The fourth meeting of the Student Senate for 2005-06 was convened in Studio C, Rarig Center, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, March 2, 2006, at 11:31 a.m. Coordinate campuses were linked by ITV. Checking or signing the roll as present were 28 voting student members. Chair Josh Breyfogle presided.

Chief of Staff Kathy Brown and Associate to the Chief of Staff Lynn Holleran joined the meeting to discuss strategic positioning. Ms. Brown noted that this is an exciting opportunity to make the University greater and to change things that are not the best.

The first group of 11 task forces on the academic side have made their recommendations. The executive officers recently had a retreat to discuss these 11 final reports and the preliminary reports from the next seven task forces focusing on the administrative side.

Relating to students, there is a commitment to improve undergraduate and graduate education, both for curricular and co-curricular needs. The emphasis will be placed on the total student experience. Then task forces are looking at how to help students from the start of their education, such as academic program knowledge, service learning, financial aid, co-curricular events, and degree completion.

There is also a value to diversity on campus, and it must be woven through all student offerings. The University is committed to this effort. As such, it is looking to hire a Vice President for Equity, Access, and Multicultural Affairs who will focus on systematic changes.

A third large theme of the strategic positioning process is interdisciplinary work. The University needs to accommodate student interests in terms of degrees or research opportunities and make sure that students benefits from interdisciplinary work.

The University will be shaping specific projects in the next six months and more reports are due later this spring. Mid-summer all the reports will be collated and action plans will be created to improve administrative services for students.

In closing she thanked students for their participation and engagement in the process.

Q: How have students been involved in the process? How can they continue to be involved?

A: Students have been involved in the process and served on most of the task forces on each of the campuses. The oversight steering committee also has student involvement. A group of 20 students who applied for the task forces also offered their services and gave perspective on the administrative services side. There were also outreach efforts to meet students and the broader community. The task force also reviewed emails and comments that were shared via the web.

As the process goes forward, students should participate in public forums and continue to comment on the web. Task force members will continue to be engaged in the process as well.

A senator noted that as projects are implemented, the University should offer them as educational experiences, such as internships, for students.

Q: How will students be involved in civic engagement efforts?

A: Regional and community engagement is at the early stages of development. Students should have an active role in pre K-12 engagement and working with the neighborhoods. Student involvement would be a benefit for both sides.

Q: What changes will be made to hiring, buildings, and classes during this process?

A: Strategic positioning is not meant to be a cost-saving exercise, but is meant to improve excellence. There are good reasons to redesign the colleges, such as academic synergy. Now the University needs to determine what is the best administrative structure and academic model for these colleges. It is also a chance to redesign jobs and functions within units, and make the University more service-oriented. These changes might involve job changes, but that is not the focus of these efforts.

In closing she asked students to email her with any additional comments.

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/ssen/051201stu.html
http://www1.umn.edu/usenate/ssen/060209stu.html

DISCUSSION:

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

Josh Breyfogle, Student Senate/Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) Chair, said that SSCC members and student senators are working on projects this semester. He said that he was supposed to be working on improving communication with central administrators, but since he is in Duluth, he has asked Rick Orr to handle this task.

Alcohol abuse has been and still is a problem at Duluth. He is working with the administration to develop a system to stop binge drinking. Once it is in place for Duluth, he will share it with the other campuses.

Crookston – DeAnn Roers said that Vice Chancellor Massey retired Tuesday and Chancellor Casey will be inaugurated on Friday by President Bruininks.

Duluth – Timothy Tangen noted that the city voted to expand the DECC Arena, in large part due to a 500 percent increase in student involvement in this voting period than for a city council election. The taxi program started Monday.

Morris – Nathan Hilfiker stated MCSA approved a college readership program for newspapers on campus for students. Technology fee proposal reviews start next week. Men’s soccer was approved as a new sport for next year. Campus had a good-bye celebration for Dean Schwaller and is looking forward to the next dean.

GAPSA – Kris Houlton said that President Bruininks attended a GAPSA meeting to talk about current issues. They also discussed a resolution to establish student involvement in decision-making bodies

MSA – Rick Orr said that the MSA President is attending a conference in Abu Dubai. A renter’s forum will be held this month. MSA is also looking at the stadium issue and student fees towards it. The group will also be participating in Spring Jam and student group Olympics.

A senator said that he looked at the issue of collapsible goal posts, which are taken down at the end of each game. The Morris stadium will incorporate these posts.

A senator then asked the Student Senate to approve a resolution calling for a four-year tuition freeze. Instead of trying to craft something at this meeting, senators decided to research the issue and bring a proposal back to the April 6 meeting.

A motion was then made and seconded to suspend the rules to take action on two items. The motion was approved with 26 in favor and none opposed.

MOTION 1:

To approve the following resolution.

The Student Senate recognizes that with the expansion of the University Senate to include the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators (CAPA) and the Civil Service Committee that there is an ever-greater need for an increased effort toward communication.

The Student Senate believes that it is through communication and cooperation that we, as a governing body, can best serve our constituents, the University, and the University’s mission as a public land-grant institution.

Therefore, be it resolved that during each Student Senate meeting, time shall be allotted to both the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators and the Civil Service Committee to provide a report concerninthe bodies.

DISCUSSION:

Rick Orr introduced this item, noting that it is meant to create a better working relationship with CAPA and the Civil Service Committee. A closer relationship among the groups would offer more leverage when voting at University Senate meetings. Currently, the Student Senate has time to speak on the agendas of each of these groups. This resolution would extend them the same courtesy here.

Following the acceptance of three friendly amendments, the motion was seconded and approved with 22 in favor and 4 opposed.

MOTION 2:

To approve the following resolution.

The Student Senate recognizes that there is a lack of graduate and professional student housing on both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.

The Universities of Minnesota has a responsibility to its graduate and professional students to provide an adequate amount of graduate and professional student housing that is accessible to campus. This housing should be developed in a way that fosters community, which in turn will improve the culture of the University of Minnesota graduate and professional schools.

Therefore, be it decided that the Student Senate supports any efforts by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) to urge the University of Minnesota Administration to create more graduate and professional student housing on both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.

DISCUSSION:

Rick Orr introduced this item after working with GAPSA and its president on this initiative.

A senator said that while she appreciated the spirit of the resolution, the resolution should be re-focused on affordable housing, not the overall lack of housing. While the University does not have control over market pricing, it can increase housing compensation through salary, housing subsidies, or scholarship

The motion was then withdrawn.

Jeffrey Wencl, Student Affairs Committee (SCSA) member, said that the committee met with the athletics director in February to review the stadium proposal and hear about the proposed fee for all students at the Twin Cities. The issue of plagiarism and how faculty perceive it was also discussed. A more complete report can be provided at the next meeting.

A resolution on Civic Engagement was presented by a senator for action. The resolution provided general recognition and student commitment to the issue.

Q: Does the statement support mandatory engagement?

A: No. It just asks that these efforts be centralized in a campus office and that civic engagement offerings be noted in the class schedule.

A senator said that there is a discussion among graduate students on campus to be actively involved on campus and voice opinions on campus issues. Some times these opinions are dissenting, and there is some sense that this dissent should not be tolerated. This statement should include this view.

Following discussion by the senators, the following statement was approved:

The Student Senate recognizes that the University of Minnesota is a public land grant institution^[1] and is inherently connected to the well-being of the community and state.

The Student Senate believes the mission statement^[2] of the University of Minnesota makes clear that the institution is to provide its knowledge and expertise to help solve problems in the greater community through public service and outreach.

The Student Senate also believes that students should have a commitment to carrying out the mission statement of the University of Minnesota.

Further, the Student Senate believes that civic engagement includes both service to their communities and active participation, dissent, and debate.

The Student Senate furthermore believes that students who are civically engaged in their communities become better citizens.

Therefore, the Student Senate strongly supports any existing or new initiatives dedicated to expanding civic engagement on University of Minnesota campuses around the state. The focus of these initiatives should be on the University of Minnesota system, and as well the greater local, state, national, and global communities.

The Student Senate also supports any initiatives stemming from Strategic Positioning designed to institutionalize opportunities for civic engagement into the University of Minnesota. The Student Senate asks that students have a strong voice in any proposed plans to institutionalize opportunities for civic engagement.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:21 p.m.

^[1] The University of Minnesota – Duluth is also a public sea-grant institution.
^[2] The link to the mission statement of the University of Minnesota is: http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/01_abt_gen_hist.php