STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 10, 2004

MLK ROOM CAMPUS CENTER

4:34 pm

 

 

ATTENDANCE

                   Absent: J. Laine, C. Abreu, W. Lappas

                   Arrived Late: J. Williamson, R. Theberge, R. Cahill, O. Jimenez,

                         M. Skorker, S. Boucher

                  Left Early: K. Leung, S. Boucher

Guests: Kamaka Seipp, Eric Farese, Jenna Letham (CSC), Noreen

Finn (CSC), Dr. Cahill (Vice President of Student Life), Daniel

Rooney

                       

                               I.      Minutes

 

                        President Dalton announced the minutes for January 20, 2004,

were accepted as they were written.

 

                            II.      PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

              MOTION: President Dalton entertained a motion to accept Eric

                Farese to Freshman Senate.

                                                                        Batastini/Higgins (Unanimous)

 

                    MOTION:  President Dalton entertained a motion to accept Daniel

                       Rooney to Senior Senate.  

                                                 (Pereira/ Alfonzo (For: 6; Opposed: 1, Abstentions: 7

                                                                                                                       Motion Fails)

 

· President Dalton announced that we have a new Chair of

 Judicial Affairs, Kamaka Seipp. 

 

· Dr. Cahill, the Vice President of Student Life, spoke to the

group about work-study.  He explained that the Office of

Financial Aid gave out four times as many awards than they

could afford because they knew that most students would not

accept the work-study.  Students tend to like off-campus jobs

better because they can make more money so this year, the

minimum wage was increased on campus to try to make work-

study more attractive to students.  Because of this many people

worked more hours than anticipated, thus eating into the money

from the federal government.  This in turn caused cut backs in

work-study positions.  By the President’s request certain

academic departments (like labs) and certain student-oriented

buildings (Library, Campus Center and O’Keefe) were

maintained.  Only the students with the most financial needs are

 rewarded work-study.  Next year the Office of Financial Aid will

only give the number of awards that we have the money for and

that’s it.  The result is that there are less financial aid recipients,

but the most needy did not lose.  Also the specific offices have

the option of using their office budget to hire students.  Dr.  

Cahill promised that they would never over allocate again. 

 

· President Dalton announced that our meeting on February 24th

is cancelled because some of us will still be in Texas for the

COSGA conference.

 

                         III.      VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

· Vice President Batastini announced that last Thursday was the

first groups and clubs meeting and they went over budget

proposals.  She also announced that the groups and clubs

meeting on February 19th is cancelled because it is the day before

Texas.

 

· Vice President Batastini reminded everyone that the next group

and club meeting will be on March 4th and Melissa King will be

talking about elections.  She also strongly urged that if anyone

was thinking of running for a new position they should talk to

whoever is in that position now and possibly shadow them to

learn the position.

 

                         IV.      TREASURER'S REPORT         
                 

  · Treasurer Garvey announced that everyone that will be

 attending the COSGA conference will be meeting after this

meeting in the office.

 

· Treasurer Garvey reminded everyone that budget packets are due

February 18 and you must make 10 copies.

 

                            V.      ASST. TREASURER’S REPORT

 

· Assistant Treasurer Mazza announced that the budget committee will be meeting February 25 5:30-8:30, February 26 5:00-8:00, and March 1 5:00-10:00.  The 25th and 26 will be for presentations. 

 

              MOTION: Assistant Treasurer Mazza made a motion to appoint

                Mekonnen Meshesha as the Assistant Chair of the Budget Committee

                                                                                           Cahill (Unanimous)

 

                        · Assistant Treasurer Mazza announced that he is designing a T-

shirt for the senate and he passed around a preliminary design

and asked for feedback.  There were a lot of negative comments

about the preliminary design so Ass. Treasurer Mazza urged

everyone to put any suggestions in his mailbox.  He also sent

around a sheet to get everyone’s sizes. 

 

              MOTION:  Assistant Treasurer Mazza made a motion to use the $400

                 we donated to the Volunteer fair to pay off the Human Race Machine

                since the Volunteer fair did not occur.

                                                                                                Runyan (Unanimous)

 

                         VI.      SECRETARY’S REPORT

 

· Secretary Spano urged the group to use their office hours to go

out and communicate with the students in some way that was

beneficial to the students.  She also mentioned that half of the

senate does not even do office hours and it is recorded so she

suggested that they start immediately. 

 

                      VII.      SENATE REPORTS

 

   · SENIOR SENATE

 

· Senator Alexis read a letter that was sent out by President Dalton and Senator Alexis about bringing back the senior class gift.

 

· Senator Alexis and Vice President Batastini gave their presentation on time management.

 

   · JUNIOR SENATE

 

· Students asked the junior senators to bring up the issue of making Peabody hall and Bowditch all freshmen next year and Lee informed them that it is going to be all freshmen for the first year. 

 

    · SOPHOMORE SENATE

 

   · The sophomore senate had issues with the amount of space

    allotted for the Darwin Festival.  They need to consider

    relocating because the library was packed and several students

   had to watch the show on televisions in another room. 

 

    · FRESHMAN SENATE

 

   · Freshman senate has heard complaints about the icy paths

    between Peabody Hall and the cafeteria.  Also the heat in the

    residence halls is also an issue; it’s too hot in the dorm rooms.

 

                   VIII.      STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

·        FINANCE COMMITTEE

 

· Treasurer Garvey announced that the finance committee would meet Thursday, February 12 at 6:00 in the presidential conference Room. The student nurse’s association and student government association will be proposing.

 

· The Catholic Student Community came to the budget committee and asked for money to go to Kentucky for Spring Break to build new homes for homes for people who are less fortunate.  Senator Cogliano asked why this trip was not allocated in their budget and Treasurer Garvey urged them to put it in their packets when they present to the budget committee.

 

                        MOTION:  Treasurer Garvey made a motion to fund the Catholic

                            Student Community $1537.50 to go to Kentucky for spring

                            Break.

                                                                                        Mazza/ Cogliano (Unanimous)

 

·        RULES COMMITTEE

 

· Chair King brought up an amendment by substitution, which changed the location of the elections so instead of having two days at South Campus there was one day at South Campus and one day at Central campus. 

 

                        MOTION: Chair King entertained a motion to accept the

                          amendment to Article VII-Elections, section G, subsection 2

                         which includes Central Campus in the election.

                                                                                    Batastini/ Spano (Unanimous)

 

·Chair King brought up an amendment that required all senators to complete two projects per term to benefit the students. There was a lot of discussion about whether the projects should be approved first.  Since there was discussion Chair King decided to bring the amendment back to the Rules Committee.

 

· Chair King introduced another amendment, which included a Diversity Affairs committee. She asked everyone to look it over because it will be voted on next week.

 

· Chair King announced that her committee would be meeting next Tuesday, February 17th at 3:30. 

 

                    · STUDENT LIFE COMMITTEE

 

· Chair Boucher was not present so Chair King presented

her report.  She passed around the demographics for

undergraduate students.  Also she announced that Senator

Peralta is gone so she needs a new assistant chair. If anyone

is interested leave a note in Chair Boucher’s mailbox.

 

                    ·   ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 

 

· Chair Skorker explained the handout that he placed in everyone’s mailbox.  He is mainly concerned with number 1, which is posting class cancellations online, number 2, which is setting up an e-mail drive, and number 3, which is posting scholarships.

 

· Chair Skorker announced that his committee would be meeting on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:00 in the Heritage Room. 

 

                             · GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

 

· Chair Lappas was not present so Jonathan Ring gave his report.  Last week they did a registration drive in 27 different cities and two different states.

 

· Jonathan Ring announced that the committee would be meeting Monday, February 16 at 4:30. 

 

· Jonathan Ring announced that Chair Lappas would give a description of the political parties next week.

 

· Massachusetts State senate will be discussing whether or not to put gay marriage on the ballot in 2006.

Contact your representatives (617-722-2000) or your senator (617-722-1500).

 

·        JUDICIAL AFFAIRS

 

· No report, Kamaka will be forming a committee

 

·        PUBLIC RELATIONS

 

· No Report

 

                         IX.      OLD BUSINESS
 

 · None

 

                            X.      NEW BUSINESS

 

  · None

 

                         XI.      DISCUSSION

 

· Women’s lacrosse club will be meeting on Friday, February 13

at 3:00 at Bowditch and at 4:00 at Bates.

 

· Chair King announced that she was doing a fundraiser for the

Vagina Monologues.  You can pay $1 and get a picture with your

name on it hung in the theatre.  All money goes to the North

Shore Rape Crisis Center.

 

· Senator Milan announced that the student commuter

association will be having pictures with cupid in the upstairs

cafeteria on Friday.

 

· Senator Pereira announced MSA is having guest speakers in the

campus center Wednesday, February 11 at 6:00.

 

· Senator Alexis announced that the due dates for proposals to

the Bookstore council was Friday, February 13, by 4:00.

 

· Chair Skorker reminded everyone that scholarships were due

Friday, February 13 by 5:00.

 

 

                      XII.      · ADJOURNMENT 6:17 p.m.

 

  MOTION: Senator Alexis made a motion to

   adjourn the meeting.

                        Runyan (Unanimous)

 

 

SUBMITTED BY MICHELLE L. SPANO