. At least this student knows that a senator took initiative too look into an issue. I think it made a difference for the people that cared.
Matt: I remember the debate that we had there were two sides. I thought that the argument was that students would buy gum anyway, but I see now that some people say if its more accessible there will be gum on the ground.
Brian: We never talked about the process for this. But we are advocating for this as a senate. When we haven’t talked the isuue.
Whiney: I think its done.
Brian we should tell the student.
Jen ill do it.
First proeect complete.
F. Follow-up on Transit Tracker
Transit tracker. Keeping you guys updated starting next week.
VII. New Business
A. SR08-0809- Resolution to support the present smoking legislation
This is just saying what the legislation is and to tell everyone what it does.
Brian: I’m glad you put this together. As an RA I was told to enforce a policy that didn’t exist and that’s a huge issue.
David: drop 4th 5th 6th clauses.
Josh: that was my Attempt to appease certain groups
Rahilla: motion to amend?
Toby: if we pass this policy how do we promote that to the students?
Josh: RSA planning to put posters up and to inform community directors enforcing what they think are the policy.
Jen: designated smoking areas in hillside?
They do in the res halls
Jen: I think reslife is going to do this. Were going to have to tell people we cant just pass this.
Josh: I agree
Yasmin: I would like to have some research. Have ash treys not 20 feet away. Designated smoking area will go, if its not 20 feet away than its contradictory. We should visit that.
Michael
David: everyone agrees that following through should happen. In order for it to be worth ore then we have to talk in more specific terms. Not just what we “should” do
Aditi: which one is the right version?
Josh: On the first page three is a really long whereas: that is the version that has been passed. This is supporting the one the SGA has already passed.
Rahilla what department past conflicting version?
Brian: reslife were one of the culprits. Had a meeting were told this is the new policy.
Josh: student judicial programs website. Has a ling to copies. PDF is the one we passed and word is the reslife
Adidt: moving to approve
.
Rahilla: do we want to have discussion on how we will actually follow through?
Josh: The three groups we heed to talk to are the student judicial program the campus police and facilities management
Michel: walker is still incorrect.
Brian second move to approve
Jen move to approve but scratch lines 4 5 6 and residence life
Members for: 10, opposed: 0, abstaining: 1, absent: 0
B. SR09-0809- Resolution to support the name change from Non-Exempt Excluded Senate Staff (NESS) to Non-Exempt Senate Staff (NSS)
Rahilla: Should be a paper that explains reason for name change
David: It’s your document, you can change it
Rahilla: I changed it motion to approve
Naina seconds
Members For: 10, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 0
Brian: are we going to see more conformations?
Rahilla: we have a few more
Gabe: I have a personal statement form Fo but I still have to get some things out.
VIII. Executive/ Ex-officio Reports
Gabe: I had a lot of meetings last week. Wednesday I had a meeting with Elliot Hershman about the transcript fee. It went very well. He was good to talk to about this. In the end they are going to look into two models, one is an overall lowering of fee, or decreased cost for a bulk load. So you would save money I you have to order several. We also brought up PDF how it makes no sense to change for PDF. Dr Hershman agreed with that. Said she would look into it. I want to see the issue wrapped up at the end of the year.
Michel: what about he chat function
Gabe: I pointed out that is was something student wouldn’t use. Should have done more research on that.
Gabe: Thursday I had a meeting went over retrievers budget
Yasmin: they recommend to the president that they pass our budget.
Friday was steering committees. Lease change dinging hall deal. Going to be the last day of our terms. Where they pick the dining hall name.
Thinking about putting Exam bubble sheets fill out tat end of semester, online and want to change questions. Formation of a committee to bring plus minus grading to UMBC. I made it clear that he would have negative feedback for that.
Websites are being updated. James testing stuff on Erickson field. Fo is good for early move final proposal.
Michael: election webpage: all candidates profess are up. It is ready to go live. Working with James on constitution generation website for new students who want to make a club.
David: 35 candidates. Good showing election bard working extensively together
Consider my class for this coming fall
Yasmin: Wednesday is kite-flying day for PSA on Erickson field
IX. Announcements
Dave: want to make it so that we can only drop classes after 2 weeks
Arguments in favor of it were preserving academic integrity of transcript and if student stay in class till third of 4th week they will take spots from other students. I asked for numbers. All other USM schools have them
Jen: stress fee zone Thursday at 5 in SGA office. Registration starts tomorrow I don’t thin anyone here will have an appointment time that early
Rahilla: office hours
No team building next week.
Next week were having Katie boon
X. Roll Call
All members present
XI. Adjournment
8:04 pm
XII. Pass the Gavel