Student Assembly

Minutes — August 30, 2012
Cornell University Student Assembly
4:45pm — 6:30pm, Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room

I. Call to Order/Roll Call

A. Gitlin called the meeting to order at 4:48pm.

Members present

G. Block, E. Bonatti, G. Braciak, S. Breedon, M. Cho, A. Chopra, R. Desai, A. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, R. Gitlin, T. Hittinger, T. Iwaoka, D. Kuhr, J. Lee, M. Lukasiewicz, J. Marshall, J. Mueller, D. Muir, C. Pritchett, P. Scelfo, U. Smith, N. Terrones

Members excused

S. Balik

Also present

Dr. Renee Alexander, Dean of Students Kent Hubbell, Ari Epstein, Amy Edwards, Chelsea Cheng

II. Oath of Office for New Members

• All members of the SA stood and took the Oath of Office

III. Open Microphone

• None

IV. Presentation by Associate Dean and Director of Intercultural Programs Dr. Renee Alexander

• Works at 626 Thurston, which houses ALANA, the LGBT Resource Center, the Alumni-Student Mentoring Program, the Office of Student Diversity Initiatives, and the Asian-Asian-American Center
• 626 Thurston is named the Center of Intercultural Dialogue, but has also been branded as the Intercultural Center
• Diversity events have been getting a lot of attention — working with Sigma Pi on some events and looking forward to working with student leadership on more
• Looking to engage the community instead of acting passively
• U. Smith: Stands behind Dr. Alexander 100% and is looking to discuss how to work with the diversity councils of individual colleges to start bringing the dialogue to those colleges
  • Looking to hire someone to serve as the Minority Greek Leadership Assistant Dean of Students — that person will have a fundamental role as a liaison
• S. Breedon: Any ideas on how to engage the “silent majority” on campus?
  • Looking to reach out to freshmen — currently the Tapestry of Possibilities is main diversity event
• G. Block: How is the search for a new ALANA advisor? What can be done to make 626 a truly open place?
  • Currently conducting a search — hope to have someone in office by end of Winter break
  • Looking to build events that appeal to all Cornellians
• D. Muir: What are the goals in terms of getting the Greek community more involved? Suggests an event before rush week to involve freshmen
  • Asks to defer the question until next time — will have several meetings with Sigma Pi and wants to make sure everyone is one the same page
• M. Cho: How do we get the people responsible for hate crimes to attend the events? Will the projects target the right individuals?
  • Those people are the least likely to show, but we can’t let them taint the campus climate
• R. Desai: Any updates on Towards New Destinations?
  • Each department was asked to submit their diversity goals — have gotten many responses. Impressed that this is happening across high-level administration on campus

V. Announcements/Reports

Election Update — Director of Elections Jon Weinberg

• Everything is in for the Fall Elections: 37 candidates total: 35 freshmen, 2 transfers
• Candidate forum to be held next Wednesday (9/5) at 5:00 on WSH
• Encourages SA to volunteer for tabling on North campus

Voter Registration Announcement — President Adam Gitlin

• Working to encourage the student body to vote in the upcoming elections

College Representatives Announcement — AAP Representative Ulysses Smith

• College representatives will be meeting to discuss general collaboration and some tips about college-level administration

Committee Applications Announcement — Melissa Lukasiewicz

• Due tomorrow (8/31) online

VI. New Business

R. 1 Approval of the 2012–2013 Standing Rules — J. Mueller

• Section 1 Rule 9: outreach policy that was discussed last year was formalized this year
• Amendment: Section 4 Rule 6 and 7: All occurrences of $1500 should be $500
• D. Kuhr: Section 1 Rule 9: 8 outreach events is a lot to require — how is it to be enforced?
  • J. Mueller: Not a big number — there will be many opportunities
• J. Mueller: Motion to move to business of the day, seconded
• Moved to Business of the Day by unanimous consent
• G. Block: Motion to strike Section 3 Rule 3 - thought the requirement for college reps to hold outreach events was eliminated
  • U. Smith: Dissent — the requirement is also in the bylaws — there needs to be a mechanism for reps to reach our to their constituents
  • G. Block: Motion removed
• P. Scelfo: If it’s in the bylaws, there is not need for it to be in the standing rules
• R. Desai: Motion to strike Section 3 Rule 3, seconded
  • Vote: 13–5−1
  • Section 3 Rule 3 stricken
• Call to question, seconded
• Vote: 19–0
• Resolution 1 passes

R. 2 Approval of the 2012–2013 Operating Budget — R. Desai

• Working with a 10% deduction from last year
• Budget reserve for additional projects: $15,824
• Committees that have spent money in previous years will receive money, others will not receive a predetermined budget, but will have to request money
• Special projects is higher this year — around $4,000 was used for the new sound system in WSH
• E. Bonatti: Why does the Appropriations Committee get only $900 this year?
  • Receives $2000 during byline funding years — used for food and room reservations
• U. Smith: Rationale behind outreach budget?
  • Kept because of the requirement for the SA to hold 2 events
• C. Pritchett: Why isn’t the Ivy Council funded through the SA?
  • S. Breedon: Ivy Council removed from the SA umbrella so it doesn’t make sense for the SA to be financially supportive
• G. Block: Why were funds for Women’s Issues, CIT and Environmental cut?
  • Those committees haven’t spent money in past years
  • G. Block: In a $40,000 budget, doesn’t make sense to cut $300 from those committees
• A. Bores: Explain total rollover estimated?
  • With budget reserve, total rollover from last year is $25,824
• M. Lukasiewicz: Have you considered combining all funds for the committees into a pool, excluding Appropriations?
  • Didn’t want to raise red tape for committees that have been consistently using money for legitimate projects, but doesn’t disagree with the idea — a budget can be drafted

R. 3 Changes to the SAFC Guidelines — R. Desai, C. Pritchett, Matthew Gruber, Brandon Coulter

• Specifying deadline for special cancellation requests
• 2–4 commissioners at every hearing
• Possible for groups to double funding if they only receive funds for one semester
• Events thrown must align with the core mission of the responsible organization
• Motion to move to business of the day
• D. Kuhr: Dissent expressed — this impacts a lot of groups and some aren’t necessarily happy. Important to take the full week to review the resolution
• Matthew Gruber: The deadline is 9/4, so would like to offer the new guidelines to the groups before then
• S. Breedon: Rationale between decision for the addition of #4 under commission
  • Has always been there, just not included in last year’s changes
• T. Iwaoka: Who decides if a group’s event request aligns with the core mission of their organization?
  • Checks and balances — SAFC commissioner, Appropriations, SA, organizations get to explain
  • Fairly obvious with most organization — just a preventative measure to make sure groups are using funds to make money for themselves
• E. Bonatti: Why is there a max of 4 commissioners present at hearings?
  • Ari Epstein: Historically, hearings had too many people to be reasonable for discussion, so a limit was placed
• D. Kuhr: In response to motion, is there any way to move back the deadline to allow a longer discussion?
  • Believes the changes are minor and will help greatly — can always draft a resolution to make changes
• P. Scelfo: Are any organizations planning on taking advantage of single-semester funding?
  • Yes, have already been contacted by several groups
• J. Mueller: SA only plays a parental role in relation to the SAFC — SA should not question the guidelines that the SAFC wrote as they drafted them to help their procedure
• T. Iwaoka: 5.7 should cover the issue of 3 under 8.2.2 Eligible Events. Motion to strike the clause
  • More a primary substance issue — underlying reason may still be for personal funds
• A. Bores: Believes groups using small money from SAFC to make more money for themselves is smart and saves students money
• Motion to extend the meeting, dissent expressed
• Matthew Gruber: Strongly urges passing of section 5 and 8
• Motion to divide the resolution
  • Voting on Section 8:
    • 8 Fall and Spring Only Funding
      If a group wishes to spend all of their funding in one semester, it may choose to receive double the funding in either the spring or fall by foregoing the option to receive funding in the other semester of that academic year.
      
      
      
    • If a group chooses to use this option and receive funding in only one semester, it:
      • 1. will be eligible for twice its fall tier cap regardless of whether the spring cap is higher or lower; and
      • 2.must notify the SAFC of its decision to use all of its funds in one semester and what that semester will be before the submission of the online budget by completing a Fall/Spring Only Semester Form.
• Roll call vote:

• Vote: 18–0
• Section 8 passes
• Motion to table rest of the resolution
• Motion to adjourn

Meeting adjourned at 6:35pm.

Respectfully submitted, Chelsea Cheng