The fourth meeting of the Student Senate for 2000-01 was convened in 25 Law Building, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, April 19, 2001, at 11:31 a.m. Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as present were 22 voting student members. Mr. Percy Chaby presided.

Eric Kruse, Vice President for University Services on the Twin Cities Campus, provided a history of the stadium issue. He noted that the University was approached by the Sports Facilities Commission, who is the landlord of the Metrodome, and the Vikings this last fall to support their stadium proposals before the legislature. One proposal was to renovate the Metrodome and the other was to build a new facility.

The University then examined what it would need to have a successful Division 1A football program, from which criteria were created to review each proposal. The Sports Facilities Commission was notified that the renovated Metrodome plan does not meet the needs of the University, but that it will honor its obligation through 2011.

The Vikings would like to work with the University on a joint-use stadium. The University has noted that the following conditions would need to be met: on-campus, collegiate look and feel, provide revenue, involve no University debt service, and cost no more than the Metrodome currently does, which is 10% of ticket revenue.

The current proposal in the legislature is for a $500 million facility, of which $150 million would be covered by the Vikings and the NFL. The stadium itself is in the conceptual stage and no long term plans have been made or agreed upon. There is a bill in the tax committee to form a commission to deal with financing a new stadium. This commission would have 3 House members, 3 Senate members, 5 members appointed by the Governor, 2 members from labor, 2 members from business, and 2 members appointed by the Regents. The bill asks for the members to be appointed by June 15, with a meeting by July 1, and a final report by October 31.

Q: What is the proposed location?

A: The preferred site is in the Huron Boulevard parking lots.

Q: With the addition of a stadium on campus, how will parking and crime be handled?

A: If the Huron Boulevard parking lots are used, 2500 surface spots will be lost. The University has informed the Vikings that before any stadium construction begins, these spots must be replaced. The proposal is to create 2 parking ramps, with 4000 spaces, adjacent to the stadium. The Vikings would receive parking revenue during their 10 home games while the University would receive the revenue during the rest of the year.

In terms of the influx of people on campus, the Vikings play a maximum of 13 home games per year, including post-season play. The Gophers play a maximum of 7 home games per year. These games are mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. Discussions would need to be held before a Monday or Thursday night game would be scheduled. Additionally, the Metrodome holds 4 – 5 other major events, such as concerts, and many minor events, such as high school football or baseball. Security and safety will need to be built into the stadium design, but this specific issue has not been addressed yet.

Q: Will there be student representation on the financial study commission?

A: The Regents will be allowed 2 representatives, of which they could choose to appoint a student.

Q: If a stadium close to student housing will not improve the surrounding area, have other locations been considered?

A: If the University wants football to return to campus, this is the only location on the Minneapolis campus big enough to fit a stadium. Sports arenas can spur development and redevelopment in the surrounding area for dramatic improvements. A new stadium would create a unique partnership between the University and the Vikings that does not exist anywhere else.

Q: Why did the University reject the Metrodome renovation proposal?

A: The University felt that the Metrodome is a sterile, urban environment without a collegiate feel. It is not on campus so there is no tie to students and alumni and other campus events cannot be coordinated with the stadium. The Metrodome proposal was to wrap the outside of the stadium in electronic boards to identify the event inside. This change would take place during three football seasons, which would compromise the environment during construction. The stadium also has a lifespan of 20 years, so there are only 5 – 10 years of use left. University construction, though, is made to withstand 75 years of use.

Q: There are two concerns that need to be addressed: parking cost and availability, and how cost overruns will be addressed during construction. Have these issues been discussed?

A: Because the stadium will be on University land, which the University will not sell, the University will control construction, design, and use. Any costs beyond what is provided must be paid by the Vikings.

With no further questions, the Student Senate thanked Vice President Kruse for attending.

MOTION:

To approve the Student Senate minutes, which are available on the Web at the following URLs. A simple majority is required for approval.

http://www1.umn.edu/usenate/student_senate/010222stu.html

DISCUSSION:

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

Percy Chaby, Student Senate Chair, reported that he has been working with the Safety Committee on Campus to have a lighting implementation plan created.

A new item, to be dealt with more fully next year, is a proposal to allow students to pay for tuition with credit cards. Visa has approached the University to start this process. There are many benefits to using credit cards, but there are also many drawbacks which the Student Senate will need to review.

Jason Reed, Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) Chair, said that SSCC will be appointing students to two search committees that are forming. The search committees are for the Vice President of Multicultural Affairs, currently held by Rusty Barcelo, and for the Director of University Libraries, currently held by Thomas Shaughnessy.

Another issue has been financial aid. An event will be held on April 27 when the U.S. Department of Education is on campus to announce that the University is the first school to use e-signatures to process financial aid applications. Others in attendance will be Senator Paul Wellstone, Representative Betty McCullum, President Yudof, and members of the Regents. An e-mail has been sent to students asking for escorts for the event. Please see Jason Reed if you are interested in serving as an escort.

SSCC has also reviewed the request from the Student Service Fees Task Force to create a permanent subcommittee of the Student Affairs Committee to deal with student service fees issues on a continual basis.

A fourth item is a statement on the proposed Vikings-Gophers football stadium. This statement was presented to the Regents on April 5.

Lastly, the amendment to the Regents Policy on Student Employment, which the Student Senate approved in February, has been approved by the President and will now be presented to the Regents for final approval.

Crookston – Matt McBlair stated that elections have been completed. Steve Brandt was elected President, Brent Massmann was elected Vice Chair, and Matt McBlair will continue as the SSCC representative. A transition banquet will be held next week.

Duluth - Amber Benning reported that she will serve as the Legislative Affairs Chair next year and that Kari Amstutz will continue as UMDSA President.

Morris - Tim Dunn said that elections have been completed, except for MCSA President since neither candidate received 50% of the votes. A run-off will be held next week.

Graduate and Professional Student Association – Paul Enever noted that GAPSA’s elections are completed and Phillip Cole was elected as President and Trevor Ewanochko will serve as the SSCC representative.

Minnesota Student Association – Jason Reed said that Dan Kelly has been elected MSA President and Nick Dehnert will serve as the Vice President. SSCC elections will occur on April 24.

Paul Enever, Student Senate Chair, reported that the initial recommendations were released Monday and public hearings will be held next week. The report is also available on-line. The recommendations are from a system-wide task force as a result of the Supreme Court ruling that student service fees are constitutional as long as they are distributed in a viewpoint neutral manner. The task force determined that the University systems fits the viewpoint neutral definition as long as decisions are based on clear and objective criteria that are uniformly enforced.

The first recommendation is for each campus to review their criteria for funding decisions. The second recommendation is a subcommittee of the Student Affairs Committee to provide input and oversight on a continuing basis. The subcommittee would be a standing, versus ad hoc, body which would have the authority to review the fees process on a system-wide basis and ensure that student, faculty, and staff input is being heard.

For the Twin Cities Campus, the administrative units will be separated from the student groups, with each having a separate fees process. Also, a granting body will be created for non-fees-receiving organizations. Benefits of this include a less difficult process to receive fees while encouraging campus programming.

Percy Chaby, Student Legislative Coalition (SLC) President, reported that SLC has been contacting legislators at the capitol and preparing for the transition meeting tomorrow. He noted that whoever is elected Student Senate Chair will be expected to attend this meeting.

Matthew Wohlman, a student senator from the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, was elected Student Senate Chair.

Shawn Lavelle, a student senator from the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth, was elected Student Senate/Student Senate Consultative Committee Vice Chair.

MOTION:

To approve the following statement.

STATEMENT ON THE VIKINGS/GOPHERS STADIUM PROPOSAL

By the Student Senate Consultative Committee of the University of Minnesota Student Senate

COMMENT:

This statement was approved by the Student Senate Consultative Committee on Thursday, April 5, 2001, and was then presented at the Board of Regents meeting on the same date.

DISCUSSION:

With no comments, a vote was taken and the motion was approved.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 p.m.