1994-95 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 3
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
April 20, 1995
The third meeting of the Student Senate for 1994-95 was convened in 25
Law Building, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, April 20, 1995, at 11:30 a.m.
Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as
present were 28 voting student members. Mr. Joel Bergstrom, Student Senate
Chair, presided.
I. MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 16, 1995
Action
APPROVED
II. REPORT ON STUDENT SENATE PARTICIPATION
Ms. Barbara Thompson reported on the open forums for perspective Senate
candidates. The forums were conducted, she said, to inform students of the
responsibilities associated with being a senator and of the Senate's role
within the University. She also mentioned that the Student Senate Handbook is
in the process of being revised to include a section on how to be an effective
senator.
III. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Mr. Rabun Taylor provided the legislative update. He reported that the
Governor has recommended an increase for the University in the amount of
approximately $61 million, the House voted to increase that to $62 million,
and a Senate bill, which is still in committee, includes a recommendation of
$58 million. Students should be aware, he said, that given these figures,
students could see an increase in tuition of 7.5% in each year of the
biennium. The Legislature is also considering changing the funding formula
for the University, he said, perhaps basing it on graduation rates instead of
instructional costs.
IV. REPORT ON GAPSA STUDENT GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT
Mr. Rabun Taylor introduced Mr. Steve Prince, Executive Administrator
of the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), to comment on
the GAPSA document. Mr. Prince explained that while some have had an
opportunity to review the entire document, only the recommendations were being
distributed at this time in order to focus the discussion on the ideas and
issues in the report. The report, he said, was developed as a result of
concerns expressed by past and present student government members in the
TwinCities relating to staffing, continuity, and the organization and
effectiveness of student government offices. The purpose of the document is
to initiate a dialogue between the administration and student leaders to
determine what the structure of student government should look like in the
future and what level of support is necessary to accompany it.
V. DISCUSSION OF UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE AND SENATE RESTRUCTURING
Ms. Barbara Thompson encouraged senators to carefully review the GAPSA
document when it becomes available in its entirety, especially the
recommendations. She also asked senators to think about how students can
best communicate with the broader University community and to consider where
the focus of student government should be.
One senator who had reviewed the document said he concurred with most of
the recommendations and supported developing mechanisms for strengthening the
student voice with the administration.
Mr. Rabun Taylor raised the idea of having permanent University
employees staff student governance organizations, instead of the current
practice which is for the organizations to hire their own employees. This has
proven to be ineffective, he said. Another issue discussed at length in the
document is the relationship between student development and student
governance.
Ms. Rebecca Mathern, Speaker of the MSA Forum, commented that MSA has
been without an administrative officer for over a month and as a result the
office isn't functioning properly. She believes a primary reason for the
difficulty in both hiring and retaining someone in this position is the fact
that they are not a University employee and do not receive benefits.
Another senator remarked that while she understands the rationale for
hiring a University employee, she is concerned about maintaining student
autonomy.
Mr. Taylor added that now may be the best chance students have to make a
difference in governance, mainly because central administration is undergoing
a great deal of change and has asked students to participate in those changes.
A governance task force is scheduled to be appointed soon, he said, and that
will be an excellent avenue for students to use to provide input and to
suggest ways in which governance can be improved at the University. Of
primary concern to students is appropriate representation on all University
committees. Students must take some responsibility for the problems that
exist in student government, said Senator Taylor, however, he believes part of
the problem is that student opinion is not taken seriously enough. There is
also concern about faculty dominance of issues at the University, he said.
While it is true faculty have longevity at the University and tend to take the
initiative on issues, students must become more actively involved in the
consultative process.
If and when the governance task force is established, said another, it
will be looking primarily at the Senate structure and not MSA and GAPSA.
Changes within those organizations will have to come from the student
associations themselves. It was suggested that mechanisms for improving
communication are necessary--to make students more aware of University issues
and to encourage their involvement at the appropriate level.
On a final note, a former Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC)
chair recommended that when filling important positions, such as task forces
and search committees, the incoming SSCC chair and the Student Senate chair,
be the individuals to serve. This will help provide continuity in the Student
Senate. Based on her experience, she also suggested that students take a more
aggressive role in the Senate and its committees.
VI. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES
Action
MOTION:
To approve the following resolution:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, a task force to reassess governance at the University will soon
be constituted;
WHEREAS, this committee will examine the mission, structure, and
function of Senate committees;
WHEREAS, the Student Committee on Committees has been developing
capabilities to manage student databases and to recruit students on a
larger scale than before;
WHEREAS, the University needs a single body to which it can take its
requests for student participation in a variety of contexts;
WHEREAS, the Student Committee on Committees is the most appropriate
body to receive requests from all sources seeking student participation
at the systemwide level and often at the campus and college level;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Student Senate recommends to the
governance task force that it consider broadening the mission of the
Student Committee on Committees to include appointments outside of the
University Senate.
RABUN TAYLOR, Chair
Student Consultative Committee
DISCUSSION:
Mr. Joel Bergstrom presented the Resolution. The intent of the
Resolution, he said, is to make student government more responsive and more
user-friendly for faculty, students, and administrators. If approved, it will
broaden the duties and responsibilities of the Student Committee on Committees
by making it the contact group for the appointment of students to all
University committees.
Mr. Rabun Taylor added that the Resolution does not empower the Student
Committee on Committees as the final arbiter of these appointments.
Organizations, such as MSA and GAPSA, will retain control over final
selections.
With no further discussion, the motion was approved by a majority of
members present and voting.
APPROVED
VII. OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Bergstrom reported on the status of items approved by the Student
Senate at its last meeting and reviewed items scheduled for University Senate
consideration later in the day.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
Ms. Barbara Thompson announced that information concerning the Women's
Student Leadership Conference scheduled for the end of May is available.
Interested students should contact her.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:40 P.M.
Martha Kvanbeck
ABSTRACTOR