Student Assembly

MINUTES
Cornell University Student Assembly
April 1, 2010
4:45pm
Willard Straight Hall, Memorial Room

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 4:45 pm.

II. Roll Call

Voting Members Present: I. Akinpelu, V. Andrews, C. Basil, A. Brokman, M. Danzer, M. DeLucia, R. Desai, A. Gitlin, Z. Glasser, N. Kumar, A. Latella, J. Min, C. Moreno, S. Purdy, N. Raps, J. Rau, A. Ravaret, R. Salem, U. Smith, K. Welch, H. Yang

Voting Members Excused Absent: N. Junewicz, A. Nicoletti

Non-Voting Members Present: A. Cowen, R. Rodewald, A. Flye

III. Approval of Minutes

There was a call for acclimation. It was seconded without dissent. The minutes were approved.

IV. Open Microphone

Spring, who works with the transportation office, and Andy from Ithaca Car Share came to update the assembly on what they do. They want to get out the word that the service is here. The non profit organization started two years ago. When you sign up, you get a key, when you need a car, you go online, book it, drive away, pay for the time or mileage. They started up not for profit and it is financially affordable. It is available to anyone with two years driving experience. This includes people who are 18 and over and international students and faculty. It is around 8000 dollars a year to own a car but $750 is the average people who used Car Share spent. Transportation has it so that any student can join at no fee. There is a fee to check your license. Driving is cheaper at night. They also give you free miles if you periodically clean a car.

You do not need to be over 21. However, if you are 18–20, you do need your own primary insurance. When you’re over 21, you are fully covered on their insurance.

There are two policies. One is Just in Case. This is designed for people using it intermittently. Then there is It’s My Car which is for people who plan to use it more than once a week. It’s 200 dollars a year. There are not that many members in the community. Around 15–20% of members are on that plan. For students, the average is about 30 hours per year. It is better for the environment but also saves you money.

V. Announcements/Reports

1. Welcome Back�Rammy Salem

President Salem welcomed everyone back.

2. Calendar Update�Rammy Salem

They will soon be receiving a five year calendar.

3. Strategic Plan Draft�Rammy Salem

The Board of Trustees will be talking about the strategic plan next Wednesday. An additional goal included promoting mental health and well-being.

4. Appropriations Committee: Special Projects Funding Recommendations�Chris Basil

They considered groups who were denied appeals. They voted 9–0 to fund COLA 420 dollars. There was a motion to adopt recommendations by N. Kumar. It was seconded. There was a call for acclimation. It was seconded. The recommendation was approved.

5. Women’s Issues Committee- R. Salem on behalf of N. Raps

On Tuesday, April 6, from 2–5pm she and members of her committee will be distributing lollipops with safety information. There is a sign-up sheet which was passed around.

6. Miscellaneous Update — A. Brokman

The Student Innovation Council, which was started this year, had a purpose as an outreach group to get more people involved in the process. The leader, one of the two co-chairs, recently said they would like to go independent and break off from the SA. They don’t feel as though we are helping them. They feel they could get mission done as a non-SA committee. But they are a committee. They feel it’s an important committee to have.

7. Internal Elections Announcement - VP Andrews

This is not the official announcement, but yesterday they had their first internal elections meeting. Two positions were selected. He congratulated A. Gitlin for winning VP of Internal Operations and A. Nicoletti for winning VP of Finance.

8. Dining Committee Update —VP Latella

They discussed renaming of food items at their meeting. There will be another one, and he encouraged everyone to attend. They are trying to get it open to as many students as possible.

9. Judicial Council Update —A. Cowen

Right before Spring Break, they held their first meeting, selected their officers, and now they are official. He thanked everyone for supporting this endeavor.

10. Honor Code and Appendix A Updates — VP Basil

They will be meeting Saturday at noon in Libe to draft ideas for the honor code. There will also be an Appendix A review form to condense the byline funding process. It will happen next Tuesday at 5 in place of an executive meeting.

R. Salem said that they are trying to switch the April 22nd meeting to North Campus.

11. Ad-hoc Public Service Committee - A. Gitlin

There was a meeting. They are creating a guidebook. If anyone knows artistically talented people to help with layout or design, shoot him an email with names.

12. Future Meetings — R. Salem

Next week Mayor Caroline Petersen is visiting, and on April 29th, President Skorton and VP Susan Murphy are visiting.

VI. New Business

1. R. 64- UA Undergraduate Representative Application Process�Rammy Salem

This is written in response to the situation presented earlier on in the semester. They found an unintended loophole in resolution nine that was presented and passed allowing for vacancies of UA seats filled by highest-ranking non-winning SA at-large candidate if no other seats existed. The rationale was that they wanted as much transparency as possible as opposed to an internal application process. This just makes sure both position can’t be offered to the same person. This makes you have to decide to commit to UA vs. waiting for SA.

A. Brokman said that his main issue is that it equates the UA with the SA. Someone runs for the SA position but is offered a seat on the other assembly you didn’t run for. UA is a constituent assembly. The grads, faculty senate, ea all send elected reps to the UA. He thinks that a better solution would be you run for an SA spot, you are guaranteed to get it. If there is a vacancy on the UA and you need to fill it, you should be able to do it via an internal SA election. Do you think we could make it so it’s filled by an internal SA election? R. Salem said that he think that how it was prior to the amendment of the charter was that we’d solicit applications from students at large. And then we would internally decide. You got elected by your specific college or constituencies for some people.

M. Danzer was wondering if the language of the Be It Further Resolved clause would be the appropriate language to do what the intent of the resolution? Yes, with a few additions.

VP Andrews asked what would happen when there are no extra candidates, like next year. Would it be worth looking to moving toward minority reps, LGBTQ and so on? R. Salem said that in the rare scenario that no undesignated at-large reps from the SA or UA exist, then it should be referred to an application process because it would be different to decide who gets preference between international, minority, etc. This was tabled until next week.

2. R. 65- Revision of University Inclement Weather Policy 8.2�Ulysses Smith & Andrew Flye ‘11

They sent everyone an email about clarification, but the policy in 65 is not within their jurisdiction. That’s why it’s a recommendation. The next one is within their jurisdiction. But they want them both to be revised in accordance with each other. As a result of the last second delayed start, there were a lot of employees/staff unable to make it in and were unclear of the process. Many students with prelims and classes had difficulty getting there. A disabled girl from Balch had to call a cab. Ray Mensah brought up how students had to clear the pathways for the other students. The policy outlines what the procedures are supposed to be primarily for employees, notifying students, and faculty, but the rest doesn’t mention students. They never clarified who tells us and when. The issue is what are we supposed to do about the disabled students who need to decide if they need to make arrangements. He talked to Katherine Fehee. This will be revised.

3. R. 66- Revision of Student Disabilities Services Procedure for Inclement Weather �Ulysses Smith & Andrew Flye ‘11

This resolution is specifically targeting the disabilities services. It needs to be acknowledged that they do a great job. As does CU Lift which will be mentioned in a revised draft. Right now, there is a proactive thing on the student’s part. They can file an inclement weather plan, and tells then exactly which paths are priority so facilities and grounds can work harder to keep these areas clear and also register with CU lift and student disabilities. What’s outlined won’t be final, but won’t be as feasible as hoped, to contact every student as hoped. What proposing now will be that people notified are those who are registered, use CU lift, those who live on campus and are within boundaries, and those who have filed an inclement weather plan. The university decides to remain open in inclement weather. However they have an obligation to make sure every student is afforded the same right to get to class safely.

N. Kumar thinks it is a great topic to tackle and wanted to make sure it was within their jurisdiction. It is, because it is in campus life.

This was tabled until next week.

4. R. 67 — Rammy Salem and Matt Danzer

There was a motion to move to business of the day. It was seconded without dissent.

Gov. Patterson’s PHEEA is essentially a move which would install a rational tuition program for SUNY schools. This is something the SUNY SAs have endorsed. There are some discrepancies which could make or break it. If the plan would be implemented, this is what would we like to see, etc. This would make a set percentage for each year. No one would be surprised by their education. Because Cornell is part of the SUNY SA and has a number of hybrid SUNY/private schools it would impact the land grant colleges. If you look at the second to last part, 90 percent would go into other government agencies and 10% would go back into the schools. They changed it to 80/20 but this is still largely unacceptable and this act does away with that. The recommendation of that is a reduction from what it stands now — 2.5x. N. Kumar wanted to know if the SUNY board of trustees had anything to do with this. It was more directed toward legislature. Their assembly hasn’t even passed or presented anything.

VP Basil asked if this only applies to land grant colleges. Yes. VP Basil thinks that this will only contribute to education inflation because the number is more arbitrary. M. Danzer replied that it wasn’t exactly how it worked. This would make the amount of grants from NY State not fluctuate the amount of money they’re giving us. VP Basil still doesn’t think it’s flexible enough. R. Salem said that in the actual bill, the wording allows the deans or presidents to request increases or fluctuations specific to certain colleges.

Motion to table until next week. Seconded. Tabled till next week

5. R. 68 — Rammy Salem and Roneal Desai

They made an amendment to the second Be It Resolved clause. They struck that “no posters of any kind shall” and replace with “no memorabilia of any type pertaining to specific individuals including but not limited to posters and photographs shall�” and in the first Be It Therefore Resolved clause striking out “do not make mention of specific�”

Currently bridges are owned by the city of Ithaca. The University doesn’t have the right to say what can/cannot be put on them. Students wanted to put things on there to make it less imposing. Admins have to take it off. Today, they brought the issue up with VP Susan Murphy. She said they are planning to instruct officers to do what is mentioned. There have been facebook groups created to put up flowers, etc to make them as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

M. DeLucia said that they mentioned Susan Murphy would speak to the police dept. since bridges are owned by Ithaca. One concern is if you start to allow decoration, might extend time fences are up. R. Desai said that they already said the fences which are up are going to be there until the end of the semester and this summer they’ll address alternative means. M. M. DeLucia would encourage to push for a set deadline.

J. Rau sees why people put up the flowers but don’t think it’s in the best interest of the university. Prospective students and parents would think oh fences, precaution but flowers imply a story. R. Desai said that there is the student perspective and prospective perspective. He thinks that one of the admins in charge of tour guides mentioned that the tours don’t cross any bridges with gates. Don’t know how big of an issue. We see it as more imposing because we’re used to it without the gates. Normal students, when they see the gates, it reminds the students of why they’re there. Adding the flowers doesn’t enhance the negative but enforces the positive.

VP Basil called to question. It was seconded with no dissent. There was a call for a hand vote. The community voted 2–1. The community gets 2 yes votes.

By a vote including the community’s of 19–2−1 including community member votes, this passes.

VII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:43 pm.

VIII. Executive Session