Get a closer look at SGA! Here are the minutes from our meeting on Monday, October 5th!
Ithaca College Student Government Association
Senate Meeting Agenda
Monday, October 5, 2015 7:30pm – Taughannock Falls Room
I. Call to Order.
II. Roll Call:
Absent: Yena,
Late: Irma, Lima, Evan, Lanise
Left Early: Angela
III. Approval of the minutes
TJ
Jonathan (Second)
IV. Guest Speakers
A. Dr. Richardson (Diversity and Inclusion)
ü Associate provost for diversity, inclusion and engagement.
ü Been at Ithaca for 15 years.
ü Question: Some of the things have you done in the new role? –Dom
Ø Only been since June 1st
Ø Many of the things is a carry over of the number of things he has done in the past.
Ø Part of his portfolio has always included some aspect of inclusion although it wasn’t always his primary role.
Ø He helped to create OSEMA.
Ø Was able to bring offices together under the umbrella of OSEMA.
Ø Oversee direct supervision.
Ø Picked up center for academic advancement in his new role.
Ø Specific tasks from last year to this year: opportunity to work with representatives from SGA.
Ø Recommendation in creating a council in diversity and inclusion.
Ø Tried to materialize it.
Ø In the Fall a new provost joined, who accepted the work that had already been done, and asked to move to a membership with the recommendations that have been given.
Ø Recommendations that have been articulated by students last year was to implement a campus survey. We needed to work with an outside consultant in implementing a survey.
Ø Working with SGA.
Ø Working to work with CODI (Council of diversity and inclusion)
Ø In an effort to create the survey, once that is done the goal will be for it to be administered.
Ø September 28th, sponsor a symposium on diversity, was developed so that they could begin having discussion with faculty and staff about diversity and inclusion, had over 95 faculty and staff members, 3-hour symposium.
Ø Long term project as a way to begin the critical discussion among ourselves.
Ø What does diversity and inclusion really mean?
Ø If we continue to work to increase the numbers, what does it matter if people don’t feel welcome and respected?
Ø We find ourselves dealing with wicked problems.
Ø You solve one aspect but then there is another aspect.
Ø Wants to create discourse.
Ø At a point in time in the history of college where we can no longer continue to operate status quo, we have to become more intentional about diversity and inclusion.
Ø Urgent matter but for colleges and universities across the united states.
Ø This is a global issue.
ü What opportunities do you have for senators to get involved? -Angela
Ø You represent the student body.
Ø In terms of your involvement there are different forms, urge you to not wait to ask to be involved, think of creative ways to get involved.
Ø There is going to be a need for all of us if we want the results in this survey to be substantial, we need people involved in focus groups, need you to get people engaged in the process.
Ø Student clubs and organizations are critically important.
Ø Would like to see this conversation be within the context of an educational experience and personal experience. These issues and questions are not questions just for us. Regardless of where you go after here you will be dealing with these same issues and concerns.
Ø To sit on the sideline is to really lose out on the opportunity.
Ø Many people see it as an issue for themselves.
Ø If you leave here and you are not comfortable interacting with an inclusive community, then you have lost out on a big part of your undergraduate community.
ü What things SGA or the administration is doing to help establish better trust within these communities? –Dom
Ø Trust is something that you learn.
Ø When someone says they don’t trust you, what is that based on?
Ø Question the validity of someone who said they don’t trust.
Ø Trust is about relationships, if you don’t have a relationship with someone it is difficult to hear you say you don’t trust them.
Ø If people are interested in wanting to find out about you individually or about the SGA collectively then he would want to see some form of engagement.
ü How do you feel about only 3 diversity courses with ICC? –Eli
Ø Was excited when it was created because there was a time where they didn’t even have one.
Ø There is nothing that administration can give as it related to curriculum.
Ø Curriculum is controlled by the faculty.
Ø When it was announced that you need one diversity course to graduate, he was very excited.
Ø He would say that diversity should be integrated into every major.
Ø To be able see some aspect of diversity in each major, that would be the ideal way to know that everyone is getting some skill development around diversity.
ü Do you have any ideas you are pursuing to widen the diversity of perspectives? –Charles
Ø You have to take a look at the diversity of the ideas of the individuals that come in.
Ø We speak of higher education as a market place of ideas, we expect that will be a variety of different perspectives and ideas.
Ø If you find yourself in majors and programs that you don’t hear see or feel diversity of perspectives those are real conversations worthy of discussion and dialogue with the department chairs and deans of the schools.
ü What are the best ways to reach individuals who aren’t aware of its importance? –Megan
Ø That’s the challenge, sometimes you hear people say they are motivated by their self interest.
Ø If you interact with individuals, you can see what is it that interests them.
Ø If they value you as a peer or as a friend, if they are willing to have conversations with you, you can influence their thinking in some way.
Ø Education is all about individual’s willingness to engage in discourse with one another especially when your points of view and ideas are in opposition with one another.
Ø Requires a lot of confidence in oneself and willingness in oneself.
Ø A lot of times we operate in fear of not wanting to be not liked, so we decide not to pursue the conversation.
Ø We allow the people who are close to us to have perspectives that could be very damaging.
Ø I want to know the perspective that may be in total opposition to mine.
ü Do you think Ithaca college has a culture inclusion here and if not what can student do to bring it to Ithaca? -Marieme
Ø Ithaca values the ideas associate with the importance of inclusion.
Ø Requires us to do more than be at the table, require us to serve well.
Ø Who is Ithaca College?
Ø It is all of us collected.
Ø It is a micro college in our society.
Ø All the good that is out there in the world exists at Ithaca college.
Ø Some of the bad out there in the world probably exists at Ithaca College.
Ø What that is exactly, we probably don’t know until we encounter it.
Ø Ithaca College is a welcoming and supporting environment.
Ø Came from NYU to IC, worked at Cornell, Dartmouth, what was unique about Ithaca was, the people here to be personable, to demonstrate that they care, never saw colleagues care so much for students.
Ø We have a way to go.
Ø You can make a difference in the time that you are here.
ü Unofficial talk about creating a space for minority students, do you think that will be helpful? –Charlotte
Ø There is positive and negative in everything that you think of.
Ø Would be concerned if students don’t find the spaces that we occupy unsafe, that we have to go to a specific location to feel safe.
Ø That is disturbing to him, not to say that individuals want to have a space who they could be with individuals who they feel comfortable with who are supportive.
Ø From the research, the research talks about the importance of student engagement and student involvement.
Ø It is important that people have the spaces that they need in order to satisfy the needs that they need satisfied.
Ø Doesn’t promote self segregation. If that is the case, why be here at all?
Ø Understands both sides when it comes to that.
V. New Business
v Motion to open New Business-Jonathan
v Second- Joseph
A. LGBTQ studies bill (Kyle James)
ü This bill is a bill that builds off of bills passed.
ü Two years ago in the fall of 2013, he proposed a bill that called for th LGBTQ studies minor.
ü From that bill an experimental course was created for fall 2014, that would serve as an introductory course.
ü Was funded for three semesters.
ü Filled to 150%.
ü Offered in subsequent semesters.
ü The minor was talked about with several faculty members.
ü Main issue right now, there aren’t enough courses on the books that would quality for the minor.
ü Not enough faculty that have the academic background necessary to teach courses in this minor.
ü There is an interest in pursuing it further.
ü Are professors who can teach the courses but do not have the space in their schedules to teach these courses.
ü Course fulfills a lot of ICC requirements.
ü Program review done last spring, for the women and gender studies program.
ü No solid commitments as of right now.
ü There is no commitment from the administration.
ü Where is the accountability?
ü Time stamp: Fall 2020
ü If we have people constantly working towards this, 5 years is reasonable to do.
ü Standing committee contains faculty and staff.
ü Determining who sits on the committee.
ü Some students have read this bill have called for a survey.
o Questions and Answers:
Q: What is the push for the minor?
A: It is strange that we don’t have an academic program to represent these students, the minor is necessary to stay as an issue, we are in danger if we don’t have a minor. Faculty staff and administration have been supportive to see where the money is going to come from.
Q: Have you talked to any other department chairs to see what courses they could offer? Are you recommending they create new courses?
A: Talked to CSCRE, Sociology, Cory Young, Bruce Henderson in Econ Studies Etc. Talks to them to see how their department is functioning. Been hearing that yes they would love to support it. An introductory level course and a capstone course, all of the courses in the middle would work like the women gender studies department. Would not discourage any more creative thinking on how the minor could operate.
Motion to extend the discussion by 2 minutes: Azeka
Second: Matilda
Q: How are you going to go about crating the standing committee?
A: was hoping to talk to E-board more, eventually getting a diversity and inclusion standing committee to get this housed under.
Q: Is the committee to make sure that the focus still stays on it? Or to mold the course into what it needs to be?
A: to ensure there is constant talk, constant discussion to move forward.
5 Minutes of Discussion:
ü Kaitlin L: Arguing that you are making it a steering committee. In terms of who wants the minor, looking into in the clear studies course or the midterm course evaluation that could be added as a question.
ü Azeka: The deadline is so far away and nobody in this room will be here by the time that happens, there needs to be something else to make sure this is actually going to happen because this is so far away by that time. Needs to be something else that really backs it up, not just the committee.
ü Dom: Great point Azeka, idea of a standing committee is huge, and it is important to get faculty and staff at the table. May be worth taking a critical look at how SGA creates committees as well.
Motion to previous question: Charlotte, Angela.
Voting: Approve: 15
Disapprove: 0
Abstaining: 1
ü Bill Passes
B. SOTSA (Kyle Stewart)
ü Usual process for bills requires a lot of research.
ü Thought of this idea yesterday.
ü Idea of making a bill came yesterday, it has always been an idea.
ü State of the student address bill.
ü Reason for presentation: to have the senate approve
ü Want it to be the ideas and issue that the senate feels we should be representing as well
ü Commitment excellence
ü We need to have feedback, where we outline issues, present issues and work through it.
ü Make sure we are globalizing issues that we find important.
ü SGA has a platform to vocalize these issues.
ü This will be a big platform to identify issues and bring them to student body.
ü Main focus: diversity and inclusion.
ü Sexual assault prevention.
ü Mental Health.
ü Engaged Citizenship.
ü Student Rights.
ü Make the student bill of rights as transparent as possible.
ü How can SGA work with students to solve problems facing campus?
o Questions and Answers:
Q: What are ways that students see the student state of address?
A: Facebook Ads, counting on everyone in here to share it once it goes out on social media, encouraging your friends to share it. Try and work with IC TV.
Q: Is this going to be all of the different topics in this one State of Student Address? Lightly touching each of them?
A: Have a video of a full state of student address, each day we share one segment of it, most people will view it in segments instead of the entire address.
Q: How long is it, what are you including in it that will get people involved?
A: Each issue, we start with the problem and give examples of solutions that have worked and if not give new solutions, end it with inviting the student body to work with us to solve the problems, each will be different time lengths.
Motion to extend the Discussion by Two Minutes- Kaitlin
Second: Matilda
Q: For the videos will it be Dom giving all of them?
A: It will be Dom speaking.
Q: Do you think that just using Facebook will be effective?
A: It will be on YouTube as well. As of now I don’t know another way of reaching out to a vast number of students. Would love to use OrgSync but that is complicated.
5 Minutes of Discussion:
Kyle James: Would recommend putting this on intercom. If you all feel that this bill is not where it needs to be you can motion to table, it for a week so the people presenting can go back and put citations.
Kaitlin: Wish there were citations in this, disregarded the rules for senators by saying that needing to have the bills in the day before. Like the bill but, Disappointed. In terms of outreach, it is really hard to engage students. Facebook is the best way to reach students.
Joseph: Should look at other platforms.
Matilda: So many topics, that you need to have a clear visibility strategy that maybe hasn’t been thought out of all the way through.
Megan: Having an in person contact is so important. Maybe partnering with different organizations on campus.
Jonathan: Second what she said, getting in touch with other organizations on campus.
Motion to Extend this discussion by 5 minutes- Azeka
Second- Matilda
Charles: Have it as an event where people can watch it and see it, make a video off of the live thing.
Carlie: Contacting RHA would be beneficial, getting the idea of this in to freshmen’s minds, it will implement something into their minds, get it to more people.
Dom: Take personal responsibility that this is unresearched, would not be disappointed if we push this up a week. Feel rushed and want to make sure we are speaking for the whole student body.
Matilda: go back to the outreach thing, based on experience students need 1o touches with an idea before they commit to it. There need to be multiple ways of getting this out there. A lot of other ways to do this that are not on Facebook.
Joseph: Majority of student off campus, some might not look. Use other organizations.
Laura: Carlie makes a good point with reaching out to RAs, particularly to first year students, a lot of RAs will jump on the idea of a watch party. When people get together and watch something it promotes discussion.
Motion to extend this discussion by a minute: Azeka
Second: Charlotte
Azeka: What Dom was saying about the time crunch, because it is so important and you need to get the majority of the student body in this, rushing it in a way isn’t giving it enough justice, it can be so much better and have so much more potential.
Motion to move to Previous Question: Matilda
Second : Joseph
Voting
Motion to table the bill- Eli
Second: Azeka
Motion to close new business: Lanise
Second: Atilla
VI. Continuing Business
A. Officer Reports
Dom:
v Main point when reproach the bill, more of the language and research in it.
v Good effort of transparency.
v Losing registrar on campus: Needs a student.
v Handling class registration, student information.
v Lanise, Azeka, Laura, Joe.
v Council of Diversity and inclusion has met twice now.
v He is a representative.
v We are expanding some of the membership.
v There are two students.
v Diversity and Inclusion is the number one issue SGA is working on from his personal SGA position.
Kyle Stewart:
v Great turnout at the SGA Ball.
v Communications committee a lot of people interested in joining.
v If still interested send him an email by tomorrow.
v In terms of a new website, need feedback on what you want to see on the website.
Kyle James:
v Next week, bringing one if not two of the bills to the table.
v Professors can see and recognize a student’s handwriting.
v Bill talking about evaluations.
v Anyone interested in working on it with him?
v Bringing in a bill dealing with representation on committees, talks about representation and what our student rights are.
v Anyone who wants to be on the LGBTQ committee? People who are willing to do research, look at other colleges, meet with professors, people who are willing to sit there.
v Azeka will work on it will him.
Evan:
v Always will have new members on the appropriations committee.
v Shows amount allocated and proposed.
v Committees was hoping to host a film shooting for “She’s Fit to Lead” but it was decided that is was not an event that was felt comfortable funding.
Marieme:
v Senate Orientation, a lot of you didn’t show up which was disappointing, people who didn’t email is disappointing, do not like the behavior. You are supposed to be representing the student body. Will be an unexcused absence.
v People that haven’t met yet, it is important to email her about one on ones.
v Bills tomorrow, any intent about creating a bill, send your intent by 5:00.
v Stay engaged in the meetings.
v Keep laptops for SGA purposes.
v Visit club meetings.
v It is important to hear what students are saying.
v Looking for more members in the senate committee.
Sierra Lukas:
v No Update.
Lima:
v Nice to engage with alumni’s and let them know what students need.
v Want to get things started before the next board meeting.
v Those who attended the unity social, there was an evaluation survey that came out, please complete it if you haven’t.
Motion to close officer reports: Joseph
Second: Lanise
Open Agenda:
v SGA Visit Student Orgs.
Ø Kaitlin: Something tried to do last year was to ask senators to go to a club they were not a part of.
Ø Joseph thinks it is a good idea and so does Jonathan, good way to interact with the student body as a whole.
Ø Azeka: If you are already part of clubs it might be a lot.
Ø If you are part of a club and you say you are representing SGA that could work too.
Ø Matilda: It is good if you are going to network and meet the E-board of a club and figure out how they can help. Talk about what you are doing and how it relates to what you are doing.
Ø Charlotte: Going once to a club meeting wont really do much.
Ø Kyle J: By going once is not saying that you are there, you are just creating a contact.
Ø Kaitlin: Main reason it was brought up last year, to have a contact that is not just financial
Ø Dom: Have a list of the meeting times for all the Alanna Orgs, will give times.
Ø Carlie: An idea, there is a lot of clubs at Ithaca College and we cannot go to all of the meetings, any way we can make a spread sheet to say this is where you are going. If you can’t go to the meeting, then create a contact.
Ø Kaitlin: Will start with a spread sheet. Point is to get to every single club by the end of the year.
Ø Lima: Alanna orgs have a council, will be helpful for senators to go.
Ø Dom: Speaking of Alanna Council, meeting with Rock Lash in OSEMA this week to talk about it, it isn’t entirely formal yet.
v Linked in Workshop tomorrow at 7:00pm in Park 281.
v Should be more SGA events. A lot of people asking what SGA is? Dom had a similar issue, when he was speaking in classes he referred to it as Student Government Association, we have more events happening throughout the year. Talk to Yena about more events. We have a budget for some events.
Motion to close meeting: Lanise
End Time: 9:43
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20151006221037335