MINUTES
OF THE
NINETY-EIGHTH SMU STUDENT SENATE
GENERAL MEETING
October 25, 2011
Hughes-Trigg Forum
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Speaker Belden at 3:34 pm.
II. MOMENT OF SILENCE
III. ROLL CALL
President Prentice
Vice-President Ehmke
Secretary Pool
Speaker Belden
Parliamentarian Morgan
Chief of Staff Mace
Senator Adcox
Senator Anderson
Senator Barro
Senator Bertasi A
Senator Dawson
Senator Deo
Senator Esau
Senator Essaw
Senator Finnegan
Senator Flyckt
Senator Garcia
Senator Genco
Senator Harris
Senator Hoffman
Senator Kadel
Senator Kazmi
Senator Kerns
Senator Kim
Senator Koroma
Senator Krocheski
Senator Langley
Senator Mahaffey
Senator Martinez E
Senator McAuliffe
Senator Miers
Senator Mitchell
Senator Needham
Senator O’Connor
Senator Phan
Senator Robson
Senator Sansone
Senator Schmidt
Senator Schur A
Senator Skreden
Senator Stephens E
Senator Watts
Senator Whelan
Senator Yang
Senator Young E
Chair Badarak
Chair Fox
Chair Goldberg
Chair Hervey
Chair Ladner
Chair Malhi E
Chair Mansfield E
Chair Trespalacios
A – absent; T – tardy;
E – excused
IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The meeting’s agenda was approved after being amended to reflect the following changes: the inclusion of PAD and ABS to Finance Committee’s new business report, and the addition of a senatorial forum on athletics.
V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes from the October 18, 2011 General Meeting were approved.
VI. SPEAKER’S PODIUM
1. Hiba Ibad – SMU Rotaract Club.
Wants to announce the Purple Pinky Against Polio campaign that will occur next week. It only costs three cents to vaccinate a child against polio, and there are only a few countries left in the world before polio is completely eradicated. Those who donate at the various stations will have their pinky fingers colored purple to symbolize their stand against polio. For more information, contact Hiba at hibad@smu.edu.
2. Hanna Kim – Korean Student Association.
KSA is pleased to have had a successful event last week, with more upcoming events showcasing traditional Korean culture. Email KSA president Ruby Kim at rkim@smu.edu for information or details about upcoming events.
3. Khurran Taufiq – Muslim Students Association.
Fastathon is next Thursday – it is MSA’s biggest event of the year. For every person who pledges to fast for the day, sponsors will donate money to charity. This year’s Fastathon will help sponsor orphans all around the world. There will be a pre-fast breakfast in Café 100 at 5:30 am, and the dinner banquet will be held in the Raddison that night. There will be free Italian food. This year’s speaker is Rashad Hussain – White Hors Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It is highly recommended to RSVP to the banquet so that you can get guaranteed seating. Although fasting includes abstaining from both food and water, you can fast in good faith to the best of your ability.
Motion was passed to extend Speakers’ Podium time by ten minutes.
4. Stephen Ceccon – University Libertarians.
Feels that University Libertarians’ organizational charter should not be revoked. Have already had multiple events this year that drew over a hundred people each, including a Ron Paul campaign event at the Ballpark in Arlington and participating in political protests. Gained over 70 signatures at A Night at the Club, and have more upcoming events scheduled for this year. Revocation of the organization’s charter would be a disservice to the political sphere on campus.
5. Jordan Lee – Bhakti Yoga Club.
Organization meets on Wednesday nights in Hughes-Trigg. Don’t need much funding other than for rooms, coke requests, and flyers. They are a small club, and have between 5 and 15 members in weekly attendance. Club supports a vegetarian diet, and provides place for intellectual discussion, meditation, and oasis during the week. Communication gap in attending the MOM meetings was because the club had only 3 officers at the time. This problem is now resolved.
6. Udoka Omenukor – Hip Hop Dance Club.
[President Prentice yielded part of the time in his officer report since this speaker was not listed on the agenda in time.] Club was missing one signature because it was in transition between exec committees. It needs the charter in order to rent space in the Dedman Rec center. Do not need much funding because the club has sustained itself by raising money at events. They even have some left over to donate to charity. The events are very popular. The club has also partnered with TREAT in order to incorporate the non-dance, business-y side of talent recruitment as well.
VII. OFFICER REPORTS
a. President Prentice:
1. Health Center Petition – working to find a new name for the Memorial Health Center after the building is renovated. This will be a big topic at the December Board of Trustees meeting.
2. See the questionnaire on the Student Senate Facebook page.
3. Six Weeks Program – attempting to solve some of the social dilemmas that occur in the first six weeks that freshmen are on campus. They are no longer allowed at Greek bus parties during the first six weeks of the fall semester. Trying to dole out programs on Thursday/Friday/Saturday nights so that no two events overlap.
b. Vice President Ehmke:
1. Senate Liaisons – will start contacting organizations for those senators who have not yet emailed their organizations. Please cc him on all correspondence with student organizations.
2. New Agenda Order – moved the order so that visitors don’t have to sit as long in order to hear the Organizations and Finance committee reports. The committee reports are now listed in order of the most visitor attendance.
c. Secretary Pool:
1. Absences – need to keep up with your office hours, committee attendance, and weekly meeting attendance. Check with her if you are concerned about your number of absences/tardys.
2. Bush Library Tour – Senators Hoffman, Esau, O’Connor, Martinez, Adcox, Anderson, Kazmi, McAuliffe, Garcia, O’Neil, Robson, Langley, Watts, Barro, Flyckt, and Stephens, Chair Mansfield, Vice President Ehmke, and Secretary Pool are currently on the list to attend. If this list is not correct, then let Secretary Pool know as soon as possible. The tour is at 2:30 pm on Monday, October 31. The director of the archives will be giving the tour and hopes to poll Senate for feedback on the library, so it is important that Senate make a good showing.
3. Veterans – the new group on campus is starting a drive for care packages for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that will be held the week of the Navy game. More details on how Senate can help will follow.
4. Minutes – let Secretary Pool know your thoughts on the new format. It is the original format that was used prior to the 95th Student Senate.
5. Code of Conduct Roundtables – will be held next week. Proposals are due on November 4 by 5:00 pm. Please tell all your constituents and pass the word around. There have been no proposals submitted as of today.
6. ROTC – is currently researching the feasibility of bringing an ROTC unit back to campus (like TCU’s unit, not the A&M corps). Let Secretary Pool know if you are interested in helping.
d. Speaker Belden:
1. No report.
e. Parliamentarian Morgan:
1. Parliamentary note.
f. Chief of Staff Mace:
1. No report.
g. Executive Director Jones:
1. United Way – Kickoff for the “text to give” campaign is November 1. It is important for students to give. More information coming next week.
VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Finance – Chair Fox
i. New Business
(1) Chi Alpha – will see next week
(2) PAD – requested $3,212
(a) Request was downgraded to $2,700 according to standards
(b) Funded $725
(c) Vote was 10-0-0
(3) ABS – requested $1,600
(a) Request was downgraded to $720 according to standards
(b) Funded $725 in full
(c) Vote was 9-0-0
ii. Budget Retreat
(1) Organizations budgets are on the email
(2) There is no money left to fund organizations
(3) Residuals will come soon
(4) Senate did not get funded apart from the finance and scholarship committees
(5) The remaining weekly allocation funding for this semester will be announced next week
iii. Old Business
(1) Men’s Club Soccer $200/$200 9-1-1
(2) Psych Department $1,535/$1,535 11-0-0
(3) PC $0/$11,902 9-0-2
(4) APALSA $1,700/$1,700 11-0-2
(5) Student Senate $0/$2,347 12-1-0
(6) Senate Exec—Tabled
(7) MAPS $100/$100 13-0-0
Motion to receive all old business except for PC in block
The blocked portion of the committee’s recommendation was approved
Chief of Staff Mace motioned to amend the funding to PC to the requested $11,902
Reasoning: Senate told them to do a small-name acoustic concert that would be funded by the weekly allocations budget
The finance committee would not fund concerts in their semester budget
This is going against our word, and their energy
Senator Esau motioned to amend the amendment to $5,000
Reasoning: $11,000 is too much – Senate should fund them, but only a lesser amount
Artist was Kate Voegele – not extremely well-known, not a likely good return on investment
Epic funding was already approved
Concert was the week before exams
PC did not have a chance to make modifications to their proposal when the request was denied
They do have enough funding to do a decent concert with a local artist
We did not fund it earlier because we would have been bankrupt
Keeping PC on a leash is not a bad thing – need to balance priorities
Called question to the amendment to the amendment
Roll Call Vote:
Name: Vote:
Austin Prentice aye
Alex Ehmke nay
Martha Pool aye
Ted Belden no vote
Alex Morgan nay
Alex Mace nay
Clint Adcox nay
Scott Anderson nay
William Badarak no vote
Greg Barro aye
Nick Bertasi nay
Jack Dawson nay
Parminder Deo aye
Joseph Esau aye
Roza Essaw nay
Monnica Finnegan nay
Tanner Flyckt aye
Rachel Fox no vote
Juan Jose Garcia nay
Christian Genco nay
Alexis Goldberg no vote
Tyler Harris nay
Kian Hervey no vote
Tiffany Hoffman abstain
Upama Kadel aye
Sarah Kazmi nay
Devin Kerns aye
Hanna Kim nay
Jaimmy Koroma abstain
Brad Krocheski nay
Katherine Ladner no vote
Caroline Langley nay
J.D. Mahaffey aye
Jaywin Malhi no vote
Sam Mansfield no vote
Sam Martinez absent
Anthony McAuliffe nay
James Miers nay
Michael Mitchell nay
Lucy Needham aye
William O’Connor nay
Katie O’Neil nay
An Phan nay
Steven Robson aye
Jason Sansone nay
Christoph Schmidt nay
Laura Schur absent
Cameron Skreden abstain
Savannah Stephens absent
Ramon Trespalacios no vote
Jeff Whelan nay
Jacob Watts nay
Jingjing Yang nay
Shanitah Young absent
Result: 11-27-3
Motion failed
Called the question (for the original motion)
Show of hands vote
Result: 1-36-4
Motion failed
Committee’s recommendation approved
Show of hands vote
Result: 40-0-1
b. Organizations – Chair Goldberg:
i. New Business:
(1) Asian Christian Fellowship, Chartered Status 9-0-0
(2) Method Creative Club, Probationary Status 7-1-1
(3) American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Probationary Status 7-1-1
(4) Mock Trial, Charter Review (will discuss next week)
(5) Saudi Student Association, Revoke Charter 9-0-0
ii. Old Business:
(1) MOM Review (October 6, 2011)
(a) Advertising Club (Chartered): Keep Charter 6-0-0
(b) Golf Club (Probationary): Keep Charter 5-0-0
(c) University Libertarians (Chartered): Revoke Charter 6-0-0
(d) Social Club (Chartered): Revoke Charter 6-0-0
(e) Bhakti Yoga (Chartered): Revoke Charter 5-0-1
(f) Union of Music Students (Chartered): Revoke Charter 6-0-0
(g) Hip Hop Dance (Chartered): Revoke Charter 5-0-1
(h) National Society of Black Engineers (Chartered): Keep Charter 6-0-0
(i) Students for a Better Society (Chartered): Keep Charter 6-0-0
(j) Golden Key National Honor Society (Chartered): Revoke Charter 4-0-2
(k) Mortar Board (Chartered): Revoke Charter 6-0-0
(l) Saudi Student Association (Chartered): Keep Charter 6-0-0 (removed)
(2) October 13, 2011 Business
(a) Mortar Board, Keep Charter 10-0-0
(b) Asian Christian Fellowship, Remain in Temporary Status 8-1-1
(c) Society for Ethical Evaluation and Debate, Probationary Status 10-0-0
(d) Psi Chi, Probationary Status 10-0-0
(e) Korean Student Association, Chartered Status 10-0-0
(3) Email from Lauren Chapman
(a) MOM meetings are mandatory by TX state law
(b) Organizations were given a chance to have their charter reviewed and thus have a chance to attend a make-up MOM meeting
(c) There are no more MOM meetings this semester
(d) These organizations must lose status so that SMU complies with law – there can be no exceptions
(e) They can reapply to regain their charters immediately
Motion to receive recommendations in block
No second
Motion to block October 13 business
Seconded
Business from October 13 approved
Bhakti Yoga Club + Hip Hop Dance Club divided from rest in block
After debate, these organizations were regrouped with the others in the committee’s recommendation
Motion to approve block (all of committee’s recommendation)
Seconded
Everything in committee’s recommendation was approved.
c. Scholarship – Chair Trespalacios:
i. Fall 2011 Scholarship recipients
(1) Read committee recommendations to a closed chamber
(2) Recommendations will be made public next week
(3) Total amount given to recipients is $25,000
(4) Scholarships this semester are between $1000 and $1500
d. Membership – Chair Ladner:
i. New Business
ii. Old Business
(1) Senate vacancies
(a) Dedman II: Matt Alexander 4-0-0, Hiba Ibad 2-1-1
(b) Cox: Jason Carlson 3-0-1
(c) Meadows: Meredith Tavallaee 4-0-0
Committee’s recommendation received in block
Approved
e. Scholarship – Chair Trespalacios:
i. No Submission
f. Endowment – Chair Badarak:
i. No Submission
g. Communications – Chair Mansfield:
i. Homecoming Tent
(1) Need help with arranging for food, sponsors, giveaways, etc.
(2) Sign-up for half-hour shifts
(3) Shifts count for office hours
h. Diversity – Chair Hervey:
i. Diversity survey
(1) Survey is available in two parts on the Senate Facebook page
(2) Will compile the data after November 1
(3) Wants people to have more detailed statistics from minority communities
(4) The results of the last survey were allegedly skewed to place minorities at a disadvantage in representation
i. Student Concerns – Chair Malhi:
i. No Report.
j. Endowment – Chair Badarak:
i. No Report.
IX. NEW BUSINESS
a. F-11-10-08: A Resolution Concerning Recycling on the Boulevard
This piece requests that recycling bins be placed in fraternity/sorority tents on the boulevard in lieu of the current trash cans. There are to be more recycling bins placed on the lawn for the proper disposal of cups, cans, and bottles.
X. OLD BUSINESS
a. F-11-09-05
Legislation was again tabled to be seen as old business next week.
b. F-11-10-06: A Resolution Regulating the Scheduling of Campus Lawn Care
Authored by Secretary Pool and Chair Ladner. This piece requests that SMU FM&S schedule the mowing of grass in populated areas either in the early mornings or late evenings so that the grass cuttings bother the least number of students possible.
Legislation was passed unanimously.
c. F-11-10-07: A Resolution Encouraging the Creation of More Outdoor Study Facilities
Authored by Secretary Pool and Chair Ladner. This piece requests that SMU create more outdoor study facilities in areas such as behind McElvaney, on the Umphrey Lee patio, and behind the Health Center in the Virginia-Snider/Fine Arts Community quad. It also requests better study facilities in the existing outdoor study areas.
Legislation was passed with no opposition and one abstention.
XI. SENATORIAL FORUM
a. Incentives program for athletic events – President Prentice – In response to the article written by the football player in the Daily Campus last week.
Debate: Prentice: has been bombarded with emails from both sides of the argument – alumni, students, administration, players, etc. There are two problems: first, to get students TO the game, and second, to get students to STAY at the game. Input from Senators: the band should be more proactive in leading the upper half of the boulevard to the game, and the parade should start at the steps of Dallas Hall. Since stamina for a party is 5 hours, shorten the length of the boulevard time and close it early. Athletics should provide in-and-out access. Hold pep rallies before the games. Place more emphasis on and publicize the Mustang Walk. Incentivize games – suggested to have a philanthropy donation to the favorite charity of the “raffle” winner for each game. Students should want to go, regardless of the incentives – right now, they don’t care enough to attend, regardless of whether the team is winning or not. We must start the tradition somewhere – why not have stadium yell the night before the games with famous alumni, prizes, etc.? We must do more than just energize the student body. The athletics department already does a bus brigade for every event. Proposed concerts at halftime or after the games. Implement organizations and form competition – make it an honor to be on the field. Start a tradition similar to the push-ups on the field by the service academies. Clarify who is the leader (right now, there are too many events competing for attention on the field – cheer, pom, band, mini Mustangs, Mustang 11, etc.). Delineate roles for more clarity in the student section. Alumni are asking for us to bring back elected yell leaders. Email President Prentice if you are interested in helping. We have two more home games to turn this around.
XII. ANNOUNCEMENTS
a. Watch the game tomorrow!
b. Communication committee needs help with the boulevard tent for Homecoming weekend.
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
As there was no further business, the Senate adjourned at 5:42 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Ann Pool
Student Body Secretary
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