MEETING START TIME:

6:30 PM

ATTENDANCE:

Committee: President BUCK, Vice President DONNELLY, Treasurer PERCY, Chief Information Officer TAYLOR, Director of Communications WILDING, Finance Committee, SOARC Chairman BACHILAS, Academic Committee Chairman TEMPLE, Campus Affairs Committee Chairwoman TATE, Cultural Affairs Committee Chairwoman ST. AMAND, External Affairs Committee Chairman BERTEL Speaker WATKA (Rules & Ethics)

Absent: Chairwoman KING

Non-Committee: Senator Howard

 

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION:

 

• President
  • The SED has been introduced to Buck by Naomi. It is the strategic plan which covers the next 5 years until 2022. There will be an email link to provide feedback. There is a way to submit comments directly to SED. The Strategic Plan is a living document which is 19 pages. The main points are threefold: recruitment, retention, and campus climate. Retention and climate are good focuses for Senate. We should help them advertise when it comes up in the future. This is focused on marginalized students who are undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.
  • This is for the entire university. It is, in essence, a university wide version of Talent Development.
  • Kathy Collins and President Buck discussed:
    • COSGA, which could be beneficial for Senate to attend and gain practical knowledge.
    • Next Tuesday at 9:00 AM, there will be Campus Labs. Computer software will be presented that may benefit the Senate to help track membership and perhaps bring our financial system up to date. It may provide tools we might be able to utilize.
    • We are also considering congratulating the recipients of Rainville winners. This is to congratulate especially those recipients who represented multicultural organizations, of which ¾ were. Their wins are important since multicultural organizations are an overshadowed area within our University.
  • One recent idea was presented at Rainville: that Senate integrates with other groups and organizations, especially those on the athletic side of things. We could help set up, do events, or tables. This is essentially to bridge gap between the Senate and Athletics. This would generally take place in the Fall.
    • We want to be a group that integrates with other groups.
  • Bowling or Escape room? For the executive committee retreat. Voted for escape room option! Buck is currently planning for this.
  • Meetings have been attended this week and will continue to be attended.
  • It is important that the Executive Committee and Senate generally get a say on the Equity Council.
  • I am always around if you need my help.
• Vice President
  • BBQ! This will be our first General Senate retreat. We are holding it at Riley’s house. This Saturday from 4 PM to ? PM.
    • We need to ensure that carpools are organized beforehand.
      • The local Church parking lot is useful. There are plenty of spots there.
      • Anyone who can drive should drive.
    • Quote is pertinent to what is going on right now in regard to the retreat.
  • I am proud of how ambitious many members of the Executive Committee are, as I have seen through the Progression Meetings
• Treasurer
  • I have signed a few things.
  • I have also talked with Cheryl about my position.
• Chief Information Officer
  • Typing and giving a report at the same time is not easy. I’ll not try, so everything here is noted post-committee.
  • Kudos Culture is doing better, would like to see improvement at the committee level. Chairpersons are encouraged to invite committee members to write them.
  • Discussion on how I do General Senate Meeting Minutes
    • Seconding
    • Verbatim
    • Et cetera
  • Directors of Communications:
    • Welcome Day is happening the 22^nd of April from 8 AM to 10 AM.
    • The Clean-Up is approaching.
    • Marketing for Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW) is going well.
    • Fencing participated in photos for SAAW.
    • These events are being discussed and shared on social media.
    • The print shop have not delivered the sweatshirts. And their increased changes in price will not be reversed.
    • The survey for T-shirts will close soon.
    • Many of the photos from SAAW are ready to be put on social media. I will ask Senators to post their photos on certain days.
    • Please submit the necessary information ASAP for ‘Meet the Exec Board’. When you do send in your information, please send in your name, your position, and a fun fact about.
  • Finance Committee
    • Sam is working on Finance Handbook Changes.
    • Now is a good time to suggest changes to the handbook. Please attend committee or talk with Sam to do so.
    • It is helpful to get some ‘outside’ eyes on the handbook.
  • SOARC
    • The committee has been recognizing groups.
    • I have been meeting with groups who were not able to go to the President’s Meetings.
    • I am having meetings with them also for the purpose of making sure they are establishing and transitioning their executive boards successfully.
    • The committee plans on brainstorming ideas regarding how to identify academic groups in the fall.
    • We plan on presenting a solid definition before the next re-rec season rolls around. This will be an important step for the committee since the bylaws are very vague around what exactly an academic organization is.
    • We will be reaching out to groups for stipend reviews which are coming up.
    • We have received praise for doing a good job with stipend review!!!
  • Academic Affairs Committee
    • The Ombud interviews have gone well. It has turned into a good bonding moment for the committee which has not meet before.
    • Assignments for Faculty Senate Committees are going well. We do, however, still need some assignments for particular committees.
    • I will be sitting down with college liaisons to brief them on what is expected of their position.
    • I will be attending the Calendar Committee to discuss the Elections Day Issues survey. I will be doing a 10- to 15-minute presentation. I am looking to address the general feelings of student body towards this matter.
    • I have talked with Kathy Collins about the question of moving the Mothers Room in the Library.
  • Campus Affairs Committee
    • Take back the week is happening. The committee is working with Ro and Senate will be paying $150.
  • Cultural Affairs Committee
    • Combining the powers of the Academic and Cultural Committees, we are creating a bill to turn Columbus Day into Indigenous People’s Day. The committees and the chair-people are attending a couple meeting to get a feel of those groups which this change directly affects to get a feel for their position on the matter.
    • There will be a discussion on some of the Standards involved in the NEASC Accreditation process.
    • The cultural committee will meet next semester on Tuesdays at 6 PM. It will tentatively occur in the same room.
    • Please prepare for the Stress Relief event and participate in it as well.
  • External Affairs Committee
    • The Narragansett Neighborhood clean up is happening this weekend.
    • I have sent out the ad made by the 2100 which was sent out through the DOC to Greek Life.
    • This will happen at Briggs farm, Scarborough Shores, Bonnet Shores, and
    • The committee is coordinating carpooling.
    • We have confirmed the meeting spots which were somewhat difficult last year.
    • The committee has been considering shifting our focus from Rhody Outpost to the Johnnycake Center.
      • Our Committee’s two general focuses, regardless of which place we operate with are:
        • Food insecurity
        • Food recovery
      • There are pros and cons to shifting focus
      • Pros:
        • The Johnnycake Center can provide better resources overall.
      • Cons:
        • There is the off-campus inconvenience.
        • The Bus could work, but avoiding any extra funds is the desired outcome.
      • As a result, we could consider getting the Johnnycake center to come to URI?
      • Jacky may come and facilitate conversations about this at later exec meeting and perhaps a public forum discussion.
      • Kathy Collins and I have taken a look at specific laws the committee should be aware of.
      • Vice-Chair Nomination: Alfred Bailey
      • (9-0-0)
      • On the question of having an attendance sheet for the clean-up:
        • No sign-up sheet, too unorganized last year, was not very helpful to the committee
        • We will simply market the event as best we can
          • To Greek
          • To Senate
          • And perhaps Marine Science Society
        • We are creating a carpool spreadsheet
      • New Business
        • Vice Chairs are equipped with the minutes templates.
        • Transitions are going smoothly, but there are some concerns
        • Stipend review presentations should have been included in transition materials and you should start looking over them and making any necessary adjustments
        • Bylaws Committee
          • Defining Goals
          • Careful consideration of Committee involvement

 

MEETING ADJOURNMENT TIME:

7:42 PM