Student Assembly

Agenda — April 12, 2012
Cornell University Student Assembly
4:45pm — 6:30pm, 401 Physical Sciences

I. Call to Order / Roll Call

N. Raps called the meeting to order at 4:45pm

Members present

S. Balik, G., Block, S. Breedon, D. Brown, A. Chopra, R. Desai, B. Francisco, A. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, M. Gulrajani, G. Hoffman, J. Kay, J. Lee, A. Meller, J. Mueller, A. Nicoletti, A. Pinkney, H. Pittell, N. Raps, J. Rau, P. Scelfo, E. Szulman, N. Treffeisen, A. Wolford, E. Yeterian, A. Sanangelo

Members absent and unexcused

D. Goldberg, D. Muir, A. Raveret

Also present

Lawrence Kogos, Brandon Coulter, Claire Blumenthal, Daniel Greener, Ari Epstein, Amy Edwards, Chelsea Cheng

II. Approval of the 04/05/12 Meeting Minutes

• Minutes approved

III. Open Microphone

• Ramsey Ataya: Would like to have course evaluation survey results available for students. Suggestions or support from the SA?
  • P. Scelfo: The surveys are only reviewed for the purpose of promotion and tenure, so they are not accessible to students. Would be happy to answer more questions by email
• J. Lee: Results of survey sent out regarding the Academic Calendar:
  • Only 22% of students want to shorten senior week
  • A little over 30% of students supported a shortened study week
  • Majority support for extended Thanksgiving and Spring break

IV. Announcements / Reports

Environmental Update — Elyssa Dixon and Jennifer Kay

• Last year, a resolution was passed that required composting across campus
• Compost bins are behind Willard Straight Hall and Mann Library — working on getting the word out to students
• Sustainable Events Planning Guide to be distributed across listservs
• Springfest event on April 20

UA Update — Peter Scelfo and Melissa Lucasciewicz

• The University Assembly passed Resolution 7
• Amendments made:
  • UA is given the opportunity to robustly participate in any changes made to Policy 6.5
  • The University continues in its efforts to make people aware of the individual rights of the constituents in a sexual harassment / assault case

C4 Update — Nate Treffeisen and Mohit Gulrajani

• SA’s event to increase mental health and awareness on campus — more informal and relaxed this year
• Hopefully 30+ booths on Ho Plaza on April 17 from 12:00 — 3:00
• Half hour performances: Jazz band and DJ from Cornell Concert Commission

V. Student Assembly Finance Commission (SAFC) Executive Board
Lawrence Kogos, Co-Chair
Brandon Coulter, Co-Chair
Claire Blumenthal, Vice Chair for Internal Operations
Daniel Greener, Vice Chair for Public Relations

• Background information
  • Number of groups increasing, amount requested increasing, caps decreasing
  • Many groups are struggling
  • About 20% of funds go unspent every semester
• Solution: a tiered system
  • Groups will be placed in different tiers based on their spending history over the past 3 years (tier caps to be determined). Initial tier placement of new groups will be at the lowest tier
  • Pros: groups that need the most money will get it, reduced rollover, reduced requested funding amounts, continuity
  • Cons: Slightly limits newer groups and more appeals
  • Moving between tiers
    • Groups have to meet a threshold value for their tier spending percentage and their efficiency spending percentage
    • Groups must meet the above criteria and submit an annual performance report if they wish to get into a performance tier (ideally no cap)
  • Fast track advancement: if groups advanced to a higher tier for 3 consecutive years then they are eligible to advance 2 tiers
  • Special cancellation: allows groups to remove funds from their tier due to cancellation (if submitted within 2 weeks of cancellation)
  • Organization may only appeal an SAFC decision regarding placement into a performance tier as other placement is purely determined by financial ata
  • Special projects funding to be used only for unforeseen events. Groups will only be allowed to apply for it if there is room in their tier cap
  • Getting rid of all documentation except for: letter of intent, publication, proof of travel event
  • Summary: tier system solves instability in caps and severely reduces documentation
• M. Gulrajani: What if a group is placed into a performance tier and does not perform well?
  • All groups are evaluated at the end of the year and will get bumped down a tier if they do not meet the criteria
• Moseh Cho ‘15: With this system, a group might spend more than they need to in order to advance a tier — how will this be accounted for?
  • The SAFC only funds for very specific things, so it would be difficult to spend funds on unnecessary things
• G. Block: Why can a group not apply for a special project fund if they have already hit their cap? In the example of club sports, they will definitely max out their tier, so what do they do if they qualify for championships?
  • In the case of club sports, they should plan for that in their budget. The Special Projects Fund is specifically for unforeseen events
  • A. Nicoletti: Club sports groups will most likely be in the performance tier, and since there is no defined cap, special projects would be handled slightly differently for them
• Enrico Bonatti ‘14: Concerned that the process for initial tier placement will deter the creation of new clubs. Believes there should be a special application for higher tiers if a new club is especially popular
  • R. Desai: A resolution can be drafted to amend the guidelines. However, under the tiered system, new groups would be given more funds than under the current system
• H. Pittell: Has non-linear movement between tiers been considered?
  • It was considered, but ultimately they were against the idea
  • The tiered system awards groups with a proven track record, so it is best to keep it standardized. Also, movement between non-performance tiers is determined purely by financial data
• Narda Terrones: Has received a lot of emails from minority groups with concerns about the tiered system. Will there be an opportunity to address the concerns in the next meeting?
  • N. Raps: The guidelines will be discussed at the next meeting and possibly another after that
  • A. Gitlin: Recommends that groups also contact R. Desai and A. Pinkney as they are the minority representatives in the SA
• A. Nicoletti: In terms of documentation, why get rid if price quotes? Groups are already used to filling that form out and it is also forces them to consider how much funding t apply for. It would also help clarify the expense for the SAFC
  • The tiered system really holds treasurers accountable for what they ask for
  • The general sentiment is that the less documentation, the better
  • Will be sure to bring it up for discussion at the next SAFC meeting
• P. Scelfo: How does the new system consider groups whose functions rely on non-durable (not funded) goods?
  • There is a new line item for items necessary to an event that would not be otherwise funded
• D. Brown: Would it be possible to make the criteria for applying for performance tiers more concrete?
  • The criteria were created to combat things that could be manipulated (say, membership)
  • The application is for groups to show what they have done and there they are going — they do not have to fulfill all the criteria, but rather give enough information so that the SAFC can determine if they are eligible for the performance tier

VI. Business of the Day

Cornell Cinema Request for Ticket Price Increase — Eric Horn and Mary Fessenden

• The Appropriations Committee did not grant their request for increased funding. Instead, the Committee said it would approve an increase in the price of tickets so that only the students going to the Cornell Cinema would pay more, instead of the entire student body
• Call to question
• Vote: 22–0
• SA approves increase in ticket prices

VII. New Business

Resolution 41: Advocate for the Prevention of Sexual Violence in IFC houses by Endorsing Wingman101 — Dara Brown, Kristen Askin, Ken Babcock, Nina Cummings

• Some minor amendments were made to the resolution
• The resolution advocates for prevention of sexual harassment on campus, specifically targeting the IFC through Wingman101
• Motion to move to business of the day
• R.41 moved to Business of the Day
• J. Mueller: Panhellenic does not support bystander intervention — what did they say about this resolution?
  • It was not brought up as an issue, perhaps because it specifically target IFC chapters
• N. Raps: Proposes that the email states that the resolution has the support of not only the SA, but also IFC, Panhellenic, and Wingman
• A. Chopra: Can you speak more about Wingman101?
  • It is a program that involves showing a presentation to male participants regarding sexual harassment. Discussion is encouraged in the group, then they are told at the end what the topic of discussion was — sexual harassment. This serves as a wake up call for them and hopefully encourages them to think about the discussion afterwards
• M. Gulrajani: Concerned about sending an email to IFC presidents recommending them what to do
  • The wording of the email was changed to make it sound like a friendly recommendation instead of a mandate. Hopefully it will not be a problem
• Call to question
• Vote: 19–2
• Resolution 41 passes

Resolution 43: Non-negotiable aspects of the new University Calendar — Geoffrey Block and Natalie Raps

• Some amendments made to the resolution: Change the title to “SA Recommendation for the New University Calendar” and changing item 2 under the ‘be it therefore resolved’ clause from 7 full days to 8 full days
• The 6 items stated in the resolution are the minimum requirements for changes in the new calendar from a mental health perspective
• J. Mueller: Though the calendar is mental health orientated, it is also helpful in that the extra day for Thanksgiving makes it easier/safer for travel and having Slope Day on Wednesday will make it easier to get performers
• Moseh Cho ‘15: Having extra days off is great, but where are they going to be made up?
  • There are some make up days built in already, but discussions are still occurring regarding how best to modify the calendar (potential to shorten Winter break)
• Call to question
• Roll call vote: 21–0

• Resolution 43 passed

N. Raps adjourned the meeting at 6:30

Respectfully submitted,
Chelsea Cheng