1995-96 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 1
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
NOVEMBER 16, 1995
The first meeting of the Student Senate for 1995-96 was convened in the
Whiting Proscenium Theater, Rarig Center, Minneapolis Campus, on Thursday,
November 16, 1995, at 11:00 a.m. Coordinate campuses were linked by
telephone. Checking or signing the roll as present were 40 voting student
members. Mr. Joel Bergstrom, Student Senate Chair, presided.
I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Action
APPROVED
II. MEETING SCHEDULE
Information
Other 1995-96 meetings of the Student Senate are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, February 15, 1996
Thursday, April 18, 1996
Thursday, May 16, 1996
III. MINUTES FOR APRIL 20 AND MAY 18
Action
APPROVED
IV. STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
The Student Senate Consultative Committee (SSCC) has met twice this
Fall, reported Mr. Bergstrom, SSCC chair, and has already addressed a number
of important issues including student participation in interviews for senior
administrative positions, student attendance at Senate meetings, and student
governance in general. A decision was made with the faculty to hold joint
faculty/student interviews for the senior administrative positions and an Ad
Hoc Committee on Student Governance is being formed to review student
government.
Mr. Bergstrom concluded his report by reviewing a number of Senate rules
and procedures.
V. AD HOC COMMITTEE ON STUDENT GOVERNANCE REPORT
Mr. Bergstrom told senators that the Ad Hoc committee was formed to:
- review and make recommendations regarding the policy on student
participation in all-University search committees, Senate
committees, and committees within the provostal units;
- review and make recommendations regarding the role of the Student
Committee on Committees;
- discuss membership of and options for alternative funding for the
Student Committee on Committees;
- consider ways to improve the consultative process between the
provosts and students;
- review Senate rules concerning student representation;
- develop a statement on the role and importance of student
governance.
Mr. Eric Brettel has agreed to serve as chair and each of the campuses
will be represented. The committee is expected to present its report by
February 7.
VI. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COALITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (UMCHE)
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Discussion and Action
Mr. Eric Newell drew senators attention to a proposed Legislative Agenda
prepared by the U of M Coalition for Higher Education. The purpose of the
agenda, he said, is to let legislators know what are the most important issues
to students at the University. The three top priorities have been identified
as: (1) The Capital Bonding Request, (2) State Support for Affordable Public
Higher Education, which deals with financial aid and tuition issues, and (3)
The Academic Health Center Request. The items are not in order according to
priority. They simply follow the way the Board of Regents have listed them in
their report. The priorities are described in greater detail in the document,
he said, as well as information concerning each of the four campuses. At this
time the document has received endorsement from MSA, GAPSA, COGS, and MCSA.
Jay Klaphake, Executive Director of the Coalition, reviewed the document
in more detail emphasizing that it is still in draft form and will continue to
evolve. It is the three principles, he said, that the UMCHE is really seeking
endorsement of and not the details of each.
A senator from the Duluth campus said they had not received the document
and requested postponement of action until they had an opportunity to review
it. Due to the need for UMCHE to be able to continue its work in a timely
way, Mr. Newell asked the Student Senate to consider endorsing the three
principles only and then give ample time for all student constituencies to
review the details of the document.
A motion to suspend the rules to consider the three principles was
approved. Duluth senators asked that the record indicate their objection to
voting on any part of a document that had not been properly distributed.
The following motion was then approved by a majority of members present
and voting:
to approve as the top three priorities during the current
legislative session, the following: 1) capital bonding
request, 2) State support for affordable public higher
education; and 3) Academic Health Center request.
APPROVED
VII. STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
Student Financial Aid
Action
MOTION:
To approve the following Resolution concerning Student Financial Aid:
Resolution
WHEREAS, the University of Minnesota Student Senate supports the University's
strong commitment to diversity through its U2000 agenda; and
WHEREAS, this commitment to diversity has historically been tied to financial
aid policy and resource utilization; and
WHEREAS, students have expressed concern about a lack of broad consultation
and discussion regarding the recent changes in financial aid policies;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the University of Minnesota Student Senate
reaffirms its support for advancing the University's diversity agenda;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Minnesota Student Senate
strongly encourages the students, faculty, and administration to work together
through the efforts of the Financial Aid Policy Advisory Committees to address
these issues in a timely manner;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Minnesota Student Senate
strongly encourages the Financial Aid Advisory Committees to make
recommendations regarding an ongoing process for financial aid goals and
policy setting at each of the University of Minnesota campuses.
JOEL BERGSTROM, Chair
Student Senate Consultative Committee
DISCUSSION:
Senator Mike Davey presented the Resolution explaining that it was
developed to give students the opportunity to be involved in the decision-
making process with respect to student financial aid.
Mr. Bergstrom added that the administration has already agreed to
establish four financial aid advisory committees, one on each campus with a
student and faculty co-chair for each.
Hearing no discussion, the Student Senate approved the Resolution by a
majority of members present and voting.
APPROVED
VIII. OLD BUSINESS
Senator Bergstrom drew senators attention to two items of business that
will come before the University Senate later in the day that directly relate
to students. They include a motion to merge some student leadership positions
and a proposal to authorize the Student Senate Consultative Committee to act
on behalf of the Student Senate in between meetings of the Student Senate if
immediate action on an issue is required. Since the printing of the Senate
docket, he said, an amendment to the motion merging the student leadership
positions has been received which calls for the separation of the Student
Senate and Student Senate Consultative Committee chair positions and the
Student Senate Consultative Committee will accept it as a "friendly" amendment
at the time it comes up for discussion.
IX. NEW BUSINESS
NONE
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:55 p.m.
Martha Kvanbeck
Abstractor