SENATE MEETING MINUTES

30th LEGISLATURE

MARCH 20, 2007

I. Call to Order

A. Roll Call

II. Corrections to the Minutes

A. Approval of Minutes

B. Approval of Agenda
- EVP Brady adds Spring Fest.
- AVP Janik adds Banquet Awards.
- AVP Dapaah adds Senior Week and Cake Decorating update.
- Treasurer St. Rose adds $30,000 Budget Cap.
- Senator Pro Tem Jueckstock adds Liaison Reports.

III. President Levin-Stankevich Report:

A. Testimony update - today I was in Albany gave a 10 minute testimony and talked to a couple Trustee members then drove back. I talked on the 3 student issues and it went off very well. The President of Student Assembly wants us to pass some resolutions then pass them on to Student Assembly. However, they need theses Resolution by the 31st which means that we need to decide if we are supporting them or not at next Tuesday's meeting. The Resolutions will be in your mailbox by Friday for you to review so we can pass them on Tuesday. I will pass around my Testimony for you to read if you want any more information see me after the meeting.

B. Student Assembly - if we do pass a Resolution the 6 people going to Student Assembly will be voting on those Resolutions. There are already about 5 or 6 SUNY wide Resolutions that students are looking to pass. After Student Assembly we will let you know what they are. I need to see the members that are going to Student Assembly.

C. Secretary position will be filled by Stephanie Shedrick. I urge everyone to come and see me and look at positions that are still available. I need help with the 4th floor there are things that need to be written up. We started a Fireside Lounge Steering Committee. I am on this committee and would love to include one of our Senators as long as it ok with the Committee Chair Sarah Velez. This is a really big committee it's a $215,000 project. There is also more work to be done on other committees like the commencement committee.

IV. EVP Brady Report:

A. Spring Fest - we do have a contract in our hands but we are stilling working some things out. Next week if everything works out we will be able to announce who is coming. Tickets will go on sale on April 9th for students which will be $5.00 for BSC students. The concert is on May 3rd.

V. Treasurer St. Rose Report:

A. A question was brought up as to why the Budget Committee agreed upon a $30,000 budget cap. It seems that a lot of the student body does not understand why. In the beginning of the year we found out that Cassety was closing. We would have to accompany our student organizations and realized that there would be some kind of capital. Capital is any amount over $600.00 that we have to pay. We have to pay over $600.00 to move our organizations over to the Student Union 4th floor. This project alone is going to cost $50,000. Therefore, we had to do budget cuts so we could accommodate the organizations move to the 4th floor. Even with the budget cuts with the organizations there still were cuts everywhere. We did research with SUNY Albany, SUNY Cortland and our sister school UB. UB's highest organization has $34,000 and that is based on $27,000 that they start off with but they can use their own income. That is the highest at UB that has double our money but has 165 organizations. Albany's highest organization is about $27,000 but then again they can use their own funding. We can not do this because we are non-profit. President Levin-Stankevich point of information that the CSO of UB taken everything into consideration their income is able to be spent in the current year as for our organizations it is not. Their CSO (called CSA) started with $14,000 but taken everything into consideration they have about $26,000. At our institution CSO is currently at $32,000 and what Budget Committee is talking about is capping it at $30,000. Take into consideration the size of our school and the impala of our students. SUNY Albany is also twice our size their largest organization is the Latino organization with a budget of $27,000. Treasurer St. Rose states that we own a capitol expense which is the camp and the upkeep of camp. If the Budget Committee continues to do a good job with the budget the Senate should see the budget by April 10th.

VI. Standing Committee Reports

A. AVP Janik Academic Report:
- Award Nominations - a couple of weeks ago I handed out sheets for you to fill out for Award Nominations. I presented them to the E-Board tonight and we narrowed down what we will vote on tonight. Ballots are passed around and President Levin-Stankevich states floor is open for comments in favor of the person there will be no negative comments. Floor is open to discuss each nominee. President Levin-Stankevich states that votes will be tallied after the meeting and announced at the Banquet.

B. AVP Ammirato Community Relations Report:
- Bengal 5K walk is this Saturday. I received all the registration forms from everyone that signed up. We will meet at the Union by the back doors at 8:30 am.
- Sports & Rec was suppose to table tomorrow so if anyone can help out that would be great. My committee will be tabling next Tuesday.

C. AVP Dapaah Student Life Report:
- We had 12 organizations that participated in the cake decorating contest. Pride Alliance won the 1st prize and NTSO came in 2nd. Pictures will be on the website. Scavenger Hunt is on April 14th.
- Senior Week update.

D. Rules Chair McKay Report:

- Student Bill #9 update. We will not bring this to a vote tonight because I got a couple of questions, comments and concerns about the Student Bill. I have been meeting with the Rules Committee and we are ironing them out. We will be bringing this forth next Tuesday. It is still not too late to get your questions or comments to me. President Levin-Stankevich states that there will be an informal conversation on the Student Bill tonight. Floor is open for discussion. Senator Anderson asks why the concern for the cap come has up now? Treasurer St. Rose says there has been a decrease of collaborations with a lot of the organizations. As the organizations got more funding they did less collaboration. When they had less money they did more collaboration. President Levin-Stankevich states that the Student Bill came from himself and that he will be refusing his chair for this debate to vote. I commend this bill because there is so much going on on campus. Some of the things that I stepped forward are causing this break are. My idea is that this will facilitate growth in some of our smaller organizations. Whether that growth happens we will have to see. Senator Anderson asks when will the bill go into effect? Rules Chair McKay says it's already in effect. Rules Chair McKay reads some of the bill. President Levin-Stankevich states it's already in effect essentially. Our Treasurer and Budget Committee have already implemented this. The rule would go into our constitution for next year. Senator Stewart asks does it have to be a bill because if it's a bill it's permanent. President Levin-Stankevich states that he had a conversation with Gail about this. Senator Stewart says that the budget committee has a say on who will get what and how much they get. If the Budget Committee felt like this organization shouldn't get over $30,000 then fine but when you put it in a bill no matter how good you are you can't get over $30,000. President Levin-Stankevich says by putting it in a bill it does not say that can't happen. The 10% clause does have a provision that the budget committee can bring forward to the Senate to go over that 10%. I think when we set the cap at $30,000 it encourages the student organizations to talk with the budget committee and come to the Senate and say $30,000 is too low of a cap and we propose that you send forth another student bill that maybe raises the cap. Senator Perez clarifies that every bill that comes from the Rules Committee has been voted on unanimously. President Levin-Stankevich encourages the Senate to go the Rules Committee and ask questions. I would like to have an informed debate about this next week.

Senator Manzione asks what is the current cap right now? Rules Chair McKay states there was no cap. President Levin-Stankevich point of information states it is up to the current Treasurer in any legislative body to set those stipulations. Last year there was no cap and we saw increases any where from 5% to 78%. This student bill is not set in stone please ask Rules Chair McKay questions. Rules Chair McKay comments that out of 2 organizations that this will affect only 1 has come to me to discuss this and that was AASO. Elections are next week. Tuesday we are having a BBQ I am looking for volunteers. I will pass around a sign up sheet.

VII. Senator Pro Tem Jueckstock Report:

A. Sodexho Staff Appreciation - I am going to pass around a sign up sheet asking for your help and your ideas.

B. Liaison Reports - everyone got a memo in your mailbox saying that your attendance sheets and agenda's are due at tonight's meeting. Three or four people came to me and told me their organizations do not take attendance or have agenda's. I sent a memo to our organizations stating that it's stated in our constitution that they need to start doing this. I'm passing around new liaison reports the date is wrong it should be April 17th. President Levin-Stankevich point of information states that not only was a memo issued but it's stated in the constitution that attendance sheets and agenda's must be handed in. Senator Manzione asks how come there are 2 liaison reports. President Levin-Stankevich states there have always been 2. EVP Brady states that it is in the constitution and we should know what our organizations are doing. President Levin-Stankevich states that he will extend the liaison reports for 1 more week. If you do not hand them in you will be absent and you need to hand in an attendance sheet and information from the organization. If you have your liaison report today hand it n so we can start reviewing it.

VIII. Unfinished Business

A. Sports & Rec update. Julian Bush who was our AVP for Sports & Rec had to step down. I gave him some time to figure some things out however things did not work out. I will not be filling this position. The organizations under them will be covered.

B. Senator Dobney asks about the cell phone bill of rights. AVP Janik motions to suspend the rules to move this under Unfinished Business. EVP Brady 2nd. Vote is taken and passes 22 yeas, 0 nays and 3 abstentions. President Levin-Stankevich recognizes Ann to review the cell phone bill or rights. Floor is open for questions or comments. Vote is taken on behalf of the Senate this is not a formal resolution of the student body. Vote is taken and passes 17 yeas, 2 nays and 6 abstentions. AVP Janik motions to go back to the order of the day. Senator Anderson 2nd. There are no objections to return to the order of the day.

IX. New Business

A. Budget House Rules - President Levin-Stankevich states he will be submitting to the Rules Committee House Rules for the Budget. You should get these rules within the next couple of weeks.

X. Constituents Questions/Announcements

A. Senator Stewart announces that on Thursday there is an event "Get Your Roll On" which is a roller skating party. Pick up is at Groover Cleveland and admission is free.

B. Senator Perez asks what happened to the Freshman Parking Resolution. President Levin-Stankevich states he will add it to next week's agenda.

C. Rules Chair McKay announces that he has applications to be a Peer Mentor.

D. EVP Brady announces Gonga Bingo in Porter Hall at 7:00 pm.

E. Senator Stewart states that the Banner is still in progress. I am asking for ideas.

F. AVP Dapaah announces that the Senior Week events are open to all students except the Parents/Students Dinner.

G. Senator Dobney encourages everyone to come to the Dance Competition on Saturday.

H. Ann from NYPIRG gives an update.

I. President Levin-Stankevich asks the Senate to please come to the meetings prepared. Gail is recognized to say a few words.

XI. 2nd Roll Call

XII. Meeting adjourned