Call to Order: At 4:07pm the meeting is called to order by President Wilding.
Attendance: Feeney, Howard, Kohl, McWeeney, Menard, Morabito, Nelson, St.Amand, Wilding (Committee members); no non-members were present
Absent: Blanchflower, George, Straube
Committee begins by hearing updates from the President, including:
- She was abroad
- Facilities Committee meetings (confidential projects)
- Commencement Committee
- Cancelled meeting with President Dooley, rescheduling to February
- SPBC decided how to be a committee
- Next President will also be reviewing Budget (of Senate, that is)
- President’s Reception for Big Chill
- Meeting(s) with Carl Stiles
- Planning for Semester
- Agendas for regular meetings
- Attach committee minutes attached to agendas [?]
McWeeney asks questions regarding feasibility getting out agendas early, decides it could work.
Howard questions the convention between presidents of other RI student bodies. Wilding responds that the meeting was rescheduled to February (just Presidents) and March (full Exec). It will be held at Salve Regina on a Saturday; exact date is dependent on RISD.
Discussion returns to feasibility of attaching committee minutes to agendas.
Wilding has been working with Greek life, BOND, and PINK regarding prevention of sexual violence at URI. Nelson asks if similar talks are taking place within the Engineering Dept. Conversation continues on this topic. McWeeney, Morabito, Nelson, Wilding speak.
Howard gives updates from the Vice President, including:
- BASTA (Bystander Awareness Student Training Agreement) was signed on January 10th
- Spring elections are happening, advice has been given to the Elections Committee
- Recommends that no further internal elections be held to fill vacant representative seats
- Notes changes to enforcement of attendance, office hours as explained in an email sent on January 21st.
- Formal is happening with SEC
- Committee assignments will probably be rearranged a little, but emphasizing SOARC and Finance, which are sort of hurting right now
- Retreat with SOLC has been requested and will be hosted on February 2nd.
Morabito asks about attendance and personal issues, and a proposal for a formal between all student governments. Howard, Wilding respond respectively.
St.Amand asks about being appointed liaison to CEPS.
Nelson asks if the deans of colleges with vacant representative seats have been contacted. Wilding, Morabito respond. Nelson asks about the cost of Formal; Howard responds.
Discussion continues on Formal, then to SOLC retreat. Morabito, St.Amand, Howard, Wilding, Nelson speak.
Announcement is that Feeney is interim finance chair during Taylor’s leave of absence.
Wilding asks for suggestions for the Priority list. The Committee does a little brainstorming, and looks at the list sent out by Taylor.
- Nelson: time efficiency
- Wilding: Prepare for culture shift
- Wilding: sexual violence prevention
- Howard: General awareness increase for Senate
- Increase voter turnout
- Howard: Get student orgs to cooperate and coordinate and do things with each other
- Howard: Spend the budget
- Amand: Stipend Review
Howard says that the minutes will be sent to everybody soon, conversation on the Exec priority list will continue on Friday.
Executive Priority list will be discussed on Friday’s meeting, at the request of President Wilding. Wilding announces that Exec will meet on Fridays at 6:00 for the remainder of the term.
Discussion moves to the new constitution. Howard, Morabito, McWeeney, Menard, Wilding, Nelson, Morabito speak. Conversation focuses heavily on timing and elections.
Menard announces that he is buying new office chairs for Senate, also a tent, and notes that they are expensive, but probably worth it. Morabito asks about storage and use. Menard responds.
McWeeney asks about placement of elections booths, no clear answers are yet available. It is being worked on.
Discussion returns to the tent and chairs. Nelson, Menard, Morabito speak.
St.Amand talks about RhodyTHON. The money will have to be approved for the floor.
McWeeney opens discussion on the style of minutes: action minutes vs. verbatim minutes.
Morabito, Menard, St.Amand, McWeeney, Nelson speak in favor of current style. Nelson speaks for some combination. Feeney speaks in favor of current style, but a little less strict and detailed. Wilding speaks in favor of action minutes. Howard speaks somewhat neutrally, leaning towards action minutes; points out the in-between zone.
Discussion moves on to recording meetings. McWeeney, Morabito, Nelson, Menard, Howard speak.
Wilding announces the creation of a student IT Governance council.
Howard speaks about the potential appointment of a person to give advice the Senate on grammar. McWeeney, St.Amand speak on the topic.
At 5:16 Morabito moves that the meeting adjourn, seconded by Wilding. The motion passes with no discussion (6-0-0).