2007-08 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

OCTOBER 4, 2007

STUDENT SENATE MINUTES: No. 1

The first meeting of the Student Senate for 2007-08 was convened in Studio C, Rarig Center, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, October 4, 2007, at 11:33 a.m. Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as present were 19 student members. Vice Chair Ronald Miller presided.

1. COUNCIL OF ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS AND ADMINISTRATORS UPDATE

Pamela Stenhjem, Chair of the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators (CAPA), said that her group represents the professional class of 4600 non-unionized employees at the University. This class was started in 1980 and CAPA was formed as an advisory committee to the President. Academic professionals (P&A) have skills between civil service employees and faculty in jobs such as teachers, researchers, advisors, counselors, and extension service workers. Most people stay in this classification or move to a faculty position. P&A employee have some of the same benefits as faculty, but work on annually renewable contracts.

CAPA meets from 9:00 am-12:00 pm the third Friday of each month in 101 Walter Library and meetings are open to the public. CAPA consists of 40 representatives from campus units and colleges and has four committees: Benefits and Compensation, Representation and Governance, Professional Development and Recognition, and Communications.

CAPA’s agenda this year consists on a focus on governance and P&A benefits such as vacation rollover, retaining a one-year period of non-renewal, and increasing vacation days by two each year.

2. CIVIL SERVICE COMMITTEE UPDATE

Cathy Marquardt, Chair of the Civil Service Committee (CSC), said that there are approximately 4800 employees in this category which includes financial people, scientists, executive assistants, and administrative professions. The classification was started in 1945 with the passage of the civil service rules by the Regents. In 1984 PELRA was passed which allowed for the creation of a bargaining unit separate from civil service employees. She noted that 74 percent of civil service employees leave the classification within five years, but many get a college degree through the Regents’ Scholarship program.

CSC is composed of fifteen members and several alternates. The committee then elects a chair, vice chair, and treasurer each year, with the vice chair becoming next year’s chair. Members are selected by a committee and appointed by the President to three-year terms. CSC will be meeting in Morris on October 25.

Projects for the CSC is the review of the rules, pay plans, salary ranges, promotion decision changes, advocacy for job class changes, performance range plans, and appointing members to other committee.

3. STUDENT SENATE/ STUDENT SENATE

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR REPORT

Ronald Miller, Student Senate/Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) Vice Chair, said that he has been attending Student Advisory Council (SAC) meetings this fall and hearing updates on the state’s higher education funding. SSCC has sent a letter to two other Senate committees on the status of revisions to the student evaluation policy.

4. ASSEMBLY/ASSOCIATION UPDATES

Crookston - Katie Jeremiason stated that CSA is working on a recycling project with the community and helping the 120 international students acclimate to campus. A campus issue is an announcement from the Chancellor that the campus will be smoke-free in six to nine months. Some students are opposed to this proposal, so CSA is meeting tonight with the Chancellor.

Duluth – Jeni Kiewatt said that UMDSA is dealing with a city council amendment that would prohibit more than one rental property within 300 feet and limit the number of people who can live in a house to four unless related. This is a big issue for students since campus will not add anymore on-campus housing.

Morris – Miracle Obeta said that campus is looking at restructuring the first-year experience. MCSA also approved a resolution in favor of striking workers.

Graduate and Professional Student Association – Bree Richards reported that GAPSA has been working on several issues, one of which is the central corridor light rail. There is a resolution on this topic later on the agenda.

Minnesota Student Association - Mark Lewandowski noted that MSA has approved the central corridor resolution and the MSA express van is running again. Issues for this year will be textbook reforms, 2008 elections, campus safety walks, a student savings’ card, and DEF grant distributions.

_______________________________________________________________

MOTION A

Consent Agenda

Action

Agenda Items 5. and 6. are considered to be non-controversial or “housekeeping” in nature and are offered as a “Consent Agenda” to be taken up as a single item with one vote. Any item will be taken up separately at the request of a senator. (A simple majority is required for approval.)

5. MINUTES FOR APRIL 5, 2007 AND MAY 3, 2007

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/070405stu.html

http://www1.umn.edu/usenate/ssen/070501stu.html

STUART GOLDSTEIN, CLERK

UNIVERSITY SENATE

6. COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES

2007-08 Committees of the Student Senate

Student Senate committee memberships for 2007-08:

STUDENT AFFAIRS - Students: Jeffrey Wencl (chair), Eric Brown, Megan Hayes, Maureen Kunkler, Ian McConnell, Hilary Ploeckelmann, Caroline Younts, Olga Zakharenko, 1 to be named. Faculty/PA: Jean-Marie Del-Santo, Jennifer Engler, Andy Howe, Kathleen Roufs, Catherine Solheim, 1 to be named. Alumni: Nathan Pelzer. Civil Service: Thomas Bilder. Ex Officio: Kendre Turonie, Amelious Whyte.

FOR INFORMATION:

ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER STUDENT CONSULTATIVE - Students: David Nelson (chair), Mary Avriette, Amenah Babar, Elizabeth Bassett, Emily Erickson, Bradley Johnson, Jerod Klava, Jessica Kream, Jennifer Landwehr, Kimberly Langer, Lindsey Lundeen, Karen Myren, Sarah Sting, Elizabeth Welle, Megan Witucki.

STUDENT COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES - Students: To be named (chair), Jamie Ebert, Kristi Kremers, 5 to be named.

PERRY LEO, CHAIR

COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES

DISCUSSION:

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

APPROVED

_______________________________________________________________

END OF MOTION A

7. STUDENT SENATE BYLAWS AMENDMENT

Action by the Student Senate

MOTION:

To amend Article VI, Section 5 (C) of the Student Senate Bylaws as follows (language to be added is underlined). As an amendment to the Student Senate Bylaws, the motion requires either a majority of all voting members of the Student Senate (14) at one regular or special meeting, or a majority of all members of the Student Senate present and voting at each of two meetings. This is the first meeting at which this motion is being presented.

ARTICLE V. STUDENT SENATE MEMBERSHIP, ELECTIONS, AND OFFICERS (Changes to this article are subject to vote only by the Student Senate)

...

3. Election and Duties of Officers

...

b. Duties of the Chair

The duties of the chair are (1) to be the official spokesperson of the Student Senate; (2) to set the Student Senate agenda, to be approved by the Student Consultative Committee; (3) to serve as the chair of the Student Senate; (4) to serve as the chair of the Student Consultative Committee; (4 5) to serve a as a member of the Senate Consultative Committee; (6) to serve as the University's representative on the Student Advisory Council; and (5 7) to serve on central University advisory committees as needed, or to delegate student members for advisory committees.

c. Duties of the Vice Chair

The duties of the vice chair are (1) to serve as the vice chair of the Student Senate; (2) to serve as the liaison to the Civil Service Committee; (3) to serve as the liaison to the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators; (4) to assume the duties of the chair in the event of an absence or incapacity of the chair; (2 5) to assume responsibilities delegated by the chair; (3) to submit to the Senate Office an annual budget request for the Student Senate and Student Consultative Committee, to be approved by the Student Consultative Committee at a spring semester meeting; (4) to organize an annual orientation for members of the Student Senate; (5 6) to ensure that the Student Senate Handbook is updated and distributed; and (6 7) to serve as the vice chair of the Student Consultative Committee.

...

COMMENT:

In May 2007, the Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) reviewed the duties for the chair and vice chair positions as noted in the Senate Bylaws. The list of duties was revised to reflect what the positions are currently required to do. Duties that were previously assigned to the positions, but are no longer done, were removed.

RONALD MILLER, VICE CHAIR

STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

With no discussion a vote was taken and the motion was approved with 16 votes in favor and none opposed.

APPROVED

8. RESOLUTION ON A CENTRAL CORRIDOR TUNNEL

Action

MOTION:

To approve the resolution as follows.

Resolution on a Central Corridor Tunnel

WHEREAS, the Central Corridor Light Rail Line will be going through the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus on Washington Avenue; and

WHEREAS, a considerable percentage of the ridership on the Central Corridor Line will be University of Minnesota students, employees, and visitors; and

WHEREAS, according to the Federal Railroad Administration, "deaths in grade crossing accidents are the second-leading category of deaths associated with railroading"[1] and "elimination of at-grade crossings…offers the greatest long-term promise for optimizing the safety and efficiency of the two modes of transportation"[2] (trains and motor vehicles); and

WHEREAS, the benefits of a tunnel appreciably outweigh the added upfront material costs; and

WHEREAS, a tunnel under Washington Avenue for the Central Corridor cannot be added once the line is completed without significant cost and construction; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly supports the plan for the Central Corridor Light Rail Line to go through campus via an underground tunnel on Washington Avenue.

BREE RICHARDS, MEMBER

STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

Bree Richards said that planning is entering the preliminary engineering stage at which point elements of the proposal will be finalized. Therefore now is the time for students to weigh in on the route and elements of this plan. The resolution asks that a Washington Avenue tunnel be included in this plan since a tunnel cannot be added once the route is built. This proposal is also a safer option than a train running along Washington Avenue along with cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Q: What is the cost to complete the tunnel now versus later?

A: There is no way to assess this future cost as it would be highly unlikely once the route is completed. The current tunnel cost is $50-80 million.

Q; What is the construction timeline?

A: Building will start in 2010 if funding is secured.

A senator said that a cost cannot be associated with the safety of people who use that street.

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

APPROVED

9. ELECTION OF 2007-08 STUDENT SENATE/

STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Election by 2007-08 Senators Only

Ronald Miller was elected as the 2007-08 Student Senate/Student Senate Consultative Committee Chair.

10. ELECTION OF 2007-08 TWIN CITIES UNDERGRADUATE

COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES MEMBERS

Election by 2007-08 Twin Cities Undergraduate Senators Only

Andy Post was elected to the 2007-08 Student Committee on Committees.

11. RECRUITMENT OF TWIN CITIES MEMBERS

Discussion with Ed Kim and Eric Martin

Ed Kim, advisor for the All-Campus Elections Commission (ACEC), said that this committee is composed of election commissioners for the spring Twin Cities elections. He is working with MSA and GAPSA to recruit, interview, and hire commissioners. He is looking for interested students who will not be running for elected positions for next year. The application deadline is October 10 with interviews on October 13. The commissioners will then be presented to MSA and GAPSA for approval on October 17.

Q: What is the ACEC schedule for spring?

A: The schedule is set around the commissioners’ schedules, which is why the application asks for a student’s class schedule and other commitments.

12. UNIVERSITY'S EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Discussion

Terry Cook, Director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), said that he joined the University three years ago after serving as the West St. Paul chief of police. His office consists of a coordinate campus director and an assistant director. He then walked senators through the following information.

Department of Emergency Management has system-wide responsibility

Preparedness

• Emergency Operations Plan
• Hazard analysis and planning
• Training and exercises

Emergency Response

• Emergency Operations Center
• Incident response
• Mobile Command Post
• Command Trailer

Continuity/Recovery

• Operational continuity planning

Emergency Preparedness

• The systematic approach to preparing for, responding to, and recovering from major emergencies
• All emergencies cannot be avoided but some can be prevented and most can be managed in ways that minimize their impact.

Emergency Operations Plan

• Guides the response to major emergencies on campus
• Conforms with federal and state emergency planning requirements
• Outlines the responsibilities of key departments during an emergency
• Establishes a chain of command for decision making during and after an emergency

All hazards incident command

• Coordinated with local, state, and federal plans and assistance
• Minnesota Emergency Operations Plan
• County, city, and town operations plans

Scope of Plan

Any incident that significantly affects students, faculty, or staff—regardless of scope—is a University emergency.

Levels of Response

Level 1

• Unusual occurrence
• Information alerts
• Admin. notifications
• Communicating in a crisis

Level 2

• Localized emergency
• Small area
• OOD notified/IC responds
• EOC is not activated

Level 3

• Major emergency
• Large area
• EOC is activated
• Sr. administrators alerted

Level 4

• Disaster
• Major scale/national
• EOC activation likely
• Operations may be suspended

Emergencies covered

• Hazardous materials release
• Extended power outage
• Plane crash
• Terrorism or other national emergencies
• Bomb threats
• Individual health event
• Laboratory explosion
• Tornado
• Fire
• Blizzard
• Civil unrest

Emergency Response

• For assistance from Emergency Management Call 612-624-2677 (UMPD Dispatch)
• Ask for Emergency Management to be paged
• Leave a call-back number
• We are on call 24/7

Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

• 200+ units in University System
• Locations
• Police Squads
• Large assembly Spaces
• FM Electric Utility Vehicles
• Residence Halls
• Student Centers and Libraries
• Selected Bldgs with an Avg daily population over 400
• Athletic trainers

Tone Alert Radios

• One of the multiple systems used for notifications on campus
• Over 400 radios placed in system (including Duluth and Crookston)
• TC units are Activated by UMPD, Duluth units by UMDPD
• Partnership with Stevens County Sheriff to cover the Morris campus, and Crookston fire to activate for Crookston campus

UMEMS

• Provide emergency medical coverage for athletic and special events on the TC campus
• Operate two basic life support ambulances
• Over 60 volunteer EMT’s
• 12 PT paid staff
• Responded to the 8/03/07 35W bridge collapse

Building Emergency Plans (BEP)

Used for wide variety of emergencies

• Fire
• Floods
• Severe weather
• Evacuation of the building
• Bomb threats
• Site specific hazards

Severe Weather

Tornados or Severe Thunderstorms take shelter

Where to take shelter

• Small interior room with no windows such as a locker room and lavatories
• Hallways away from doors and window
• Basements
• Any protected area away from doors and windows

Not just tornadoes

Severe Thunderstorms just as dangerous

• Winds up to 70 mph
• Straight line winds

Fires

• Always take fire alarms seriously and evacuate the building
• When evacuating during bad weather move to other side of fire doors; one building away
• Do not go back into the building until the all clear has been given by fire department
• Please remember to take personal items with you when you evacuate (unless unsafe to do so)
• Keys
• Purses
• Coats
• Brief Case

Bomb Threats

• Threat Assessment
• Specifics
• Credibility
• Resources required
• Emergency Response Decision
• Evacuate
• Shelter in-place
• Other
• Communication
• Building(s) involved
• University Community
• Media/General public

Evacuation

• Police/Fire will normally Implement
• Police are Incident Command
• DEM will provide coordination/advice and EOC if required
• Facilities evacuated will often be closed for the remainder of the day so:
• Do not delay leaving but take all essential items with you (purse, coat, keys)

Communication System Improvements

• Motivated by Virginia tech and our local bomb threats:
• Mass e-mail delivery time reduced from hours to 9 minutes
• UM Homepage can now be stripped of graphics when providing emergency messages
• Faster download times, more concurrent users
• Improved ability to remotely lockdown selected buildings (card access)
• V.P. O’Brien charged a communications subcommittee to:
• Investigate additional communication technologies
• Draft a report and recommendations
• After review, VP Kathy O’Brien and the EMPC instructed the Committee to provide firm and complete cost estimates for all priority one options including:
• Text messaging system
• Expanded tone alert radio system
• Outdoor public address system
• (we are currently implementing the above technologies)

Q: Why was the law school not used for the media during the bridge collapse?

A: DEM was not notified about using this space earlier, but it has been a topic for discussion since the collapse.

Q: Will text messages be voluntary?

A: Text messaging will start as an opt-in service, which usually results in a 30-40 percent user rate. Later the University might change to an opt-out approach.

Q: Which homepage will be used to show alerts? Will snow emergencies be listed as well?

A: Individual campus homepages will be modified when there are alerts and the messages will include snow emergencies. A text message service is already in place for Duluth, but this is being looked at system-wide.

Q: Why did the September alert take a few hours to reach people?

A: The message should have been received in a few minutes. Students should email their alert messages to tcook@umn.edu if they show that it took longer to receive.

Q: Has the University created a facebook alert group as noted in the Minnesota Daily?

A: The article may not be entirely accurate as the facebook group might not be University-sponsored.

13. 2007-08 SENATE AGENDA ITEMS

Discussion

Jeffrey Wencl, Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, said that as a Morris student he does not know that issues on the Twin Cities campus. Therefore he asked that senators forward him any concerns or agenda items.

14. OLD BUSINESS

NONE

15. NEW BUSINESS

NONE

16. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 1:27 pm.

Rebecca Hippert

Abstractor

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[1] U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Railroad Administration Action Plan for Addressing Critical Railroad Safety Issues, 16 May 2005, p. 9, <http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety/action_plan_final_051605.pdf> (10 September 2007).

[2] U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration. Federal Railroad Safety Accountability and Improvement Act (proposed), p. 10, <http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/Counsel/legislation/2007RailSafetyBill.pdf> (10 September 2007).