Senate Agenda: September 12, 2011 5:30 p.m. Room 2106 of Ed II North

Welcome and Announcements

Approval of the Minutes: minutes approved from the 9/12 meeting.

President Announcements

Student health insurance – upcoming this year. SHI on campus bunch of revisions each year – benefits, premiums, system level decreasing cost while increasing value. One of the ways – one plan design is each of four campuses under umbrella program, then each program add their own stuff as needed – rider added for each campus. Recommendations to Regents coming in – some changes to SHI are coming.

SAO Announcements

  • SkiDAZE begins this Thursday September 29 – emails have been sent via student activities and activities announce. Information is on the Events page of Student Senate.
  • Retreat on October 7-8, 2011. RSVP to Lia if you haven’t already. But be SURE to RSVP so she can get your information to the hotel. Liaisons don’t come to retreat – seated senators only for this event. SQ explanation – what are you good at? Watch your email for code to participate. Joe Neguse (Regent) and Dr. Cardenas will be at retreat 10/7.
  • DPT elections – 3 senators, need only 2 for the 1st year class.
  • Swipe Card vending machines are coming to Ed II North. Talk to Cheryl if you have other wishes/wants re: machines in your building/s.
  • Tonight need Finance Committee to reaffirm/gather new Finance Committee members – large role in Academic Student Support funding ($75 fee/term) and Student Fee Review committee.

Financial Aid – Karl Davis, Assistant Director, AMC Office of Financial Aid – powerpoint. Changes in legislature regarding subsidized loans for graduate and professional students beginning 2012-2013 school year. (powerpoint is posted next to Minutes on website) undergraduate students at AMC (BSN) will not be affected. 1% on most loans – fee. Graduate plus and Parent plus is 4%. FAid will increase the overall cost of attendance to try and not ‘short’ students in their COL disbursements. Not a huge difference in overall loan amount after 4 year loan period.

Undergraduate students are unaffected – however, interest rate goes to 6.8%, rather than 3.4% where they are now.

Check the Financial Aid website for more specific information for each college/school/program.

Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs – Raul Cardenas Jr.

Has been here about 6 weeks. CARdenas. Educational background. Started 2 charter high schools for at risk students– still up and running. First time at a professional/graduate school like what is here at AMC. Wants to hear about needs/wants directly from students. Email him directly at

Issues discussed:
Student – debt issue. Also mentioned Diversity issue with LCME – RC saw lack of diversity training when lack of translators at a local hospital had Raul translating for another patient’s family. How do we leverage the situation so more students can/DO go into practice in rural settings.

Student – address diversity by addressing the debt load. How is campus funded? NIH grants fund a lot of how the campus works – how can move funding to decrease tuition? Goes to campus buildings, but need funds to go to education.

RC – this Senate body is supposed to be reacting to this situation. Does the separatist environment between the schools/programs contribute to inability to get real big funding for across the board funds for all schools/programs.

Student – a student organization has had issues with barriers with upper administration in getting funding or permission to work with Vice Chancellors. RC – use Cheryl, Lynn or Lia to him and the vice chancellors. Ajay can also help in this area as he meets regularly with the VCs and administration.

Student – needs alumni from Graduate School in established fields to work with them for job seeking/career development – RC has been speaking with Dr. Shur about a variety of issues regarding graduate school students.

Student – problems getting in touch with Financial Aid and Bursar – RC wants to hear about issues, b/c students who have issues/need something to be addressed can use RC to get that paid attention to.

BRANCH Update-

Bridging Research and Aurora Neighborthoos for Community Health

Founded in 2010 approved by Senate as an affiliated student organization.

Powerpoint –

A few students who saw major health disparities between this campus, and the surrounding neighborhoods in Aurora/surrounding AMC.

Surrounding neighborhoods may see us as an isolated ivory tower within their surrounding area.

Recruiting pitch for PT students.

  • Farmer’s Market – attendance has dwindled a bit since it first started. AMC population would like have easier access/on campus vs. on the west side in General’s Park. BRANCH is trying to get folks to market – free parking, etc.
  • Community Gardens – Dr. Jill Litt – people who garden are healthier – not sure of causality, but it’s a fact. Less chronic disease, more engaged overall. Working now with North Middle School had a mini-garden – teacher use garden for nutrition, outside educational, etc.
  • Campus Garden – survey in November 2010. 508 people participated. 50% of respondents were to spend more than 3 hours in the garden per month. Sustainability AND health issues for the campus garden – more so than community garden necessarily. Primarily focused for campus community – various reasons to not bring community to our campus space (liability). Student commented – met good friends, common interests, social interaction, not necessarily substistence gardening.
  • Health Screens – with SNPhA –provide a service to community as students..improve primary care.

Suggestion from a student – get plots in community gardens and get our students out there – into the community. Start there.

Now asking for funding. A lot of ambitious projects – a lot of momentum. Need the $500 seed money to pay a few speakers, ($200) and lunches, $100 marketing, owe some folks $$ for business cards, $200 funding for t-shirts to move things around.

Some discussion – request itemized budget. Seems like BRANCH is making an impact. Does this help students? Call for a motion? Motion/seconded/unanimous vote to wait for a written budget proposal. Cheryl to request that from Jason Yost.

Election for VP of Philanthropy

Nominations – Nicole Keene. 2nd year PT student. Needs to learn about past philanthropy efforts.

Committee Sessions

Committee Reports – 2011 Recap and Ongoing Efforts
Diversity – Galen Hartenberger – new things in addition to Paris. October 8 – senate retreat. Chelsea (former VP) may step in for Galen on occasion. Get more folks to step up in Paris. 10/22 – SSC + health fair with SNaPhA. Very good turnout at this event – reach out to community in addition to keeping the kids occupied.

Surrounding community has many refugees – Sudanese, Burmese – what it is like here for them. What do they need? Ways to support in some way – dinner at one of their restaurants – put the word out to support the local businesses.

Finance – Leah Schulz – 3 PDAs received. Shauna and Joey will manage PDAs for the committee. Andrew for attendance. 3 unexcused absences per year – excused also includes illness, death in the family. Liaisons are welcome – individual attendance and class attendance are different – class attendance is money.

Finance Committee also serves on ASAC and Student Fee Review committees – need PT, PA and PH. Maggie Jackson – PT, Beth Hewes PA, Grant Chambers – PH stepped up to serve in this capacity.

Legislative Affairs – Henri Jupille – all sorts of fund stuff – town hall meetings – contact information for local state senators/representatives – pick a few each month to send students to. If we can get to Udall, Bennett, ask them about this change in financial aid what, if any solutions do they have for Colorado with rural medicine. Try and get a newsletter out regarding the new bill giving FDA more regulatory muscle – block shipment vs. voluntary recall.

Philanthropy – Nicole Keenan – homework will be to find out what other student orgs are doing so we/they don’t repeat all efforts?

Student Life and Academic Affairs – Christopher Walker – big goal for this year – encourage mingling between the programs, more connection between programs –even if just a few more students know a few from other programs – a few larger events vs. larger events. Hit the masses as they exit Ethics…get a good amount of people that way. Golf Course or new Bar event at Fitz 21. .

Adjourn