Attendance: Holden, Jones, Coates, Juhr, Ferreira, Pilkington, Troiano, Rossi, Segal, Roy, Weinreich
RULES & ETHICS
Weinreich– We received a formal complaint on April 18, 2011 with regards to the election that was carried out on March 30, 2011. The moderator of Student Senate did not count the secret ballots of SOARC or that of finance. Evidence to support those claims. Former treasurer MacKinnon counted the ballots. SOARC and FINANCE are not valid. Proceedings of formal complaint were brought before us, did investigation. Rules and Ethics found complaint valid- (4-0-0). Void due to procedural errors with regards to counting ballots. Vice President did not count secret ballots of SOARC or Finance and election. Senate shall vote by secret ballots, which is tallied by moderator. We found for the petitioner and voided the election on the grounds that it was improperly conducted. Re-open nominations and elections of SOARC and Finance Chair. We recommend that either the procedurals be altered or the by-laws be revised to meet with the current elections. On behalf of Weinreich with the Rules and Ethics committee.
Rules and Ethics Report:
Ruling on the formal complaint 4/18/11
Facts: The Complaint was brought before Rules & Ethics on 4/18/11, March 30th 2011. The moderator of the Senate, at the time, did not Count the secret ballots in the election of the chairperson of SOARC or that of Finance (see evidence Statement of Prata), In the case of the election of the Finance former treasure MacKinnon counted the ballots, but declined counting the SOARC ballots, in any result they were still not counted by the moderator of the senate.
Issue: Was the election of the SOARC and Finance chairs that occurred on March 30, 2011 valid?
Proceedings: A formal complaint was brought before Rules & Ethics 4/18/11, an investigation followed resulting in the aforementioned facts.
Holding: The rules and ethics committee finds the complaint to be valid and the election to be void. 4-0-0 , with one member absent.
Reasoning: We, the rules and ethics committee, have ruled the elections are void due to the procedural errors with regards to counting of the ballots. We found this based on testimony of both former Vice Pres. Prata and that of former treasurer MacKinnon. Stating that the vice president did not count the secret ballots for the elections of Finance chair or for the election of SOARC chair. These statements concurred with the issues raised in the complaint and based upon our reading of the bylaws, that state: “At the conclusion of debate, the Senate shall vote by secret ballots to be tallied by the moderator of the Senate” [the moderator of the Senate at this time was former vice president Prata]. We found in favor of the petitioner, and void the election on the grounds that it was improperly conducted.
Remedy: We, the members of rules and ethics, recommend that the Executive Board of Student Senate, with all due haste and keeping in mind that the semester is quickly drawing to a close. Reopen nominations and elections for SOARC and Finance chairs.
Respectfully submitted,
Kyle Weinreich On Behalf Of the Rules and Ethics Committee
Recommendation:
Further Recommendation Regarding Complaint Filed on 4/18/11
With the goal of avoiding a further complaint on the grounds of an improperly conducted election we the members of rules and ethics recommend that either the procedures for elections be altered or that the bylaws be revised to meet with the current procedures of elections specifically article 7 section B part 4. It states that the count of the ballots should be read at the conclusion of each election. In this case, and the case of the other elected chairs, the count was not read, but instead announced that any senator could hear the results if they were to ask. It is our recommendation that the bylaws reflect this, if this procedure is the way senate would like to continue to conduct elections, or that the counts must be read at the conclusion of each election, in accordance with the bylaws.
Coates- Going to have new elections for SOARC and Finance. I own this mistake, hadn’t looked at the section of the by-laws in a very long time. Thank you, Senator Weinreich.
Rossi- Goes into effect this Wednesday?
Coates- Nominations open this week, vote next week.
Holden- How do we present that?
Coates- Probably should email Senate over the Listserv and tell them what happened. Should have realized that my appointees and I are not supposed to count ballots. Follow the bylaws.
Juhr- How are the ballots counted for other elections?
Coates- This was brought to my attention before the second election. Made sure immediately to make Vice President count ballots.
Holden- I also had to make a statement to Rules and Ethics, saying that I was aware of the bylaws prior to nominations and elections of chair positions and appointees.
CULTURAL
Ferreira- Kim was amazing and ferns were brought for decorations for the stage. Voting was done- tie for president of the year so I wanted to talk to exec. about how we should handle it. Should exec vote or cultural as a committee?
Coates- I think cultural.
Ferreira- We are personalizing the script now that votes are in. Rock the Pond. Branford and I have decided to cancel Friday because it is complicated. Saturday is still Hempfest. Still having a booth. We are going to have a tri-fold poster that is going to have projections of Ellery pond in the middle and facts on the side. Also thinking of something that we can sell. Talking to senator Berger and says he has 400 pairs of sunglasses name brands at his house. I guess a company went out of business and mom took advantage of the opportunity. Said he can sell them to us for 90 cents a pair, and we can sell them for $10-$15 a pair. If that’s allowed in our budget, we should do that. Good idea to bring attention to our booth. If anybody else has any ideas for what we can sell, those ideas are welcome. Also, for Oozeball, sometimes people tie duct tape around their shoes. We were thinking of selling duct tape and tying them to raise donations for Ellery. This summer, I am going to be collaborating with Musicians Guild and the radio station and we are going to plan a “real” Rock the Pond with the concert, VIP passes, and bonfire. Officer Mark is also going to be helping us with that. Today we had a meeting with the new chief diversity officer, Katherine Friedman. Talked about the issues with the Multicultural organizations and possible solutions. Working with MCC liaison, Ashley Smith, about problems and solutions, so we can talk about them at the next MCC President’s meeting. She is coming to next Cultural Affairs meeting on Wednesday. As far as Diversity Week goes for next October, thinking of having centers of diversity during diversity week.
Coates- Questions for cultural?
Troiano– Is Deer Tick playing at Hempfest?
Ferreira- No idea.
Coates- Don’t know if we will be allowed to buy sunglasses from the senate budget.
Ferreira- But they are for donations, not for profit. Making $4.00 a pair.
Coates- $360, so we would have to see.
Ferreira- They would be $4.00 a pair.
Coates- We would be making $1240.
Ferreira- Should I talk to finance?
Coates- Yes, talk to them.
CAMPUS
Juhr- Last Friday, I had the idea to make a campus email. Uri.campus@gmail.com is the new email. Going to be making a meeting with Jerry Sidio of the Facilities Department to meet with him and introduce him to everybody. On RIPTA, they are getting the software put into all the buses so you can text a number and see where the buses are. Want to have that done by Labor Day weekend so everything can be done for orientation.
Coates- Talked to Sinapi. Apparently, that is the only way that it is mobile friendly but there are other companies out there where you can track the bus on your phone, like on Google maps. I think the text messaging for that company is brand new, so I had some concerns about that. Don’t know if Sinapi shared that with you. Can somebody talk to RIPTA about that?
Juhr- Going to meet with Bruce to see if we can do informal safety and lighting walk to be ready for the fall. Handicap button broken at Hope but fixed last week. Hadn’t heard of anything on termite infestation in Chafee. I have been keeping contact with the representative of VoteNet and my committee, and I need to still look at two other groups to compare. Then we can get a contract going. Police training interviews were today and went good. How do I nominate my vice-chair? I nominate Matt Berger as my vice-chair.
(8-0-0)
Coates– Congratulations, Matt Berger.
Juhr- That’s all I have for today.
Coates- Questions for campus?
Pilkington– Ballentine handicap button is broken.
EXTERNAL
Troiano– I have been working on the traffic light on the intersection of Route 108 and 138. Have been re-tracing Bobby Stewart’s steps. Met with police chief’s secretary of SK because Chief Vespia sits on the traffic councils for the state. She said to write a letter and submit it Wednesday. Going to submit it tomorrow. They have a meeting Thursday, so hopefully he will bring it up. They meet the third Thursday of every month so I might have to wait until next month too. Other than that, in committee today, a couple of the members of External are renting from Tom Morello and he is a new member to the Narragansett Coalition and rents properties. He wants to try and help out with the relations between URI students and Narragansett. Going to come to the next external meeting, and we can see what happens. Wants to get involved. Nicastro is going to try and start working on this project on which he figures out the economic impact of URI students in Narragansett and SK. I’m sure other members will too. Has he brought it up yet?
Coates– University has done it in the past. Don’t know when last one was done, but I will try and find it. I am going talk to Andrea Hopkins. She has that information. It was done twice in the recent past. One was by someone doing graduate work and the other was by an outside consulting firm. Don’t know who has it, but I will find it. It’s really expensive to do those studies.
Troiano- Why?
Coates- Consulting fees.
Troiano– Shouldn’t the information be available to students?
Coates– Don’t know all the variables they measure. Don’t know if we have the tools to measure that ourselves. We will have to look at it. I think it was done within the last five years. I know UConn still uses data from 2003. The only thing we would have to do is adjust for inflation. University does not accurately know the number of students living off campus and in the towns.
Troiano- I was going to say, can’t you just use the contact list of the campus on e-campus?
Coates- I will help you get the numbers to start.
Troiano- That’s it.
Coates- Questions for external? Did you get the email from Andrea Hopkins of the list of URI alumni on the General Assembly? We should email them and see if we can create a line of communication. Other questions?
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Pilkington- Working on college advising process, researching sister schools about their advising systems and comparing to URI.
Roy- I went to the advisement steering committee; and if you want any information, talk to me. It was a brainstorming meeting about how to improve advising. Deans of different colleges were there. Something will be done for those worried about the advising.
Pilkington– How was it?
Roy- It was interesting.
Coates– I believe we have to vote for Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs. I believe Senator Pilkington is nominated.
Pilkington- I guess.
(9-0-0)
Coates– Congratulations, Senator Pilkington. Questions for Academic?
Holden– Did either Senator Cologna or Chairman Caisse meet with college reps?
Pilkington– Cologna met with them, but not all of them showed up.
Coates– I know he met with one. Got an email back from UC gen ed. committee. There is a draft of the report they are working on. Institutional objectives and graduation outcomes. Goes into what general education curriculum and what specific objectives should be. Actual draft is pretty short along with comments from people. Going to give this to Senator Pilkington and put in Caisse’s mailbox. I am going to make liaisons more efficient by going through all University committees that have student representatives and have them give a brief summary of what that committee is working on and the purpose of the committee, so I can explain that to student reps when they get appointed to positions. It will be more interesting and find interested people.
Holden- You were on UC Gen-ed. committee before, right Ryann?
Rossi– Yes.
Coates- Now it is Karim.
SECRETARY
Jones- Not really much going on. Don’t have Kudos yet, working on that. Committee chairs, if you could just let your Vice-Chairs know to send me the minutes from your meeting to the new Secretary email – uri.studentsenatesecretary@gmail.com. This will be the new email from now on, so please send reports my way or have Vice-Chairs send as well. Also, I am going to be emailing College Representatives to remind them about their Liaison Reports and if they could cc me on those reports when sending them to the Academic Affairs Chairman. Other than that, if anybody has anything else or wants to know anything, let me know.
Coates– Kim and I have an executive committee calendar that we do not fully utilize and would like to use this year. And if you want to be shared on it, email and let me know. I was going to have the secretary and Kim have the liaison meetings posted on there so that we have an idea of the faculty senate meetings and other meetings. That way, if somebody asks when a committee is meeting, we will know.
Ferreira– Does Ashley Smith do a Liaison report too?
Coates- Yes. Only a paragraph or something talking about MCC. Same goes for the rest of liaison meetings. If it is something like faculty senate committee, it would be good to know meeting times, so if we had to plan a resolution or something based on when they meet, we will know.
SOARC
Rossi- Can I close the meeting please?
Coates- Motion to close minutes.
2nd Segal
Holden- Motion to re-open minutes
2nd Juhr
Rossi- Alexa and I have been talking about ideas for SOARC. Going to add to recognition papers that organizations need to create their own email with gmail. We already talked about adding the finance tutorial that they have to take before they can be recognized.
Coates- How about requiring president and treasurer having access to that email?
Rossi– ok.
Coates– Questions for SOARC?
Holden- Last President’s meeting?
Rossi- Last Monday.
Roy- Scheduled the meetings for next semester in the Atrium.
Coates- We’re not doing breakout sessions like we did last year? First president’s meeting, we had normal meeting, and then we had break out sessions where groups could talk about recruitment and retention and fundraising.
Roy- They can still do that but the location has changed.
Coates– Booked several rooms in the union and had people facilitate discussion and train them. Encouraged people to bring other people to this meeting.
Roy– I will book more rooms.
Coates- We need to get the word out because some groups did not show up with a lot of people and some were run by freshmen and sophomores. If they can bring in one person for every room, that would be really good. Food is provided.
Roy– I’ll find out more information and then schedule it.
Coates- Alumni Association offers to give food.
Rossi– They usually come to us to provide food.
Roy– We should try and keep it in the same place though.
Coates– Questions for SOARC?
Roy– Anybody at first president’s meeting, talk to me please.
VICE PRESIDENT
Holden- Block party that was scheduled for tomorrow has been moved to 4/26. Gives me time to work on that. Mocktails is scheduled for Wednesday at 11-3pm. I need someone to volunteer from 1-3, and I am going to send an email for people to volunteer. Need someone to pick up stuff with me at stop and shop before 11am anytime before Wednesday.
Segal- I can go.
Holden- Purchase requisition is all finished. Thank you to senator Roy who made the flyer for it. It was approved today by SPO as well as Sheri so that was good. Thanks to Stephanie who filled out the purchase requisition. Signed us up for First Night, sent that in the other day. Talked to Maureen and she wants to steer us away from the whole dunk tank thing. Her take on it was that people should know Senate for Senate. Welcome Day- thank you to those who helped out. Got a lot of emails from people who were interested. Brittany had a lot of conversations. I will email them as well as the people’s email we get on First night for elections in the fall. Committee times for the fall- try to steer away from Wednesday committee meetings because not enough time to bring something to the floor and add news to the agenda. Asking to steer away if possible. Please let me know when you will be holding committee times. Finally, I needed to get something out of the office and went to go get the key from the front desk but the lady said somebody was already there. Went around the whole union and had to contact the person, so I went to the desk and they said this wasn’t the first time this happened and can’t keep happening. Gave them a new updated contact sheet of current senators. If you go into the senate office, stay in there. Don’t wander off or leave the building since somebody else may need the key. The Info desk has an updated sheet so they will know who is on senate and who isn’t. They were sharing my frustrations with me. Please keep in mind. Respect the office when you are in there. Sometimes the computer and printer will be unplugged, so please do that for us.
Coates- Questions for VP?
Ferreira- When are Mocktails?
Holden- Wednesday at 11 am on the quad. If anybody can help out, it would be greatly appreciated.
Ferreira– I can be there from 2-3pm.
Rossi- How many people do you need?
Holden- I need like one person from 2-3pm.
Rossi- I can do 1-2pm.
Holden– It is supposed to serve as recruitment event. We are always recruiting. Not everybody is going to be a freshman, so always recruit. Passing out remainder of things from Welcome Day.
Coates- Also good to talk to students about what we are working on. Same day as lobster bake.
Holden- I think it might be being moved. Block party is moved because of weather.
Ferreira- Not having a quick exec meeting on Wednesday?
Coates- No more exec on Wednesdays.
Rossi- Last meeting? Is it cancelled?
Coates- Don’t have a problem cancelling it as long as there is no new business or elections. Is everyone in favor of cancelling the last meeting?
(8-0-0).
Coates– Officially no meeting on May 4th.
PRESIDENT
Coates- I sent out a Welcome letter to freshmen last year. I’m going to read it to you guys and hand it in by May 1st, so I need to revise it. Co-sponsorship for Student Senate is almost empty. Gave the last of it to GSA, EMA for Dance ‘Til Dawn, SSDP $400 for Hempfest. Meeting with some students to talk about Orange Sticker. Have an interview with the Brown Daily Herald to talk about Rhode Island’s Brain Drain, which refers to people who get educations in Rhode Island and move out of state. Significant concern with Brown and URI specifically even though Brown is not a state school. Going to talk to them about that. There is this thing called a Bridge Survey, and they have the results- don’t know who is included or how they got the data but it was to measure CCRI, URI, RIC, and Brown. Results of that might not be released to public. Going to try and get myself. That would be on Thursday–there is a meeting about it that I have not been invited to. Also, going to meet with Tessa Constant, board member of CCRI Board of Governors. One student representative that rotates between the institutions. Emailed her this week about the proposed tuition increase. I am going to meet with this young woman in person to let her know I am communicating with the constituents. Also re-arranging a meeting with RIC Student Government. Only RIC and URI are getting tuition increase. It seems like students are going to have an uphill battle. I am going talk to rest of Board members too. The printer in the senate office – Chris Knight figured out a way to lock it with the password. After Kim leaves, password protection will be turned on. Got an email from URI College Democrats. Student who works in the RI Rep offices- the rep has proposed a bill to reduce student loans by creating an educational opportunity program. Going to offer tax credits to pay back student loans for students who stay here after graduation to work. Also offered to employers who choose to pay employees for their student loans as well. I am in support of it but will do more research. I also got a report of the equity council LGBTIQQ subcommittee. It is their findings and recommendations for the community. Forwarded to cultural affairs. Talked to them about things we need to do to increase equity for LGBTIQQ students. Talked about ensuring safety. There is also a part that talks about a number of incidents. Talk about in terms of programs they want to improve university. One of the recommendations is that they want benefits for workers that extend to their families to extend to LGBTIQQ employers. Also talked about a welcome project. They want a university-wide welcome project event at the GLBT center with a sticker that reflects that you have been trained in diversity and prepared to support GLBT community. I would like to put that sticker on the Senate door one day. That’s what I have been working on. Questions?
Ferreira– That meeting is on this Thursday? Equity council meeting? In Ballentine?
Coates- Yes. It will be out by 10:30. If not, you can just leave because they continue talking. Questions?
TREASURER
Segal– Paying the bills. You will all be paid next Tuesday. Went to hand it in today but was told it was too early. Make sure you have your forms in so you can get paid.
Ferreira- Go over paper work that we need?
Segal- You need to hand in W-4.
Holden- Also need a copy of social security card, license, or student ID.
Ferreira- Do we get those from Kim?
Holden– Yes and pass it in at the Student Senate accounts office.
Troiano- Also the I-9
Holden- Kim gives both to you.
Segal- Aside from that, funny how much money you spend as treasurer. Have already spent well over $10,000.
Adjourned 7:29pm.