ASLCSC Senate Meeting Minutes
December 6,
2005
Ninth Senate
Call to order
The meeting was called to
order at 4:30 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: Senators Bybee,
Hanson, Johnson, Mewes, Ojeda, Ramirez, Rawson, Riggers, Sherpa, Smith. President
Racich, Vice-President Ambriz, Media Relations Director Rohde, Committees
Director Bloomsburg, Chief Justice Allen, Associate Justice Barta, Associate
Justice Crenshaw.
Audience: Ron Smith, Brandon
Lytle, Jimmie O’Harra, Johnny Wright, Senate Secretary Myndie VanHorn.
Approval of Minutes:
Motion to approve minutes of
November 29, 2005 Senator Ramirez, second Senator Hanson. 9 yes, 0 no, 1
abstention: Senator Bybee.
Student Government Advisor
■
Student Activities Coordinator
■ Brandon Lytle- Roller-skating at the
Rollaway Wednesday 6:30. Pool on Thursday. Ping Pong tournament Friday at noon.
Intramural basketball league tournament starts Sunday, championship game will
be on Tuesday. The concert last Friday brought in about 120 people.
LCSC Administration Communications
■ Ron Smith- Nothing.
Executive Communications
■ President
Racich- Thanked the Craft Fair committee and congratulated them on the success
of the Craft Fair. Gave out gift certificates to the Craft Fair Committee
members and helpers as a thank you.
à State Board of Education. President Racich advised
that she had addressed the Board and presented the Constitution to the Board.
Expressed the reasons as to why it was redone and what was addressed, also
informed the Board that the Constitution had the formal approval of President
Thomas.
à Student Health Insurance. Informed the Senate that
the report was introduced to the Board which stated that a statewide plan was
probably not feasible due to the logistics of all the campuses. A
recommendation was made that a request for information to insurance companies
be processed to consider a statewide catastrophic medical care plan. State
Board member Blake Hall indicated that they are done with the report and that
nothing more would be done. President Racich stated that she was disappointed
that the recommendation has not been addressed for the benefit of many students
within the state. The catastrophic plan could potentially cost each student $20
per semester or a minimal cost to be discovered by the “
à President Racich stated that she was disappointed in
what had happened during the Roundtable meeting last week while she was absent
at SBOE. “I have always had an open door policy within this Administration,
something that has not been seen in quite some time. I would have been
delighted to visit with any of you at any time to pursue topics of interest or
concern.” President Racich informed the Senate that Senate Majority Leader
Johnson has missed five regularly scheduled meetings with her and that “I
hereby declare that any information that needs to be distributed, and could
have been before last Roundtable meeting, will no longer be done through
meetings with him. I will be having regular meetings with your Senate Pro-Tem
and will be attempting to get information to the Senate through her since
current methods are not working.” She also informed the Senate that her
information reports to the Senate during Executive Communications will be
taking more time due to the lack of information flowing through current
communication attempts. “The Legislative Branch continues to need information
which they are not receiving through the Senate Majority Leader. You need your
leader to work well with the Chief Executive Officer and communicate with her
and that is not happening.
à Involuntary Withdrawal Policy: “On Thursday, November
10, I was asked by Senate Majority Leader Johnson and the Senate to please ask
Tony Fernandez to a Roundtable session to discuss the Involuntary Withdrawal
Policy. At a meeting that I had a week after that with Chet Herbst and Andy
Hanson, I expressed the concern about the Involuntary Withdrawal Policy that
the Student Government had issues and expressed the desires of the Senate to
have the policy addressed at a Roundtable session by Tony Fernandez. The email
that was read to you at the last Roundtable meeting that took place on December
1 was my attempt to keep the Senate informed as to the progress of our guests
attending a Roundtable session, nothing more.” President Racich went on to say
that it is not “out of bounds for a President of the ASLCSC to invite guests to
an ASLCSC Roundtable meeting for the purpose of information of the body itself.
According to the Constitution under Article III, Section IV number 9, it states
that the President shall serve as a liaison between the college community, the
ASLCSC Student Body and all statewide student organizations, which means I
would be derelict of my duties and in violation of the Constitution had I not
made the invitation.” President Racich went on to say that “according to the
Bylaws, page 13, Article III, Section 1, Sub-Section 1.120 it states that the
President will authorize a member of the Executive Branch to represent the
President in their absence. Prior notification shall be given to the Senate
Majority Leader of such authorization in advance, which I did one week ago
today within this very meeting when I told the Senate that Vice-President
Ambriz would be conducting the meeting…please check your minutes.”
à Christmas Party: President Racich advised that it was
the decision of the Executive Branch to do the Christmas party. She said that
everyone that attends will be receiving a free meal and the only donation that
is requested is a “white elephant” gift, not a Christmas gift. The only
requirement for the donation is that of effort, no funds. “It would take
everyone effort to make their own meal, why not take the effort to bring a
‘white elephant’ gift and have fun alongside the rest of us? This
Administration will not be calling the party anything other than a Christmas
Party. I did not hear complaints as to this tradition last year, and I see not
problem with this.” She also advised that there are two Buddhists participating
that she has not heard any complaints from, “they know that there is no worship
or requirements as to their religion in order to attend…This Administration,
for as long as I am President and for as long as the party is sponsored by the
Executive Branch, will continue to call it a Christmas Party.”
■ Vice-President
Ambriz- Nothing.
■ Media
Relations- Nothing.
■ Director
of Committees- Nothing.
Judicial Communications
■ Chief Justice Allen- As of last Friday
the Justices have caught up with the Clubs & Orgs Constitution inquiries.
The committees Policies and Procedures will be finished by Thursday of next
week.
Committee Reports
Christmas Craft Fair: Vice-President Ambriz reported. Reported that it was a
very long two days, but everything came together and the Craft Fair was a
success. Thank you to everyone that helped make it a success. Especially wanted
to thank Myndie and Cody for their hard-work, “they went above what was
expected of them.” He stated that he thought it went extraordinarily well for
being the first year it was held in the
Diversity Committee: Senator Sherpa reported. Will be meeting tomorrow at
5:30 in SUB 225. She and Mewes met with AmeriCorps regarding the planning of
Martin Luther King Day and the committee will be helping with the event. Future
they are planning to do Cezar Chavez Day. If anyone has any ideas you are
welcome to attend the meeting. Senator Smith reported that there will be a
dance at the WCC “Noche Buena.” AmeriCorps is holding Mañanitas Monday Dec 12
at 5 a.m. Senator Ramirez added that tickets are being sold for $3, there will
be all kinds of Mexican food and will be held in the WCC, tickets will be $5 at
the door. There will be a band playing all types of music. Food will be sold
separately.
Finance Committee: Vice-President Ambriz presented the budget. Senator Smith reminded the
Senate to use the Student Senate account for expenses. Explained that the
account is used for Senate projects, dances, events, bringing conferences to
campus, senate copy charges, copies of bills, resolutions and minutes,
proposals for clubs & orgs, and any other senate business. Some of the
expenditures that are coming out of general can come out of student senate.
Santa’s Helpers: Senator Senate Majority Leader Johnson reported. The committee met this
morning and officially approved the Policies and Procedures. Have plans to
start going office to office on the campus December 15 and 16. Will be going
shopping December 17 and will be wrapping gifts on the 17th and 18th.
Advised the group of where the budget is sitting, approximately $1400 at this
time and the committee is hoping to get more donations next week. Asked that
Student Government members take the collection tins to classes with them to get
donations next week. Brandon Lytle added that it might be a good idea to
contact the businesses that we are shopping at for an “in-kind” donation.
Administrative Procedures: Senate Majority Leader Johnson reported. Met last week
and discussed the tenure and promotion policy of the faculty. Clarifying
different aspects of division promotion policies and aligning it with the expectations
of the Faculty Senate Constitution. There is also work being done regarding
Dean Pharr and change of time frame to do adjunct faculty evaluations to make
it more time feasible for those doing the evaluations. Discussed the
involuntary withdrawal proposal. If you have recommendations or concerns, get
it in writing and get it to Senate Majority Leader Johnson so he can present it
to Administrative Procedures. Senator Smith reported that when he went to the
Student Leadership Conference he learned that many of the schools have
internships set up through the Student Government that will give credits
towards their degrees. Discussion ensued regarding the internships process and
how that could be done.
Motion for a friendly amendment to the agenda to
include Outdoor Recreation Committee on “Committee Reports” and under “New
Business” to include Resolution 05-F006 Senator Rawson, second Senator Smith.
Unanimous.
Outdoor Recreation: Senator Rawson reported. Had meeting just before this meeting. Main topic
was dealing with the Resolution regarding the Boat House which will be
presented under New Business.
Old Business
None.
New Business
■ Bill 05-F032: Funding for Octavio Ambriz to
attend the 2006 Global Young Leaders
■ Bill 05-F033: Funding for the Interested
Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha to help the Crutchfield’s for Christmas. Motion
for friendly amendment Senator Ramirez to change line 10 to read
“Crutchfield’s” second Senator Riggers. Unanimous. Author Senator Ramirez
informed the Senate that the reason for this bill is that the family has
expenses of about $100 a day for medical expenses and the ILLTA would like to
adopt this family to help them at Christmas. Would like to buy some Christmas
presents for Scarlett Crutchfield and some for her family members and whatever
is left donate to the family for the medical expenses.
à Senator Mewes asked if the ILLTA has done any
fundraising on their own for this venture. Senator Ramirez answered that the
ILLTA will be doing a fashion show in January. ILLTA will be modeling and
Scarlett Crutchfield will be modeling with them. Scarlett has a dream to meet
Tyra Banks and the ILLTA members are trying to get Tyra Banks here in January
for the fashion show. Senator Ramirez informed the Senate that the ILLTA has
money in their account from past fundraisers that they will be donating to the
Christmas expenditures for the family. The ILLTA is asking for half of what
they plan to spend for the family (the ASLCSC $300 and the ILLTA $300).
à Senator Smith stated that clubs are eligible for
grant funding; he stated it isn’t available at this time but that the ILLTA
should apply for grant funding so they would have the money sitting in their
account.
à Senator Hanson asked if the ILLTA has looked into
other means of funding this. Stated that he thought this might have been a
family to look into for Santa’s Helpers. Senator Ramirez stated that she had
not brought this to Santa’s Helpers as the ILLTA wanted to take care of the
family.
à Myndie reported that she had emailed Andrea Heisinger
who had written the article. The reason that she mailed her is that sometimes
when there is an article in the paper of this sort there is an overwhelming
response to the article. Reported that if she hears that they have not received
overwhelming support for this family we can add them to the Santa’s Helpers
list and help them that way.
Senate Secretary Myndie VanHorn left the
meeting; everything from this point is done from the tape.
à Senator Sherpa motioned for a friendly amendment for
line 19 to take the capital off of “Help,” second Senator Smith. Unanimous.
à Senator Hanson asked if Senator Ramirez would be in
favor of tabling the bill for next week to see if Santa’s Helpers would be able
to take this family on. Senator Ramirez responded that she would not be in
favor of tabling the bill because of the time line involved.
à Senator Sherpa advised that she was unclear as to how
this money was going to be spent and asked if the money would be going for the
fashion show. Senator Ramirez advised that the money would not be going to the
fashion show as everything will be donated, and the ILLTA would be charging for
the event at the WCC. She advised that the ILLTA are “thinking of a bunch of
fundraisers that we have in mind.”
à Senator Ojeda agreed with what Senator Hanson said
about tabling the bill.
à Brandon Lytle asked if this donation would be given
from the Student Government or is this to go to the ILLTA which will in turn
gift it to the family. Senator Ramirez responded that the Student Government
would be getting the credit for donation.
à Senator Hanson moved to table the bill, seconded by
Senator Mewes. Senate Majority Leader Johnson asked if anyone remembered if
tabling bill votes had to be unanimous. It was determined that it must be a
simple majority role call vote. Roll call vote: 9 yes, 1 no Senator Ramirez, 0
abstentions. Bill tabled and steered to the Santa’s Helpers Committee.
■ Bill 05-F034: Funding for Johnny Wright to
attend the International Debate Tournament.
Co-Author Senator Sherpa explained that the funding will go to help
Johnny Wright with expenses to attend the debate tournament in the
à Johnny Wright presented his case and told the Senate
the reasons that he wants to attend this tournament and what he will bring back
to the college if he is able to attend the tournament.
à Senator Hanson asked how much money Johnny has
budgeted for the trip and how much he has gotten. Johnny responded that the
trip cost $1775 plus an additional $400 for a flight from
à Senator Rawson proposed a friendly amendment to have
funds come from Student Senate, second Senator _______ (unsure, it may have
been Senator Ramirez, Senate Majority Leader Johnson did not say). Friendly
amendment failed.
à Chief Justice Allen told Johnny Wright that he may
want to talk to
à President Racich asked that the Senate reconsider
changing the account from the Leadership Development account.
Motion
to vote Senator Hanson, second Senator Smith. Roll call vote: 6 yes, 0 no, 4
abstentions: Senators Mewes, Ramirez, Rawson and Sherpa.
à President Racich asked that the Senate reconsider
changing the account as there will be a large expenditure coming out of the
Leadership Development account in the spring. The estimated amount of this
expenditure is $4500. Advised that she does not want to veto the bill because
of where the money is coming from.
à Senator Ojeda moved for reconsideration, second
Senator Rawson. Discussion ensued. Senate Majority Leader Johnson did not call
for a vote to go into reconsideration, therefore this bill passed with the
first vote.
Senator
Hanson asked that President Racich detail the “large expenditure” that will be
coming out of Leadership Development in the spring. President Racich advised
that the expenditure is to go to
à Senator Ramirez motioned for a friendly amendment to
change the account from (line 16) Leadership Development to Student Senate,
second Senator Rawson. Motion failed by one “no” vote.
There was also no motion to
vote at this point.
Roll
call vote on Bill 05-F034 (second vote), 6 yes, 0 no, 4 abstentions: Senators
Mewes, Ojeda, Ramirez and Rawson.
à President Racich asked that Senators Sherpa and Ojeda
present this bill to the Senate again on Tuesday with a different account on
it.
à Johnny Wright advised that the due date for him to
mail in the payment is the 16th of December and if it was presented
at next weeks meeting that would not be enough time for him to get it mailed
off in time.
■ Resolution 05-F006: Boathouse. Senator Rawson advised of the reasons this
resolution has come to the table. Senator Smith apologized that this resolution
came to the table quickly but the lease is up at the end of the year and a
decision had to be made regarding the boathouse before the lease is up. There
was no motion to vote. Resolution did not pass.
à Senator Smith asked if there was a bill written for
the Christmas dinner that is coming up this week. Vice President Ambriz advised
a bill was not necessary as the cost of the dinner was going to be about $250.
Senate Information Reports
■
Senate Majority Leader Johnson reminded the Senate to take Santa’s
Helpers tins around the campus to get donations next week.
Audience Time
■ Senator
Ramirez wanted to apologize to Jimmie O’Harra for what happened last Thursday
and said that she did not mean for it to get “out of hand. So I’m sorry.” She
advised she “did not mean for us to attack you.”
■ Senator
Sherpa asked about concessions for next years Christmas Craft Fair. Advised
that she was approached at the last minute and they did not have enough time to
deal with the concessions.
■ Vice President Ambriz advised there
were some conflicts and miscommunications between the committee and Sodexho. We
were talking with Sodexho and Dale Askew was supposed to take it to Clubs and
Orgs. The reason that it was done at the last minute was because at the last
minute we found out that there were not going to be any lunch concessions even
though there had been a club that had come forward to do them.
■ Senator
Smith advised that Myndie had been trying to get Dale Askew to give her a
definite answer for at least a week. Dale Askew did present it to the Clubs and
Orgs meeting. At that meeting he told the Clubs and Orgs that they could make
money helping at the Craft Fair, he did not specify at that meeting that the
Clubs needed a certain number of people to work.
■ Vice
President Ambriz informed the Senate that Sodexho donated all of the food that
was sold that day at the Craft Fair to the clubs that sold.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn Senator
Ramirez, second Senator Riggers. Unanimous. It was not announced on the tape
what time the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Myndie VanHorn
|
Bill 05-F032 Roll Call Vote |
Bill 05-F033 Roll Call Vote |
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|
Y |
N |
A |
|
Y |
N |
A |
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|
Bybee |
X |
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|
Bybee |
X |
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|
Hanson |
X |
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|
Hanson |
X |
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Johnson |
X |
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Johnson |
X |
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Mewes |
X |
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Mewes |
X |
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Ojeda |
X |
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|
Ojeda |
X |
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|
||||
|
Ramirez |
|
|
X |
Ramirez |
|
X |
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||||
|
Rawson |
X |
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|
Rawson |
X |
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||||
|
Riggers |
X |
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|
Riggers |
X |
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||||
|
Sherpa |
X |
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|
Sherpa |
X |
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|
Smith |
X |
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|
Smith |
X |
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|
Bill 05-F034 Roll Call Vote |
Bill 05-F034 2nd vote Roll Call Vote |
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|
Y |
N |
A |
NO MOTION TO RECONSIDER |
Y |
N |
A |
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|
Bybee |
X |
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|
X |
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||||
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Hanson |
X |
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|
Hanson |
X |
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||||
|
Johnson |
X |
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Johnson |
X |
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||||
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Mewes |
|
|
X |
Mewes |
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|
X |
||||
|
Ojeda |
X |
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|
Ojeda |
|
|
X |
||||
|
Ramirez |
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|
X |
Ramirez |
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|
X |
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Rawson |
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