Third Senate Session

October, 3rd2017

Stern Center Ballroom

Call to Order

The Third Session of Senate was called to order at 4:30

Roll Call

  • Absences
  • Senator Ponder
  • Senator Dudley
  • Senator Lifchez

Minutes

Motion to waive the reading of the minutes.

  • Passed

Executive Council Reports

  • President Alexandra Helfgott
  • Thank you for helping at the bike auction
  • We will be doing 7-10 pm tabling at fall fest
  • Giving out SGA grocery bags and cotton candy
  • Please sign up for the major and minors fair tomorrow
  • 9:30-1:30pm
  • Group pictures will be on Oct 24th in the Cistern at 4pm
  • Secretary Emily Ramsayer
  • No report
  • Treasurer Sara Graham
  • We made over $7,000 at the bike auction
  • Two clubs coming today
  • Debate Society and College Republicans
  • Please ask good questions
  • Chief of Staff Williams
  • No report
  • Deputy Chief of StaffRunzo
  • No report
  • Pro-tempore Borges
  • No report
  • Vice President Tripp Keefe
  • No report

Unfinished Business

  1. FB-09-2017— To allow the budgeted student organization We Need To Talk to enter their 28 day waiting period
  • First Rights
  • Senator Green:
  • I yield my time to her
  • Club rep:
  • Exists at 3 other school branches
  • Mission is to create an environment where one can share ideas for the betterment of society
  • Focused on similarities instead of differences
  • Unified by our humanity; there is a need for us to talk in order to foster better understanding
  • Wefocus on all different issues in all communities
  • We don’t aim to change peoples opinions, just to show how we are all united
  • These other branches have won awards such as the multicultural program of the year award, and others
  • We have around 15 members solidified as of now
  • Create opportunities for students to develop public speaking skills and provide a network for students to use even after college
  • We will have panel discussions, can food drives, group discussions, toy drives, and other fundraising for natural disasters
  • We will hold networking events and be doing cultural events
  • Our rule is that everyone is always respectful
  • If someone is disrespectful, they get one warning and then they cannot come back
  • We don’t limit ourselves to specific issues of any one community
  • Possible topics include LGBTQ community, the N-word, sexuality, We Need Self Defense, a mental health segment, and others
  • We plan to have a massive presence on social media
  • We will have consistent philanthropic work
  • Period of Discussion
  • Senator Palacios: Are there steps required to become part of the national chapter?
  • Club rep:The only step is becoming an official club on your school’s campus
  • How do you plan on dealing with difficult questions?
  • Club rep:I will explain the rules and how disrespect is not allowed
  • We will protect our students by making this a safe environment for all students

Point of Interest

  • Senator Green: They thought about implementing a three strike rule that way people know when they enter into the discussion the rules of the organization
  • Senator Pitts: How will a typical meeting go?
  • Club rep: We will first introduce ourselves and set out the rules
  • We will do an ice breaker and open a dialogue
  • We will then have an activity that will allow people to discuss the topic in groups
  • Deputy Chief of StaffRunzo: Can anyone attend these meetings?
  • Club rep: Yes
  • Deputy Chief of Staff Runzo: How will you ensure that your club is sustainable?
  • Club rep: We plan on reaching out to all students
  • We really want to reach out to freshman especially to get involved
  • Hopefully this club will gain a big following on campus with all its events
  • Chief of Staff Williams: Have you scheduled a meeting with the national organization’s leader?
  • Club rep: Yes, I have met with him
  • Chief of Staff Williams: How do you plan to implement these ideas from that meeting with him on CofC’scampus?
  • Club rep: We just discussed what topics we felt we should be talking about on our campus
  • He gave us insight on what worked and what didn’t
  • I know director of USC upstate and I walk talking to her yesterday about the setbacks she faced
  • I have people to help me through this process
  • Deputy Chief of Staff Runzo: How do you plan to implement the unity specifically in your club that you discussed earlier?
  • Club rep:It probably won’t be easy, but we will discuss a topic like LGBT and if people are butting heads, we will ask them to find something that they have in common with each other
  • We will find places where they agree on or else we can agree to disagree
  • When we say unity, we just want to make sure everyone can not only be heard, but respected
  • Unity to us means we can all come together and discuss these ideas safely
  • Motion to be passed by unanimous consent
  • Passed
  1. FB-10-2017 — To allow the budgeted student organization Luminescent to enter their 28-day waiting period.

Motion to table the bill until next week

Passed

  1. FB-11-2017 — To allow the budgeted student organization Meditation Club toenter their 28-day waiting period.
  • First Rights
  • Senator Caleca:
  • I yield my time to her
  • Club rep:
  • We want to create an environment that encourages these mindfulness practices in an academic environment
  • This way of thought is becoming more main stream
  • This is a practice so that is why we are bringing this club to campus
  • We want to have different activities such as workshops and panels that emphasize mindfulness
  • We are budgeted
  • We have 2 faculty advisors
  • We have about 15 members but are looking to expand
  • Mindfulness practices does really alleviate stress
  • This has worked in my own life and I truly want to share this with others
  • Free yoga, meditation walks, and a Peace Week
  • Requesting funding for food for these events and speaker gifts
  • We do have a Facebook page and flyers
  • We have created a mindfulness newsletter
  • We want to collaborate with different clubs on campus through our mindfulness workshops
  • I have already hosted these workshops at CofC so I have experience
  • I want to promote these events more during high stress times like finals and midterms
  • Period of Discussion
  • Senator Lehtola: How did you learn mediation?
  • Club rep: I am a certified yoga teacher and mindfulness teacher
  • I want to work in this area after school
  • There is a lot of science to back up these ideas
  • I have done a lot of my own research
  • Senator Pits: Would you be willing to collaborate with Cougar Counseling?
  • Club rep: Yes, they have already asked us to come an speak at their events
  • President Helfgott: Could you explain the difference between Active Minds andyour club?
  • Club rep: Active Mindesfocuses more on raising awareness about mental illness whereas ours gives tools to battles this problem
  • President Helfgott: You are a senior, how do you plan to be sustainable?
  • Club rep: We do have a lot of sophomores and youngerclassmen involved
  • I am hoping to extend this info through the yoga community because I am very involved in it myself
  • Chief of Staff Williams: Why are you just starting this now?
  • Club rep: I just started meditation last year; I took a course about it
  • I used to struggle with anxiety that is why I am so passionate about sharing it
  • Motion to be passed by unanimous consent
  • Passed
  1. FB-12-2017 — To allocate up to the amount of $265.02 to the student organization Debate Society for the purpose of Confederate Flag Debate
  • First Rights
  • Senator Borges:
  • I yield my time to her
  • Club rep:
  • Our original event was about the Confederate Flag so we changed it to discussing First Amendment rights in the workplace
  • Period of Discussion

Friendly amendment made by Senator Palacios to change the title of the bill from“confederate flag” to “first amendment rights in the workplace”

Passed by unanimous consent

  • Green: How many people attend this?
  • Club rep: 40-50 people
  • President Helfgott: Can you provide us with a better idea of what this is like?
  • Club rep: We will have different club representatives and we will interview them to make sure they have the capacity to talk about this and lead a debate
  • It will be an open dialogue
  • President Helfgott: How will you moderate it?
  • Club rep: We typically don’t have issues
  • Period of debate
  • Motion to pass by unanimous proclamation
  • passed
  1. FB-13-2017 — To allocate up to the amount of $310.35 to the student

organization, College Republicans for the purpose of a Movie Night

  • First Rights
  • Deputy Chief of StaffRunzo:
  • I yield my time to him
  • Club rep:
  • Club rep: We would like to host a movie night on Oct 12th
  • Want to host the movie American Sniper
  • We would like to serve light refreshments as well
  • Period of Discussion
  • Senator Caleca: Is this open to all people?
  • Club rep: Yes
  • Senator Brown: Where will this event be held?
  • Club rep: Maybank second floor
  • President Helfgott: Besides watching the movie, will you do anything else?
  • Club rep: We will be having a dialogue after the movie
  • Chief of Staff Williams: Is the movie graphically intense?
  • Club rep: No, it is not too bad.
  • Stewart: Did Aramark give you the quote for this food?
  • Club rep: Yes
  • Rothstein: Why this movie?
  • Club rep: Other movies were of the same price and this movie was the most popular with our members
  • Chief of Staff Williams: Will you put this event on Cougar Connect?
  • Club rep: Yes
  • Motion to be passed by unanimous consent
  • Passed
  1. FB-14-2017 — To allocate up to the amount of $95.35 to the student organization, College Republicans for the purpose of an Intro to Debate
  • First Rights
  • Deputy Chief of StaffRunzo:
  • I yield my time to him
  • Club rep:
  • Oct 26th for this debate
  • First amendment issues are very important to us
  • We plan on hosting an intro to debate
  • We want to bring in a hostage negotiator to talk to us because who’s going to know how to debate better than this individual?
  • Period of Discussion
  • Brown: You are still trying to figure out our guest, will that be date effective
  • No, they have got dozens of these people and if we cannot get one of these individuals we will still hold a discussion o the topic
  • Williams: Will you incorporate the debate society
  • We have not reached out
  • Senator Palacios what type of debate is this
  • Going over what makes a debate a good one; we wont be telling people what good comebacks are
  • Senator Meis: What is your plan of action if you cant get the negotiator
  • We will still be going over an intro to debate PowerPoint and have a time for people to practice debating
  • Motion to be passed by unanimous consent
  • Passed
  • Objection

Motion to pass by unanimousproclamation

  1. FB-15-2017 — To allocate up to the amount of $97.37 to the student

organization, College Republicans for the purpose of a Political Discussion

  • First Rights
  • Deputy Chief of StaffRunzo:
  • I yield my time to him
  • Club rep:
  • This event is projected for November the 9th about all political events that are happening during that time
  • Our executive board will not be leading the discussion but allowing it to happen naturally with our members because this is the best example of the freedom of speech
  • Period of Discussion
  • Pro tempore Borges: What is your plan incase the discussion gets out of hand?
  • Club rep: We hope that that doesn’t happen
  • We haven’t had a problem with that in the past
  • Pro tempore Borges: Are you advertising this to your club members or to the whole school?
  • Club rep: It is open to everyone
  • It will be on cougar connect
  • Very few people outside of the conservative community show up but we are welcoming
  • Senator Green: Do you have any ideas on how to get a more diverse group at the discussion?
  • Club rep: There are other groups that focus on that aspect of debate
  • Senator Green: Is this a more so a political discussion for those of you that have the same beliefs?
  • Club rep: We will entertain any discussion and are open to everyone
  • But we are not recruiting people of different beliefs actively
  • President Helfgott: If this is just for certain people, how does this benefit the campus at large?

Point of Interest

Treasurer Graham: Cougar Connect is like the new student activities email; it is a way to reach the entire student body]

  • Club rep: We like to have a diverse community and think this is the way to go about it
  • Chief of Staff Williams: How do you plan to share these discussions and conversation?
  • Club rep: Meek students will be better equip to share in the future outside the club setting
  • Senator Caleca: What does a regular meeting look like?
  • Club rep: Usually have 25-30 students come
  • Club rep: The topic of the meeting varies
  • Senator Caleca: How is this different from a regular meeting?
  • We plan out a different activity for each meeting, none are alike
  • Senator Palacios: What steps would you take to monitor a discussion between two opposing groups in this discussion?
  • Club rep: I believe we are all adults and it will not come to physical contact; the goal is listening
  • Senator Green: What is the point of this political discussion? Like does it teach how to have a political discussion?
  • Club rep: It is a real political discussion; it will allows them to hear different view points
  • Period of Debate
  • Move into voting procedures
  • Voting procedures
  • Passed
  1. FB-16-2017 — To amend Bylaw 909.004 of the College of Charleston Student Government Association
  • First Rights
  • Chief of Staff Williams:
  • We came across a problem that dealt with the disqualification process of elections
  • You need to appeal to the chair of the Honor Board, but they wouldn’t know what you were talking about if you did
  • So we present that you appeal to the Election Commission Chair instead
  • I yield time to President Helfgott
  • President Helfgott:
  • Chair of the Election Commission can be a variety of people
  • The Chair of the Honor Board might not be the Chair of the Election Commission, so they would not know much about the process
  • Having this experience myself, it makes more sense that the Chair of the Election Commission gets the emails
  • Period of Discussion
  • Senator Brown: Why was that originally in there?
  • President Helfgott: Typically the Chair of the Honor Board is the Election Commission Chair, but we have found that the other people who are more experienced and more knowledgeable about the process of SGA elections are better suited to handle this position
  • Honor Board is not as up to date with the election process as it had been in the past
  • Period of debate
  • Move into voting procedures

Motion to suspend special rules while the bylaws are pulled up on the screen

Passed

Motion to reinstate the special rules

Motion to make a friendly amendment to change the bylaws to say “2 business days”

Objection

  • Senator Palacios: Isn’t that not a lot of time?
  • President Helfgott: This time is already a very short amount of time
  • By extending those days, it pushing everything else back like our first Senate

Period of debate about the friendly amendment

Motion to pass by unanimous proclamation

Voting Procedures on the bill

passed

Committee Reports

  • Allocations- Treasurer Sara Graham
  • We have just one club coming for this week to request travel contingency
  • Student Organization Review Board- Secretary Emily Ramsayer
  • So far I have one club scheduled to come to SOR this week so you will probably be seeing one or two new clubs next Tuesday
  • Director Conti
  • We are continuing to work on our group initiatives
  • Director Pullin
  • We are also continuing to work on our group initiatives
  • Freshman Committee
  • Big three things we are working on
  • Water bottle refill station
  • Guest meal swipes
  • Roll over printing

Announcements

  • SGA Related
  • Chief of Staff Williams:
  • Pep Club meeting on October 12th in Maybank 205 at 6pm; BE THERE!!
  • Non-SGA Related

none

Adjournment

The 3rd Session of the Student Senate adjourned at 5:48