Exec 2-19-18

April 9, 2018

MEETING START TIME: 6:30 PM

 

ATTENDANCE:

Committee: Buck, Percy, Wilding, Taylor, Temple, St. Amand, Bertel, King, Cordova

Absent: Watka

Non-Committee: Senators Howard, Morabito

 

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION:

 

  • President
    • SOLC Discussion
  • Vice President
    • I’ll send the DOC things to consider for commencement, some recommendations.
    • Formal is happening. Please fill out the form. Please let me know if you have any questions and concerns. I want to stress the idea of being allies for all members. Call people in conversations and not out of conversations.
  • Treasurer
    • I hope your weekend was okay. I am making corrections to the Senate Budget. We have not used 52% of the Senate Admin. I will be sharing with all of you, a revised budget for Senate.
  • DOC
    • My social media plan is to post several things soon. I am talking with URI Communications. People who graduated last Semester can still apply for commencement speaker.
    • If you would like to be involved with the CIO pick, please see me.
  • Reference Officer
    • I am sending out the agenda tonight. It is the law. I will make an addendum for this week if needed. From now on, I want to avoid making addendums, which I see as a reward for members who did not prepare ahead of time.
  • Academic
    • Faculty Senate is on Thursday. I am going to change the constitution. If they disagree, I will leave.
    • Students were being verbally harassed by CBLS professors. The Assistant Dean was helpful in this respect.
  • Campus
    • Kelly is not here. The Committee is discussing Parking.
  • Cultural
    • The meeting I was supposed to have with Earth Month was rescheduled. The email was vague about what she wants to do. I talked with our Finance Chair about financing it. I will have a dollar amount soon. For the Women’s Center co-sponsorship. They are asking for $1,500.00 I was thinking about bringing it down to $750.00. There is a speaker fee and the hotel and air fees. She is an award-winning slam poet who has performed for the Obamas. She is holding a public forum and class.
    • March is Women’s History month. We want to reach out to URI Professors and asking them about difficulties relating to the workplace and what they have found helpful. We are looking towards one of the last Tuesdays in March to have that event.
  • External
    • We met with the Town Council last Thursday. We had a decent showing.
    • We talked about ways to integrate our two communities. We ended with a few things. The Town Council is coming to public forum March 7th. We are going to hold a public forum in Edwards Hall. Not else a whole lot going on.
    • We are also thinking about liaisons.
  • Finance
    • We posted budgeting round one and I emailed the same information was sent to the groups. Round two was due tomorrow. I plan on having Round two posted on Thursday. I have been talking with groups about these budgets. Changes are coming for some of these groups. Groups who did not submit budgets received zeros across the board. We did cut a lot from groups.
    • The Big Bang happened this weekend. There was concern over admission prices going up. I have not heard any complaints so far. Everyone has been able to cover security. Big Bang reached capacity! The students did well to coordinate this event. The biggest concern was security. Apparently, their conduct has been “declining”. The Building Manager had to “keep reminding” the security team to conduct themselves differently. The comfort and security of our students is our priority.
    • Winter is coming because the groups are coming for us in regards to recognition and funding. If you have a problem, please speak to Austin. It is not my job anymore. I will defend this organization for as long as I can.
    • The more categories of funding we make, the more confusing it makes our system to understand. Funding groups and then restricting them by several different angles will rightly frustrate groups.
  • SOARC
    • Stipend reviews are still ongoing.
  • Rules and Ethics
    • Morabito: We have concluded there will be a trial regarding the recent election. We have a working schedule. I am here because Exec, preferably, needs to choose a Moderator. We wanted to hold a Special Meeting for the trial for convenience. Holding it this Wednesday is too soon, next Wednesday is close to the next election, so we thought holding it this Friday would be best.
    • King: It is unacceptable to hold it on a day that is not Wednesday. It is too inconvenient to the Senators. We have set aside Wednesdays to hold our meetings. As long as all steps are met, we can do this for next Wednesday, or if that is impossible, this Wednesday. All of Senate needs to have the opportunity to vote on this and that is not necessarily possible if it is not on a Wednesday.
    • Temple: I wholeheartedly agree. I think we should do it next Wednesday. The debate would have to be pushed back which is not the end of the world.
    • Morabito: We can make that work.
    • Howard: Is there a conflict of interest with Exec choosing a moderator?
    • Morabito: Some can abstain if they feel a conflict exists.
    • Cordova: Why is this a trial and not an appeal?
    • Morabito: Because Rules and Ethics thought it should be.
    • Cordova: This is by definition an appeal and not a trial.
    • Bertel: Can anyone think of any reason candidates should not be informed why they are going to a trial?
    • Temple: I think candidates know.
    • Buck: Elections does not need to share that information.
    • Cordova: For appeals processes, this should come from Elections, right?
    • Percy: Elections disqualifies, candidates have three days to appeal from the Elections Committee to the Rules and Ethics Committee who presents a recommendation on the floor to the Full Senate.
    • Cordova: This is an appeal that the Senate approves or disapproves.
    • King: Acknowledging this as an appeal also gives Senators the opportunities to ask questions whereas in a trial, they would have to remain silent.
    • Howard: If it’s an appeal, how are were introducing this and voting on this?
    • Cordova: We would do it with a bill.
    • King: You can choose to cash your opinion as Rules and Ethics and whether you are bringing it to the floor. You would create a bill from the Rules and Ethics committee and vote on it.
    • Mattern: How many votes to overturn the appeal?
    • Morabito: Majority.
    • Mattern: How many people are on Rules and Ethics now and whether integrity with this process is maintained?
    • Morabito: One member is involved so we are removing them. The others are working on the appeal.
    • Taylor: Rules and Ethics is a non-legislative committee. So, Elections would bring this to the floor.
    • Morabito: I have worked with my committee to prepare for this issue.
    • Howard: Rules and Ethics is a non-policy­ committee, not non-legislative. They can do this.
    • Temple: So, we are doing a Wednesday appeal and not a Friday Trail?
    • *General agreement.
    • King: Do you feel that there is a strong level of unbiased-ness within the committee? You can refer this to exec.
    • Morabito: I believe the committee is unbiased. I believe they are remaining out of bias.
    • Buck: This is a next week bill by Rules and Ethics as an appeal.
    • Mattern: What is the next step for Senate?
    • Morabito: As it stands, I am not going to tell exec the day of, in terms of the decision by the Rules and Ethics Committee to either support or deny the appeal.
    • Mattern: Are you recommending people with possible conflicts of interest to abstain?
    • Morabito: We are. We feel strongly that certain parties should definitely abstain to avoid a conflict of interest.
    • Howard: I know that I will be abstaining. Out of curiosity, aren’t both Wahab and Aziz on Rules and Ethics?
    • Morabito: Yes. My full committee can remain unbiased and involved.
    • Mattern: How would you conduct quorum?
    • Morabito: We need three. If you feel that something is not ethically right, we are open to hearing opinions.
    • Taylor: I think we are ready to move on from this conversation.
    • Buck: That’s fine, but it is good to hear what everyone has to say on this issue.
    • Cordova: I have to agree with Buck, we should spend all the necessary time and take all the appropriate steps necessary to deal with this delicate issue.
  • Bylaws
    • Bill coming out from us.
    • Updates on summer senate procedures and policies.
    • Introduction to changes in terms of closed meetings.

 

MEETING ADJOURNMENT TIME: 8:19 PM