SSCC

[In these minutes: Reports, Student Appointments, Stadium Discussion with Jan Morlock, Adding the Student Senate Chair as a voting member of SCC, October 31 Student Senate agenda]

STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (SSCC) MINUTES

OCTOBER 17, 2002

[These minutes reflect discussion and debate at a committee of the University of Minnesota Senate or Twin Cities Campus Assembly; none of the comments, conclusions, or actions reported in these minutes represent the views of, nor are they binding on, the Senate or Assembly, the Administration, or the Board of Regents.]

PRESENT: Judy Berning, (chair), Nick Cecconi, Scott Ferguson, Yev Garif, Kari Lindeman, Ryan Osero, Jasen Peterson, Eric Steinhoff, Tom Walsh.

REGRETS: Dan O’Connor, Nathan Saete.

ABSENT: John Amble, Kelsi Holland.

GUESTS: Jan Morlock.

1. WRITTEN REPORTS

STUDENT SENATE CHAIR

Currently, Ryan Osero is working on finding membership for the Task Force on SSCC Representation. He met with Donna Peterson and Nicole Bennett to discuss the upcoming budget request and legislative session. Tuition is slated to increase 4.5% each year for the next two years, if we receive the new money in our request. It appears if the University is cut, students will see large tuition increases unless difficult cuts are made.

He is deeply concerned that the Student Senate's Twin Cities membership is suffering due to the many commitments required of a senator at that campus. Senators have resigned, and others won't return, do to too many expectations of the member's time. It appears to mostly affect undergraduate members, but it needs further examination. All students all suffer if one of our campuses is not represented.

CROOKSTON

Nate Saete reported that:
-The Crookston Student Association has decided to hold this year's fall retreat here in Crookston as a way of supporting local business. It will be held Thursday October 17 and Friday October 18.
-The computer help desk has officially moved to its new location in Kiehle hall.
-The four (4) new CSA senators have just been assigned to their committees for this year.

DULUTH

Nick Cecconi provided the following repot:

1. Official Weber Music Hall Grand Opening on Oct. 24 - Black-tie Event...Nick's Going! Currently looking for his James Bond Tux.

2. Rec Sports building waiting for approval and contract.

3. Finished "Clock Initiative", whereas we have hardly any clocks on campus and we have conspired with Facilities to place clocks all over school.

4. We are finishing plans to videotape our Congress meetings and broadcast them over the local public station.

MORRIS

No report was submitted for Morris.

GAPSA

Tom Walsh and Yev Garif reported that:

After a busy earlier September working on the September 11^th remembrance ceremony and the President’s reception, we did not have any major events this past month. Current ongoing projects include updating the GAPSA website. We’ve worked to make the site more “U of M” themed and user friendly. It should be “live” later this week. www.gapsa.umn.edu. Next, we are also working with graduate and professional student boards to prepare for upcoming fee requests. Finally, like many student groups we are preparing to move back into Coffman late this year.

Finally any report just is not complete without a stadium update. At last night’s GAPSA Assembly Vice President Pfutzenreuter, Lester Bagley from the Minnesota Viking’s, and a representative from the University’s planning committee gave the Assembly an idea of where the process is and answered student questions. Major student concerns included the cost of the stadium, whether the stadium will result in a tuition hike (VP Pfutzenreuter emphatically stated NO), naming rights, parking, how the stadium will look and fit into campus, whether the Vikings will move leaving the University will a $450 million liability, and the effect of a stadium on the surrounding community. The panel urged students to talk with their student boards and make sure their voice is heard by writing a letter to the President’s Office.

If any members of the SSCC have questions about these or any other GAPSA activities please feel free to ask either of us.

MSA

Kari Lindeman and John Amble

Issues:
One major issue that we discussed in MSA during the past month was the stadium issue. Someone came to give us a presentation on this. Some of MSA's concerns were the collegiate feel, parking, costs, among other things. There is to be a resolution soon.

Other upcoming issues are historical designation of the Greek houses, GPT revisions, changes in the season tickets lottery system, participation in SLC, revisions in ACEC

Also, internally we talked about making MSA more visible. There is talk of t-shirts. The webpage is also coming along nicely. www.msa.umn.edu We are also starting up the Legislative affairs committee with the newly elected Chair Andy Pomroy. Soon a constitutional review sub-committee will be formed.

Events:
the homecoming float was a great success. We won first place for student groups, thanks to Emmie Eshmawy and everyone else.

The campus relations committee is also working on a retreat for MSA.

We also will be working on a campus safety walk on all the campuses.

There is the consideration of holding congressional debates and perhaps a
program to encourage people to vote.

MSA attendance in general has been fairly high, but many senators are still
absent from Forum meetings.

FINANCE AND PLANNING

Dan O’Connor, student representative to Finance and Planning Committee, submitted this report as a summary of the October 8^th, 2002 meeting:

The committee discussed two issues at our last meeting. The first was an explanation and discussion of the Biennial Budget Request to the State Legislature and the second was a discussion of the proposed Football Stadium on campus.

Biennial Budget Request:

Ms. Elizabeth Eull from the Office of Budget and Finance gave a report about the specifics of the request. She explained that the University has, in the past, had a pattern of presenting very detailed biennial requests to the legislature, but this time the request is focused on the importance of maintaining what the University has achieved and what it needs to keep rolling. The major tenants of the requests are to:

2. ORAL REPORTS

Student Senate Chair
Judy Berning reported that Jan Morlock from Community Relations will be at the meeting later today to discuss the Gophers/Vikings stadium. At the last meeting, a pros and cons stadium list was discussed. Nothing has been produced; instead, the committee will get ideas today and from the Student Senate -- and then draft a statement for the November SSCC meeting. Once approved, it can be forwarded for information to the Regents for their decision at their December meeting. A Senate committee chairs task force has also been created to exchange information within these committees, with herself and Ryan Osero included. GAPSA and MSA are creating statements which will also be shared with SSCC.

At the November SSCC meeting Vice President Carol Carrier will be attending to discuss the accountability task force.

The presidential search is progressing. Josh Colburn is the student representative on the advisory committee. Josh has been asked to attend SSCC and the Student Senate, which will happen on November 14 and October 31, respectively, to receive student input into the process.

At the December meeting work study will be discussed. Eric Steinhoff is investigating the issue at Morris and Cheryl Maplethorpe from HESO will be invited to explain the current situation. The Student Representatives to the Regents may also be invited to increase communication between the two groups.

Two other items will be for SSCC to look at international student issues to see if problems are being addressed and to review the process by which Student Senate seats are allocated since it has been quite a while since this process has been reviewed.

SSCC/Student Senate Vice Chair
Eric Steinhoff reported that he will be investigating the effects at Morris due to the changes in work study funds and international student restrictions.

SCSA
Jasen Peterson stated that the committee discussed issues from last year as well as its plans for this year at the October meeting. One item of discussion was the stadium. The committee is in favor of an on-campus stadium, but prefers that it be a Gopher-only venture. Before the committee would be in favor of a joint venture, they would want the list of questions and concerns from SSCC answered first.

Other items of discussion were the student survey from last year and a report on the status of Coffman. Advising will also be an issue, especially in relation to the 13-credit minimum, which the committee will follow-up on. A junior year experience is also being discussed as a way to keep students at the University through graduation.

Q: Was stadium funding discussed?

A: Funding was discussed in terms of the parking ramp and the problems that will be associated with it, such as increases in parking rates. Many off-campus students may be indifferent to the proposal until it impacts what they pay to park.

SCEP
Scott Ferguson reported that SCEP has approved the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Twin Cities calendars, which will be on the October 31 Senate agenda for approval. These calendars were delayed due to the late Labor Day in each of these years. SCEP has decided that fall and spring semester will be of equal length, regardless of when Labor Day is. So, every fall semester will have 70 days of instruction and every spring semester will have 74 days of instruction.

Other issues include:

3. STUDENT APPOINTMENTS

SCFP
Judy Berning reported that Brittny McCarthy Barnes had been asked to serve, but had declined. She then nominated Dan O’Connor to serve in this position. The nomination was approved.

SCSA
Jasen Peterson was nominated and approved to serve in this role.

Business and Rules/Budget Subcommittee
Judy Berning said that it is very important for another SSCC member to attend these meetings with her. There is only one more Business and Rules Committee meeting this semester, so she asked for a volunteer for that meeting with the intention that another student might be appointed for spring semester. Tom Walsh agreed to attend the November meeting.

Accountability Task Force
Judy Berning said that she had been contacted today by the Chief of Staff’s Office to ask that SSCC nominate one undergraduate and one graduate/professional student to serve on this task force. She then turned the meeting over to the Vice Chair.

Eric Steinhoff said that only one undergraduate student name was submitted, Judy Berning, even after all student senators and committee members were asked to forward their name if interested. The nomination was then approved.

A committee member said that a message was sent to many graduate and professional students, but they might feel that they still have time to respond. It was decided that Tom Walsh and Yev Garif would provide SSCC with one or two graduate/professional students, so that one could be forwarded to fill this position.

4. STADIUM DISCUSSION WITH JAN MORLOCK

Jan Morlock from Community Relations joined the committee to discussion the status of the Gophers/Vikings stadium proposal. She said that three years ago the Vikings started to press for a new stadium. A year later, the legislature linked the Gophers and Vikings together for a stadium since they currently share a facility. Last year, the push was for a Twins Stadium, but a provision to study a Gophers/Vikings stadium was approved.

Since that time, the University and the Vikings have been working with contractors on the pre-design of the stadium, environment, physical and operational issues, as well as wording a memorandum of understanding in terms of who would own the stadium, who pays, who controls the programming, etc. These two pieces will be presented to the Regents in December for approval and submission to the legislature by their December deadline.

Jan Morlock then referred students to a handout on principles for the stadium which the Regents approved in September. The handout is meant to show what the University’s interests are in this project and what principles should guide involvement in a joint venture.

Once the two pieces have been submitted to the legislature, there is no way to know when any decision will be made because of several unknown factors: state’s budget shortfall, possibility of Red McCombs selling the Vikings, expectations of new investors, and a Twins stadium.

She then referred students to a diagram of the stadium location, which will be on the transit-way surface lots. In addition to the stadium, a 2000 car ramp and transit facility is being planned for the Southeast edge of the location. This location will also allow Light Rail Transit (LRT) to be incorporated into the transit facility if approved since the facility will be located along the proposed LRT line from Minneapolis to St. Paul.

Traffic management will be an issue during games. The plan is that only people with reservations in the ramp would be traveling in this area around campus. All other patrons would be directed to the parking lots at the State Fairgrounds, from where shuttles would bring them to the game along the transit-way. Private shuttles would also operate from downtown and private businesses around campus.

Q: Will patrons will allowed to park in other campus facilities? How will student needs be addressed?

A: Parking in other campus facilities will be encouraged on Saturdays and Sundays. Before any decisions are made, a study will be conducted on the current parking loads in all locations each day of the week to determine what percentage is full and available for other patrons.

Q: What will be the layout of the area and the design of the stadium?

A: This has not been finalized and released yet. The Vikings website does show a picture of a new stadium, but it was conceived before a site was found and before the joint venture was considered. Design guidelines will be released in November, but there will not be any drawings or models since this is still a pre-design phase.

Q: How many seats will the stadium hold?

A: Seating will be variable so that the stadium will hold 68,000 for a Vikings game, expandable to 72,000 to accommodate a playoff game. For Gophers game, the walls will be able to shrink to produce the collegiate feel and provide seating for around 55,000. The stadium will also feature a retractable roof and club seating for season ticket holders.

Q: How will this structure enhance the academic mission?

A: The stadium will be arranged on the back side of the location, which will allow the perimeter to be used for academic buildings. The stadium will also allow the necessary upgrades to utilities to take place for future academic building needs. No academic activities though, will be scheduled in the stadium bowl due to the nature of the field.

Q: Have the Twins or the Gophers baseball team been asked to be housed in this facility as well?

A: Locally, baseball and football do not want to operate in the same stadium any longer due to different needs from each sport. With the type of artificial grass being used, it will also not be possible to play baseball and football on the same turf.

Q: What will the student financial burden be?

A: This will be included in the memorandum of understanding (MOU). The University does not want to pay for the operation of the stadium, but is simply committee to paying for the land and a parking structure. Any financial details likely will not be announced until the MOU is signed. The Regents have been clear that students need to accrue a benefit from this venture.

Q: Is the University willing to have a corporate sponsor for the stadium?

A: These issues have not been decided yet.

Q: Will the University receive the revenue from the parking structure, even during Vikings games?

A: If the University pays for the parking structure, then it should receive all revenues that it generates, regardless of the game.

Q: If the parking situation is coupled with LRT, what will happen if LRT is never installed?

A: LRT is not a factor in the parking situation, but it will be an added benefit it is happens. Parking will be helped by MetroTransit and private options, since most transportation will be provided primarily by buses. The Campus Connector will need to change its operation on game days since it will not be free to non-students.

Q: Which group will select what other events are scheduled in the stadium?

A: The University will need to decide. Currently, the Metrodome hosts few other events each year, but without these events can the new facility pay for itself. Other events will need to be considered in light of the University’s academic mission.

A committee member noted that there will be an impact on the St. Paul campus on game days if all traffic is being diverted to that location.

Q: How will the stadium affect fundraising?

A: The University Foundation is part of the discussion, but there has not been any sense that fundraising will be affected.

Q: What will happen to the Metrodome?

A: Once all the teams are removed, the commission will determine any future plans, but it will probably be demolished to provide a new building. The University’s lease is only through 2011 and will have no say in what happens next.

Q: How do the surrounding communities feel about the stadium?

A: They are concerned about several issues: traffic, parking, and tailgating. Neighborhoods already suffer for parking because of students. The hockey riots last spring also raised other questions for the community. She is working with the communities to alleviate any concerns and community members will likely be involved in the governance of the stadium.

5. DISCUSSION OF ADDING THE STUDENT SENATE CHAIR AS A VOTING MEMBER OF SCC

Judy Berning said that the Student Senate currently serves as a voting member of the SSCC, but becomes an ex officio non-voting member on the SCC, which leads to the faculty having 10 votes while the students have nine. Last year however, an academic professional person was added to the SCC as a voting member, which means that the students can now be out-voted 11-9. Therefore, she would like to have SSCC consider an amendment to make the Student Senate Chair a voting member of SCC.

Q: Would there be a conflict to have the Student Senate Chair vote at SCC?

A: No, since this position could vote on behalf of students instead of as a separate committee member.

Q: Does the on-voting status prevent the Student Senate Chair from running his or her own agenda at an SCC meeting?

A: No, since their agenda would be more important at an SSCC meeting, where they already have full voting rights.

It was decided that students should have another vote on SCC, but before any formal proposal is made, the concept will be discussed at SCC today to see if there is any faculty resistance. For the November SSCC and SCC meetings, the formal amendment and it rationale will then be brought for discussion and approval. If the proposal does not pass SSCC, then it will not be considered at SCC or placed on the December Senate agenda.

6. OCTOBER 31 STUDENT SENATE AGENDA

Ryan Osero presented the October 31 Student Senate agenda. Other items for later meetings will include a report on students vacancies/seats filled from the Student Committee on Committees and international student issues.

Q: Why is the HESO budget on the docket for approval?

A: HESO asked each student leader to take the budget back to their student association/assembly for approval as a way to rally support.

The agenda was then approved.

7. OTHER BUSINESS

With no further business, Judy Berning thanked all members for attending and adjourned the meeting.

Becky Hippert
University Senate