SENATE MEETING MINUTES

30th LEGISLATURE

SEPTEMBER 19, 2006

I.      Call to Order

        Roll Call

II.     Corrections to the Minutes

A.      Approval of Agenda
• President Levin-Stankevich adds the following amendments to
• AVP Ammirato agenda: Breast Walk and Casting Hall.
• AVP Janik motions to move the agenda. Rules Chair McKay 2nd.  Motion is accepted.  Senator Pro Tem Agard motions to suspend the rules to have the Rules Chair report go before President Levin-Stankevich report. Rules Chair McKay 2nd. Vote is taken and passes unanimously.

III.    Senator Pro Tem Agard Report:

A.      I would like to recognize Tim Ecklund and Dan Barnum who will be renovating the Student Union.  Tim will show a presentation on what changes will be happening and what to expect. Dan states that we are at the very beginning of this process. We started the design process a few weeks ago and it will probably take us through early winter 2007.  Then the state has their process of bidding and contracting of contractors which will take a couple of months.  After that the work will be started which is scheduled for the end of the spring semester (June 2007). The first plan is to vacate the Cookery/Project Flight area which has the most intensive area of reconstruction.  It will probably take about 4-6 months to get done. After this we will work on the north end of the building and then work on the south area.  We are hoping to finish the project by the 2008 academic year.  Floor is open for questions.

B.      Liaison reports - I will pass around a sign up sheet of all the organizations on campus.  Please sign up for no more than two organizations. There is no guarantee you will get the ones you sign up for.

IV.     President Levin-Stankevich Report:

A.      Sports & Rec nomination.  Senator Perreault motions to move the nomination for Sports & Rec to next week due to it only being 1 week to apply for this position.  At last weeks meeting it was stated applications would be accepted for up to 2 weeks.  Senator Bernal 2nd.  Vote is taken and passes 15 yeas, 3 nays and 5 abstentions. If anyone is interested in this position you have until this Friday to put in an application.

B.      Cassety Hall - there are over 100 students still in hotels.  There is a proposal on campus that Cassety Hall may be renovated back into dormitories to accommodate these students. Also, to make some renovations for upper classmen.  If this goes through our organizations will be affected.  Our organizations will be relocated for at  least 2 to 3 years.  I will have more information on Friday and will inform everyone at the organization meeting.  I believe we have two options and they are:
1.      To contest it and not support it.
2.      The clubs allow USG to negotiate with the college.

C.      College Senate - there are 6 open positions. College Senate is a separate entity from USG.  College Senate meets the second Friday of every month at 3:00 pm in Butler 210.  I would like to nominate Marquis Williams and Yakima Melton.  Floor is open for questions to Marquis only because Yakima is not present.  Vote is taken for Marquis and Yakima to be on College Senate and passes unanimously.

D.      Goals - I will pass out the E-Boards goals and initiatives.  I will go over them very briefly. You will have a week to look over each person's goals.  After we approve this it will be passed on to our Administration, College Council and College Senate. 

E.      Campus Committee - last year there was a Parking Committee and through this committee and our senate we approved a parking resolution. This resolution was an on campus freshman parking ban.  By this we mean that if you are a freshman resident on campus you are not allowed to bring a car. A lot of SUNY schools already have this implemented. I will leave a copy in the USG conference room for you to review.  Next week I would like to vote on this.

F.      CSO E-Board will be recognized under Old Business.

V.      EVP Brady Report:

A.  I continued to do interviews this week and would like to recognize the following for senators: Julian Bush, Chantelle Ray and Natalie Jordan. Students at Large will be: Rina Nowel, Tashara White, Marquis Williams and Bill Goodwin.  Judicial will be David Knee, Lonice McCray and Yolanda Rondon. There are still openings for Students at Large and Judicial if you are interested.  Floor is open for questions to the nominees for senators.

President Levin-Stankevich asked if there were any objections to vote on all the nominees for the Senator positions at the same time.  There are no objections.  Vote is taken and passes unanimously. Floor is open for questions to the nominees for Student at Large. Are there any objections to vote on all the candidates at the same time.  There no objections.  Vote is taken and passes unanimously. President Levin-Stankevich will swear in the new Senator's and Student at Large nominees. Floor is open for questions to the   nominees for Judicial Council. Are there any objections to vote on all the candidates at the same time.  There are no objections. Vote is taken and passes unanimously. President Levin-Stankevich will swear in the Justices. EVP Brady continues with her report.

B.  Organization Meeting is this Friday in Bulger North at 3:00 pm.

C.  Committee Roster - I will read the AVP name and the committee members name who are under that AVP.

VI.     Treasurer St. Rose Report:

A.      Frozen Budget Update - If I call your organization name that means we did not receive your constitution.  Your budget will be frozen until Rules Chair McKay or I receive a copy of your constitution.

B.       Organization meeting - 2 executive board members from each club must be at the meeting on Friday. If you do not come to this meeting your budget will be frozen and it will go straight to Judicial.

C.      Treasurer and Vice Treasurers are the only ones who should be talking about money to the business office. If anyone besides the Treasurer and Vice Treasurer talks to the business office about money I will freeze your budget and you will go to Judicial.

D.      Grants - before you come to USG for money try applying for one of the following grants:
1.       Equity and Campus Adversity Grant - is used for a pending event. More information will be available for you at the Treasurer meeting in October the 2nd Friday of the month.
2.      Grant Allocation Committee.

E.      Carnival of Clubs is next Thursday during Bengal Pause in the Quad.  There will be a rock climbing wall, the over size couch to take pictures on, cotton candy, popcorn, etc.

F.      Liaison reports are taken very seriously.

President Levin-Stankevich states there will be a short break to get some food and a drink.

VII.    Standing Committee Reports

A.      AVP Janik Academic Report:
• - President Round Table will now be called Academic Mixer.
•   I will be having an Academic Mixer on Thursday October 5th during Bengal Pause in Bulger W2.

B.      AVP Ammirato Community Relations Report:
- President Round Table will now be called Community Connections. I will  be having a meeting on Thursday October 5th during Bengal Pause in  Bulger E2. Presidents and Vice Presidents are required to attend in every  organization that falls under me.
-T-Shirts - I will pass around a quick survey regarding the t-shirts. I am also going to pass around the sign up sheet for the new people to sign up for their t-shirt.
- Pictures will be taken before the 2nd Roll Call.
- Breast Cancer Walk - is Sunday October 1st.  I would like USG to  participate in this walk.
- Casting Hall - is doing a play called "Stop Kiss".  This will be playing the 1st and 2nd weekend in October.  If you are interested in attending let me know.
- Carnival of Clubs - we need people to help work. Let me know if you are available.
- Camp Weekend - we have the camp signed out for the weekend of  October 6th.  Is anyone interested in going?

C.      AVP Dapaah Student Life Report:
- Organization Training update was successful.
- Movie Survey - we are planning to have a movie night in October.

D.      Rules Chair McKay Report:
- Student Bill #1 - this is an amendment to our constitution. I would like to make a motion to amend the amendment.  EVP Brady 2nd. I will pass this  out for you to review.  We will vote on this at the next meeting. This  amendment states that each advisor can not advise more than 2 USG organizations.
- Everyone will get a binder today please look everything over carefully.

VIII.   Old Business

A.      President Levin-Stankevich reminds everyone about protocol.  CSO E-Board will be recognized to speak and we will be going by Robert Rules.  I will recognize Leonora CSO President to speak. Leonora explains to the Senate what Dollar Jam is and how important it is to CSO. Leonora states that if Dollar Jam goes off campus we would have to have the vendor fill out an application involving alcohol.  This would then come to the Senate or Dr. Kenyon and it would have to be agreed upon.  After it is agreed upon it would go to Dr. Payne for approval.  This year Dr. Payne is saying that we can not go off campus. If we go off campus it has to be without alcohol and this would be the last time.  We want CSO to promote this event as our own as it has always been. Leonora states that she has brought a alcohol agreement to show the senate. Floor is open for questions. President Levin-Stankevich would like to know what else the E-Board or Senate can do to help CSO. This decision is not up to USG it is Dr. Payne's decision. Dr. Payne has opposed of this event being off campus.  I went to talk to him and I did get his approval to have the event off campus but it has to be with out alcohol. I asked Dr. Payne if USG and the Senate passed the alcohol policy would he sign it.  Dr. Payne said no and has given CSO and USG a signed letter stating that he would not be signing the alcohol policy. President Levin-Stankevich asked Leonora if she wants USG to form a resolution.  We can do this but Dr. Payne still has the final say on the alcohol policy. Leonora asks the Senate if this is the wrong place to voice our concerns about the alcohol policy.  President Levin-Stankevich states that this needs to go through the proper procedures which are stated on the alcohol policy. Rules Chair McKay makes a motion to form a Adhoc Committee. AVP Ammirato 2nd. Senator Hines motions to adjourn the meeting.  Vote is taken to adjourn the meeting and passes 22 yeas, 1 nay and 4 abstentions. President Levin-Stankevich states CSO will be put under Unfinished Business at next weeks meeting.

IX.     2nd Roll Call