Get a closer look at SGA! Here are the minutes from our meeting on Monday, November 2nd!
Ithaca College Student Government Association
Senate Meeting Agenda
Monday, November 2nd, 2015 7:30pm – Taughannock Falls Room
I. Call to Order.
II. Roll Call:
Absent:
Left Early:
Late:
III. Approval of the minutes.
IV. Guest Speakers
A. Patricia B. Spencer
ü Assistant Professor/ Department of Writing
ü Faculty Director of Service-Learning/ Office of Civic Engagement
ü Going into the community to solve problems
ü My office is in the new Office of Civic Engagement
ü Been teaching on this campus for 20 years
ü Here to talk to you about the work of the office of civic engagement
ü It is a relatively new office
ü Also would like to introduce you to Kaitlin Logsdon who is the Intern.
ü We started this summer without a website.
ü Kaitlin: I started working in June, it is really cool as someone who believes that the college should be giving back to the community. I got to learn a lot of cool things about building an office from the ground up. How to get out presence out there which is what we are still working on. I learned about a lot of opportunities, like service learning courses which I didn’t know existed here.
ü There is an ad that will be appearing in the Intercom. We are looking for two new student workers.
ü To begin work before the end of the semester and bring that work into the spring semester.
ü To make sure we are getting to our community partner efficiently.
ü I see my students as colleagues.
ü We see community service as an important start in terms of community engagement but would like to encourage students to dig deep in the community engagement.
ü The pyramid can help you understand better.
ü Four areas: Community Service, Service-Learning, Community Employment, Civic Leadership.
ü We are starting to have courses that have to do with Service- Learning.
ü Civic Leadership is about potentially creating internship opportunities.
ü Community Employment, could be work study, or work that is being done specifically with a community partner.
ü You can enter community engagement from any of the four areas.
ü Idea is that by the end of your undergraduate experience, that you mapped out a process that has taught you more about who you are as an emerging citizen.
ü Take the issues and grow your engagement in that issue.
ü What is the heightened level of engagement that you can create?
ü Attributes of an engaged citizen.
· Hiring managers are looking for skill sets like obtaining and processing information, plan, organize and prioritize work etc.
ü When students speak up with passion, that is engagement citizenship.
ü All of you being able to find a voice where you can express that in clear ways.
ü We are beginning a process where we are talking about prison education.
ü Music therapy (Ithaca Times)
ü Music is medicine.
ü Anything that you feel passionately about we can help you.
ü Questions?
ü Lima: Do you work with specific departments?
ü Patricia: All. The way it works is that we have had to come up with collective language that we can share. The entire college has adopted it. We are looking for quality. Our support is for the entire college community at both graduate and undergraduate level.
ü Kyle S: Are there any incentives to encourage students to participate?
ü Patricia: right now there aren’t departments that do not require service learning. There are scholarships, and the honors program. Our goal is to be more intentional as to where IC puts its energy. I have found that both as a teacher and as a member of whatever community I am in, the more engaged I am in trying to address issues have made me feel a little less obsolete. I don’t have to believe that things are unresolvable. You start to get really connected with this type of engagement. How about those of you who have done service learning? Does anybody have an experience like that?
ü Kyle J: Ithaca College Natural Lands. I thought of ways that I could use my media skills to make it more successful. We are working on a project that will make Natural Lands available online. For those of you who want to learn more can learn more while they are in it.
ü Patricia: Being in a context that is real, to learn something about yourself, that is really powerful.
ü Dom: Being a steward of place? Explain to the rest of group.
ü Patricia: where you wake up is where you live. I thought about that. You might not consider this as your home, but it is where you wake up. Being a steward of place is this idea that you pay attention to and you are responsible to the area you wake up. We aren’t meant to isolate, coming together collaboratively.
ü The collective impact, one of the ways that we are trying to be more intentional, is to use what is a local process, national movement, Collective Impact. The idea is that communities come together and bring a variety of institutions, they start to look at the community, they come to a sense of where the deep needs are. They come to an agreement on what they are going to focus on. Instead of pointing fingers at each other, we are going to figure out how to collectively agree on what we are talking about. What we can do to fix this problem. There is a lot we can learn as we engage in the collective impact process.
ü There are a lot of exciting opportunities for you here. When you put your energy in a place that does you good, but you are also having a positive impact on social and local needs, that is powerful.
Motion to open new business: Jonathan Couce
Second: Joseph Fenning
V. New Business
A. Voting in some new senators.
ü Sierra Vorshiem
ü Politics Major Class of 2017
ü Run for Class of 2017 Senate seat
ü Issue surrounding Blue Skies
ü How administration has responds to these issue
ü Prior to IC never was into politics but it took one class to get myself interested.
ü Issue with structural foundation of this college.
ü There is still a need for change on this campus.
ü This is a time for action and I am excited and committed to be a part of it.
ü Let’s take advantage of this opportunity and work to create change together
ü Questions:
¨ Jonathan: Any other issues on campus that you are passionate about?
¨ Sierra: Would appreciate if the internet worked consistently, the snow clearing issues.
¨ Matilda: Major before you switched?
¨ Sierra: Music Ed. And Music Performance.
ü Discussion:
¨ Dom: she is one of the few students who emailed me out of the blue of issues on campus which is always refreshing to see.
¨ Kaitlin: I appreciate how she saw the issues and decided she wanted to take action.
ü Voting:
Approve: 13
Opposed: 0
Abstaining: 0
Motion to move to continuing business: Angela
Second: TJ
VI. Continuing Business
ü LGBTQ Studies Bill
¨ Waiting on one more person to get back to me before I send an email for the entire committee to work on.
¨ The edits are small
ü FASFA BILL
¨ I had my meeting with Ryan Delanie
¨ I spoke to a couple people in the business school
ü State of Student Address
¨ Vote is going to happen starting on Wednesday
¨ We are going to push it out
¨ We need to revise as more issues develop
ü Committee Representation Bill
¨ Amendment will be coming at you next week
¨ Adding the faculty liaison and staff liaison positions to the constitution
ü Vote of No Confidence
¨ Everyone is going to get an email on Wednesday
¨ I have been going through some editing processes
¨ Check in with institutional research
¨ Press release
¨ Oversight committee
¨ We are going to move the meeting on the 30th to Emerson Suites but it is not approved yet.
¨ Plan is that I will be the only one to see the data as it comes in.
¨ At the end of the day, what really matters is the have confidence vs. no confidence.
¨ The vote ends at 4:00 pm on the 30th.
¨ Between 4 and 7, myself and others can all get together and we will be able to put together the report.
¨ At the end of the day I think a lot of students are going to vote.
¨ Encouraging them to be as informed as possible. Send them the bill.
¨ Kyle: Don’t say the words “don’t vote” Say before you vote educate yourself, but don’t say “don’t vote.”
¨ Eli: How do I answer the question, “what next?”
¨ Dom: Confidence, values, equitable governance system. Not just about complaining about the president, seeing what we value in a president and stress the structural issues.
¨ First time it will be public is in the meeting in Emerson Suites.
¨ By only having Dom see it, he can’t speak for or against this bill as an SGA President, as a person he can.
¨ Luke: After it is over, will the detailed results be publicly available?
¨ Dom: The presentation that SGA presents will be available and some results. We will not be releasing it in its entirety. We are going to find things that are statistically important to present.
¨ Kaitlin: I am confused by you only holding onto the votes you are unbiased, but then you have your personal side and your president side, but I don’t know know how you could be both?
¨ Evan: I think Dom as made is stance clear, as long as he is consistent.
¨ Dom: It is a vote of no confidence. It in itself is a vote that aligns with grievances. I feel like I have been part of these discussion for a while. In this position I feel that those grievances in part come from my position. That for me, I helped to initiate the vote of no confidence, because I have no confidence. The email that goes out will be signed by the entire SGA. If anyone has any advice, I would take that. But it really is tough to separate the two.
¨ Charlotte: I think it gets complicated when you try and divide yourself as two people, I understand as SGA as a whole we have unbiased, I think it is absurd to ask any of us, and even yourself to be unbiased.
¨ Matilda: I agree, I think that you said I have no confidence in the article that you were speaking as Student Body President, so that is okay.
¨ Kyle James: Motion to poll a senate. How many of you feel that this is something that you would rather have a three-person committee? How many of you are concerned with Dom being on the committee with the decisions he has made?
¨ Carlie: I know there are things you want done, I think that you should think about the fact that you have made those statements as SGA. To make sure this vote is taken seriously I would have people you trust and unbiased stances maybe take over.
¨ Dom: Really good points, I agree to an extent. I am totally find giving away the ability to someone else. Here is my issue, I have wanted to know what the data is going to be because I care very much. The last thing that I want is on that Monday at 4:00 to just be handed the results and be blind sided either way. Personally.
¨ Angela: I was going to ask if there was a chance we have a third party? Not even someone you trust. Outside of SGA, somebody who is not affiliated with anything that is going on. You already made those comments, people already know your stance.
¨ Charlotte: I think if there is no reason other than for personal reasons for you to see the vote as it is happening then it probably shouldn’t. Everybody wants to know, there are a lot of people on this campus that that vote is going to affect.
¨ Kaitlin: The media is another reason to hand off. Could you guys close the poll on the 29th instead of the 30th, or make the meeting a day later. So we have a full day to not say anything to the media.
¨ Matilda: I think that if Garett has an account and he can keep the results and not look at it. I think that is a good solution.
¨ Seandre: It sounds like you guys don’t have trust in the Student Body President and I am not sure why.
¨ Joseph: I agree with Kaitlin, Matilda, and Angela. I think having 24 hours is good. I know the media is going to bother you, you don’t have to talk to them.
¨ Kyle James: Its not so much not having confidence in Dom, it is the concern that what Dom has said previous to this, would potentially create a case for the biased vote and him swaying one way or another. People could make a case against him being biased.
¨ Kyle Stewart: We had decided that oversight committee would be the best way to ensure that Dom was operating under ethical manor. Checks and Balances. I think having a committee would be the best idea to make sure things are happening smoothly.
¨ Carlie: I think it does need to be affiliated with SGA, or have them be in contact with SGA. Without knowing the results there is something you can do to make sure people are voting. We need to have straight contact with the person who has these results. I don’t have trust in the third party.
¨ Dom: I am 100% willing to give Garett the ability to do it. The day change is tough. Either way the voting is going to end on the 30th.
¨ Matilda: I have trust in Dom, but I think this is a student vote of no confidence so already the administration isn’t taking us seriously. This is our one chance to be taken seriously.
¨ Angela: I agree with having Garett, and with Kyle said about have two other people. Also the oversight committee. It shows we do trust Dom, because we are able to talk about this.
¨ Kyle James: I think it is beneficial to have some tie to SGA. Any action based on real time results could be viewed as biased unless they were pre planned.
¨ Dom: I am going to give it to Garett. Any oversight is good. One thing I want to add, this is the first time I am realizing this, we are in some level of politicians in this too. I take a public stance on a lot of things, each of you can do that too. Garett is going to have control over this information. I think that everyone 100% as politicians you have the complete autonomy to say whether you have confidence or not. I want to help people feel empowered to that as well.
Motion to move to officer reports: Ezeka
Second: Charlotte
Officer Reports:
Dom:
¨ Thank you everybody.
¨ I really think we made the right decisions there.
¨ Council of Diversity and Inclusion has made progress.
¨ If you aren’t on a committee talk to me.
Kyle Stewart:
¨ Communications committee was drafting a press release earlier today.
¨ That will go out with the vote when the vote goes out.
¨ Context on why we are holding the vote.
¨ The resolution.
¨ When the results will be released.
¨ Oversight committee, it will be oversight in terms of the ethics of the entire process.
¨ Right now if anyone is interesting in being on the committee please raise your hand or placard.
¨ We will meet once pretty soon to go over the ethics of everything.
Yena:
¨ Big Brother Big Sisters who we worked with last year, they want to work with us next semester.
¨ Community service project we can do with them
¨ For this semester I am looking for a few senators to do the December service Saturday.
¨ Demand sessions are starting up tomorrow.
Kyle James
¨ Bills will be there next week.
¨ Something that Dom, Kyle and I have talked about, I would like to hear some thoughts, Student Governments only have two branches as opposed to Government.
¨ Do you think a judicial branch is needed?
¨ If you are interested in that raise your placards.
¨ I have a meeting with provost very soon which will be very interesting.
¨ Next Tuesday, I will be making a list of agenda for that.
Evan:
¨ Allocations from last week.
¨ Let me know if you have any questions.
¨ I have some edits forthcoming in the allocations handbook.
¨ I am very proud of my appropriations committee.
¨ We are always accepting more folks.
Marieme:
¨ You have to be in two committees.
¨ Attendance is extremely important.
¨ You can’t be a senator and not come to meetings.
¨ I will be reaching out to people who aren’t coming.
¨ Thank you Ezeka for the bill.
¨ We need bills.
¨ Take care of yourselves.
Ciara:
¨ After the address that was last Tuesday.
¨ Board of Trustees is in a wait and watch period
Laura:
¨ Tomorrow we are doing Sex Fest in the Pub.
¨ You should come join.
Lima:
¨ There has been a lot of talk on the board.
¨ I tried my best to explain the situation to them.
¨ One thing that they did express interest in was talking to SGA.
¨ Having an open dialogue with SGA.
¨ So student’s perspectives are understood.
Motion to Close officer reports: Matilda
Second: Kaitlin
Open Agenda
Lima: It is international education week.
Charlotte: If you are interested in working in a no confidence campaign, come find me.
Angela: I am not sure if this was brought up, the Peace Bill is still a think that we are working on.
Kyle: I think it is worth mentioning, Kaitlin and I went to two-hour meeting today. Discussing department or any schools can present pars. We found some recommendations. That committee is going to need vacancy next semester. If you are interested in that committee, let Dom and I know.
Motion to close open agenda: Angela
Second: Joseph
Call for Acclamation
End Time: 9:12
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20151103190436327