Concerns
The Student Senate meeting opened with some discussion concerning the depreciation in quality of Aramark’s food on the weekends. Sen. Daryl Morazzini purchased a fruit cup with mold in it and was told by an Aramark worker they knew there was mold, but those were the only fruit cups available.
Sen. Mike Norton spoke of his concern with the state of advising on campus, complaining that friends of his were victims of the negligence of advisers. Other Senators followed Norton’s concern, acknowledging that this is a widespread problem, involving several departments on campus. Senate Chair Leah Wentworth commented that she knew somebody who had been falsely advised when told fluency in a foreign language was required to receive an English degree. The discussion concluded with suggestions that letters be sent out to boost the peer-advising program.
Further concerns brought forth in the meeting were regarding Student Senators not posting their office hours. The ski-club said it is very difficult to locate senators for information, because the senators are not usually in their office. Sen. Shaun Quinn said the statement made by the ski-club was biased due to the history between the two groups. He also said there are generally a few senators in their office. Sen. Ben Hoffman countered the remark and said that many senators were irresponsible in their attendance and with posting office hours. Morazzini continued the discussion saying that he posts his hours. After further escalation of the discussion Morazzini asked that the senate meeting not be reduced to a back-and-forth debate on when senators are in the office and whether their hours are posted or not.
The issue with the marketing and branding committee’s attempt to change the identity of USM’s Husky was briefly discussed. Several Senators also expressed their concern that the Independent studies programs were too difficult to get involved with. Morazzini complained that he was only able to gain approval for one of his three attempts at an independent study program. Morazzini and Quinn led the discussion and Quinn said that professors were not paid for the independent studies program and therefore were reluctant to advise students in independent studies.
Fitness Center Guests
Jenny Nelson, Tina Aldrich, and Josh Bailey attended the student senate meeting to discuss the Sullivan Gymnasium and fitness center and the programs incorporated with that facility. Nelson spoke of the recent renovations in the locker rooms and said the air conditioning system should be fully operational soon. Josh Bailey spoke about the personal trainer opportunities at the gym, and said that students get the discounted price of $20 for four hour-long sessions or $35 for eight sessions. Aldrich addressed the Senate about the current and future programs to be offered at the Sullivan Complex. Most programs are free, but Tai Chi and Yoga are $10 a course. Morazzini suggested implementing a field trip style program incorporating trips to museums and zoos, as well as shopping.
Motions to allocate funding
A representative of the Women’s Resource Center attended the meeting to ask for the allocation of $197 dollars for T-shirts to be given to volunteers on World AIDS Day. In discussion Wentworth shunned the proposition for money thinking that not all 50 T-shirts would be used. Wentworth went on to say that the student senate was not a checkbook for student groups. Quinn responded Wentworth’s statement saying that the senate is responsible to allocate money for student resources. Quinn also said that it was ludicrous to continually argue over the allocation of $197 when much more money had been spent in the past on causes that seemed less meaningful than World AIDS Day. Norton motioned to have the amount of $197 cut in half, claiming that 50 T-shirts were not needed, but after more deliberation his motion was voted down. Senator Gretchen Chesley did not think T-shirts would be put to proper use. She used the Student Senate T-shirts as an example, claiming she never sees any senators wearing their student senate T-shirts around campus. Thus, the World AIDS Awareness T-shirts would not serve their purpose as advertising tools for awareness. Nevertheless the proposal for $197 was passed after a lengthy debate.
Chris O’Connor took the floor to ask for $500 to be allocated for Welcoming Month in order to pay for the USM travel mugs that had already been purchased. Morazzini did not vote to approve the money because some of the mugs have been leaky. O’Connor said he would never purchase mugs from the vendor of leaky mugs again and the Senate approved the $500.
The proposal for $1200 to purchase a new computer at the Senate office was the next issue discussed. Sen. Dorn McMahon was concerned that allocating such a large amount of money for their own computer would be frowned upon by students. Quinn was opposed to buying a new computer, but when it was explained to him that the present computer was 6-years-old and ailing he agreed that a new computer was necessary. After much debate the issue was tabled for later discussion.
Excusal of Absences
Carolyn Ezzy is no longer a senator due to an excess of absences.
Senator Jessica Roy was absent from the meeting but had previously expressed to other senators that she did not want her absence excused. She thought it would be a waste of time to have the senate discuss her absence in the meeting. The senate attendance policy was then discussed. Senators are allowed three excused absences and after three non-excused absences they are banished from the student senate. The issue of Roy’s absence was a crucial point in the meeting, so important that Morazzini brought it up half an hour later. He believed Roy’s absence should be excused since it was valid for her to be attending another meeting. He found it insulting that she would ask for it to not be approved, and thought that it was a waste of his time for her to try and be a martyr for the issue of excused absences. Hoffman said he did not care if Morazzini was offended and said he was too sensitive to be part of the committee if he was going to take Roy’s stance to heart. Chesley made the point that Roy is very fair when voting on absences, and votes to excuse most other peoples absences. The senators then voted on whether or not they were going to vote for the absence to be excused. The motion to vote was approved, so the senate proceeded to vote on whether Roy’s absence was to be excused. They originally voted against excusing the absence, but Senator Anthony Pergola wanted to change his vote. After much deliberation, parliamentary procedure was to vote again. The final vote was to have the absence excused.
Student Leader for Oct.
In a vote of secret ballots, Joe Frechette defeated McMahon to win Student Leader of the Month for October.
Other Senate Business
Hoffman does not think the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Student Communications Board should get paid. The money to pay them comes from the money already allocated to The Free Press and WMPG, but Hoffman believes they are a group that should not even exist. The senate voted to pass the stipend pay that the SCB had already been scheduled to receive.
Norton was appointed to the Student Conduct Committee.
After giving a brief description of the Lord of the Rings presentation at USM, some senators were concerned that no money was going to be charged at the door to see the movie. Quinn wanted to do something for free for the community and said the issue of charging money to see the movie was not up for discussion. In his closing remarks, Quinn said that he doesn’t participate in the student senate to play parliamentary games. He said the Student Senate addresses several serious issues, but fails to follow up on several of them. He wants to accomplish something, rather than just sit around talking and bickering.