Student Senate Minutes

I. General meeting of the Student Senate was called to order by Speaker Mozaffar at 6:00 PM.
	A. Absent from the meeting were members:
	B. Also attending the meeting was: Dr. Paino, Dr. Kelrick, Index, Delta Sigma 		Theta Rep Amber
II. Preliminary Items
	A. Roll Call
	B. Corrections/Approval of the minutes
	C. Gallery introductions/business 
		A. Paino - Thanks the body for inviting him. Relatively new to Truman. 				He is coming to listen and answer any questions the body has. 				Would like to speak on Student Initiated Courses and gain whether 				or not it is moving in the right direction. Trying to create more 				room and innovation within the curriculum. Hope to have SIC 				proposal by October 15th. Looking at adding 3-4 interdisciplinary 				minors this year. Chief concern of provost is to attract and retain 				innovative faculty that are interested in these fields. 
			- Esfeld -Commends Dr. Paino’s support of students and 					faculty thus far. Hopes that the student body can continue to 				lay the groundwork in which you work.
			- Hayes - Appreciates Dr. Paino’s work with students. What can 				Truman do to be more academically attractive to students?
			- Paino - Interested in hearing what comes out of the curriculum 				committee. Hopes they are willing to take some risks and chances 				and that the faculty are willing to do the same. Truman attracts 				highly motivated students. We need to have success within some 				proposals to then turn around and show them to high schoolers. 				This would allow students to see they would have the chance to be 				creative and more in charge of their education. Need to develop 				some more appealing programs. Most high schoolers do not know 				what a liberal arts and sciences education means but with these 				programs as examples we can promote the university better. Wants 			to be able to assure every prospective student that if they attend 				Truman they will have the opportunity to be involved in any one of 			these programs. Would love to get to the point where every student 			will be guaranteed the chance to study abroad.
			- Wiley - What is the status of Truman’s alternative semester?
			- Kelrick - The alternative semester was an initiative that the 				Dean’s group put together in response to the art and science report. 			This was a call for faculty to put together a learning group that 				involves a few faculty and about 25 students. That group would 				work together for an entire semester. The plan was side swiped at 				the end of the semester and were reworked this summer.
			- Paino - Heard that a lot of faculty were excited by the idea. 				Wanted to create a mechanism where these ideas could come 				forward under another name. 
			- Kelrick - Working with one group that is planning an entire 				semesters worth of work. Working on allowing students to do this 				alternative semester and still receive credit within their major. The 				most current idea involves Conservation Biology in Central 				America and focusing on the culture/economics of indigenous 				peoples in and around the conservation area. Students could do 				service learning in the actual conservation areas. Would be worth 				15 credit hours.
			- Hayes - Thanks Dr. Kelrick for his work with the students. Last 				week, President Dixon brought up the idea that every student 				would have a semester work and apply their liberal arts and 				sciences education. How would you feel building that into every 				students’ time at Truman?
			- Kelrick - There is so much activity within Truman right now that 				will lead to this sort of program. 
			- Esfeld - What support system is in place for students’ who do not 				have the relationship with a faculty member necessary to gain their 				backing?
			- Kelrick - Have a list of faculty that students may contact. 					Currently working with three students to assemble a set of 					resources that will ultimately form the base of a workshop. Due 				date for proposals is the beginning of next semester. 
			- Esfeld - Last year Academic Affairs found that there is a course 				that students take when creating their interdisciplinary major. 				Could there be a course that students would take to prepare their 				SIC?
			- Kelrick - There are models of that nature out there. Would like to 				have examples of successes and difficulties here at Truman before 				taking it to the course you described. 
			- Esfeld - Think it is a direction that might work in this situation.
			- Kelrick - MIT has a thirty year standing program that did not 				work at first and was modified over the course of a few years. 				Would like to see how it works out and then go from there.
			- Esfeld - Is there a stipend involved with getting your proposal 				approved? (Yes, $1000-$1500) Residence Life is capped in the 				amount of hours they work (30 hours) concerned they would not be 			able to participate in a program like this. 
			- Kelrick - Some people suggested allowing students to turn in 				their stipends to cover their scholarship hours.
			- Paino - Will check into this. Looking to make this a sustainable 				program.
			- Kelrick - Will address issues as they come up.
			- Givogue - International students are also capped in the amount of 				hours they can work.
			- Kelrick - Will check into that as well. 
			- Wiley - Last week a roundtable was held about how the 					constitution has been effected since 9/11. Thought it was an 				excellent event. Felt it was created in response to the arts and 				sciences report. Was that the case? Will you hold more activities?
			- Paino - In part it was to meet requirements for Constitution day. 				Interested in civic engagement. Amazed that there is no current 				structure to create events in response to what is going on in the 				world. Meeting with about six faculty that are interested in the 				American Democracy Project and growing it here on campus. On 				his old campus, there was an organization in place that could create 			events and speakers in response to world events. Would like 				students to be involved.
			- Wiley - could you explain the American Democracy Project.
			- Paino - It is a 5 year old project in response to the Bowling Alone 			study. This project was to try and get students more socially 				engaged. Wants more personal ownership of our country and 				increase civic engagement. The readership program was initiated as 			part of the project. This is an opportunity to get students involved 				and could become a student led program in the future.
	D. Guests of Honor
		A. Esfeld - Presentation of scholarships
	E. Membership Issues
	F. Appointments/Administration of the Oath
		A. Mozaffar - Emily Stewart, Kristen Marshall, Zach Buckler and Laura 			Greaver to Associate Senator. Approved. 
	G. Changes/Approval of the agenda
III. Executive Reports
	A. Secretary
	B. Treasurer
	C. President
IV. Auxiliary Reports
	A. Faculty Advisor
	B. Staff Advisor
	C. BOG
	D. Speaker
V. Committee Reports
	A. Academic Affairs
	B. External Affairs Chairwoman
	C. Student Affairs
		i. Campus Diversity
		ii. Campus Environment
	D. Technology
	E. Other Reports
		i. Historian
		ii. Communications Director
		iii. Webmaster
		iv. Ethics Justice
		v. Recruitment
		vi. Legislative Director
		vii. Constitutional Review
VI. Old Business
VII. Money Motions
VIII. First Readings
IX. Discussion Items
X. Other New Business
XI. Announcements

Respectfully submitted by Secretary Piel on