ASNAU SENATE MEETING #24
TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Date: April 25, 2014 Number on council: 12
Date of Senate Meeting: April 24, 2014 Number present: 11
Prepared by Amy Edgerton
Senate Chairwoman Shayla Woodhouse called the Senate meeting of the 2013-2014 Associated Students of Northern Arizona University Senate to order at 5:01 P.M. in the Havasupai Room A & B of the University Union.
Roll Call
The following Senators were not present at the meeting:
- Ryan Cook
Approval of Minutes
Motion: Senator Gorshe move to approve the minutes from last week’s Senate meeting
Second: Senator Soto
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, last week’s minutes have now been approved.
Call to the Audience
Study Abroad/GO Scholarship – Danielle is from the Center for International Education. She came to discuss the ASNAU Go Scholarship. There were a great number of applicants this year and Global Engagement is number four in the NAU Strategic Goals. The strategy is to support global engagement and cultivate the university. There has been 89% growth of study abroad students in the past 5 years and CIE has committed to double study abroad engagement by 2020. They can’t prove causation for this data, but throughout the nation they have seen that study abroad students have an overall higher retention rate. Many NAU Students have high financial need, and NAU Education Abroad designs affordable programs. The application fee is very low, and financial aid programs are transferable. But this extra funding is extremely important because students will need help with airfare, vaccinations, visa expenses, and other things. They are seeing a 25% decrease in the ASNAU funding for next year, but a 15% increase in Study Abroad students. Many students say that it is the best thing that they did in their undergraduate degree. Joy is a global ambassador who is speaking about her experience studying abroad. She went to Spain last semester, and she is both a Spanish and an Elementary Education major. She learned so much about Spain from history to culture to language. She was able to use her NAU funding, but she had to pay for some of her classes there and the GO Scholarship helped with this. While there, she got most of her Spanish Major credits that added to 15 total towards her degree. She also had the opportunity to teach English there. She thought out of the box and learned a lot about teaching English through this process. Getting involved through CIE here on campus continued her global experience. She is also connected with the international community. She believes that these involvements were instigated by her knowledge of what it’s like to be in a country without knowledge of the people or surroundings. Studying abroad changed her worldview and taught her a lot about the bigger picture. She thanks ASNAU once more for funding her experience.
Athletics – President Mastrud will discuss this in her report, as Athletics couldn’t be here today.
Unfinished Business
Chairwoman Woodhouse would like to vote to put this off or to vote on simply what is noncontroversial, because it is the last meeting and ASNAU would like to be able to complete reports. President Mastrud feels that some wording should be added to allow appointing to committees in the bylaw changes that she had suggested. Senator Simon has an issue with Bylaws Article IX, but if it is not being voted on she doesn’t feel that she needs to discuss.
The sheet that Senator Cabral handed out is in regards to the remaining changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, and the one the Senator Gorshe handed out is specifically the Bylaw changes suggested by President Mastrud.
Motion: Senator Cabral move to remove Item A: Constitution, Bylaws and Election Code Changes from the table
Second: Senator Ortega
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, Item A: Constitution, Bylaws and Election Code Changes have been removed from the table
Motion: Senator Cabral move to vote on Bylaw Changes to Article I, Section 31
Second: Senator Simon
Motion: Senator Libby move to amend Bylaw Changes to Article I, Section 31 to read Cocosus instead of Cocosist
Second: Senator Soto
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, the Bylaw Changes to Article I, Section 31 have been amended
Vote: Unanimous, the Bylaw Changes to Article I, Section 31 have been approved
Motion: Senator Libby move to vote on Bylaw Changes to Article VI Section 16
Second: Senator Gorshe
Motion: Senator Libby move to strike the words ‘and Cocosus committee’ from Bylaw Changes Article VI Section 16
Second: Senator Startt
Vote: Unanimous, the Bylaw Changes to Article VI Section 16 have been amended
Vote: Unanimous, the Bylaw Changes to Article VI Section 16 have been approved
Motion: Senator Tillinghast move to vote on Bylaw Changes to Article XXI, Section 1
Second: Senator Howard
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, the Bylaws Changes to Article XXI, Section 1 have been approved
Motion: Senator Howard move to vote on Bylaw Changes to Article IX
Second: Senator Tillinghast
Discussion: Senator Libby feels that if fee-paying students would like to run, they should be allowed to do so with no restriction such as this. Jillian asks for an explanation from someone who was a part of the decision to bring this forward, and Senator Cabral explains that it is meant to allow fresh people in the office to bring new ideas. Senator Simon feels that this is unnecessary, and thinks that if someone would like to serve as a Senator two years and then as a VP or President his or her 5th year this should be possible. Senator Cabral feels that a main purpose of NAU is to get students to graduate in four years, and Senator Tillinghast points out that this could happen regardless of this goal. Senator Startt says that some students who are double majors must take extra years, and Vivian adds that music majors have to stay extra years, as it is impossible for them to finish otherwise. Senator Ortega says that second semester freshman can serve, and this limits them. Senator Libby says that this limits students who change majors also. Senator Gorshe does not support term limits, and he opposes this. He understands about fresh ideas but doesn’t feel that people need to be limited about which elected office they can run for. Senator Howard feels that this is good, and it is not like they cannot be in the organization. It can be amended to later allow Chief of Staff to not be included. Senator Tillinghast agrees, and people are allowed to still participate it just ensures new candidates move through elected positions.
Vote: 4 in favor, 6 in opposition, 1 abstain, the Bylaw Changes to Article XI were not approved.
New Action Business
Motion: Senator Howard move to vote on Item A: Club Recognition: LaFe-Latino Christian Fellowship
Second: Senator Ortega
Discussion: They are currently part of a small group called the Latino Christian Fellowship, which would like to become a club on campus. Representative explains that being a part of this small community as a freshman on campus has been greatly beneficial to her. She thinks this club will help students bond, serve the community of NAU and Flagstaff, and to experience campus better. Another representative explains that before coming to NAU, he was a part of a family-centered environment. This club will create this environment for students and bring the Latino background to NAU. This club will allow students a sense of comfort and the opportunity to share values.
Senator Soto asks how many members they have currently, and the representatives reply that there are six.
Vote: Unanimous, Item A: Club Recognition: LaFe-Latino Christian Fellowship has been approved.
Motion: Senator Soto move to vote on Item B: Club Recognition: NAU Volunteer Service Club
Second: Senator Gorshe
Discussion: The representative is a freshman, and he and his associates would like to start this service club. They currently have a connection with a church and expect to get some help from them and partner in events and fundraising.
Senator Cabral notes that the club should not have names in the constitution. He also asks how this is different from the other service organizations here on campus, and the representative replies that his connection with the church will bring a different aspect. He is from South Korea. Senator Simon asks how many members, and the representative replies that there are ten.
Vote: Unanimous, Item B: Club Recognition: NAU Volunteer Service Club has been approved.
Motion: Senator Howard move to vote on Item D: OA: NAU American Society of Civil Engineers, $249.32
Second: Senator Tillinghast
Discussion: Jeremy is a junior who is here to represent ASCE. They are requesting funding to pay for Sodexo food for their end of the year celebration. They will set up things from their competition throughout the year and also will have games and activities. Senator Tillinghast asks about their concrete canoe, and the representative explains that it is a capstone project that competes against 18 other schools every year, and this year they placed sixth. Senator Simon asks about utilizing their Sodexo waiver, and the representative replies that the OA is the remaining funding they would need after the waiver.
Vote: Unanimous, Item D: OA: NAU American Society of Civil Engineers, $249.32 has been approved
Motion: Senator Soto move to vote on Item E: OA: Bad Jacks Dance Club, $500
Second: Senator Ortega
Discussion: They are requesting funding for a performance that they put on in the past week. It was free for NAU Students, but they had fees for the rental of Ardrey Auditorium and the labor that went with it. They also had programs and tickets through CTO. Every semester they put on a big showcase and it costs them almost all their money as a club.
Senator Simon asks why they are only requesting the OA, and the representative replies that she wasn’t on top of the communication with Senator Simon to complete the bill because she was very busy. Senator Libby says if possible, ASNAU would like to fund this further. Representative really appreciates this. Senator Cabral notes that if the Senate wants the funding to be changed, it needs 2/3 Senate vote. Senator Tillinghast suggests suspending the bylaws, because it will make things less confusing. The total cost is $2800 according to the budget, but she feels that adding $2000 is adequate. Senator Lulay says after subtracting flyers the cost is $2680, and that is what they will make the OA to allocate. There is some question about costumes and props, but they believe it shouldn’t be an issue. Representative explains that props do not stay on campus because there is nowhere to keep them, so the Senate will fund $2530. Senator Cabral says as long as it does not qualify as a club uniform or sports equipment, it should be fine. Chairwoman Woodhouse says that we do not fund items that they can keep.
Motion: Senator Gorshe move to amend Item E: OA Bad Jacks Dance Club, $500 so that it reflects at total of $2530
Second: Senator Cabral
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, Item E: OA: Bad Jacks Dance Club, $2530 has been amended.
Motion: Senator Libby move to suspend Bylaws Article X Section VIII
Second: Senator Gorshe
Discussion: None
Vote: 10 in favor, 1 in opposition, Bylaws Article X Section VIII has been suspended
Vote: Unanimous, Item E: OA: Bad Jacks Dance Club, $2350 has been approved
Motion: Senator Soto move to vote on Item F: OA: NAU Percussion Society, $500
Second: Senator Howard
Discussion: Zach is a senior and a member of the NAU Percussion Society. They are requesting funding for guest performers and clinics this semester. Their main form of fundraising is at NAU, and they are planning more in the fall. They plan to continue to bring in artists as they can with adequate funding. Senator Soto asks if they have a budget, he passes one around.
Senator Cabral asks if they have already received an OA, and Senator Soto replies that they did, but did not turn in receipts. Senator Ortega suggests replacing it.
Vote: Unanimous, Item F: OA: NAU Percussion Society, $500 has been approved
Motion: Senator Libby move to vote on Item G: OA: Omega Phi Alpha, $500
Second: Senator Startt
Discussion: Omega Phi Alpha is a service sorority. On April 12th they held a formal to donate to philanthropy. They made $240 to donate, but need funding to help with their sorority costs for the event.
Vote: Unanimous, Item G: OA: Omega Phi Alpha, $500 has been approved
Motion: Senator Ortega move to vote on Item H: OA: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, $500 and Item I: SB 26-114: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, $250
Second: Senator Libby
Discussion: The President of Phi Mu Alpha is asking for funding for the School of Music Banquet, and the other music Greeks were here last week to request funding. Senator Cabral asks how much the entire banquet is and how much ASNAU is funding all of these organizations. Vivian explains that the idea is to have all the music Greeks put on this banquet and contribute equally. The banquet altogether is about $4000 and they altogether have only requested $2750 approximately. The other requests from the Music Greeks were for trips.
Vote: Unanimous, Item H: OA: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, $500 and Item I: SB 26-114: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, $250 has been approved
Motion: Senator Libby move to vote on Item J: OA: Fellowship of Catholic University Students, $500 and Item K: SB 26-115: Fellowship of Catholic University Students, $3500
Second: Senator Gorshe
Discussion: Natasha is here for the Focus Club. Their funding will cover travelling costs that 21 students incurred attending a leadership conference. These students brought back what they had learned to NAU, such as organizational skills, public speaking skills, and learning to teach small groups. They were put in small groups at the conference to attend workshops and then teach on these subjects. They travelled by bus, for a total of about $5000. Senator Startt asks if they had received funding before, and Senator Cabral explains that it was the Catholic Newman Club, a different organization, that received previous funding.