1993-94 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 3
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
FEBRUARY 17, 1994
The third meeting of the Student Senate for 1993-94 was convened in 25
Law Center, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, February 17, 1994, at 11:30 a.m.
Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as
present were 24 voting student members. Mr. Erick Harper, Student Senate
Chair, presided.
I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Action
APPROVED
II. MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 28, AND DECEMBER 2, 1993
Action
APPROVED
III. REPORTS
Information
STUDENT SENATE CHAIR--Mr. Erick Harper, Student Senate Chair, reported that
the Student Lobby Advisory Committee and the Student Legislative Director have
been working vigorously on legislative issues. A draft of a Student Senate
Legislative Agenda for 1994 has been prepared and distributed and will be
discussed later in the meeting.
Two important issues facing student leaders this year are attendance and
communication. The Student Senate Consultative Committee will be taking a
more active role in addressing these problems.
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR--Mr. Love Goel announced the
resignation of Ms. Anne Sales as chair of the Student Senate Consultative
Committee (SSCC) and his election as her replacement for the remainder of the
academic year. Mr. Derek Jensen will serve as the SSCC Vice Chair. Mr. Goel
said students have expressed frustration at the lack of productivity within
student government this year. There needs to be stronger and better
communication within and among the student constituencies, he said. At the
March 31 SSCC meeting, students will discuss holding a joint meeting with the
Student Representatives to the Board of Regents and other Senate leaders to
discuss this issue further.
The University of Minnesota Coalition for Higher Education (UMCHE) and the
Student Services Fees Committee are working together to garner funding support
for the UMCHE. Students, he said, need to be educated about how the UMCHE can
benefit them in their work to keep tuition increases at a minimum.
EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE--Mr. Michael Pawlicki reported that the committee
has continued to keep abreast of issues concerning U2000 and most particularly
with issues relating to the concept of a University College. The committee
has been very active this year, meeting almost weekly, and reports regularly
to the Senate Consultative Committee.
SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE--Mr. Chad Reichwald reported that the Social
Concerns Committee has been discussing the possibility of banning the sale of
cigarettes on the Twin Cities Campus and the possibility of recommending that
the University divest its interests in tobacco companies. It has also been
discussing the Bovine Growth Hormone issue and an MPIRG resolution relating to
Prairie Island and nuclear waste storage.
STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE--Mr. Gary Lind told senators that at the committee's
last meeting it reviewed the Boynton Health Service Fee request. After
considering all the options, the committee proposed a 5% increase in the
student service fee.
AT THIS TIME A QUORUM WAS CALLED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A QUORUM WAS NOT
PRESENT. DISCUSSION OF STUDENT SENATE BUSINESS COULD CONTINUE BUT NO ACTION
COULD BE TAKEN.
IV. STUDENT LOBBY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Legislative Agenda
Mr. Bryan Jansen, Student Legislative Director, said the students have
developed a capital bonding request that is somewhat different from the
administration's agenda but one that they believe is progressive. The agenda
asks for $102 million for capital improvements at the University. It differs
from the administration's in that the students believe there is a sufficient
urgency to health and safety issues to request that a larger percent of that
item be appropriated now. A second difference is that the students do not
support the administration's request for the Carlson School of Management
project. Mr. Jansen emphasized that it is not that the students do not
support the project, but they feel it will be funded regardless of the bonding
request and that other issues are more pressing. It is important, he said, to
let legislators know that students are concerned and that there is a serious
deferred maintenance problem at the University. The students do support, he
said, the administration's efforts to build a Minnesota Archives Facility on
the Twin Cities Campus.
V. REPORT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COALITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Mr. Cecil Smith addressed the funding needs for the University of
Minnesota Coalition for Higher Education (UMCHE). Progress is being made to
garner funding support for the UMCHE and, in fact, a subcommittee of the
Student Services Fees Committee has recommended its support. Students,
however, still need to get behind the coalition to keep the momentum going, he
said. Furthermore, the Student Services Fees Committee needs to be encouraged
to establish what the University General Counsel has called a viewpoint
neutral criteria for student organizations wanting a checkoff system. If
established, the coalition will become a test case for the new criteria.
Unfortunately, he said, this has made the debate over the coalition even more
complex than it already is.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
NONE
VII. NEW BUSINESS
Two items of new business were brought up:
1. Concern about poor attendance at Student Senate meetings. The Student
Senate discussed options for improvement and the following suggestions were
made: 1) move the meetings to a more convenient time, 2) change the definition
of quorum, and 3) greater publication of meetings, perhaps send follow-up
meeting notices. It was noted that various methods for improving attendance
have been tried, including moving the meeting dates and times--the results
have been the same. Your interests are reflected in how much you
participate, said one senator, and students are getting the kind of government
they deserve. Other senators echoed the previous statement, expressing that
poor attendance shows a lack of concern about University issues.
2. A joint statement issued by the Chancellors of the Higher Education
System in Minnesota concerning the State Financial Aid Task Force was
distributed. Mr. Cecil Smith said the report outlines the recommendations of
the Task Force which include: 1) increasing the State Grant Program by $35
million and 2) a no-cost increase plan. Both plans change the amount of money
students are required to contribute to their education (commonly called the
student share). The first plan would reduce the student share from 50 percent
to 40 percent and the no-cost plan would reduce the student share from 50
percent to 43 percent. Both programs increase the amount of money that can be
awarded through State grants. Clearly, the programs would benefit the low-
income student, but all students would benefit in that the student share would
be reduced. One issue of debate, however, is the funding source for the $35
million increase for the State Grant Program. The Task Force has stated that
it should come from the General Fund and not out of tuition. However, it is
something students need to watch very carefully.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.
MARTHA KVANBECK
Abstractor