[In these minutes: Updates, Responsibilities of Student Senators,
Guidelines for Committee Chairs and Members, Potential 2006-07 agenda items,
September 28 Student Senate agenda]
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE (SSCC) MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 14, 2006
[These
minutes reflect discussion and debate at a committee of the University of
Minnesota Senate; none of the comments, conclusions, or actions reported in
these minutes represent the views of, nor are they binding on, the Senate the
Administration, or the Board of Regents.]
PRESENT: Joshua
Beiningen (chair), Jeni Kiewatt, Anthony Kouba, Daniel Moore, Bree
Richards.
ABSENT: Will Kusch, Leslie O’Leary, Trent
Senenfelder.
1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Joshua Beiningen
welcomed members to the first meeting of the year and introductions were
made.
2. CHAIR’S REPORT AND UPDATES
Joshua Beiningen
stated that he attended a SAC meeting yesterday, which is the Student Advisory
Council to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. Being discussed was recent
lobbying in Washington D.C. on the issues of student debt, increasing pell
grants, and lowering the student loan interest rate. The lobbyist will be
returning in spring, at which time they would like someone from the University
to attend.
SAC is also working on a textbook task force, of which Bree
Richards is the University member. They are also hoping to organize a debate in
October on student debt with broadcasting to all institutions.
Bree
Richard said that MSA and GAPSA are already working on a governor’s
candidate debate. Most details have already been finalized.
Joshua
Beiningen then said that he is meeting this Friday with the CAPA and CSC chairs
as a way to increase communication and to invite them to attend the first
Student Senate meeting.
On the issue of student evaluations, he has been
informed that the new student release questions will not be printed until the
four mandatory faculty questions have been revised and approved. He needs to
talk with the subcommittee about their timeline and then will provide that
information to the committee and senators.
3. REVIEW OF
RESPONSIBILITIES OF FACULTY SENATORS
Joshua Beiningen distributed a
sheet on responsibilities of faculty senators and asked if the same guidelines
should be applicable to student senators. The committee then revised the
guidelines to reflect student needs and it was approved as amended.
4.
REVIEW OF GUIDELINES FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS
Joshua
Beiningen distributed a set of guidelines for committee chairs and members. The
guidelines were approved.
5. APPROVAL OF MSA MEMBER APPOINTED TO
SCC
With no MSA members present, this item was tabled until the next
meeting.
6. DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL 2006-07 AGENDA
ITEMS
Members discussed the following list of potential agenda items
for this year:
- Relevant campus association/assembly resolutions should be brought to the
Student Senate for action as well
- What is next for strategic positioning
- Student evaluation follow-up
- Housing concerns
- Aramark and Coke contracts that expire in 2008 and social justice element in
contracts
- Student Conduct Code changes and the timeline
- Joint meetings with CAPA and CSC
Members then discussed
the schedule of SSCC meetings and whether some business could be transacted via
email instead of meeting. Members noted that while email exchanges can be hard
and in-person dialogue is often preferred, the committee should not just meet
because there is a scheduled meeting. It was agreed that the current schedule
would be maintained. A call for agenda items would be made the week prior to
the meeting and meetings would be cancelled the Monday of the meeting week if
there was no business.
Members then discussed which items of business go
to the Faculty Senate versus University Senate and how reports get made to
different groups.
7, APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 28 STUDENT SENATE
AGENDA
The agenda was approved as presented.
8. OTHER
BUSINESS
With no further business, Joshua Beiningen thanked all
members for attending and adjourned the meeting.
Becky
Hippert
University Senate