March 14 meeting
By Elise Adams
Executive Editor
Pres. Richard Pattenaude and Vice President of Student Life Craig Hutchinson were guest speakers. They discussed the budget problems projected for the next two school years, explaining how there were additional expenses above past years, including a roughly $300,000 increase in property and casualty insurance, and the new PeopleSOFT human resources software costing about $290,000.
Pattenaude mentioned the possibility of limited parking in the first level of the incomplete garage in the fall, and that the new bioscience wing of the science building will be completed in May or June, so the parking area in front of Sullivan Gym will be available again.
He also mentioned the University had received a monetary gift to finish the top three floors of the Glickman Library.
The conversation turned back to the dire financial straits of the University, and Pattenaude promised, “We are not going to balance it on the backs of the students.” He also said there would be “no elimination of professors.”
Hutchinson began to describe the Unified Fee which would simply make billing easier by combining all fees, excluding the Student Activity Fee, into a single line item on a student’s bill. It would not change the actual amounts going to each of the current line items, but simply make the bill clearer.
Meeting of March 21, 2003
By Jim Ward
Sports Editor
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
In an unprecedented move before beginning the business of the day, Sen. Gretchen Chesley made a motion that the Student Senate begin the session with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Despite discussion by Sen. Shaun Quinn and Sen. Daryl Morazzini regarding wording within the pledge, the Senate in full unison recited the pledge and observed a moment of silence.
APPOINTMENTS/RESIGNATIONS
Three new candidates for vacant seats on the Senate were nominated by Sen. Joshua Dolby and were ratified unanimously by the sitting members of the Senate.
The new senators are senior Ryan Finley (commuter), freshman Amanda Smith (at large), and junior Patricia Takacs (resident).
Dolby resigned from the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) due to scheduling conflicts.
Quinn was appointed to the USM Judiciary Committee unanimously.
2003-04 SENATE BUDGET
The Senate reviewed next year’s proposed Senate budget and is scheduled to vote on it at its next meeting on April 4.
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
Sen. Ben Hoffman presented a series of proposed changes to the Senate’s constitution. The Senate debated at length the proposed change regarding the Personnel Review Board (PRB). Morazzini expressed disappointment in the fact that the proposed change to the make up of the PRB would exclude the president of the Board of Student Organizations (BSO). “The BSO president represents the most amount of seated students on the campus where he/she should have the ability to speak about peer review issues,” Morazzini said.
Dolby praised Hoffman and his committee’s hard work. After learning that the changes had not been sent to the CRC for review, Dolby stated he could not vote on them. “I don’t think it makes sense that we should have these proposals if the CRC hasn’t fully evaluated the changes,” Dolby said. “I think it should go to that committee first as they are the experts on the issue.”
Dolby moved that the changes be referred back to the CRC for further consideration. Sen. Jeremy Collette, Sen. Jessica Roy, and Sen. Matt Amoroso felt strongly that the Senate had the ability to debate the changes on the Senate floor as opposed to sending the changes back to committee.
CRC chairman Morazzini said, “We have a CRC for a reason and heard over a month ago that these changes were occurring and was told in CRC session that the CRC was diverted.”
Hoffman said, “The committee had a proposal of mine earlier and I have not yet obtained any information from it and it hasn’t gone anywhere for three weeks.”
After hearing reasons for and against sending the proposed changes back to the CRC, the Senate ultimately passed by majority to send the proposed PRB constitutional change to an ad hoc committee.
The Senate also voted by a majority to send the remaining proposed changes to the CRC for review and that the Senate be updated at the April 4 meeting of the Senate.
FUND TRANSFER
The Senate ratified the transfer of $8,000 to the capital improvement fund from the photocopier fund. The purpose of the transfer is to serve as a replenishment of the capital improvement fund.