SSCC Minutes

[In these minutes: Elections, Reports, Discussion of Student Senate Stipends]

STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (SSCC) MINUTES

MAY 8, 2008

[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: Ronald Miller (chair), Jonathan Bringewatt, James Faghmous, Kris Schwebler, Alicia Smith.

ABSENT: Neal Brown, Jeni Kiewatt.

GUESTS: Katie Best, Jason Einertson, Ryan Kennedy, Mariam Maiga.

1. ELECTION OF 2008-09 STUDENT SENATE/SSCC VICE CHAIR

Kris Schwebler was elected vice chair. Since a chair was not elected at the May 1 Student Senate meeting, he will handle the duties of the chair position through the October Student Senate meeting.

2. APPROVAL OF ITEMS ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT SENATE

MARCH 6, 2008 MINUTES
The minutes were approved on behalf of the Student Senate. The approval will be reported at the first meeting fall semester.

STUDENT SENATE STIPENDS
The stipends were approved on behalf of the Student Senate. The approval will be reported at the first meeting fall semester.

STUDENT SENATE BYLAW AMENDMENTS
The bylaw amendment was approved on behalf of the Student Senate. The approval will be reported at the first meeting fall semester.

ELECTION OF TWIN CITIES UNDERGRADUATE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES MEMBERS
Jermaine Elliott, Emily Haugen, and Mikael Moseley were elected to the Committee on Committees.

ELECTION OF TWIN CITIES STUDENT SENATE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mark Lewandowski was elected to the Student Senate Nominating Committee.

3. CHAIR'S REPORT AND UPDATES

Ronald Miller said that he has enjoyed his year as chair and wished everyone well in their future endeavors. He reminded next year's members to be vigilant about the student release questions, since Student Senate approval is now required in conjunction with the Faculty Senate. He has been involved in the Senate for three and one-half years, an experience that he described as a 'fun ride.'

4. CAMPUS AND STUDENT ASSOCIATION UPDATES

Alicia Smith reported that MSA passed a resolution favoring the Northern alignment for the light rail line, after previously supporting the Washington Avenue route.

James Faghmous noted that GAPSA has a board transition meeting. Next year's programming is intended to reach graduate and professional students during their departmental orientations, before they are committed to other projects. GAPSA also wants to diversify its events next year.

Jonathan Bringewatt said that a special election was needed for a remaining executive position with MCSA.

Katie Best stated that elections are complete and there were a few contested races this year. Monday, three new senators were appointed.

5. ELECTION OF 2008-09 STUDENT SENATE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBER FROM SSCC

Ryan Kennedy was elected to the Student Senate Nominating Committee

6. ELECTION OF 2008-09 TC UNDERGRAD SSCC MEMBER TO SCC

The election was postponed until the first meeting of fall semester after one vote ended in a tie.

7. DISCUSSION OF STUDENT SENATE STIPENDS

Ronald Miller said that this year's chair and vice chair stipends were set when last year's SSCC voted to decrease them from $2650 to $1000 for the chair and $1590 to $500 for the vice chair. In light of the work that both positions did this year and reviewing the stipends for other Senate positions, he feels that the SSCC should ask for the stipends to be reinstated to their previous levels.

Members made the following comments:

If Student Senate officers should do more, then the amount should be increased
Stipends should not be higher than $1000, which is the stipend for the MCSA President
If the stipends were decreased because the officers did not think that they did enough to deserve the stipend, then the action was wrong. If the stipends were decreased because the positions are not required to do much, then this is a rationale for the decrease.
UMDSA President only receives $800
Increase can be requested, but does not have to be to the same level
Positions and the people who hold them should be re-evaluated at the end of the year
Positions should be compensated for the work they do. If a person is doing the job as written, then they deserve the entire amount.
Students may be opposed to seeing a large stipend for a governance position, when the same compensation is not available for other groups
Stipend increases have been opposed at MCSA
Senate is an important organization, and the officers should be able to take time off from another job to do the job well
Comparisons between campuses are not appropriate
Officers should be prepared for criticism if they receive a stipend
A student from a coordinate campus can be an officer and would receive the stipend. This would create a perception issue with students from his or her campus.
There is a difference between a stipend and an hourly wage
Officers should work hard with a stipend that is set at a reasonable level of compensation

A motion was made to reinstate the Student Senate stipends to the previous level, with future increases occurring at the same rate as the faculty stipends. The motion was approved with three in favor, one opposed, and one abstention.

8. DISCUSSION OF ITEMS FROM MAY 1 STUDENT SENATE MEETING

Members then discussed issues that are being brought to the Student Senate. Students from the coordinate campuses are frustrated since they miss classes to hear about issues that do not affect them or their campus. Incentives need to be found for members to attend. On way is to use the Student Senate as a way to communicate ideas between the campuses, not always with a corresponding action.

Members then mentioned topics for discussion at the first SSCC meeting fall semester – holding an SSCC meeting at each campus, following-up on student release questions being incorporated on the One-Stop site, and faculty release of questions.

9. Other Business

With no further business, Ronald Miller thanked all members for their service this year and adjourned the meeting.

Becky Hippert
University Senate