1994-95 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 1
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
November 3, 1994
The first meeting of the Student Senate for 1994-95 was convened in 25
Law Center, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, November 3, 1994, at 11:30 a.m.
Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the role
as presente were 37 voting student members. Mr. Rabun Taylor, Student Senate
Consultative CommitteeChair, presided.
I. INTRODUCTIONS AND ORIENTATION
Mr. Taylor pridived a brief overview of the Senate structure and encouraged
students to familiarize themselves with the Senate and Assembly Constitutions,
Bylaws, and Rules that had been distributed to them. He reminded senators that
they are full members of both the University Senate and Student Senate and that
Twin Cities senators are also members of the Twin Cities Campus Assembly. Most of
the work of the University Senate (including the Student Senate and Faculty Senate)
is conducted within the committee structure, Mr. Taylor explained, and most all
of the committees include student representation. The only exceptions are the
Senate Judicial Committee and the Equal Employment Opportunity for Women Committee.
Student senators, therefore, were strongly encouraged to volunteer to serve on
committees in order that the student voice is heard at the level at which issues
are discussed and developed. Interested students may contact Kirk Allison at the
Graduate and Professional Student Association or Becky Gilmore at the Minnesota
Student Association.
The Student Senate, Mr. Taylor said, deals primarily with three types of
issues: constitutional issues, all-University issues specific to students, and
University-wide issues that will eventually be brought before the University
Senate. Mr. Taylor emphasized the importance of attendance and participation
at Senate and Assembly meetings. Students who are unable to attend a meeting
must designate an alternate to attend in their place or at the very least
inform the Senate of their impending absence.
II. MEETING SCHEDULE
Information
Other 1994-95 meetings of the Student Senate are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, February 16, 1995
Thursday, April 20, 1995
Thursday, May 18, 1995
III. MINUTES FOR MAY 19, 1994
Action
APPROVED
IV. STUDENT SENATE ELECTIONS
Action
Mr. Joel Bergstrom from the Twin Cities campus was elected chair of the
Student Senate for 1994-95 and Ms. Rachel Brand from the Morris campus was
elected as vice-chair.
V. AD HOC COMMITTEE ON PARTICIPATION
Action
Resolution
Whereas attendance and participation by student members of the University
Senate have traditionally been low and in the past year have been among the
lowest in twelve years, and
Whereas the University Student Senate established an Ad Hoc Committee on
Student Participation to make recommendations on how to increase attendance
and participation by students,
Therefore be it resolved that the University Student Senate adopt the report
entitled A Report of the Student Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Participation in
its entirety, and
Therefore be it also resolved that the University Student Senate begin working
immediately to increase the attendance and participation of Student Senators
by implementing the report.
ERIC STRAUSS, Chair
DISCUSSION:
Mr. Eric Strauss presented the resolution concerning Student Senate
attendance and participation. He explained that a group of students had been
working throughout the summer to address the issue of low attendance and
participation by students in governance activities in recent years and that he
hoped everyone had had an opportunity to review the committee's report that
had been mailed to student senators prior to the meeting. One senator raised
a concern that the report requires membership on Senate and Assembly
committees by senators when the practice has been to open those positions up
to both Senate and non-Senate members. There was general agreement that the
former practice should be followed. Mr. Strauss will amend the report
accordingly.
The motion to adopt the report as amended was then approved by a
majority of members present and voting.
APPROVED
VI. AD HOC COMMITTEE ON PARTICIPATION
Action
Resolution
Whereas student senators are largely uninformed of their responsibilities,
their obligations, and their capabilities as senators, and
Whereas the above has resulted in less than adequate performance by the
Student Senate and its members,
Therefore be it resolved that the Student Senate Consultative Committee be
charged with the creation of a Student Senate Handbook Committee, and
Therefore be it further resolved that this committee be comprised of at least
two student senators from both the Committee on Committees and the Student
Senate Consultative Committee, and
Therefore be it further resolved that this committee also be comprised of the
Clerk of the Senate and at least three at-large student senators, and
Therefore be it finally resolved that the committee complete its Student
Senate Handbook by the first meeting of the Student Senate during winter
quarter each year.
ERIC STRAUSS, Chair
DISCUSSION:
Mr. Strauss introduced this resolution also. Its intent, he said, is
to establish a committee to develop a Student Senate Handbook that will
hopefully make it easier for all student senators to understand the Senate
structure, practices, and procedures. The Minnesota Student Association
(MSA) Forum Handbook will be used as a model. At this time a friendly
amendment to change the Senate Clerk's position on the committee to an
advisory role was accepted, and the resolution as amended was approved by a
majority of members present and voting.
APPROVED
VII. DISCUSS MERGING THE CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR POSITIONS OF THE
STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE AND THE STUDENT SENATE
Discussion
Mr. Rabun Taylor opened the discussion to merge the chair and vice-chair
positions of the Student Senate and Student Senate Consultative Committee.
This issue is being raised, he said, because there is a feeling among student
leaders that administratively the Student Senate could be better organized,
particularly the leadership positions. Some students believe that merging the
two vice chair roles will strengthen the position. Currently the vice chairs
have little responsibility. Merging the positions would also increase
efficiency, he said, and ensure better communication between the Student
Senate and the Student Senate Consulative Committee.
One senator expressed concern that combining the positions, particularly
the chair positions, will give too much power and authority to one individual.
Another disagreed, arguing that communication between the two chairs has been
a chronic problem especially when the individuals reside on different
campuses.
Mr. Taylor asked senators to give this issue some thought and bring
their ideas back to the next meeting.
VIII. DISCUSS DISSOLVING THE STUDENT LOBBY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND
DEFINING THE STUDENT SENATE'S AND STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE'S
RELATIONSHIP TO THE U OF M COALITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Action
Resolution
Whereas the Student Lobby Advisory Committee (SLAC) has served the Student
Senate and has been responsible for the student lobbying effort at the State
Capitol,
Whereas the University of Minnesota Coalition for Higher Education (The
Coalition/UMCHE) was formed to invigorate and provide for a more effective and
well-funded student lobbying effort,
Whereas the Coalition/UMCHE is now operational and invites the broadest
student participation,
Whereas the composition of SLAC and the Board of Governors of the
Coalition/UMCHE is similar, with the addition of non-voting ex-officio
members,
Therefore be it resolved that SCLA be dissolved;
Therefore be it further resolved that the Coalition/UMCHE continue the efforts
of SLAC and report to the Student Senate on its activities in the same manner
as SLAC.
DISCUSSION:
Mr. Cecil Smith introduced the resolution. Because it had not been
provided to senators at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting a motion to
suspend the rules in order to consider it was required. The motion to suspend
the rules was approved.
One senator proposed an amendment to strike the word "coalition" as it
is used in conjunction with the organization's name (The Coalition/UMCHE)
beacuse it is ambiguous. The argument was that people will have a tendency to
abbreviate the name, calling it "the coalition" which is a commonly used name
by many other organizations. Mr. Smith responded that this is the way the
organization was founded and he did not believe it was appropriate for this
body to change its title. A vote on the amendment was then taken and was not
approved.
With no further discussion, the resolution as presented was approved by
a majority of members present and voting.
APPROVED
IX. OLD BUSINESS
NONE
X. NEW BUSINESS
NONE
XI. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 p.m.
Martha Kvanbeck
Abstractor