The second meeting of the Student Senate for 1999-00 was convened in 25 Law Building, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, February 24, 2000, at 11:37 a.m. Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as present were 38 voting student members. 1 ex officio member, and 4 non-members. Mr. Reid LeBeau, Student Senate Chair, presided.

The Student Senate minutes are available on the Web at the following URL:

DISCUSSION:

With no discussion a vote was taken and the motion was approved.

APPROVED

A motion was made to suspend the rules to re-order the agenda. The motion was seconded, a vote was taken, and the motion was approved.

Jason Reed, Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) Chair, reported that at the University Senate meeting later today there are several key issues that need student support. One is a change in the Uniform Grading Policy. Another is a policy regarding class notes on the web. While students can understand why faculty want this information protected, prohibition seems to be a violation of the First Amendment. A third item is a resolution on the Graduation Proficiency Test (GPT). It will be an action item at the Student Senate meeting, but will be removed from the Twin Cities Campus Assembly docket.

In addition to Senate action items, he recently attended a tuition advisory task force meeting. The administration is looking at a tuition increase between 3 - 6%. Most students at the meeting felt that a 3 - 4% increase would be adequate. He asked students to e-mail him with any comments which can then be presented at the next task force meeting.

Reid LeBeau, Student Senate Chair, provided information on the Lobby Day. Morris brought 60 students, Duluth had five buses with over 200 students, Crookston provided another 30 students, and the Twin Cities delegation was comprised mainly of art and graduate/professional students. In meetings with the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor, students found a positive response to the University's request, especially in light of the low allotment from the Governor. For the Morris campus, Speaker Sviggum reacted positively to the Morris request being included in the final budget proposal. In closing, Mr. LeBeau thanked all the people who made Lobby Day successful: Meggan Ellingboe, Marnie Ryan, John Cooney, the SLC Board of Governors, Gary Hedin, and Grame Allen.

The following report from the Student Legislative Coalition (SLC) was presented:

The Student Legislative Coalition's Lobby Day was yesterday, and it was successful. Around 400 students came and met with their legislators. The day was fairly efficient. Duluth had an outstanding turnout as well as Morris and Crookston. The Twin Cities will have to work harder next year, but a few excellent students came and "lobbied" for their buildings and staffed their project table. As far as SLC knows, this day was just as good as the Lobby Day two years ago. This day was a good step for the organization in revitalizing itself.

The next step for SLC this year is to follow up on its Lobby Day activities, to evaluate how Lobby Day went, and to plan a post-Lobby Day action strategy. We will compile feedback from students on how their meetings went with their legislators. We will also send thank you notes to legislators and participants. Postcards, letters and emails will continue to be sent out to legislators. The SLC's activities are not done just because Lobby Day is now done. Student involvement needs to remain strong.

In addition to following up on Lobby Day activities, Meggan Ellingboe will meet with Suzanne Pearl and Jenny Meslow, who runs the CHIP organization, to work with them in conducting a phonebank/postcard drive. John Cooney and Meggan will also meet with Board member Suzanne Drennon to talk about MPIRG's Legacy campaign. Perhaps, that is another student issue that is worth facilitating student involvement.

Board members Ben Bowman and Hillary Walters, along with Meggan, have left for Michigan to attend the ABTS conference. The three are hoping to come back with some new insights and ideas.

Crookston - Kevin Poppel reported that the Lobby Day went well for the campus.
Duluth - Business and Economics - Travis Amiot reported that he had met with the Dean that morning. The college might be accredited by the International Association for Management Education. This is a very vigorous process and the only other college in Minnesota with this accreditation is the Carlson School of Management. For Fall 2000, applications have increased by 40%. If these students all accept, this could lead to problems in upper division classes in the next few years and increased selectivity.
Duluth - Education and Human Services - No report
Duluth - Fine Arts - No report
Duluth- Liberal Arts - Kelly Pestorious had met with the Dean, Linda Krug, on February 22 and stated that new minors will be available in the Fall of 2000 in journalism, information design and technology, American Indian tribal government, and cultural studies. The laptop pilot program will include Sociology next Fall, as the program already operates in accounting, early childhood, and theatre design. For the program, 30 students have the use of a laptop for the school year and take six classes together which specifically involve use of the laptops. The program has been a success. There are three new faculty hires and four more are pending, which is in addition to the ten faculty members hired last year. CLA's early alert system, which targets first-year students, has faculty members notify the student and the CLA Student Affair's Office if a student falls below a 'C' average. The program has been working well and will continue. A CLA Dean's Advisory Group, which would consist of two students from each CLA department and would meet monthly, is also being considered as a way for the Dean to get direct feedback from the students. Future goals for the college include undergraduate research, informing students what can be done with a liberal arts degree, and scholarships from a $1 million endowment with two $1000 scholarships being awarded this summer as well as department scholarships.
Duluth - Medical School - No report
Duluth - Science and Engineering - Amber Benning talked with Dean Sabra Anderson about the new Chemistry Building to be constructed in two years. The college is also hiring a new dean, by the end of March, with the current process down to six finalists. An early alert system is also being implementing similar to CLA. Department heads are also looking at the technology fee.
Morris - reported that Lobby Day went well and Samuel Schuman has been named the permanent new chancellor after serving in an interim capacity since 1998.
Minnesota Student Association - Patrick Peterson stated that one success this year has been the 10^th Avenue Bridge Circulator, which ran last Fall and has continued this Spring. MSA has also handed out over $20,000 in DEF grants, which are small grants for non-fee receiving groups which host events on campus that increase diversity awareness. A Bookstore Student Advisory Committee is also hoping to be established so that students have a voice in where money is being spent. MSA also stopped a $10 add/drop fee for Fall Semester. Currently, MSA is working with other student groups to develop connections while Coffman Union is under construction.
Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences - Wyatt Johnson said that the funding request for a new Microbiology and Plant Genomics Building has been well received. Two events will also be sponsored by the board this spring: an open forum and luncheon with alumni who are in CEO positions to learn about business opportunities to facilitate their education and an all-college dance this spring.
Architecture and Landscape Architecture - Mike Sweeney reported that the board is starting elections for 2000-01. A new B.S. degree is also being offered as well as a design minor in conjunction with the College of Human Ecology. The College is preparing to move into temporary space for 18 months while the new wing of the building is constructed. All architecture students are behind the art students in their push for a new building, since it only took a decade for the CALA to receive its funding for renovations.
Biological Sciences - No report
College of Continuing Education - No report
Education and Human Development - No report
General College - No report
Human Ecology - Jessica Vettrus reported that the board is working closely with the Interim Dean; a permanent Dean will begin in July. A Dean's Forum was held at the beginning of February for all students which led to several task forces to address needs of the college. The college is also celebrating its 100-year anniversary. A birthday party was held two weeks ago with several donors and an event will also be held at the Gateway Center.
Liberal Arts - Chris Heino said that the board has been active in its student outreach. Time has also been spent talking with the deans, especially with the change to semesters and the May intersession. A dean's list will also be published following the summer session.
Carlson School of Management - Percy Chaby reported that the college has seven-week classes which has raised problems with students loads and combinations of classes. Surveys are being completed to help in the redesign of some of the courses. The board has worked on an event system for the building which will be operational next year. Paintings and a television are future additions to the student lounge. Transportation has also put in steps by the Cedar Bus stop for Carlson students. Senior exit surveys are also being conducted for feedback on how students have done at the school and what they thought of their education.
Natural Resources - Kathrine Halbach stated that their board is trying to get more involved with the campus as a whole. Inter-college collaboration is also taking place. Future plans include a dean's forum, community connections through outreach and education, and a college newsletter by the students.
Institute of Technology - Adam Lynch said that the student board would like to apologize for its past senators, who were recently removed for not fulfilling their duties. This past Fall, the first annual student/faculty dinner was held and was a great success. IT week is being planned, including a bar-b-que. Professor awards, nominated and granted by the students, will also be awarded soon. Corporate tours will also be held. Two IT students are heading to a conference in Indiana at the end of March. This year, IT fees were also allocated through the Council of College Boards instead of MSA, and IT preferred this method.
Graduate and Professional Student Assembly - Ben Solomon said that GAPSA is keeping tabs on the fees process this year and has established an ad hoc committee with MSA to look at the entire fees process. Cultural center representatives have also been included at GAPSA meetings to increase graduate and professional student participation in these groups.
Dentistry - No report
Education and Human Development - No report
Council of Graduate Students - Mike Pawson reported that bids are now being accepted for health insurance for teaching and research assistants for next year. Surveys are being conducted to see what features students do and do not like and what should be included in the new plan. COGS has been looking to increase outreach in programming by sponsoring a series of professional development seminars which have been well received.
Law - No report
Carlson School of Management - No report
Medical School - Emily Irwin said that the student council tries to act as a liaison between students, faculty, and administration. The council worked to establish a student representative on the curriculum committee and hosted a Medical School ball at the Gateway Center. The council also tries to organize the various Medical School student organizations by requesting annual budgets and then distributing funds as well as monthly grants. The Vault, a Medical School student newsletter, is also produced by the council.
Nursing - No report
Pharmacy - No report
Veterinary Medicine - No report

FOR INFORMATION:

The Twin Cities Campus Assembly will act upon the following proposed amendment at the February 24 Assembly meeting. The proposed amendments are to the Twin Cities Campus Assembly Bylaws, Article III, Section 6. Language to be added is underlined; language to be deleted is struck-out:

6. PROVOSTAL 1. ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER STUDENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES

There shall be a Provostal Student Consultative Committee (PSCC) within each of the provostries on the Twin Cities Campus. Each PSCC The Academic Health Center Student Consultative Committee (AHC SCC) shall represent the graduate, professional, and undergraduate students of its respective provostry and not the individual institutes, colleges, schools, or departments within the provostry Academic Health Center.

Membership:

The Provostal Academic Health Center Student Consultative Committees shall be composed as follows: of 8 student members [ 2 from the Medical School, and 1 each from Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, and UMD School of Medicine].

Academic Health Center: 8 student members

Arts, Sciences, and Engineering: 6 student members

Professional Studies: 8 student members

The members of each PSCC shall be evenly divided between graduate/professional and undergraduate students, except the Academic Health Center which shall have only one undergraduate member. Members shall be elected by their respective colleges. student organizations (MSA and GAPSA). MSA and GAPSA shall also appoint alternates for students whose classroom responsibilities conflict with PSCC meeting times.

Each Provostal Student Consultative Committee The Academic Health Center Student Consultative Committee shall elect its chair from amongst its members for a one year term of office. The chair shall be eligible for re-election to that position.

Duties and Responsibilities

a. To meet at least monthly to discuss matters of concern to students.

b. To meet regularly with the provost Senior Vice President for the Health Sciences and other academic officers to represent the viewpoints of students.

c. The chair of each PSCC shall meet each semester with the chair of the respective Provostal AHC Faculty Consultative Committee to discuss issues of concern to both faculty and students, and the two committees shall meet jointly as deemed necessary by the chairs.

d. To meet periodically with the Student Senate/Twin Cities Campus Student Assembly members from the respective provostry AHC to facilitate communication with the students.

e. To meet and report to with the Student Senate Consultative Committee/Twin Cities Campus Student Assembly Steering Committee each semester .

f. To report to the Student Senate Consultative Committee/Twin Cities Campus Student Assembly Steering Committee.

g. To submit an annual report to the Twin Cities Campus Student Assembly Steering Committee.

[Note: if the Assembly approves this amendment, the other sections in Article III will be renumbered since this section will become the first in the Article.]

COMMENT:

When provostries were established on the Twin Cities campus, Provostal Student Consultative Committees (PSCCs) were created to serve as an advisory body to each provost. During this period, the only committee that met on a regular basis was the Academic Health Center Provostal Consultative Committee (AHC SCC). With the change in administrative structure, provostries are no longer units on the Twin Cities campus. Therefore, two of the PSCCs have no direct administrator to report to. The Student Senate Consultative Committee, after consultation with the AHC SCC, voted to eliminate these two non-functioning committees, and leave intact the AHC SCC.

JASON REED, Chair
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

FOR INFORMATION:

The Twin Cities Campus Assembly will act upon the following proposed amendment at the February 24 Assembly meeting. The proposed amendments are to the Twin Cities Campus Assembly Constitution, Article III, Section 1. Language to be added is underlined; language to be deleted is struck-out.

As an amendment to the Constitution, this motion requires a 2/3 majority of all voting members (117) at the Assembly meeting for approval, or a majority (89) of all members at two successive meetings. This will be the first meeting at which this motion is being presented.

Twin Cities Campus Assembly Constitution - Article II. Twin Cities Campus Assembly

1. Membership

The Assembly shall be composed of the following voting members: (a) the president of the University; (b) the Twin Cities campus members of the Senate Consultative Committee, who shall serve as ex officio voting members; and (c) the elected faculty, academic professional, and student representatives of the various institutes, colleges, and schools of collegiate rank, and the Graduate School. Only elected faculty/academic professional representatives or properly designated faculty/academic professional alternates shall serve as the Faculty Assembly; the elected student representatives shall serve on the Minnesota Student Association Forum, or the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, as designated by the Student constituency in the electing college. Each member of the Assembly shall represent the Twin Cities campus as a whole. The Twin Cities campus deans, vice presidents, provosts, the University Librarian, and the General Counsel shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members. The student body presidents shall, if not otherwise elected, serve as an ex officio nonvoting members.

COMMENT:

In the course of reviewing a bylaw change for the Twin Cities Campus Assembly, it was discovered that the Twin Cities Campus Assembly constitution states that there is only one student body president that is an ex-officio member of the Assembly when, in fact, there is currently more than one. The Student Senate Consultative Committee recommends that the requirement be changed.

JASON REED, Chair
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

Whereas, the Student Legislative Coalition is the officially recognized lobbying group for students at the University of Minnesota; and

Whereas, the efforts of the Student Legislative Coalition enhance the lives of the students at all campuses of the University as well the broader University community; and

Whereas, the Student Legislative Coalition works closely with Institutional Relations, Government Relations, and the Office for Student Development, all of which are housed in Morrill Hall; and

Whereas, the current staff of the Student Legislative Coalition includes an Executive Director, two Student Lobbyists, a Media Relations person, as well as numerous student workers and interns; and

Whereas, the current housing for the Student Legislative Coalition amounts to one office and a hallway located in Northrop Auditorium;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Student Senate Consultative Committee recommends that the Student Legislative Coalition be moved to Morrill Hall to be in closer contact with the above mentioned departments

Be it further resolved, that adequate space in Morrill Hall be found to include one office for the Executive Director and two offices for the Lobbyists, Media Relations person, student workers, and interns, as well as space for a copy machine and six file cabinets.

COMMENT:

Because of the importance of the Student Legislative Coalition (SLC) to the students, as well as the University as a whole, the Student Senate Consultative Committee passed this resolution to try and find more accommodating space for the SLC, either in Morrill Hall or somewhere else on campus.

JASON REED, Chair
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

MOTION:

To approve the following resolution. A simple majority is required for approval.

Whereas, IT Students are required to take four semesters of calculus, and then are allowed to progress, as long as they have passed all of the calculus classes with a minimum C-, without being forced to test what knowledge they have accumulated. It is assumed that the faculty have taught the students what they needed to learn and it is assumed that the students have accumulated enough knowledge to proceed to the next level. Only the College of Liberal Arts requires any kind of a Graduation Proficiency Test.

Whereas, two years of class time should be enough of a time commitment for students.

Whereas, the University of Minnesota requires a two-year second language requirement for students who wish to receive a Bachelor of the Arts degree. Although eight of the eleven "Big Ten" institutions require two years of second language study, we are the only "Big Ten" institution to require a graduation proficiency exam after completion of the fourth semester of a second language.

Whereas, many students are anxious about standardized tests, which lowers their test scores.

Whereas, the final of each second language consists of oral, writing, grammar, and listening portions. These are the same portions that appear in the Graduation Proficiency Test.

Whereas, the final of the fourth semester of the second language IS a culmination of everything that a student has learned for two years. It is redundant to have students take another test to prove themselves.

Whereas, there should be a proficiency test for students who wish to test out of the requirement and for those who wish to say that they are "proficient" in a second language. In addition, many Law Schools require that its applicants are "proficient" in a second language, but, the number of students who need this type of "proficiency" are very small in numbers. Having this test as a requirement of graduation when the fourth semester final tests the same criteria is not a good use of funds, resources, and time.

Whereas, in theory, the test was designed to gauge a student's knowledge regardless of where it was learned. If the test were to be incorporated into the fourth semester of the second language it would not seem to undercut any arguments in favor of this standard.

Whereas, currently the Graduation Proficiency Test is being administered during the fourth semester of the second language, which was tried under the previous quarter system. This arrangement was canceled during the quarter system because of several reasons:

• Due to the complex logistics of the four-part test, incorporating the GPT into the sixth quarter of instruction did not save administrative time.

• Approximately 10% of the 10-week instruction time was lost due to administering the GPT.

• Non-CLA students, who do not need the GPT to graduate, were disadvantaged by the loss of instruction time.

• Students' stress levels were greatly heightened by the fact that testing had to be spread over a week's time.

The first justification offered by the Director of the CLA Testing Program is:

1. "Students were previously required only to sit through five or six quarters of a language class, while now they are held accountable for their language ability. They must produce and comprehend their chosen language at a determined level."[1]

Whereas, students are already being held accountable by having to complete each individual class with a passing grade. If a student does not pass the class they cannot move on to the next level and if a student does not pass the fourth semester, the student does not graduate with a Bachelor of the Arts degree.

Whereas, as far as producing and comprehending at a determined level, it is up to the departments and faculty members to ensure that each individual student is at that determined level by the end of the semester.

The second justification offered by the Director of the CLA Testing Program is:

2. "Instructors could previously teach whatever they wanted, rather than teaching what the students needed to learn. It was typical to see a class focused on translating literature and reciting grammar rules. Instructors are now held accountable to provide students the opportunity to develop all of their language skills to the expected level of the GPT."[1]

Whereas, this is a curriculum issue that needs to be decided upon in the departmental Faculty Consultative Committee. The students would hope that our instructors are teaching us what we need to learn.

Whereas, classes are not geared toward translating literature and reciting grammar rules; they are geared toward developing all language skills. You don't need a Graduation Proficiency Test to maintain this level of teaching. It is up to the faculty members to maintain this level so that the students may pass the fourth semester final exam and course.

The third justification offered by the Director of the CLA Testing Program is:

3. "Departments were previously known simply to hand new TA's the textbook: "Here it is. End of new-teacher orientation." They are now held accountable for providing appropriate training and on-going support to instructors. Each language is also given a prescribed proficiency level for the graduation requirement, so that no language is `easier' to get through than another."[1]

Whereas, if this is the case, OBVIOUSLY there must have been some SERIOUS problems with orienting teaching assistants in the past. The students would hope that ALL departments and faculty members would help in providing the appropriate training and on-going support to instructors and teaching assistants.

Whereas, as far as each language having a prescribed proficiency level, it should be up to each department to decide what that level is. You don't need a Graduation Proficiency Test to have a proscribed proficiency level. No language should be "easier" to get through than another. Each language is as difficult and requires as much time and effort as the next.

The fourth justification offered by the Director of the CLA Testing Program is:

4. "Administrators are held accountable to keep class sizes to a level appropriate for language learning."[1]

Whereas, administrators are mandated to make sure that every student has an equal opportunity to learn. Obviously in a second language a smaller class size is needed to insure that every student is getting the attention that they deserve.

Whereas, this resolution has an impact on the ability of students who are enrolled in colleges other than the College of Liberal Arts to pursue language study at the University of Minnesota.

Therefore, Be It Resolved:

(1) The Twin Cities Campus Assembly strongly urges that the University of Minnesota, especially the College of Liberal Arts, eliminate the Graduation Proficiency Test as a requirement of graduation for University of Minnesota students.

(2) The Twin Cities Campus Assembly strongly urges that the University of Minnesota, especially the College of Liberal Arts, retain a proficiency exam like the current Graduation Proficiency Test. This proficiency exam would be for students who wish to test out of the second language requirement, who wish to be "proficient," and for those who need to be proficient for other purposes, such as, but not limited to, admissions to various Law Schools.

(3) The Twin Cities Campus Assembly also strongly urges that the University of Minnesota, especially the College of Liberal Arts, require the fourth semester of a second language be the culmination of two years worth of learning and class time, which shall be the requirement of graduation with the exception of receiving a passing grade on the Proficiency Test beforehand.

COMMENT:

The Student Senate Consultative Committee does see the need for a Proficiency Test. The current Graduation Proficiency Test is useful as a measure of what a student has learned, and should be kept as is for students who wish to test out of the second language requirement and for other reasons as needed. However, we do feel that there is no need for this test to be a requirement of graduation when the final of the fourth semester of the second language has the exact same components, when Institute of Technology students who have to take four semesters of calculus do not have this GPT requirement, and when no other "Big Ten" school requires a Graduation Proficiency Test after the completion of four semesters of a second language. The Student Senate Consultative Committee recommends that this graduation requirement be changed.

JASON REED, Chair
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE/
ASSEMBLY STUDENT STEERING COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

Jason Reed, Student Senate Consultative Committee Chair (SSCC), said that this resolution asks that the Graduation Proficiency Test (GPT) be removed as a requirement for graduation. After reading the resolution, the floor was opened for comments.

A senator commented that tests of this kind should be kept by the University and the evidence presented seems to make a compelling argument for IT students to take a GPT in calculus as well. Just because a student has taken a class it does not mean that they have learned anything. Tests of this kind keep instructors and students accountable to make sure that knowledge has been learned. If standardized tests are eliminated, then are theses next?

Another student commented that the comparison to calculus is not the same since IT students will use calculus is every class. Therefore, if a student does not know calculus, they will fail their classes.

With no further discussion, a vote was taken and the motion was approved with 18 in favor and 4 opposed.

APPROVED

Jessica Phillips, Student Regent, introduced herself, the role she serves, and discussed issues before the Board of Regents. She is a 1997 graduate of the University of Minnesota - Morris and is looking to apply to the MBA program in the Carlson School of Management. Currently, she is a music buyer with Best Buy.

In college she was active in student governance and served as the Student Representative to the Regents from Morris and as the chair of this group. She was then nominated for the student seat on the Board. In the last few years, the term 'student seat' has been dropped because there is no difference between the seat that she or the other Board members hold. Each member is elected for the same term and has the same voting rights. This was a good decision by Minnesota, since in other states, such as Wisconsin, students serve shorter terms or are not eligible to vote on certain issues.

The Student Representatives to Regents are named from each campus or student organization. These students serve as liaisons between the Board and student groups. This is a critical function since the Board members need to hear what is happening on each campus and what the student needs are. As the Student Regent, she must take into account the University as a whole and not one campus in particular.

The Board has a set of subcommittees: Facilities, Finance and Operations, Educational Planning and Policy, Audit, Litigation Review, and Faculty, Staff, and Student Affairs. Ms. Phillips sits on the Educational Planning and Policy Committee, but serves as the chair of the Facilities Subcommittee, which sent a $134-million request to the legislature with projects that link to key academic priorities across the campuses.

She spoke before the Senate Higher Education Committee, which seems to support the request. However, the Governor's initial bonding bill was low for the University as was the overall bonding package. Legislators might add cash to the bill instead of bonds, which would help the University. Key priorities include health, safety and accessibility, finishing the Molecular and Cellular Biology Building, a new Art Building, and the Plant Genomics Building. The coordinate campus projects, Music Performance Lab, the second phase of the Morris Science Project, and the Kiehl Building, are receiving strong support from legislators throughout the state. The Governor's bill neglected these campuses and legislators understand that those projects support key projects on each campus.

Another issue has been the sale of alcohol at Northrop Auditorium, which led to the most contentious and non-unanimous vote. She supported the change since it is an opportunity to create revenue to restore Northrop, it allows Northrop to compete with other facilities, it treats adults as adults, whether on campus or not, and offers an opportunity to teach responsible drinking.

Lastly is the Coffman renovation. She would like to know how the displacement has affected students and if the new facility is working for student organizations.

Q: What is the Regents' stance on notification of under-age drinking violations?

A: The current Regents policy only permits contact if the violation has put the student in a life-or-death situation. Since the committee it was discussed in meets at the same time as the Facilities Committee, she was not able to hear the discussion, but nothing has been brought to the full Board yet. She hopes that the policy is not changed.

A senator commented on the Coffman relocation by noting that while the space is nice, it is on the end of campus so traffic has been reduced. It is hard to know what the long-term effect of this will be on student organizations.

Q: The University is considering a large tuition hike. What are your feelings on this?

A: Her stance has always been to keep tuition increases as low as possible and to the rate of inflation. Also, she is not supportive of fees to replace tuition increases. Without seeing the budget, it is hard to say who is sharing the cost, how high are the cost increases of education, and why would a 5% increase be necessary.

A senator then commented that there is nowhere for students to study with Coffman closed and construction on campus, such as Walter Library.

Regent Phillips said that she would bring these comments back to the deans and administrators to start discussions. She then asked what student organizations are doing to find space.

A senator then said that before student organizations had space in Coffman so it was convenient for members and helped to recruit new members. Now there are fewer spaces that are open at night and many times security and locked doors prohibit meetings for members as well as drop-ins. It does not appear that research was conducted as to what times of the day students are using facilities.

Regent Phillips said that in a past classroom study, mid-day was the busiest time. Perhaps these classrooms would be available after hours.

Another senator commented that when scheduling rooms, 6 p.m. times are not available so groups need to meet at 4 p.m. Also, the Gateway Center can not be used by most student organizations because room fees are too high. Student organizations need free rooms to use.

Q: At Morris, on-campus jobs pay only $6.18 per hour. Many students feel that this is inadequate to pay for their education, and have made the administration aware of their sentiments. How can the Regents work to increase these wages?

A: These sentiments will be relayed to Chancellor Schuman as well as central administration.

Q: With the opposition from the legislature and the Governor to the capital request, how do the Regents feel about other fundraising strategies that the University has underway? Should the University continue to pursue corporate naming-rights on University buildings?

A: A picture book of the University's request which highlights each piece of the request also shows how much money has been raised by the University to contribute to that building. In many cases, funds are being raised in addition to what is being requested. In terms of corporate namings, it is not an automatic approval once a company provides funds for the University. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis to make sure that the gift matches the academic planning of the University. The capital campaign has been very successful thus far, and at this rate it will help the University attain some of its goals. The University cannot count on just the state or gifts. Part of this campaign is to reinvest in human capital, since faculty are the foundation of any university.

In closing, she said that she can be contacted at any time, with questions or comments, at Jessica.Phillips@ bestbuy.com.

Reid LeBeau presented a Resolution on Lobby Day to thank the Student Legislative Coalition on behalf of the Student Senate. Items of New Business are referred back to committee or need a two-thirds majority to be considered at the meeting at which they are presented. A motion was made to consider the resolution, a vote was taken and the motion was approved. Reid LeBeau then amended the resolution to include Gary Hedin and Grame Allen, Lobby Day chairs and read it to the Student Senate.

The Student Senate would like to extend great thanks and appreciation to the Student Legislative Coalition (SLC) for their hard work in preparation for and during the University Lobby Day on February 23. In particular, the Student Senate would like to recognize the efforts of Marney Ryan, SLC Executive Director, John Cooney and Meggan Ellingboe, Student Lobbyists, all SLC student interns, Gary Hedin and Grame Allen, Lobby Day chairs, and members of the SLC Board of Governors.

A vote was then taken on the amended resolution and the motion was approved.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:55 p.m.

Rebecca Hippert
Abstractor

[1] http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/newsletter/pastissues/ss96/whygpt.html