Student Assembly

Cornell University Student Assembly
September 29, 2011
4:45pm � 6:30pm
Willard Straight Hall, Memorial Room

Natalie Raps called the meeting called to order at 4:47pm

I. Call to Order / Roll Call

• Voting members present: S. Balik, G. Block, S. Breedon, D.Brown, A. Chopra, R. Desai, A. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, D. Goldberg, M. Gulrajani, G. Hoffman, J. Kay, D. Kuhr, J. Lee, A. Meller, J. Mueller, D. Muir, A. Nicoletti, N. Raps, J. Rau, P. Scelfo, U. Smith, E. Szulman, N. Treffeisen, A. Wolford, E. Yeterian
• Non-voting members present: A. Bores, D. Evensen, K. Hubbell, A. Raveret
• Excused Absences: A. Pinkney

II. New Members’ Oath of Office

III. Approval of the 9/22/11 Meeting Minutes

• Minutes approved

IV. Open Microphone

• No announcements

V. Announcements / Reports

• Human Ecology Outreach Event Recap — D. Kuhr
  • Ice cream social held last Friday (9–23–11) — rainy, but successful
  • Received suggestions for other events and will bring them up later
• Gorge Safety Update — A. Chopra
  • Idea to put gorge safety updates in weekly emails sent to all students
  • Getting more information on alcohol safety
• NYC Tech Campus Update — E. Szulman, G. Block, A. Wolford
  • 2nd video was filmed
  • Started to solicit comments from students on website (currently have 35) http://www.cornell.edu/nyc/
  • NYC is monitoring the website
  • Will be filming a 3rd video this weekend and will try to get it out next week
  • Also trying to get paraphernalia into the city and possibly creating a viral video — open to ideas and suggestions
• Outreach Update — U. Smith
  • Team of 9 people: Into the Streets on Saturday, 10–29–11 (time TBA)
  • Will be free T-shirts (20th anniversary)
  • Also, coffee hours are held before SA meetings — encourages members to reach out to people at those meetings

VI. Business of the Day

• Appropriations Committee Recommendation, CUPB — A. Nicoletti
  • CUPB: Cornell University Programming Board
  • CUPB is sister board of Concert Commission Board
  • Brings non-reasonable talent to campus
  • CUPB agreed to fun $7.50 per student
  • Call to question, seconded
  • Vote: 17–0−2
  • SA approves funding
• Appropriations Committee Recommendation SDPB — A. Nicoletti
  • SDPB: Slope Day Programming Board
  • Funding from SAFC was most money allocated to a single organization
  • Agreed to fund $18.00 per person (keeping the budget high in the bests interest of students)
  • A. Goldberg — did they use all of last year’s budget on performances?
  • A. Nicoletti — They had an $80,000 surplus — talent was cheaper in previous years, but they have a financial plan to work down the durplus
  • J. Rau — it is natural to have a surplus — thinks $35,000 is an appropriate level. Other $45,000 will be used to promote logistical endeavors
  • Call to question, seconded
  • Vote: 17–1−3
  • SA approves funding
  • A. Nicoletti — also met with CCC (Cornell Concert Commission), but is tabling their request until next Monday’s (10–3−11) appropriations meeting

VII. New Business

• Resolution 11: S.A. Task Forces — N. Raps
  • New addition to the SA — members will split into four task forces: student health, safety, communication, and byline funding
  • Task forces will split up into groups during meetings to talk about particular initiatives or the month
  • 3rd week of every month A. Gitlin will do an informal check to make sure the task forces are going along with the initiatives they planned
  • Each month each task force is to submit a one page max report of what they have accomplished for the month — will also serve as fodder for the administration to show what the SA can accomplish
  • N. Treffeisen — point of information: can the resolution be reviewed by a task force?
  • A. Gitlin — the resolution has to go through the committee, but a task force can create another resolution to be reviewed
  • U. Smith — should the task forces be established as a standing rule?
  • N. Raps — this is the first time the SA has attempted task forces, so we should make sure it works before making it a standing rule for future assemblies to follow
  • G. Block — task forces are strong because they are not formalized. The committees should be handling formal issues, the task forces should just be a hub for conversation
  • A. Gitlin — task forces not a by-law change, but rather a statement by the SA
  • N. Raps — the resolution has not been placed in formal writing yet
  • N. Raps — amendment to the resolution: strike the second “be it further resolved” clause as it states the same thing as the first
  • Call to question, seconded
  • Call for acclamation
  • Resolution 11 passes
• Resolution 12: Request to Email Owego Volunteer Response to Undergraduates — R. Desai, A. Bores, G. Block
  • G. Block — 90% of business in Owego has suffered sever damage — over $100 million damage in area
  • G. Block — Cornell community needs to get behind this — resolution to ask Communication board to allow the SA to send an email to the entire student body
  • SA worked on getting this privilege last year, but was denied since the board was worried of what would be done
  • This resolution is for this specific circumstance — will allow Cornell to rally volunteers in an organized fashion
  • N. Raps — has anyone contacted the Communications office?
  • A. Bores — the office is aware of the resolution and will be looking for it
  • Motion to move to Business of the Day — seconded
  • Resolution 12 moved to Business of the Day
  • R. Desai — point of information: what is protocol for how we asked the university last year to send a mass email?
  • N. Raps — have to go through the registrar — can be a 6–7 day process. Get support from the administration, they might be able to push the request through sooner
  • D. Kuhr — This process should be approved so Cornell can be helpful as soon as possible in Owego
  • J. Mueller — Who will be handling requests? Situation in Owego is not going to go away in a few weeks — there will be lots of volunteers with nowhere to go — an email blast of ‘let’s help right now’ could make students liable to forget about the situation in a couple of weeks
  • R. Desai — There is enough work for thousands of people in Owego, they just need to be aware of how many volunteers they will be so they can prepare work. Joyce and staffers in communication service will be handling details for the students (transportation, work descriptions, etc.)
  • A. Bores — there is enough work to do for months / years. Current volunteer forms list four weeks for people to sign up. Hope volunteers will return and tell friends / organization that more people need to go
  • R. Desai — stress for immediate action in the area — people are starving and homeless so immediate help is necessary. Later help will be focused on rebuilding
  • N. Treffeisen — thinking of motioning to have a link in the mass email to a donating website
  • N. Raps — point of information: SA may not be able to send a mass email asking for donations
  • A. Bores — the Google form attached to the email will provide a link for donations
  • E. Szulman — if there is a huge response from Cornell, are both parties able to handle it (Cornell and Owego)? Is the current approach sustainable? Can it easily lead to long-term action and can it be a framework for future events?
  • A. Bores — Both groups can handle requests — they just need to get the same information (hence the resolution). The more people there are, the more sustainable the project is overall
  • G. Block — short term action is important — hard to get people to volunteer once winter hits
  • U. Smith — has anyone coordinated with the city to accommodate for all the volunteers?
  • A. Bores — Yes — there is plenty of food, water, etc. for volunteers — they only need the manpower
  • D. Brown — So the SA knows, Joyce is the Public Service Commission — she handles all public service events on campus
  • R. Gitlin — has the SA considered other option in creating more buzz?
  • A. Bores — have tried to exhaust all ideas — shows importance of freshman representatives to bring new ideas
  • R. Gitlin — keep in consideration that a lot of students don’t know what is going on in Owego
  • D. Muir — regarding the Google Form, is there more specific information about dates / times on the form itself?
  • R. Desai — Form has specifics listed on it. Form also asks what time volunteers would like to go — PSC will review requests and choose the best time that works for everyone
  • A. Gitlin — consider putting a link to pictures or a YouTube video in the email
  • R. Desai — considering putting a link to he Facebook group — will discuss putting the link in the email
  • N. Raps — resolution is not about specific wording of the email, but rather getting the email out
  • M. Gulrajani — will talk about getting more transportation
  • A. Meller — The email in the resolution Is very long — should consider condensing the information
  • R. Desai — will send a copy of the email to the SA list serve — respond in 24 hours if they have suggestions before the email is sent to the board
  • Call to question, seconded
  • Call for acclamation, dissent — N. Raps removes call for acclamation
  • Vote: 25–0−0
  • Resolution 12 passes
• Resolution 13: Call on CUPD to Reevaluate their Response Protocol — S. Breedon, R. Desai, Sasha Mack, Karim Abouelnaga, Chief Kathy Zoner
  • Targets sentiment on campus toward minorities
  • There is some tension between students and CUPD based on events from past few years: students do not feel comfortable working with CUPD
  • Working to eliminate that sentiment, so students will feel comfortable calling the CUPD and will not feel bias when they call
  • Sasha Mack (Black Students United) — has been approached by students who do not feel safe in Cornell environment. Trying to create conversation between students and police to resolve tension between groups
  • R. Desai — not a shot at CUPD, but want to give CUPD an opportunity to present facts and prove to students that bias does not occur. Also want to allow students a chance to provide feedback to the CUPD
  • Chief Zoner — aware that there is tension, and the CUPD will do what it can to collaborate
  • Wants to use the SA as a forum to discuss with students at large who are affected by the issues mentioned
  • CUPD will speak about how they audit and review circumstances where bias may be interpreted
  • A. Nicoletti — Can an example be provided where bias was felt?
  • Sasha — Several people in the past week have talked to her
  • R. Desai — students feel biased against — would like Chief Zoner to talk about how CUPD works with general stereotyping
  • A. Nicoletti — is there a hotline for such isues? How do people learn about these things?
  • R. Desai — Students can file complaints to CUPD
• Resolution 14: Reviewing the Role of Student-Elected Trustees on Board of Trustees — N. Raps, R. Desai
  • Tabled by N. Raps due to lack of time — will be first resolution discussed in next meeting
• Resolution 15: Securing Transportation for Schuyler House Residents — G. Block
  • G. Block is an RA of Schuyler house
  • Residents of Schuyler have always had free bus passes, even if they are not freshmen, since Shuyler is really far from campus
  • Now, there is tension with TCAT bus drivers who are concerned about how much they are getting paid
  • G. Block worried for members of Schuyler is bus drivers go on strike
  • G. Block wants residential programs to have an established plan (should busses fail to run) to allow people to get home safely
  • U. Smith — plan is definitely feasible, as there are many services on campus that can transport students (Student Disability Service, CUPD, etc.)
  • J. Rau — understands that Schuyler is far, but should this resolution also consider all students?
  • D. Kuhr — where exactly is Schuyler?
  • G. Block — Schuyler is closer to the Commons than it is to CTB
  • M. Gulrajani — issues the second “be it therefore resolved clause” — thinks that strikes are not common occurrence. If you plan for a strike to occur, money must be put aside — Schuyler residents will end up paying more
  • G. Block — does not think strike will cost more money. Information has not yet been brought up to Schuyler residents (G. Block heard of possible strike from bus driver). Second clause merely asks that residential programs will provide transportation for any future occurrences where the busses fail to run
  • U. Smith — Agrees with Block in that the second clause will not cost money. Cornell already guarantees housing for 2nd year students — guaranteeing transportation should not be much more of a stretch. Also, service should be for everyone and not just for Schuyler residents
  • D. Kuhr — SA not sensing urgency of matter — strike could occur next week, so the important thing is the first clause. If the second clause is a big concern, it should be stricken and brought up in a future resolution
  • G. Block — does not see the second clause as a huge point of disruption, as it is very important to get Schuyler residents home safe at night
  • R. Desai — Much more dangerous to walk from Schuyler than to walk to North campus. Question for Gulrajani — if there is a concern for cost, why does it only apply to the second clause?
  • Gulrajani — first clause: prepared for upcoming situation. Second clause: building expectation — will cost more
  • A. Bores — Having a contingency plan (second clause) is different than a one-time fund, as we are spending money per year rather than for specific situations
  • A. Gitlin — If there happens to be a strike, can they not just record what happens and keep that a contingency instead of allocating more money towards it?
  • G. Block — resolution should not concern money, just a simple plan to ensure transportation
  • A. Meller — how many people live in Schuyler?
  • G. Block — 129
  • A. Meller — more of a logistical issue during the day — has friends that live just as far and it is not an ordeal for them to get to classes
  • G. Block — does not have to be all-day transportation, just to get them to class and back home safely. Foot travel is difficult for Schuyler as they have to travel uphill
  • N. Treffeisen — Ecology house same distance as Schuyler house — should include them as well. Motion to amend “Schuyler house” to “Schuyler and Ecology house”
  • G. Block — Huge difference between houses. Route to Schuyler has no blue lights — dangerous at night. Also, Ecology house has never had free bus passes. Schuyler residents expect them
  • D. Kuhr — agrees with G. Block. North campus is much safer — higher risk for Schuyler residents. Not necessarily fair, but Cornell may not have the resources to handle everything
  • U. Smith — Ecology house is not as far as Schuyler, the two are definitely not the same
  • D. Brown — should mention a specific house on the resolution otherwise other houses will want this too
  • G. Hoffman — Not a bad walk to class from Ecology house
  • N. Treffeisen — applauses the resolution and drops motion to amend
  • Call to question, seconded, dissent
  • Vote to vote: 13–8−0
  • Return to debate
  • J. Mueller — dissented because SA should not vote on something because they do not want to sit in meeting any longer. Agree with resolution, but sees it as a public safety issue instead of a ‘get to class’ issue. Suggests making a late-night service and not necessarily a day time service
  • A. Goldberg — Agrees that it should be a nighttime service, as Cornell should be worried about safety
  • G. Block — 95% of Schuyler residents take busses — do not even know how to take surface streets to campus. 30–40 minute walk from Schuyler to Central campus
  • A. Gitlin — this resolution is immediate — another resolution can be drawn to be reviewed by the SA and task forces
  • Call to question, seconded, dissent
  • Vote to vote: 17–7−0
  • Vote: 18–2−4
  • Resolution 15 passes

Meeting adjourned at 6:51 pm

Respectfully submitted,

Chelsea Cheng