Senate Meeting Minutes: Week 4
Minutes of the SCU Senate Meeting April 27, 2017
Members Present:
Senate Chair Neil Datar Austin Gray Amy Monzon
Parliamentarian Phillip Barber Kayla Williams Jelly Fuentes
Pro-Tempore Rachel Wiggins* Karsten Andersen David Warne
Jaia Rovaris Jack Herstam Payton Swanson
Alex Perlman Erik Echeona Jake Day Ahmer Israr Tom Valentine Paul Armstrong
Cormac McOsker Jahwala Johns Samantha Perez Victoria Linares Mayron Mulugeta Gemi Griffin
Mackenzie Bartz Helen Kassa John Ferrari
*Recorded minutes
Absent
Ye Chit Ko
Areany Tolentino
1. CALL TO ORDER
Senate Chair Neil Datar called the April 27, 2017 meeting of the Santa Clara University Senate to order at 6:05pm in the Williman Room.
Senate Chair Neil asked a member to read the invocation. Junior Senator Jack Herstam recited the invocation.
2. ROLL CALL
Pro Tempore Rachel Wiggins took roll at 6:06pm.
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked the Senate to consider the agenda for the current meeting. He requested questions and comments related to the minutes. None were put forward, and the agenda was approved by Senior Senator Tom Valentine and seconded by Junior Senator Jelly Fuentes.
4. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked the Senate to consider the minutes from the last Senate meeting. She requested questions and comments related to the minutes. None were put forward, and the minutes were approved by Sophomore Senator Jahwala Johns and seconded by Senior Senator Tom Valentine.
5. NEW ORDERS OF BUSINESS
Mitch McAffrey
Senior Senator Tom Valentine: what made you interested in ASG this late in the game
The opportunity presented itself and I decided to go for it and to see what is’t like.
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to confirm the Sophomore Senator. The motion was made by First-Year Senator Erik Echeona and seconded by At-Large Senator Paul Armstrong. Pro-Tempore Rachel Wiggins took roll, and the senator was confirmed.
Voting on HAC
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: I don’t think they understand how the room booking process works
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: I feel like they want to be an RSO to get around some of the rules that exist within their program. I think that this will just allow them to take advantage the RSO status and open the door to a lot of other groups.
At-Large Senator Mayron Mulgetta: I don’t understand why it’s different because there are other RSOs that receive help and funding from programs and departments.
At-Large Senator Sam Perez: I think there are ways around some of the problems they’re talking about and the RSO advisor is really available.
Junior Senator Marli Dunne: I think want to reach out to non honors students because they have a lot of cool stuff like bring in speakers and I think they want to get the opportunity to get funding.
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: If there main goal to bring speakers I think they should have said that in their presentation because that’s not what it seemed like.
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to vote on the Honors Advisory Council RSO. The motion was made by First-Year Senator Erik Echeona and seconded by Junior Senator Amy Monzon. Pro-Tempore Rachel Wiggins took roll, and the RSO was not approved.
SAC presentation on allocations
Ka Mana'o O Hawai'i
Laua
Request: $4,764.63
Suggested Allocation: $2,751
Barkada
Philipino Cultural Night
Request: $6,000
Suggested Allocation: $5,000
TEDx Santa Clara University
TEDx SCU 2017
Request: $3,225.60
Suggested Allocation: $2,160
Igwebuike
Igwe Spring Retreat
Request: $3,338.38
Suggested Allocation: $2,500
SCU Hipnotik
Prelude Dance Competition
Request: $1,671.65
Suggested Allocation: $1,470.27
DISCUSSION
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: It strikes me as enabling if you ignore the fact that this retreat is costing 3x more than other retreats
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: I see what you’re saying, but this stuff has already been paid for and it’s not fair to the people going to not give them money and punish them.
Senior Senator Jaia Rovaris: I think it’s not fair to penalize them when there isn’t a rule on the price for a retreat, just because other clubs have spent less doesn’t mean they were supposed to know that.
First-Year Senator Erik Echeona: How much is normal to give people for a retreat?
Senior Senator Karsten Anderson: Some of the past retreats that sent 35-40 people received less than $1,000
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: I would say is that we can’t compare them to other clubs because those clubs could have a bigger budget.
First-Year Senator David Warne: I think we should not consider their budgets and just give them their ledger
Sophomore Senator Jahwala Johns: That doesn’t really make sense because that’s how we determine how much or how little help they need.
Lauren: Food for thought, the amount per person on this retreat is the same amount as ASG spends. So I don’t think it’s right to say no to a club when we do the same thing
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: I think we should have a recommendation made so we can give these clubs a baseline
Junior Senator Jelly Fuentes: I don’t agree with giving Barkada more money and less money coming out of the SCU fund.
Senior Senator Karsten Anderson: The SCU fund takes into account the club balance and the number of members
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: This club was also very ready and willing to write letters.
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: I agree with Jelly because it is a time consuming effort to write letters and I think because Barkada has such a large club.
Junior Senator Marli Dunne: Those extra letters to Igwe were compensation to the fact that Igwe spent so much.
Sophomore Senator Jahwala Johns: Would anyone be opposed to switching the SCU fund for Barkada and Hawaii club?
Senior Senator Jaia Rovaris: If they want to write the letters why don’t we let them write the letters.
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: I want to clarify that Hawaiian club doesn’t want to write the letters, they’re willing
Pro Tempore Rachel Wiggins: Will this actually change anyone’s vote? We’re not talking about changing the amount to give people, we’re just debating 10 letters.
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: I think we should reduce their amount as punishment for overspending and not give them extra SCU fund letters as punishment
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: I think why not give them more letters and put in their NOL that they need to plan a cheaper retreat
First-Year Senator Erik Echeona: I think we should give them the money for the sake of the people going and tell them explicitly to make the club cheaper next year
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to white ballot. The motion was made by At-Large Senator Sam Perez and seconded by First-Year Senator Kayla Williams.
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to vote on the proposed 1000+ funding. The motion was made by Sophomore Senator Jahwala Johns and seconded by Junior Senator Mac McOsker. Pro-Tempore Rachel Wiggins took roll, and the recommendations passed.
Resolution on Tuition
At-Large Senator Austin Gray: What if administration says no?
I think we would continue the conversation and that it would be hard for them to ignore the last two points. If they say no they are beginning a conversation.
Junior Senator Jack Herstam: Who is it going to?
Sophomore Senator Alex Perlman: if you haven’t already I would like it if you guys could talk to administration about these price hikes?
We are having two separate dialogues, one with senate and one with administration. If they say no we want to have the two dialogues come together
Senior Senator John Ferrari: has this been revised since last senate
No
At-Large Senator Sam Perez: I think it’s a lot to ask for tuition to not be raised and I think that’s something that should be asked for but I think we’re ignoring the why or how tuition is raised.
It’s our responsibility to represent our constituents.
Senior Senator Karsten Anderson: I think we’re more asking for an end goal that they should keep in mind while trying to make changes.
Junior Senator Mac McOsker: I think even if they do disagree with this it will at least create a conversation about this.
At-Large Senator Paul Armstrongl: I think this is important and this is something that is time sensitive and I would rather send out a strong resolution than a shoddy one.
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: Why did you not speak with administration?
We believe this is an effective way to start the conversation.
Sophomore Senator Alex Perlman: In general I really want to support this and I know that a lot of students want to support this. I don’t think anyone wants or intends for tuition to go up and that this resolution could make us seem out of touch
I think that asking the administration to limit themselves in this way would ask them to consider how these tuition hikes affect us
[added line about placing student on the University Budget Council]
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: 7C invoked
Sophomore Senator Jahwala Johns: What is the purpose for invoking this clause
At-Large Senator Ahmer Israr: I believe that with elections coming up, students deserve to know how their representatives vote.
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to vote on the Resolution on Tuition. The motion was made by First-Year Senator Erik Echeona and seconded by Senior Senator Tom Valentine. Pro-Tempore Rachel Wiggins took roll, and the Resolution passed.
6. OLD BUSINESS
Committee Updates
COMM
Making BeHeard and COMM Transition Documents
Film “It’s On Us” video
Attend Drag Show and learn about LGBTQ and SCCAP
CUIC
David: Political bias. Bridging the Gap ad hoc committee and maybe his own committee soon
Mayron: Destress Activity. Working in collaboration with MCC
Jaia: Honoring female student activists of color
Mac: In final stages of getting survey out to student body. Working on Bronco Days w/ Fred
Sam: Working on Mental Health initiative for May with Lisa Joyner. Ad hoc committee continues tomorrow afternoon
Paul: Met w/ RRC to catch up on things. Drag show tomorrow night!
FOC
Benson Office
Move in time ap
Art Minor Survey
New Fight Song
Campus Safety signs
SAC
Voted on most new RSO applicants
Will contact the Honors Advisory Council
+$1000s recommendations will be prepared for next week
8. Announcements
Office Hours
Bronco Day Google Document
Be Heard- It’s On Us
9. Adjournment
Senate Chair Neil Datar asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Adjournment was approved by Junior Senator Jelly Fuentes and seconded by First-Year Senator Erik Echeona. Senate Chair Neil Datar called the April 27, 2017 meeting of the Santa Clara University Senate to a close at 7:22PM.