[In these minutes: Student Senator responsibilities, Crookston visit,
Alcohol Task Force Report, 2004-05 SSCC/Student Senate Chair and Vice Chair,
other student issues]
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (SSCC)
MINUTES
APRIL 1, 2004
[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: Dan Weiske
(chair), Joshua Colburn, James Kanten, Scott LeBlanc, Charles Stech, Jeremy
Steil, Adam VanWagner.
ABSENT: Sean Bell, Derek Brunsberg, Levi
Kary.
1. CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF STUDENT SENATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
Adam VanWagner said that the Student Committee on
Committees (SConC) discussed this issue at its meeting and decided on
guidelines. First preference for filling committee seats should be given to
senators when reviewing applications. SConC did not want to mandate senator
service on committees or leave committee seats open until senators apply.
SConC’s main goal is to fill all student committee seats each year,
although it is important to have opportunities available to senators and make
these known.
Once senators have been assigned seats, returning committee
members will be considered. A notice to new senators and current committee
members will be emailed in spring. SConC will then meet in May to make initial
appointments. Before fall semester, senators and all students will then be
given an opportunity to apply for the remaining open seats.
The committee
then discussed requiring senators to serve on other bodies, making the following
comments:
- Senate know does not mandate any other service
- Should other bodies make the request for senator service rather than the
Senate assuming that senators should serve in other bodies?
- Should senators have to choose between service on an assembly and a student
board?
- Senators should be actively involved in some other level besides the Senate,
although the choice should be theirs
- Senators help establish ties between groups
- If a change is made, will it have any effect?
- Senators feel that they are not doing anything and want to be more
connected
- Senators want to be in MSA this year, which is not always the case
- Mandated service might dissuade students from serving as senators
- Constitution, Article III, Section 5d, membership should only be able to be
revoked by the root organization/appointing body, not an intermediary
agency
- Should the Senate be able to remove a member if they are fulfilling other
functions of their duties or should the Senate just recommend removal to the
appointing body?
- College boards loose a connections when their senators do not serve
- Information should be gathered first on which college boards require
senators to attend, and whether they want senators to attend, before a change is
made
- Senators should have to serve on one other body, either a Senate committee,
the student assembly, or the college board
- Would this system force two elections to be held, one for senators to the
Senate and one for senators to the student assemblies?
- Separate elections might allow one group to languish after a weak year it if
cannot attract new, strong members
- Better connections between groups hinge on the quality of the students
serving, not the numbers; this proposal tries to control something that it
cannot
- Most of these issues only affect Twin Cities senators
- Senators need to be told what they are required and expected to
do
A motion was made and approved to change the language in
the Constitution, Article III, Section 5d, to what was proposed. Other changes
will be brought to the next meeting.
2. FINALIZE CROOKSTON
VISIT
Dan Weiske said that the Crookston visit would take place on
Sunday, April 18. Members traveling would be: Dan Weiske, Scott LeBlanc, and
Charles Stech. Sean Bell, Levy Kary, and Derek Brunsberg will need to be asked.
Logistics will be sent in a follow-up email.
3. ALCOHOL TASK FORCE
REPORT
Charles Stech stated that a draft of the final report was
emailed to task force members for review. The final report will be presented to
the Student Senate in April. The report proposes that another committee
continue working on this issue next year. He then provided some information
contained in the report.
A member noted that details will need to be
included in the report for it to be useful to a new group next
year.
4. 2004-05 SSCC/STUDENT SENATE CHAIR AND VICE
CHAIR
Dan Weiske reminded members that both of these positions will
be elected at the April Student Senate meeting. Ans email will be sent to all
newly-elected senators announcing these positions.
5. DISCUSSION OF
OTHER STUDENT ISSUES RECEIVED VIA EMAIL
Students reviewed the list of
other topics and questions that students submitted for the discussion with the
President in March, making the following comments:
- Students still do not know why there is an All-University fee or why it
increased; the answer is that it replaces money lost through Wisconsin
reciprocity since Wisconsin students have to pay the increased fee, but not
increased tuition charges
- Campus transportation is an issue since officials will not listen to the
student viewpoint
6. OTHER BUSINESS
The
committee then discussed the recent straw pool on the proposed reorganization.
Results so far have been ambiguous regarding support, although there is clear
dissent for option 4. FCC gave guidelines to Dan Feeney regarding the
continuation of this effort, although they do not want to continue if there is
not strong support for change.
With no further business, Dan Weiske
thanked all members for attending and adjourned the meeting.
Becky
Hippert
University Senate