Senate
 

• MINUTES

Agenda

I. Call to order 6:30 PM

II. Passage of previous meeting’s minutes

III. Old Business

A. Student Representatives Status Update

    a. Board of Trustee Committees & Presidential Planning Committee: Ryan, Mike, Xochiltl, Tilak

    b. Campus Committees: Alison, Ken

B. RA’s Request Status

IV. New Business

A. GA Co-Chairs Update

B. Funding Co-Chair Appointment

C. Finance and Public Relations Committee Update

D. Campus Culture Update Committee

E. Scholastic Committee

V. Senate/GA Forum

A. General Comments

B. Next Meeting’s Agenda Topics

VII. Close Meeting

Download pdf minutes: 09-18-07

Minutes from September 18, 2007

Associated Students of Occidental College

Senate Meeting

 

I. Call to order 6:36 PM   

Ryan explained the rest of the meeting process.  He explained that the Senate would normally pass the previous meeting’s minutes and make any changes. 

II.  Old Business

 None

III.  New Business

A.     GA Co-Chairs Update

Laura Knuttunen, GA Co-Chair reminded Senate that they would usually go over previous meeting.  She passed out outline for the coming meeting, which all Senators will participate in.  Senate has 15-20 minutes for their portion of the meeting during which they can share current goals and accomplishments from last year.  She also asked that if any Senator is going to Hall Spread tonight to make an announcement about the GA this week.  The meeting will be 12-1:15 PM in Green Family Dining Room.  Ryan asked if any publicity had been done for the meeting.  Laura said they had contacted different listservs, posted in the Digest, and put up posters.  She felt a Hall Spread announcement would be powerful.  Ryan suggested that folks stick around after the meeting to talk about attending hall spreads.

 

B.     Funding Co-Chair Appointment

Patrick said that the Funding and Public Relations Committee had decided that the two Co-Chairs would be Patrick McCredie and Mike Myers.

 

Alison moved to appoint Patrick McCredie and Mike Myers as the Funding Co-Chairs; Andrew seconded.  Passed: 9-0-2; Patrick and Mike abstained.   

 

C.     Student Representatives Update

a.       Board of Trustee Committees & Presidential Planning Committee: Ryan, Mike, Xochiltl, Tilak

b.       Campus Committees: Alison, Ken

Ryan explained the above committees.  Ryan has received 4-5 applications so far; applications are due on Friday and interviews will begin next week.  The committees will work with Kenna on how to interview.    

 

Kenna asked about a publicity plan.  Ryan will send out another email tomorrow.  Mike will make a poster.  Dominique will chalk the quad.

 

D.     Conflict of Interest Guidelines

Kenna went over the guidelines with examples.  These provide Senators information on how to remain transparent when making decisions and allow them to abstain from votes that they would benefit from or have a vested interest in the outcome. 

 

Ryan asked about an alcohol event, if he’s the only one in Senate who would benefit, how to vote?  Patrick reminded Senate that they need to make decisions for their constituents and not just themselves. 

 

E.      Finance and Public Relations Committee Update

a.       Funding Request timeline—When will you be ready?

 Mike said they would start next week  Funding Requests will available on Monday, September 24.  Students may turn in requests on Thursday, September 27 by 5:00 PM, and the first funding meeting will be Friday, September 28 at 12:30 PM.  The first Senate meeting when requests will be considered will be in 2 weeks, October 2.  Ryan asked how students would be told they received funding.  Patrick said the details had to be worked out, but it would be a standard email.  There are several requests from students already.  

 

Dominique said that the funding requests this year would be on-line so it is easier for students to submit requests.  This will ensure the FPRC knows exactly when the funding request is turned in.    

 

b.       Resident Advisors’ (RA) Request Status

Kyle Bruin, Residence Hall Association (RHA) President, joined the meeting.  Ryan explained that part of the budget includes a portion of funds allocated to RHA for RA programming.  The point of Kyle being here is understand the current situation with RHA and Residence Life and Housing Services (RLHS). 

 

Kyle provided some history of funding for residence halls staff, which has been different each of the past two years.  In 2005-2006, RAs requested money directly from ASOC, in addition to requesting money from RHA and RLHS, which worked okay.  In 2006-2007, Matt Kuzio, ASOC President, and Riley Steiner, RHA President, wanted to streamline the process, so that RAs could go only to RHA for funding.  This cut down on the paperwork for RAs.  ASOC allocated approximately $5700 to RHA to fund RA programs.  To Kyle’s understanding, RHA allocated all the money.  The question is now what to do this year.

 

Kyle doesn’t think there’s critical oversight when RAs putting on programs, and it’s not a good use of RHA’s time to allocate money.  They approve 99.9% of the requests; last year was first time they rejected a funding request.  Over the summer, Kecia Baker, Director of RLHS, and Kyle worked on getting RHA out of funding because all the money RAs receive comes from one account.  RHA is a departmental student governance organization.  Any money ASOC gives to RHA is given to RLHS.  In the past, RLHS basically funding 100% of RA programs, if RHA gave 80% and RLHS gave 20%.  RHA has given part of its budget back to RLHS so RAs can plan accordingly from the beginning, which means RAs will not request funding for each event they plan.  RHA will not be a strong source of funding, but RLHS will be.  RAs do have budgets from RLHS.  RHA also has an operating budget which is used for RHA programs such as Hall of the Year, Winter Formal, Fridays at 5, and other programs yet to be determined.  This money is also available for co-sponsorship of programs, such as Splatter. 

 

Kyle is not asking that ASOC add paperwork to its process.  He does believe that RAs need this money because about half of money RAs use is from ASOC.  Their budget would be severely impacted if they don’t have money.  Kyle is open to suggestions, and one option he saw would be for ASOC can give a lump sum to RLHS, which would be provided to residence halls by occupancy.  Kyle understood there may be some hesitancy to give this money to a departments. 

 

Ryan noted that there is $5400 allotted right now in the budget.  What is Senate’s responsibility?  How does what RAs do align with ASOC’s goals? 

 

Patrick understood that RAs had about $1000 for their programs.  Kyle said the amount was based on hall occupancy, which is about $12/person.  The money is given at the beginning of he year, unlike last year when RAs applied per event, which is the same as Senate funding.  Patrick asked what RHA would do with this money.  Kyle said it could be a mix—RHA could keep some for co-programming of large events and could supplement individual hall budgets. 

 

Patrick clarified that RHA does not want to allocate weekly funding.  Kyle said meetings were changing and he was not sure that funding would fit in to the public forum meetings they have planned.  The open meetings would be the opportunity for students to bring their issues to RHA. 

 

Rob wondered what RHA would be doing this year other than events.  Kyle explained that they are looking for new programs.  They would like to expand the Hall of the Year program and incorporate RHA programs into campus life. 

 

Rob thought it was the RAs’ job to put on programs.  Why should Senate pay them to do their job when they are paid to do their job?  Why can’t RLHS give enough money?  Kyle said that the RLHS budget is small and is being spent on other items such as foosball  tables, TVs, and other things for the halls.  Students may notice that there are no newspapers in the residence halls this year, which saved RLHS $10,000.  RLHS can’t give more money to RAs.  RAs are required to do programs, and the money RHA gives is extraordinary funding to do amazing programs.  ASOC funding would support staff members who wouldn’t usually do these kinds of programs.

 

Mike stated that in the Funding and Public Relations Committee meeting, they discussed the tradition of funding RA programs through ASOC even though other departments cannot request funding from ASOC.  Is this equitable, should it be kept?  If ASOC doesn’t give funding to RAs, how will that affect life in residence halls?  These are things to consider. 

 

Ryan suggested that RHA think about connecting with Programming Board which receives quite a bit of funding from ASOC to do large-scale programming.  Kyle said he has had some conversations with Programming Board.  He also shares Mike’s concern as a non-member of ASOC.  He has done some thinking about RHA’s role on campus and what position it plays.  He believes that the RAs are very dedicated to the College and if they weren’t RAs, they would be programming as club leaders.  AS RHA shifts in purpose and goes in different direction, perhaps what is needed is a proposal to match what ASOC gives to RAs.  

 

Santiago clarified that Senate would not make decision on this tonight.  He requested more specific numbers, not generalities.  He felt this would be a good project for the Funding and Public Relations Committee to discuss with RHA and RLHS about how to proceed. 

 

Rob had two concerns.  First, about attendance.  His experience with RA programs has been that the attendance is low.  Second, if ASOC gives a lump sum to RHA, there’s no check on how the money is spent.  Providing funding for RAs increases the paperwork for ASOC.  Kyle said that there are existing structures for RAs in terms of approving and evaluating events, so there is a check.  He also felt that the problem with attendance is a campus-wide issues.

 

Ryan closed this discussion to allow the Funding and Public Relations Committee to work on it.  It will be revisited next week. 

 

The Point Person for the Funding and Public Relations Committee will be Santiago. 

 

c.       Meet with Kenna—just a reminder

 

F.      Campus Culture Committee

Andrew checked into the Current Students homepage and why it was not the updated version from his work last semester.  It will be finished in December and up in the second semester. 

 

The Committee will let the Senate know who the Point Person is next week.    

 

G.      Scholastic Committee

Alison asked if there are extra reading days this year.  She thought last year’s Scholastic Committee made progress on this project.  Mike thought that the faculty had voted for this for next year.  Kenna confirmed, saying the academic calendar is completed far in advance, and that Alison and Ken should speak to Vic Egito, Registrar, and Eric Frank, Dean of the College. 

 

Ryan said that he has had 2 meetings with the President of the Faculty Council, Professor Movindri Reddy of Diplomacy and World Affairs.  He is working with her on visualizing faculty and student interaction outside the classroom.  Ryan would like to work with committee on a mixer with student sand faculty with panel.  This provides an opportunity to inform students historical knowledge of school, which is Ryan’s personal goal.  Faculty have longevity since turnover in administration is 5 years; faculty longevity is over 10 years.  They have a wealth of knowledge.  The idea is that ASOC would co-sponsor this event with Faculty Council—and have refreshments and reason to come together. 

 

Mike also heard of a program in which faculty members adopted a residence hall, which means they come into the halls to hang out with folks.  Professor Secondi would go to Newcomb and play ping pong with people.  This would also be something to look into. Alison clarified that the Not Unhappy Hour included faculty members.  Ryan agreed, that this program did include faculty when they were invited. 

 

Ryan reminded the Senate that student interest and concerns are directly aligned with faculty concerns.  If students don’t engage with faculty, they turn their interests to wages and budgets.  Professor Reddy is very concerned about the vision for the school and connecting with students.

 

Kenna provided information about textbooks in the Library.  Ken and Alison will need to connect with Emily Bergman, Interim College Librarian, and Anne Wolf, Director of the Bookstore.  They are concerned with the cost of textbooks, particularly when they are updated each year.  They are also concerned with intellectual property and the need for authors to be paid for the work they do. 

 

V.  Senate/GA Forum
 

1. General Comments

2. Next Meeting’s Agenda Topics  

 Andrew asked that the agenda include a President’s Update section.  Ryan agreed since the Oxy Weekly determined it would be a conflict of interest if he had a weekly column in the paper.   

 

Ryan reminded Senators to provide him with agenda items by 12:00 noon on Mondays.    

 

The other topics on the agenda will be the Budget, RA funding, and possibly influence with administration. 

  

Rob asked about technology in the GA, such as webcast/webstream so people can listen, possibly use AIM so students can send questions in.  Ryan suggested the GA Co-Chairs look into it.  Ryan said a conversation had occurred during LDI about streaming Senate meetings, but the consensus was that people might not listen. 

 

Mike suggested that the Funding Co-Chairs could walk Senate through the Funding process because students will ask all the Senators about funding.  It’s important for all Senators to know the basic information.   

 

Kenna reminded Senate that a Chief of Staff needed to be hired, at $700/semester.  Andrew and Rob will work with Ryan to hire someone.   

 

Rob wondered if Senate should use Facebook to publicize.  It’s $5 for 100 times an ad is shown.  Denise said they could also make an event or group.   

 

VII.           Close Meeting

 Rob moved to close the meeting; Nonda seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 7:41 PM.