Student Senate Minutes

I. General meeting of the Student Senate was called to order by Speaker Poindexter at 6:00 PM.
	A. Absent from the meeting were members:
	B. Also attending the meeting was:
II. Preliminary Items
	A. Roll Call
	B. Corrections/Approval of the minutes
	C. Gallery introductions/business
	D. Guests of Honor
	E. Membership Issues
	F. Appointments/Administration of the Oath
		A. Szewczyk - James Lattey for student at large to the OAF committee.
			Lattey - Currently a student at large member of the budget review 				committee and would like to continue work on the OAF 					committee.
			Wisa - After working on senate’s budget review committee will 				you be able to remain impartial?
			Lattey - Yes, very interested to see the workings of other 					organizations. 
			Closed Session Begins.
			Appointment Approved.
		B. Szewczyk - Daniel Glossinger for student at large position to OAF 			committee.
			Glossinger - Interested in serving on OAF since reading Robert 				Kelchin’s report three years ago. Works for the Index and feels he 				can remain impartial and is no longer a part of the news 					department. Will not write editorial pieces about OAF.
			Mozaffar - What did you think about the OAF report you read?
			Glossinger - The report was interesting. Particularly the part about 				the Collegiate Readership Program. 
			
			5 minute recess.
			
			Russell - You said you would not be writing editorials about OAF. 				Would you keep all of the information confidential?
			Glossinger - Yes, worked on the BOG rep 
			Miller - What do you think the democratic implications of being an 			Index reporter on the OAF committee? Needs to know that you 				will not influence stories about OAF in the Index.
			Glossinger - The news department will look to him for information 			but is committed to not sharing anything. It is important to have 				someone involved in news in representative government. 					Consciousness of how things will look to the media.
			Mozaffar - Sometimes from reading the Index, has the feeling that 				they do not look favorably on Senate. Will you be biased or do you 			feel you can come in and look at the information unbiased?
			Glossinger - Agrees that some people see a bias against student 				government. Columnists are just trying to show both sides. It is not 			his job to tell columnists what to write about or what to think. 				Feels he can remain unbiased.
			Szewczyk - As a Pershing Scholar, is this a good way to give back 				to the University?
			Glossinger - Robert Kelchin was also a Pershing Scholar. Is not 				from Missouri but would like to show gratitude for the money.
			Miller - That being said, why OAF?
			Glossinger - Is involved in other organizations on campus. Not 				involved in Senate because he has always been more interested in 				the news angle of things.
			Givogue - Point of information: Is this for a student at large 				position? (Yes).
			Hogan - How is the Index funded? Will any funding be effected by 				OAF?
			Glossinger - Index receives no money from FAC but instead comes 			from $12,000 given by the Communication Department.
			Closed Session Begins.
		C. Szewczyk - Nathan Wieland to student at large on OAF committee.
			Wieland - It is important that the University uses its money to 				benefit the students. Feels he has good insight and would be able to 
			contribute.
			Givogue - How did you hear about this position?
			Wieland - Attended President’s Roundtable and decided to stop 				complaining and take action.
			Closed Session Begins. 
			Appointment Approved. 
		D. Szewczyk - Alex Reed as the FAC rep to the OAF committee.
			Reed - Has been a part of FAC for three years now.
			Hayes: what made you want to be involved?
			Reed: Interested in how the org is run and how it fits in. No one 				else was as interested.
			Closed Session Begins.
			Appointment Approved.
		E. Szewczyk - Stephanie Quan as the SAB rep to the OAF Committee
			Quan - Wants SAB to receive an appropriate portion of the funds.
			Closed Session Begins.
			Appointment Approved.
		F. Sezewczyk - Vivian Cramer as Student at Large for the OAF 				Committee.
			Closed Session Begins.
			Appointment Approved.
		G. Szewczyk - Nadia Mozzaffar as Student Senate rep to the OAF 				Committee.
			Mozaffar - Has lots of experience on Budget Review, and has 				gained a lot of knowledge of Senate's budget.  Feels she could 				adequately defend Senate to the OAF.  Will have many 					conversations with Senate to ensure it is Senate's opinion she 				reports, and not her own.
			Closed Session Begins.	
			Appointment Approved.
	G. Changes/Approval of the agenda
III. Executive Reports
	A. Secretary - Love love love love the new office!!!!
	B. Treasurer - Toner is en-route.
	C. President - Committee to create professor rating tool will be 3 faculty, 3 students, a co-chair (student and faculty), Julie Lochbaum, and Candi Young.
	Academic affairs will offer senate's choices for that committee. ExComm will be 	eld this week. Tuesday 7 PM in VH 1208. 
IV. Auxiliary Reports
	A. Faculty Advisor - New provost!  He's supposed to be really cool.  Supposedly 	just THAT much more awesome. Leadership stuff!  Who will fill your 	shoes in the future? Advisors? Second faculty advisor would be an option. 	OAF will probably need an advisor. Christmas Party? This Monday.  6 PM 	@ Albert's House. Wear festive clothing. Hat circle! Woo! Art and 	Science report follow up.  Survey stuff will happen in the spring. 	Interdisciplinary Studies Dean process will continue at the start of the new 	semester.  Start date could be July 1, or sooner.
	B. Staff Advisor
	C. BOG - President of MU will be here talking about how awesome higher 	education is. BOG meeting this weekend. Construction moving ahead, but 	Ryle/C-Hall construction phases will be split in half, and not all at once. 
	Art and Sciences report:
		- Can't change prices now or in the future.  Just isn't viable.
		- Location is the biggest obstacle; need more fun!
	Emily is going away now. Sad! New governor should be nice to Senate. They 	should also help you meet important people. Do not try to control the BoG rep. 	And most importantly, don’t be mean! Talk to Rector, Mullens, and Gilchrist 	about the issues with res-halls. Splitting the res-hall construction makes it more 	affordable and keeps beds open. Next BOG meeting in February. 
	D. Speaker - Thanks for holiday signatures. Daniel is looking for someone to 	replace him. Come to the party!
V. Committee Reports
	A. Academic Affairs - Swapapalooza is the Wednesday of finals week. Posters 	will be ready to hang on Wednesday of this week. From a while ago, Doug talked 	about research mentor award which is going ahead. Study Abroad Handbook is 	still around! Get rid of them so we can print the new one! Curriculum 	Commission has finished the final draft of the report. Proposals soon to follow!
	B. External Affairs - Renter’s Rights online soon. New office move revealed “Off 	Campus Housing Guides” , hopefully moving these online soon. Storm the 	Capitol moving ahead.
	C. Student Affairs
		i. Campus Diversity - no report. 
		ii. Campus Environment - Lots of e-mails were sent out; read them and be 			educated, as CE will be brining many of these to Senate in the future.  This 		is heavy stuff! Bike Co-Op meeting soon, laying the grounds to open the 			Co-op in mid-February. President has been advised to support the Bike 			Co-Op.
	D. Technology
	E. Other Reports
		i. Historian
		ii. Communications Director - Doing newsletter with SAB and maybe 			FAC.
		iii. Webmaster
		iv. Ethics Justice
		v. Recruitment
		vi. Legislative Director
		vii. Budget Review - Survey results: ½ have met a Senator, ¾ have not 			visited the website. Certain methods of advertisement are more 				effective than others
		viii. EOY - Need people badly! EOY is super important and needs people 			to help move it along. Email Kim if you are interested!
VI. Old Business
	A. Miller - Moves Safe Rides Program resolution. Standing roles suspended to 	vote on the resolution tonight.
		Miller - Administrative Rules, Assessment of Need, and other materials 			were e-mailed out. Changes include: No mention intoxicated persons until 			the section outlining emergency procedures.  DPS encouraged this, saying 			the program was OK, so long as patrons suffering from alcohol poisoning 			were treated appropriately, and not simply given rides. Survey was drafted 			by Flanagan, and revealed that 24% of Truman Students surveyed drink 			and drive. 94% approve of a safe ride program.  The program encourages 			safety!
		Mozaffar - Worried about having enough people to execute this plan, but 			given the need/want for such a program, it is worth trying.
		Givogue - Was this survey on TruView?
		Miller - Yes, but only for a short time, due to delays and complications on 			the ITS side of things.  Statistically, the sample is still relevant.  Survey 			was distributed via Facebook, more or less.
		Wiley - Does Senate have the funding for this?
		Gilmore - Yes, 1,800 remain in unbudgeted funds.
		Wiley - Did Miller have to cut corners due to the funding restraint?
		Miller - Yes, in terms of the number of nights the program can operate.
		Kiddoo - Did Warren Wells look over the Admin. Rules?
		Miller - No, but DPS and numerous other members of the administration 			did. Will have the Gen. Counsel look over them in the future.
		Esfeld - How will this be advertised?
		Miller - Additional funding will come from IFC, to bolster the 100$ 			provided by Senate.
		Szewczyk - Suggests Facebook fliers.
		Wiley - Talk to Heidi.
		Wisa - Budget Review revealed some interesting trends in which 				advertising is most effective.
		Passes 18-1-0
VII. Money Motions
	A. Wiley - moves $45 be spend on food for Camus Environment's Retreat to write 	the Guide to Living Sustainably handbook.  To be done in the first week upon the 	Committee's return to campus.
		Approved.
	B. Esfeld - Moves $100 for Swapapalooza advertisements including posters, table 	tents, and an Index ad.
		Wisa - Against Index adds, they are not effective.
		Approved.
	C. Esfeld - Moves $100 for a ceremonial gavel for President Crawford
		Approved.
	D. Hanks - Moves $800 for 500 magnets, 500 pens, 500 post-it pads with 			Senate logos.
		Haldey - Need to change date to 2008
		Wiley - Inquires of price.
		Miller - Do we need this many?  Or this stuff at all?  Doesn't like that it 			isn't specific. Feels it could upset the student population.
		Alberts - Have budgeted more money than we have before; we NEVER 			spend it all.  A good price is important, and these things do not go bad!  			They are not eggs.
		Wisa - Comments from Budget Review on spending money on 				magnets/pens?  No complaints.  If anything, students do not know about 			Senate.
		Hayes - We DO need a generic advertisement out there, in order to just get 		Senate's name out.
		Miller - Doesn't say anything.  Doesn't say all the stuff Senate does.
		Graber - It's a magnet!  Only so much space.  Just encourages students to 			come.
		Hadley - Magnets are whatever.  They don't help that much.
		Hayes - Student Government vs. Student Senate?  They should be 				uniform.
		Kirtland - It depends on how we use these. He got into Senate BECAUSE 			of the Stupid Magnet.  SAB spends a lot of money on advertisements like 			these.  Need these tangible things, esp. for new students.
		Givogue - Many people don't know what Senate DOES.  These are so 			cheap, and we should get them, and use them as a jumping-off point to 			explain what Senate DOES.  Budget Review findings seem to encourage 			this idea.
		Approved.
VIII. First Readings
	A. Poindexter - Moves a resolution honoring Governor Emily S. Kiddoo.
		Hadley - Nomenclature of Senate vs. Student Government; Friendly 			amendment to send it to her parents.
		Kirtland - Kiddoo has stepped up and exceeded expectations and demands.  		In his experience, very few other people who serve in similar capacities 			have done as much as Emily has.
		Szewczyk - Thanks Emily K, Daniel P, Emily K. again.
		Alberts - She is a friend, as well as a student.  She has served as a quasi-			advisor, which is commendable.
		Passes 19-0-0.
IX. Discussion Items
	A. Russel - Resolution regarding Athletics Committee
		Russell - The parts in red are changes to the original resolution as 				suggested by the athletic director Jerry Wolmering.
		Wiley - Before any project is approved, must senate discuss it?
		Russell - Yes it must be discussed before senate.
		Szewczyk - Would like the Senators to consider un-striking of the line 59-			60?
		Wisa - Can we be assured that the athletic director will listen to the voice 			of the student senate as the voice of the student body?
		Russell - Our leverage is the ability to talk to him throughout the semester. 		Our ability to publicize ideas is also a check. He just can’t spend the 			money on whatever he sees fit.
		Kirtland - Every three years the athletic director’s spending will be 				reviewed. If there is mismanagement the funding can be taken away.
		Szewczyk - Would like to prevent mismanagement to avoid having to take 		it away.
		Hogan - Does not want senate caught up in the minutia of every decision. 			The athletics director was very involved when the fee was first brought up. 		Very unlikely that the director would spurn senate.
		Alberts - The athletics director reports directly to the President. On 				projects above $25,000, she must cosign. If you have good communication 		with her, it will be another check on the spending.
		Szewczyk - We want the opportunity to see whatever the money is being 			spent at any time.
		Russell - At the end of each semester, all expenditures must be reported.
		Alberts - Should be a public report.
		Szewczyk - This may have to become a standing committee to keep 			contact with the athletic director.
		Hadley - Be consistent between “student government” and “student 			senate.”
	B. Russell - Budget projects for the athletics committee for spring ‘08
		Russell - Meeting with Jerry, wanted money to fix safety issues 				immediately this spring. SAAC was asked to compile a list of top safety 			concerns. $50,000.
		Kiddoo - Does this money exist? 
		Russell - Jerry Wolmering said the money was there and would be given 			towards the safety concerns.
		Wiley - Rugby field does not have a cost listed.
		Russell - The field is in very bad condition. Dirt taken from the football 			field after new turf is put down can be used to resurface the rugby field. 			There is no bid yet from a contractor. Hoping to get a bid for the football 			field and the rugby field together.
		Wiley - If the money cannot be used for the rugby field it will be used for 			the soccer field sprinkler systems. There are other issues more pressing for 		safety concerns.
		Russell - The sprinkler heads on the soccer field eat away at the dirt and 			cause erosion. The pot holes in the field lead to turned ankles and torn 			ACLs. There is not enough money in the budget to create a whole new 			sprinkler system. The sprinkler heads can be removed and filled in with 			dirt to solve the problem. 
		Wiley - What happens if the money is not used?
		Russell - It will be set aside until the funds can be reached.
		Morrey - How long will the wrestling mats last? (5-10 years. Over time 			they start to develop cracks leading to staph infections)
		Kirtland - New mats need to happen. In terms of grating and seeding of 			the field, some of our own grounds people will do part of it. Would like to 			look into sod instead of seeding so the field will be usable in the fall.
		Szewczyk - Is there still $33,000 unbudgeted? (Yes. The rest goes to 			supplement funds for the rugby field and is to be used in the spring).
		Givogue - If the rugby field doesn’t happen, it will be used to fixing the 			soccer field? If there isn’t enough funds for the soccer field what happens? 		(It will be rebudgeted).
X. Other New Business
	A. Hanks - inquires as to moving money that may not exist.
		Wisa - Budget review has money left over.
		Wiley - Does the comm dept. have money left over from index inserts?
		Gilmore - Received invoice from the index; budget to be revised next 			semester.
	B. Wisa - Moves that Budget Review's charter be extended until its report is 	accepted by the Student Senate. 
		Wisa -They just need more time for a few more weeks to write the report.
		Alberts: Should say “filed” as opposed to “accepted”.
		Motion Passes.
	C. Hadley - Moves amendment to the standing rules concerning the appointment 		process. This is to help clarify a lot of murky issues, and save time for future 	presidents and Senates.
		Kirtland - What if the proposed members of a potential interview 				committee are not currently appointed.  Friendlies to just have the 				committee composed of three people.  Friendly is not accepted.
		Hayes - Likes it for the clarifying factor; wants to eliminate the frustration.
		Mozzaffar - Friendly to “president and not limited to speaker”, leaving off 			the “EJ and member of Excomm”; accepted, but objected.  Moved as an 			amendment. 
		Alberts - Substitute amendment composing the committee of two former 			or present members of the Student Government is moved. Accepted as a 			friendly.
		Hadley - Could it people who've graduate?  Response:  In theory.
		Wisa -:  Has mixed emotions.  Doesn't feel is solved the problem of when 			apps close. Doesn't think that all persons need to be interviewed anyway.
		Hadley - Feels the issue of opening/closing applications should be handled 		a separate issue, because it is a separate section.
		Wisa - Why is a team necessary?
		Hadley - Feels that this would protect future presidents, and keep 				frustration out of meetings.  Extra eyes and ears in an interview would 			help, and keep things more consistent.
		Wisa - President S.? Too restricting?
		Szewczyk - Doesn't like the idea of having voting members on the 				committee; mixes the powers.  Also, why close this so early?  Could miss 			qualified persons for the sake of a committee, and also not have the same 			committee for different applicants for the same position.
		Wisa - Also doesn't like voting members in on the committee.
		Miller - Hadley should be commended for seeking to fix this problem.  He 			feels that it promotes equity and fairness.  Wants to have assurance for the 			legislature that all applicants were given fair interviews.  Have all 				applicants been interviewed?
		Szewczyk - No.
		Miller - With that, has there been a period of time where applications were 		received, but not interviews conducted?
		Szewczyk - Yes, but context needs to be given for these answers.  The 			first one was due to a political conflict, the other instance occurred only 			once.
		Miller - Feels that this is good grounds for passage of the amendment.
		Kiddoo - Has helped Matt a lot, and was in on a great may of interviews.  			Would've spoken up if there was in issue.
		Mozzaffar - President still has the final word.  President S. himself has had 		voting members on the committee despite his previously stated reserves.  			There are many instances where voting members have key knowledge to 			advise the president, and should not be excluded.  
		Szewczyk - This influences decisions because then the legislature is 			predisposed to vote on the entire pool, and not only the one appointed.
		Hayes - Objects.
		Hadley - Rules state CURRENTLY that President should interview 			everyone. Echoes Mozzaffar that there is precedent for voting members 			on the committee. Emphasizes that it is STILL the President's choice to 			appoint persons. Doesn't think that coordinating at a minimum three 			people will that that big of an issue in the potential future. Feels in general 			that this would ease a lot of the tensions.
		Szewczyk - Feels that Senate has overstepped its boundaries.  Also feels 			that Senate is perceived as cliquish.  Wants a person immune to this, like 			the governor to be involved.  Not another voting persons.
		Givogue - Wants this to address not just this semester, but all presidents in			the future.
		Graber - Were there problems with having voting Senators on the 				committee?
		Szewczyk - Yes, he had concerns.
		Graber - The BoG committee had multiple persons on it, multiple 				opinions, shouldn't this committee have that too?
		Szewczyk - Yes, but not voting members.
		Kirtland - All presidents past have had this committee.  The amendment 			has no restraints MAKING or PREVENTING voting members from being 		on the committee, which is the perfect degree of ambiguity.  Committee 			members coming to the meeting and opposing the appointee is great for 			the process, and forces the President to defend their choice.
		Esfeld - Amendment is a combination of all good things!  Allows 				presidents current and future to pick the make-up of the their committee 			with very limited restrictions.
		Wisa - Move to table.  Fails.
		Alberts - Can't legislate jerk-ness, tragically.  We should fix the problems 			we see, and not kid ourselves that this will be the way it is forever.  This 			still does not fix the issue of the timing and opening and closing of 				applications. Thinks this could solve some problems.  Feels its a little 			lengthy, but we should stop talking now.
		Miller - Open government is best.  Dislikes that the executive is allowed to 		conduct its business behind closed doors.  President S. also brought up that 		Senate might a	lso try to push their friends into positions, but that is 			besides the point considering the issue at hand.
		Szewczyk - Friendly amends to exclude the voting members from such a 			committee.
		Hayes - Feels that this has nothing to do with people being jerks.  Just 			clarifies the process for everyone!
		Passes 13-2-3
	
XI. Announcements

Respectfully submitted by Secretary Piel (and Tom effing Hogan) on December 4, 2007.