Intercom

Ø I do not, but I do know there are people who smoke here, I don’t have an exact figure. I am not sure how we would pull that information. I have some from the study. There was a class who did a survey a year ago and it was a small number of students who participated, based on it 15% were smokers, 66 participated.

Ø How are you going to combat the argument that having a tobacco free campus takes away people’s right?

Ø It is not like we are the first school doing this, it is the idea that this is something that happens, the government has limited things. It is a progression of things that we have the idea, but also your right as the person. Turning the misconception of taking away the rights and making sure people have the right to choose.

Ø This is not the first time a policy like this has been proposed. People do want to quit but having it available on campus makes it harder for them because they are able to fall back on that. There really is not a right to smoke, there is a desire and the social norms have accepted smoking in public areas. There is no constitutional right to drink or not drink in public, the social norms suggest/prohibit that you do not drink in public.

Ø In Tompkins County, 50% of people who smoke, if you ask them to smoke they say yes.

Motion to extend by 10 minutes: Charles

Second: Joe

Ø Have you ever seen a survey on what percentage of students at IC would support this?

Ø Survey that was done last year, did ask that question and among the students, very likely was 36%, likely was 14% undecided was 11%, unlikely was 18%, very unlikely was 21%.

Ø How do you plan on forcing this bill?

Ø The natural progression is about an 18-month thing; more people have to hear about this. I have another year here, hopefully having it passed by the end of next year. The hopes would be to form a committee. There are things that can be done for people who do need a smoking area.

Ø What are the ways that other campuses have enforced this, what are some ways on you might see it enforced here?

Ø At SUNY Cortland, they started a committee to look at this in 2011, they went completely tobacco free in 2013. They have a tobacco free advisory board. My sense it is that it is not necessarily handled by campus safety officers. I think it is similar Syracuse went tobacco free, a little different situation. It becomes a culture change over time. As the culture and norms are moved to tobacco free, that carries in on its own. It is something that you do over time and within the committee determine how that sort of thing goes on. As far as Ithaca, we have an HSHP, which is about health, we have an environmental program, which is about doing thing sustainably. We push toward this idea, when you look at the initiatives. We want people to come here and see Ithaca for its beauty and there are stated facts that smoking can take away from that. The goals of the school align with this policy. There are 108 school in this league that IC is apart of and 21 of them have made the switch. I don’t think we want to be the back runners. I have talked to a lot of people on campus and they have definitely shown interest. After having the discussion, people have really seemed for this, even the smokers. I feel like IC is ready for this.

Motion to extend by 1o minutes: Matilda

Second: Jonathan

Ø If someone has chewing tobacco is that the same, or is it only the use of cigarettes?

Ø The idea says that whenever you allow smoking in certain areas, you are opening it up for people to interpret one way or the other, but when you say the whole thing, it is clear. As far as using smokeless tobacco, we are saying tobacco is unhealthy. Unhealthy to grow, and use and inconsistent with a lot of the values of the campus. All tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. In Tompkins country anyways it is illegal to use cigarettes indoor. With committee we will talk about what will work best.

Ø Are you including anything else about offering anything for students who do want to quit?

Ø Yes, I think that would have to be included. We look at it as an addiction, we feel very strongly that substance of use should not be punished, it should be treated.

Ø I am wondering, do you think that this will help students to quit smoking, or will people just smoke in other places?

Ø To a certain extent, people will smoke other places. In the commons, the ban of smoking went thorough a lot. It does move people into different places. This kind of action definitely encourages people to quit. It is well accepted that the fewer places there are to smoke, the people are just smoking because of habit. A lot of the times it just takes one little nudge. There are definitely students who start to smoke when they come to campus, this would put a damper on that.

Discussion:

§ Although this bill would stop people from smoking around of campus, I feel it would increase the amount of people, who go to natural lands, and in their rooms. It could cause a fire.

§ You missed a major survey, the Ithaca, it is not getting out of hand. This would also indicate that Public Safety is responsible for enforcing these rules. A very passionate statement.

§ I feel like this is encouraging the school to be parents to the students. It doesn’t make me feel very comfortable. I support a campaign to get people to smoke less, I think a lighter handed approach would be a better approach.

§ I think smoking is very harmful, I don’t think that smokes affect non smokers unless it is near them. You talked about a survey with a very small sample size. I believe that there are many other substances which are legal and addictive like alcohol and caffeine. I believe education is the answer.

Motion to extend by 15 minutes: Joseph

Second: Matilda

§ IC is the number one vocal performance college in America, I am grateful for that as a non smoker and a singer. I do think that people should have the choice though.

§ I like this, but I wish there were more examples of what the repercussions would be because I want to know how this would play out.

§ I respect the work that you guys have been doing, the only concern that I have is, there are a lot of staff who I have witnessed smoking, I know that when working in food and restaurants, and smoke breaks are a thing that begin smoking habits. I am afraid that creating this, on a short timeline would affect staff members on campus.

§ I like the research that you did, I would be more of a proponent of something that would allow for spaces on campus that aren’t near somewhere, where a non smoker would need to encounter a smoke. I would support something with restricted smoking areas.

§ I just think there needs to be something in this bill, that has a strong step towards encouraging some kind of group or support system where people could go if they wanted to quit.

§ I wouldn’t agree that is a form of parenting students, I believe people who are non smokers are affected by it. The 20-foot rule is not affected by many students. I would like to see more data on what has been done on other campuses.

§ I feel that we shouldn’t get rid of it entirely, but I do feel like we should reduce the places that people smoke.

§ I feel like restricting what people can do which is legal, is a bit much.

§ It is already illegal to smoke inside residence, are we going to make someone walk a mile off campus? Who is going to want to walk that far? It is not going to be the instant, everyone does it, it is a progression and it happens over times. Not all staff are smokers, but we think it is important that the staff who are smokers be involved in the conversation. Allowing in different areas, it becomes fuzzy because people forget about those enforcements. Yes, I do not think that public safety is going to be the way to solve this, if everyone is so concerned, I think that it would be a great idea if you join this committee. It is something that has a lot of benefits to come out of it. Ithaca College has the Ithaca natural lands, we can extend that out, it is promoting the off campus idea. This is something that there is statistical evidence that when there is less opportunity to do that, it is less likely to happen. You all see people and how difficult it is for people with disabilities, those people don’t have the opportunity to change the way they go.

§ I am conflicted about this, being the senator is HSHP I also know that people in my school, use smokeless tobacco to relieve their stress. I have never heard of second hand dip. I think that is something to think of.

§ As residence in a building where it smells like tobacco, we would want to minimize smoking inside.

Motion to extend by 5 minutes: Atilla

Second: Jonathan

§ I think everybody is firm in their beliefs, I think that somebody should motion to vote.

Motion to vote: Theo

Second: TJ

In favor: 5

Opposed: 10

Abstaining: 1

Bill not passed.

B. Grab & Go Bill (Mendli,)

Ø Extending hours and expanding locations of grab and go.

Ø We conducted a survey of 209 people and we asked them questions.

Ø 56.5% were satisfied with Grab & Go on this campus.

Ø 96% said they were not happy with the current hours of the grab and go service.

Ø The most common answers for extending the hours from 10am-3pm.

Ø 62% supported changing locations.

Ø Many who are writing majors, who have classes in Smiddy said they do prefer Dillingham.

Ø Campus center was a favorite location because it is in the center of campus.

Questions:

Ø Have you talked to the food service advisory committee in putting this together?

Ø She just responded this morning, she mentioned a lunchtime pilot that happened today. I talked to Atilla and we said that if there is no adequate response we will go to her.

Ø I saw something similar in Campus Center similar to Grab and Go. You didn’t speak to anyone in the dining hall, prior to writing this?

Ø No, we emailed, but she didn’t respond so we just went on with it.

Ø All that you want to do with this bill is form a committee right? Who would be on that committee?

Ø Any senator can join the committee, it would just be students on the committee, they would go and talk to Sodexo. I feel like if we have more representation, it would help us more.

Motion to extend by 5 minutes: Laura

Second: Tim

Ø Have you talked to anyone in Sodexo itself?

Ø No, I reached out but she didn’t respond to my email, but we wanted to start it up and get going.

Ø With your survey, do you have statistics, of how many people on this campus actually use grab and go?

Ø No we do not. We went during the grab and go hours.

Ø I was wondering if you were going to pursue this, if you wanted to work with campus center?

Ø After reading the email today, I want to see Grab and Go behind extended, whether it means working with another committee or doing something separately.

Motion to Table the Bill: Joe

Second: Matilda

In Favor: 15

Opposed: 0

Bill tabled to next week.

C. Healthy Food Choice Initiative ( Mendli)

Ø I went and asked students whether they would be happy seeing a high variety of healthy organic food options in the dining hall. I asked if they were satisfied or if they wanted to see a higher variety of food options.

Ø Many people were asking for a higher variety of vegan and vegetarian options.

Ø 68% were unsatisfied with the availability of healthy options.

Ø 93% would be happy with seeing a larger variety of healthy options.

Ø 18.6% said that they were not familiar with healthy diets.

Questions:

Ø Can you speak more about when you spoke about Jeff Scott?

Ø The last time I talked to him was when I was working on the Hillel bill, he said he would be open to introducing healthier options if students wanted that.

Ø I am wondering after the bill process this year, why haven’t you cited the specific research within the actual bill, you have research but it is not in the bill?

Ø This is the part where I am talking about the survey of the data.

Ø Can you tell me a little bit of how this bill if different than other attempts to get healthier food options?

Ø I have been in SGA for 3 and a half years and have never seen a bill like this.

Motion to table: Ezeka

Second: Tim

Bill Tabled to next week

Motion to open continuing business: Seandre

Second: Atilla

V. Continuing Business

A. LGBTQ studies bill (James)

Ø Committee met on Friday.

Ø We added Professor Rachel Gunderson, in HSHP, and she teaches the human sexuality committee.

Ø We are planning on having one more meeting.

B. FAFSA Bill (Allen)

Ø No update.

C. SOTSA bill (Stewart)

D. Committee Representation Bill (James)

E. No Confidence Bill (Recckio)

Ø I would like everyone to read the email about the presidential search committee.

Ø Things are moving along.

Ø I imagine there will be updates soon on campus events, and there will be an ask for students to participate.

F. Course Evaluations (Recckio)

Ø I will be emailing you about request to have diversity and inclusion, accessibility.

G. Student Bill of Rights

Ø There will be a sprint on that and I am counting on that to go with shared governance.

H. Shared Governance

Ø There will be a retreat on Friday, Dom is the only student able to go to the retreat.

I. PEACE Bill

Ø No update.

J. Open Textbooks (Matilda)

Ø TJ and I are meeting with Liz the librarian on Wednesday.

Motion to move to Officer Reports: Ezeka

Second: Attila

VI. Officer Reports.

A. President – Dominick Recckio

Ø I have been really lucky to have the community of former SGA presidents working with me throughout this year.

Ø IC Color: we have decided two allocations from the SGA budget, we had money for co –sponsoring events, we want to round out the year co-sponsoring events. We decided to allocate money to co-sponsor a non official org. A week of events starting April 18th, SGA will have an event that we will run in that week. IC Color is about diversity and celebrating out diverse community at Ithaca. We may be leaning on some senators to have some involvement in that.

B. Vice President of Communications – Kyle Stewart

C. Vice President of Campus Affairs – Luis Torres

Ø IC Color is going to be an event we are going to be working with a couple students on.

Ø Small event that I am working on, I know there has not been a lot of communication, it is an initiative to get student org leaders to interact with other student org leaders. I will be working with OSEMA to create things for next year’s fall welcome.

D. Vice President of Academic Affairs – Kyle James

Ø SGA scholarship committee met and allocated some money to students, those names will be announced at the OSEMA awards banquet.

E. Vice President of Business and Finance - Evan Layne

Ø During March 29th’s appropriations meeting, the Student activities fund was exhausted.

Ø Budget requests are reviewed on a first come first serve basis.

Ø From last Tuesdays meeting until this Thursday, any returned funds will be going towards African student’s association.

Ø Only a few organizations afterwards were not able to receive funding.

Ø April 23rd is the date of fall funding process. The form on Org. Sync went live. You can submit from now until April 19th.

Ø Encourage people to pick up election packets!

F. Senate Chair – Marieme Foote

Ø Attendance is mandatory.

Ø If you have any questions about bills, let me know.

Ø Elections packets are due Friday at 5pm.

G. Student Trustee – Ciara Lucas

Ø Presidential search committee will meet with representative on Wednesday.

H. Residence Hall Association – Matthew Blezow

Ø This month is sustainability challenge in the residence halls, all lower campus res halls, plus towers and terraces are being monitoring, the most reduced energy.

Ø Winners announced April 26th.

I. Student Liaison to the Alumni Board - Alexa Pichiarallo

Ø Working on a bill, with the help of Dom, to get Alumni Mini Courses taught here at IC.

Ø If you have any advice or would like to help me let me know, I will be presenting this bill in two weeks.

Motion to move to Open Agenda: Charles

Second: Jonathan Couce

VII. Open Agenda.

Ø Rainbow reception, is Friday April 15th at 7pm.

Ø The Breakfast Club: The Musical: April 15th, 16th, and 17th, reserve tickets on Facebook.

Ø Something that bothers me is the fact that Z-lot is not paved, it ices over, so the fact that I was charged s ridiculous amount of money for my parking lot, I want to work on trying to get that paved.

Motion to close open agenda: Charles

Second: Matilda

VIII. Adjournment.

Call for Acclamation

End Time: 9:44

Topic: Archive