Student Assembly

Minutes — Student Assembly
October 31, 2013
4:45pm — 6:30pm
Willard Straight Hall

I. Call to Order

U. Smith called the meeting to order at 4:40pm.

Members present

S. Ali Khan, S. Balik, J. Batista, Y. Bhandari, G. Block, E. Bonatti, R. Gademsky, I. Harris, M. Henderson, T. Hittinger, L. Liu, M. Lukasiewicz, S. Lutsic, Y. Ma, N. Mileti, A. Murphy, C. Pritchett, U. Smith, M Stefanko, B. Thompson, N. Tulsky, L. Wershaw, A. Zhou

Members tardy

J. Hutson, T. Talbot

Members excused

N. Vasko

Members unexcused

T. Drucker

II. Approval of October 24, 2013 Minutes

Minutes approved by unanimous consent

III. Open Microphone

None

IV. Announcements and Reports

Into the Streets Announcement — J. Batista

Thanks SA members for the participation

SACIDI Update — N. Mileti

Met and spoke about the Unisted Student Body resolution and the different methods of implementing DIPs

Diversity and Inclusion Update — N. Tulsky

Will begin review of DIPs on Sunday. Each will have 1 point person and 1 backup so there will be two read-throughs. Each DIP will be reviewed for about 4–6 minutes. Review session held next week

Leadership Breakfast Update — U. Smith

IT plans to make new website accessible, particularly for people with disabilities. Looking at a time line of about 18 months

Student Services Advisory Group Meeting Announcement — U. Smith

Looking into making Ask Ezra more of a hub. Have a mock-up of the final exam schedule to be effective in the Spring — will be soliciting feedback

Financial Aid Review Committee Update — A. Murphy

Big push for PR regarding Students Helping Students Grant

Community Life Committee Update - M. Stefanko

Hoping to get Composting off in January

Appropriations Committee Update — G. Block

Will hear Club Insurance, Cornell Forensics Society, Outdoor Odyssey next week

V. SAFC Update — SAFC Co-Chair Blumenthal

• Not enough funding for Special Projects funding due to the 100+ increase in the number of student organizations. Special Projects funding is never guaranteed, but it’s always been nice to have that bit of extra to work with.
• C. Pritchett: Multiple funding rounds was mentioned last semester — is that still on the table?
  • It’s a great idea and the opportunity would be amazing, but due to the difficulties that came about from the switch to OrgSync, multiple funding rounds will not be available for this academic year
• E. Bonatti: Do you have a gauge on how efficient spending is in terms of across-groups?
• There are some groups that do similar things so that’s a slight concern
• C. Cheng: There’s a $1500 cap on all newly registered organizations. Due to the large increase, will this number be adjusted at all?
  • The caps are reviewed every semester, but it feels more like a registration concern than an SAFC concern

VI. Business of the Day

Appropriations Committee Recommendation: Community Partnership Board — G. Block

• Provides funds for public service activities
• AC felt they shouldn’t be a constant funding source — not a place an group should go to year after year
• Provide a unique service, AC was happy with them, kept allocation at same amount, which was what was requested
• Motion to approve, seconded
• CPB Approved by 23–0−0

Appropriations Committee Recommendation: OSC

• OSB requested an increase for freshman/transfer programming and for the Speak About It program
• AC felt the programming was a good use of funds, but questioned whether the students or the administration should pay for the program
• AC agreed to split the cost of the program between students and administration
• M. Lukasiewicz: Spoke with VP Murphy and was told that regarding the event, there should be both student and admin support so the compromise regarding funding sources seems appropriate
• Motion to approve, seconded
• OSC Approved by 24–0−0

VII. Old Business

R. 18: Amended Diversity Plan 2013–2014 #1 — U. Smith

• President Skorton requested a language clarification regarding committee qualifications
• Call to question, seconded
• R. 18 approved by unanimous consent

VIII. New Business

R. 16: Revision of Arts and Sciences Government Pre-enrollment — B. Thompson

• Most departments allow signup for lecture and dis at the same time, but the Government department doesn’t do that so there are a lot of scheduling conflicts
• Has talked to several faculty members and they support the resolution
• Motion to move to Business of the Day, seconded, moved
• G. Block: This is the kind of legislation that the SA should be focusing on — issues in the community that the SA can recommend some legislative change to adjust
• E. Bonatti: There are issues in other departments too — have you considered expanding this resolution to make it more inclusive?
  • There is a clause in the resolution recommending that this be standard throughout the University, but the focus is on the Government department and if it’s successful, then it can be a model for ay future changes that need to be made in other departments
• J. Batista: What’s going to happen
  • Heads of department will have to sit down and work on it together
• L. Liu: Thinks it’s great that the focus is only on one dept.
• Call to question, seconded
• Passes by a roll call vote of 24–0−0

R.17: Adding Student Trustees as Ex-officio members — R Gitlin

Trustee Gitlin is not present, so the resolution will be up for discussion next week.

Motion to adjourn, seconded

U. Smith adjourned the meeting at 5:36

Respectfully submitted, Chelsea Cheng