Senate Meeting Minutes :: 2.22.18 :: Week 7
Minutes of the SCU Student Senate Meeting February 22, 2018
Members Present:
Senate Chair Aly Motzel
Parliamentarian Paul Armstrong
Pro-Tempore Sam McNeal
First Year Senators:
Mai Sinada
Robbie Nunes
Kyle Andrews
Ciara Moezidis
Sophomore Senators:
Avery James
David Warne
Duncan McDonell
Junior Senators:
Rory Pannkuk
Alex Perlman
Alex Baldonado
Victoria Linares
Senior Senators:
Gerome Yabut
Thayne Kollmorgen
Angelica Fuentes
Mayron Mulugeta
At-Large Senators:
Rahaima Choudhry
Bjorn Thyrring
Payton Dizney Swanson
Kristin Godfrey
Annie Martin
Erik Echeona
Nithya Vemireddy
Kayla Williams
Members Absent:
Mackenzie Bartz
Sahil Sagar
Amy Monzon
Helen Kassa
1. CALL TO ORDER
Senate Chair Aly Motzel called the February 22nd, 2018 meeting of the Santa Clara University Student Senate to order at 7:02 pm in the Williman Room of Benson.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel asked a member to read the invocation. Junior Senator Victoria Linares recited the invocation.
2. ROLL CALL
Pro-Tempore Sam McNeal took roll at 7:04 pm.
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Senate Chair Aly Motzel asked the Senate to consider the agenda for the current meeting. She requested questions and comments related to the agenda. None were put forward, and the agenda was approved by At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry and seconded by Sophomore Senator David Warne.
4. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
Senate Chair Aly Motzel asked the Senate to consider the agenda for the current meeting and requested questions and comments related to the minutes. Hearing none, she asked for a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was made by Sophomore Senator Duncan McDonell and seconded by Junior Senator Rory Pannkuk.
5. SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS
Senate Speaker: Justice Ed Panelli
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited Justice Ed Panelli to give a presentation on his involvement in Law and SCU. His presentation is succinctly summarized below:
Graduated from SCU undergraduate program with a degree in Political Science
Got a Law degree and then passed the bar
Practiced since 1955
Appointed to the 6th District Court of Appeals and then the California Supreme Court
Was the basketball manager in his time as an undergraduate
Father Donohoe was his mentor and later became SCU President
It used to be the that the trustees were all Jesuits and Ed Panelli was appointed to be the SCU attorney
Everyone at SCU used to have to do two years of ROTC
While he was the SCU Attorney, he motioned that we make ROTC optional and that’s how things exist today
After the Supreme Court, he did a lot of mediations and consultations
Connection to being a Bronco
Once a Bronco always a Bronco,
Donohoe was responsible for my career as a judge
The connections and friendships you make here will serve you for the rest of your life
His mother was a feudal serf in Italy and my father never went to school
His mother was 90 when he was appointed and she was amazed at how much could change in one lifetime
He only SCU law students as clerks and externs to grow SCU’s law presence
Board of Trustees
Now more diverse than when it was all jesuits
I was here when we decided to make it a lay board
Free Speech
There are two sides to most issues
You have to listen, even if you don’t agree
When I was being appointed, people wanted to know if there was a litmus test to be a judge
At the time people were interested in the death penalty
I represented someone who was not sentenced to death and passed the so-called litmus test
Without the rule of law, our society turns to anarchy
We live in difficult and confusing times
We try to help you to learn how to tell what is true and what is not
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked Ed Panelli for his presentation and asked if there were any questions for him.
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: Where do you see SCU in 20 years?
Answer: It will be entirely different. I think it will be better and I think things have improved.
Sophomore Senator Duncan McDonell: What’re your thoughts on the rising cost of tuition here at SCU?
Answer: I am one of the founders of West Valley Community College. I see the community college transfer system into the UC or State system as a fairly good system. We need to get more scholarship money so that more people can come here. You won’t be able to cut down the tuition, so you need to help students afford to come here.
Vice President Sam Perez: What advice do you have for us as students here?
Answer: Enjoy it. Make the most of it and use the opportunities you have available to you.
Pro-Tempore Sam McNeal: Did your view of the law change when you became a judge?
Answer: No, it didn't. I always saw myself as a legal scholar. I didn't really have the chance to study the intricacies of the law. I always had to keep working.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your life?
Answer: To respect other people. You have to reach out to others to help them however you can.
First Year Senator Mai Sinada: What advice can you give to underrepresented students as they navigate scu
Answer: It’s tough. I came here not speaking the language. I have an office at the law school where I can talk to students about anything. Look for opportunities to get help and use SCU’s resources.
6. EXECUTIVE BRANCH UPDATES
Public Relations VP Maggie Hurlbut: There are still polos and sweatshirts in the office. Keep putting in PR requests.
Community Development VP Elena Radding: Last lecture is March 6th at 7:30 with Cruz Medina. NURC was cancelled, but we hope it will be rescheduled. Lincoln High School is excited to collaborate with us. We plan to bring Bronco Brawl back in the spring, a family feud style game for SCU organizations and groups of friends. Please fill out our Campus Safety Survey!
Finance VP Ben Rhoades: Office hours are on Thursdays from 12:15 AM to 1:45 PM. As always, email me with budget/reimbursement questions.
Chief Justice Rachel Brooke Herzog: Please let me know if you have any proposed bylaw changes.
Vice President Sam Perez: There has been progress on all fronts. I am continuing to work on a Muslim outreach project with Helen and Rahaima. The section of the student handbook that addresses conduct guidelines regarding sexual assault is flawed and I am continuing to work on a solution with others and we will sit down with Jeanne Rosenberger to discuss it. I am meeting with Elsa Chen this week to discuss the Wellness Policy and I will report back afterwards. ASG Retreat is March 3rd. I am working on a bias conflict tracker to achieve a higher level of transparency when it comes to campus issues. There will be a Day of Giving to work towards an Undocumented Student Support Fund. In line with SCU’s Blue Ribbon Committee, we are working to create a Faculty Diversity Working Group and put it into place this year. I am working on the Contraceptive Distribution Initiative and we will present to the Student Affairs Board so that the university president can consider it. I am also working with campus groups to reform and improve Unity Night. Ask for people to participate in the student wellness video. Reach out to me if you can help!
President Jack Herstam: SCU has to close the Campus Climate Survey on the 28th of February and we still need about 700 students to reach the 30 percent mark. That 30 percent mark is extremely important. We are continuing to create the greek life working group.
Senior Senator Mayron Mulugeta: They do oplan to use whatever data they receive from the survey, but it will be more problematic.
7. COMMITTEE UPDATES
COMM - Committee Member’s Projects: At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: Working on a speedier alert system for non-emergencies. Interviewed people on campus and worked with PR to put up and publicize Bronco Bios - the next one will com out next week. Working with Sam Perez on condom initiative. At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry: Working with MSA to welcome admitted Muslim students. Sophomore Senator Duncan McDonell: Working on a new bylaw change and getting a Bronco waffle iron for Benson. Working with Sam Perez on condom initiative. At-Large Senator Annie Martin: Held Mental Health and You Loved Ones Tabing and it went well.
CUIC - Committee Member’s Projects: First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: Working on “Earth Week” VTA Competition with Residence Halls and working with Peer Health Educators on Bronco Positivity event. Senior Senator Thayne Kollmorgen: Holding Red Cup Pick Up Sunday, February 25th at 10:30 AM. At-Large Senator Bjorn Thyrring: Working on QPR training for all first years. Senior Senator Mayron Mulugeta: Holding a Unity 4 Forum February 26th from 6:00-7:30 PM. First Year Senator Robbie Nunes: Working on getting bigger water cups in Benson and met with the RD of Graham Hall to discuss commuter lounge. At-Large Senator Nithya Vemireddy: Working on Allyship Week.
FOC - Committee Member’s Projects: Sophomore Senator Helen Kassa: Working on a promotional video to use public transportation and support the EcoPass project. Reach out to me if you want to be in the video. Junior Senator Alex Perlman: We will send out the link to sign up for digital arts teacher interviews; please sign up for those. First Year Senator Kyle Andrews: Will be talking to Bon Appetit about the dessert options - milkshakes won the survey. Pro-Tempore Sam McNeal: Working on a new student involvement survey. At-Large Senator Kristin Godfrey: Working on a resolution to increase professor diversity.
SAC - We will have a total of 14 +$1000 dollar funding requests and we will present our recommendations Week 8. At-Large Senator Erik Echeona: Continuing to work on a resolution to have all senate meetings recorded.
8. NEW BUSINESS
+$1000 Presentations
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Senators should look for discrepancies or issues in their budgets. All presentations are five minutes long. Senators and presenters should email David Warne if you have any questions. I am limiting senators to three questions per presentation.
Luau Culture Show
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited the Hawaii Club to give a presentation on their event and funding request. Their presentation is succinctly summarized below.
Ka Manao O Hawaii 40th Annual Luau
Put on by the Hawaii Club
Serve traditional Hawaiian foods and display culture
We are the oldest cultural show on campus
We will have both a lunch show and dinner show
300 expected to attend
Our club has over 80 members
We bring together people from all over the bay area, as well as alumni, faculty and professors
Some of our parents fly all the way from Hawaii to watch their children perform
Students prepare much of the food we serve
All dances are taught by students
We are raising money from ticket sales, donations, and fundraising
Together we believe we will take in over $6000 through these efforts
Total Funding Request: $8595.51
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked them for their presentation and asked if there were any questions for the presenters.
First Year Senator Mai Sinada: Other culture shows had the Snapchat filters, but they had only to pay 10 dollars, why is yours sixty?
Answer: We wanted to have it cover a longer period and a bigger geographic area.
Junior Senator Rory Pannkuk: To what extent are you willing to tap into your RSO account to fund this event?
Answer: At one of our past events we took a $13000 hit and we need to request this amount of funds so that we can continue to hold this event in the future and still continue to put on other events throughout the rest of the year.
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: How much have you fundraised this year?
Answer: We have raised about $1200 and we are having another event tomorrow.
At-Large Senator Bjorn Thyrring: How does this request compare to past years?
Answer: Last year we requested less because we didn’t have a band and we have decided to have a band every other year. We are asking less than two years ago, when we last hired a band.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: What is the expected attendance in total?
Answer: 300.
First Year Senator Kyle Andrews: Why are costs for lodging so high?
Answer: A lot of families from home send us native plants so we have a shipping container sent to SFO and then rent a uhaul to bring the plants to campus. We have done this in past years.
At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry: Could you explain the line item “programs”?
Answer: We have done that in the past to help guide people through the event and we recycle them.
Hong Gil Dong Culture Show
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited the Korean Student Association to give a presentation on their event and funding request. Their presentation is succinctly summarized below.
Put on by the Korean Student Association
KSA aims to promote the Korean culture and teach the SCU community about Korean culture
This is our third annual culture show and meant to include people outside of SCU as well
Takes the audience through the story of Hong Gil Dong, a story written in Korea during the 1500s and is similar to Robin Hood
We will use a skit to portray both modern and traditional aspects of Korea
We will serve local Korean cuisine from local Korean restaurants
We will premiere our second original documentary film about immigration at the event
Our entertainment costs are the most expensive because traditional entertainment troops are expensive
We expect to fundraise $500
We are requesting more this year because we plan to have 200 people attend and we have have a large cast for the skit
Last year we did not have enough food, so we plan to order more this year
Total Funding Request: $8584.83
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked them for their presentation and asked if there were any questions for the presenters.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: What items can you use if you buy them this year and use them again?
Answer: Humboks and performance items.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: Do you need to purchase individual make up for the show?
Answer: Yes, because the performers are male and for the sake of hygene.
At-Large Senator Bjorn Thyrring: Are there some items that can be borrowed, like flannels?
Answer: KPOP typically has performers dressed exactly the same and we would like to express that.
Junior Senator Rory Pannkuk: You are asking for $8500 and your ticket revenue should bring in $1000, why should we fund all $8500?
Answer: Our revenue is not set in stone and we may run into incidental expenses, especially in handling delicate rental drums.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: Some other culture shows are selling tickets online, could you do that?
Answer: We considered that, but having the physical tickets allows the performers to sell tickets themselves and it allows us to market the show well.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: Have you already raised $500?
Answer: Yes and we are selling korean pancakes next week as another fundraising event.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: If you are paying the instructor for 10 hours, could you cut down the amount of hours?
Answer: We considered that, but with a large group and complicated choreography, we need the full ten hours.
Itandesh’s Culture Show
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited Itandesh to give a presentation on their event and funding request. Their presentation is succinctly summarized below.
This years event is called Rangeeli Shaam
It is the 18th annual culture show through the Itandesh club
It incorporates regional dances, singing and a skit portion
This years skit will use Bollywood film to express social justice issues to the general public
This is our biggest event for Itandesh
It will be held on May 4th in Mayer Theater
This event is beneficial for both the audience and the performers
It integrates many aspects of South Asian culture
We had 400 people attend last year and we hope to get 450 people to attend this year
We have focused on early promotion for this event, beginning in Fall Quarter
We also want to bring in people from outside of SCU
Tickets will be sold for $10
Traditional dance costumes are a necessity to portray our culture in an accurate way
It’s important to have the correct costumes for the correct acts and not generalize South Asian culture
We are raising money through t-shirt sales and other fundraising events
Total Funding Request: $3190
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked them for their presentation and asked if there were any questions for the presenters.
At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry: Do you have costumes you can reuse from last year?
Answer: Last year we rented all of our costumes and that is why this year we are also renting. It is cheaper and allows us to to change the theme each year
First Year Senato Robbie Nunes: Can you rehearse somewhere other than Mayer Theater?
Answer: We need to have that rehearsal to get our technical issues worked out.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: Are the t-shirts an advertising measure?
Answer: Yes, but also as a souvenir.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: Could you sell them after the show to raise money as well?
Answer: Yes, we can sell any leftover t-shirts at that point.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Are those t-shirts sold before the show?
Answer: Yes, both before and afterwards.
Igwebuike Spring Retreat
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited Igwebuike to give a presentation on their event and funding request. Their presentation is succinctly summarized below.
We have a Fall and Spring retreat
The Spring retreat is larger and an overnight trip
It fosters friendship across all age groups at SCU
It will occur on Saturday April 28th and 29th
43 members will go to the Nature Bridge event center in San Francisco
We do charge members $25 to go
We hope to raise funds from our culture show, but the 50th anniversary show has also been a draw on funds
It benefits SCU community by building family and community within our club and we bring that back to campus
We are also able to bring back solutions to campus problems
Total Funding Request: $3082.60
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked them for their presentation and asked if there were any questions for the presenters.
First Year Senator Mai Sinada: Do you have a projected amount of revenue from the culture show?
Answer: We do not, but we are selling tickets and tshirts.
SCU Igwebuike 50th Anniversary Gala
Senate Chair Aly Motzel invited Igwebuike to give a presentation on their event and funding request. Their presentation is succinctly summarized below.
We started as the Black Student Union at SCU and then became Igwebuike, meaning “strength through unity” in Igbo
We have dealt with racism events and we have used these struggles to inspire change
Unity 4 is a good example of this change
Igwebuike has been at the forefront of many social justice struggles on campus
Without Igwebuike, there would not be an ethnic studies major
We have maintained one of the largest memberships on campus even though we only represent 4 percent of the students on campus
With this event we want to highlight past successes on campus
Those of the alumnus
Those who have helped Igwebuike from outside of SCU
We expect to have about one hundred students attend and students will be free
Non-students will cost $15
We expect to raise about $1000 from ticket sales
We expect to raise $3330 from other departments at SCU and other fundraising
Total Funding Request: $5674.76
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked them for their presentation and asked if there were any questions for the presenters.
At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry: Which departments have responded to your funding requests?
Answer: Two have responded that they will support us, but have not given us a dollar amount yet.
Discussion of +$1000 Presentations
Senate Chair Aly Motzel thanked the presenters for coming and then asked the senators to put put forward any concerns or questions about any of the funding requests.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Any discussion on the Luau event?
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: I don’t understand the request for stamps, do they need that money for shipping?
Sophomore Senator David Warne: I will follow up.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: I also thought that the shipping container seemed like a lot of money as well.
At-Large Senator Kayla Williams: I think that those plants count as their decorations.
Senior Senator Mayron Mulugeta: I would second that.
At-Large Senator Erik Echeona: Can we follow up on cutting down the Snapchat filter costs?
At-Large Senator Rahaima Choudhry: I think there may be a location difference.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: I will follow up with that.
First Year Senator Kyle Andrews: Cost for Snapchat depends on geographic area and time.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: Does anyone have any concerns with band costs?
Junior Senator Alex Perlman: I think they have taken that high cost into consideration and I support that.
Senior Senator Gerome Yabut: They have also cut back on other costs for the event.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: They do have about $22000 in their RSO balance so I would like to look into what they are doing with that money.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: This has come up in the past and they like to have a cushion to pay for things that don’t get funded.
Junior Senator Rory Pannkuk: If the band is what put them into debt, why are they having it again?
Senior Senator Gerome Yabut: They now only have a band every other year to mitigate that.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: We should follow up on that.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: We will.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Any discussion on Korean Culture Show?
At-Large Senator Erik Echeona: Their gas fee is technically a transportation fee so that will have to be changed.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: I’m still confused by the makeup costs. If we are looking for small ways to cut costs, this is one.
Sophomore Senator David Warne: I will ask them about.
Senior Senator Angelica Fuentes: We can ask them to find cheaper makeup.
At-Large Senator Bjorn Thyrring: I would also want to know more about whether they are purchasing or renting costumes that they aren’t requesting money for.
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: I think they do not need to have hard-copy tickets and I would like to follow up on the flannel costs.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Any discussion on Itandesh?
First Year Senator Ciara Moezidis: I think they can upcharge their t-shirt sales to raise more money?
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: We should look into how the t-shirts are fundraising or marketing and how that would affect funding.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Any discussion on Igwebuike Retreat?
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: If their money for food is linked to lodgeing, how do we handle that?
Sophomore Senator David Warne: Usually we look into that and find out as much as we can.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel: Any discussion 50th Anniversary Gala?
Sophomore Senator David Warne: I wanted to know how they would cap attendance of students?
At-Large Senator Nithya Vemireddy: They did say they expect 150 total attendees.
Senate Chair Aly Motzel, nearing no more questions or concerns, thanked the senators for the discussion and asked that if any further questions or concerns come up, they should email Sophomore Senator David Warne.
9. OLD BUSINESS
None.
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Senate Chair Aly Motzel asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Adjournment was approved by At-Large Senator Senior Senator Kayla Williams and seconded by Sophomore Senator Duncan McDonnel. Senate Chair Aly Motzel called the February 22nd, 2018 meeting of the Santa Clara University Senate to a close at 8:45 PM.
12. ROLL CALL
Pro-Tempore Sam McNeal took roll at 8:45 PM.