1993-94 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 4
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
APRIL 14, 1994
The fourth meeting of the Student Senate for 1993-94 was convened in 25
Law Center, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, April 14, 1994, at 12:00 noon.
Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as
present were 16 voting student members. Mr. Erick Harper, Student Senate
Chair, presided.
I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Action
APPROVED
II. MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 17, 1994
Action
APPROVED
III. REPORTS
Information
STUDENT SENATE CHAIR--Mr. Erick Harper, Student Senate Chair, told senators
that on March 30, the University and the State University system held a joint
Lobby Day at the Capitol. A press conference and rally was held in the
morning which gave students an opportunity to express their views. One issue
that surfaced was the repeal of the one-third debt service on University
buildings. Lobby Day also afforded students an opportunity to meet with
legislators.
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR--Mr. Love Goel reported that in a
recent meeting with Associate Vice President Josie Johnson she expressed
satisfaction that she is close to meeting the plan she set for herself for
1994 regarding the recommendations of the Diversity Task Force. Two of those
goals were 1) increasing students of color at the University to 10% and 2)
doubling the hiring of minority faculty. Mr. Goel further said he had met
with the President to discuss the tuition issue and expects a student
resolution on tuition to be forthcoming.
STUDENT LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR--Mr. Bryan Jansen, Student Legislative Director,
outlined the House and Senate Bills that are under consideration. Included in
the Bills is funding for work study programs, U2000 initiatives, and capitol
bonding, however, the funding levels vary between the House and Senate in each
area.
IV. STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
Resolution on Bonding Priorities
Discussion and Action
MOTION:
To approve the following Resolution:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the University of Minnesota faces a growing crisis stemming
from the decay and obsolescence of existing buildings and facilities;
WHEREAS, the cost of deferring maintenance increases yearly and becomes
increasingly difficult to support;
WHEREAS, deferred maintenance may already carry a cost burden of nearly
a billion dollars;
WHEREAS, continued deferral of maintenance and life safety improvements
will have a serious effect on the functional, psychological, and financial
well-being of the University's faculty, students, and staff;
WHEREAS, the current state bonding process does not take sufficient
account of the University's need for life safety improvements and facility
renewal and maintenance;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Student Senate supports the
administration's emphasis on these matters at the Legislature;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Student Senate encourages the University
administration to develop a specific long-term strategy with the Legislature
to define and fund the needed improvements.
DISCUSSION:
Senator Rabun Taylor introduced the resolution. He noted that the
University's Legislative request this year included a significant increase for
facilities management because of the severe deferred maintenance problem at
the University. He encouraged senators to support the resolution in order to
send a strong message of support to the Administration for its efforts in this
area. With little discussion, the motion was approved unanimously.
APPROVED
V. FINANCIAL AID PRESENTATION
Information and Action
Item V. was withdrawn.
VI. STUDENT SENATE REPRESENTATION
Discussion
The Student Senate briefly discussed the issue of student representation
in the Senate. According to the Senate Constitution, student representation
is based on fulltime enrollment figures. It has come to the attention of
Senate officials that for many years the Registrar's Office has been
submitting head count figures to the Senate instead of fulltime figures. The
mistake has resulted in greater student representation than was constituted by
the Senate. Using fulltime figures, students should have 45 Senate seats for
1994-95. Fulltime figures would place the total number of seats at 58. The
college most affected by the change is the Graduate School, which will lose 6
seats. Coordinate campus representation remains unchanged.
Mr. Raybun Taylor, Graduate School senator, argued that the Registrar's
definition of a fulltime graduate student (9 or more credits) is not very
realistic and recommended working with the Consultative Committee and the
Registrar's Office to develop a more appropriate definition of a fulltime
graduate student.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
The Student Lobby Advisory Committee's Legislative agenda for 1993-94,
distributed to Student Senate members previously, was presented and endorsed
by the Student Senate.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
NONE
IX. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m.
MARTHA KVANBECK
Abstractor