The Creighton Students Union Representative Meeting
DATE: November 7, 2011
Minutes
I. Opening Ceremonies
a. Call to order TIME: 5:16
b. Invocation: Sean Gill
c. Attendance Sheet
II. Approval of Minutes from October 31, 2011 -- Approved
III. Executive Reports:
a. President: Mr. Douglas McAcy
i. Taylor Jantz, Public Safety Advisory Board
1. M.creighton.edu is up and running, it’s where you can find the shuttle gps tracking system through computer or mobile device. Spread the word
2. Public Safety is working on a process of having standalone pedestals of information throughout the University, targeting Law, Medical schools Rigge, between COBA and Hixon Lied, going to have bright orange page of information – what to do during emergency, emergency contact.
3. JayRide – new system of escort service. Taxi-type service, free, branch within Dept of Transportation where students can call a number and get a ride to where shuttles currently take students. 11pm-2am 7 days a week 402 – 546 – TAXI. 1 person currently doing that route, current trial run to see usage. Looking to expand if successful.
4. Public Safety is looking to get a reflective wrap for their vehicles, currently like Cox Cable currently has. Hopes to make them more visible on campus.
a. Ms. Lightfoot: What’s being done to promote the taxi service?
b. Mr. Jantz: Marc Simanec, director of Transportation, is going to send info to Mr. McAcy, looking to students mostly to spread the word. Law School suggested a Public Safety intern to promote of the new changes. Dental school bike racks – funding issue currently, won’t see that in foreseeable future.
c. Mr. McAcy: I will send out an email through cu_students listserve as well this week.
b. Vice President of Student Affairs: Mr. Robert Placek
i. SORC
1. Student Organization Review Committee, going through 17/21 groups that filled out application to be student organizations. Currently, most are coming from undergraduate, but have 2 graduate groups from University College. One is a social org, 5 medical student groups of the 17.
ii. Nursing Representatives
1. Did not have any who signed up to be on the ballot last week, now have 10 people interested. Working on separate election for Nursing representatives for next year.
iii. m.creighton.edu
1. Covered above.
iv. Sean Gill, Mission Coordinator
1. Friday, went to Jesuit Academy and had first session – have 3 more Friday’s looking to fill. Nov. 11 need 2, Dec 2 need 1, Dec 9 2 more, only an hour 2:30-3:30. We’ll send out the link through the googledoc this week.
2. Dinner with Jesuits – will send email after meeting for those going tomorrow. 6 in Jesuit Dining Hall, meet outside Golden Elevator ahead of time.
3. Community Service – possibly teaming up with salvation army by getting a kettle, or signing up for shifts around Omaha, but just putting that out there for you for now.
v. Jack Erbs, Diversity Coordinator
1. Creighton’s annual diversity report is now biannual. Many changes do not seem significant year to year, but over larger spans is actually significant. Online diversity education program – I know a few got emails about this. Hoping for more student input, already have a lot of faculty and staff input. Expect an email in the next few days, will link to module. Take the time, please, before thanksgiving or Christmas to go through that and email back feedback, I’d appreciate it. Will also send out to multicultural affairs council, and college governments. About 500 students, need only a fraction back to be beneficial, so please do that.
c. Vice President of Finance: Ms. Brooke Thurman
d. Vice President of Programming: Ms. Carli Haney
i. Mr. McAcy: Fallapalooza was on Saturday, had around 900-1000 students in attendance. Thanks for those who came.
ii. Thursday, 9pm in Skutt Fireplace have slam poet Anis Mojgani.
e. Chief of Staff: Mr. Matthew Gillespie
IV. Committee Updates and Reports
a. Marketing
i. Ms. Weaver: Currently evaluating how we do our marketing, sending out survey to students. Hannah’s working on that, hopefully out by end of this week. Make sure we’re most effective in what we’re doing.
b. Transportation & Safety
i. Ms. Stara: Hit a wall with Public Safety about payment.
ii. Mr. Jantz: Currently they’re struggling understanding what exactly it is we want/need.
c. Campus Dining
i. Mr. Cunningham: Working on sending a letter concerning our concerns. Would like to open up to concerns with Dining Halls. Email me if you think of anything.
ii. Mr. Erbs: I know earlier in the year you talked to Sodexo about scanning in in Brandeis and Becker, what’s the status?
iii. Mr. Cunningham: We haven’t brought it up yet, but we will.
d. Sustainability
i. Mr. Gill: Been talking to execs, every year CSU does toy drive, looking into doing a revamp of that, and making it a big thing on campus this year amongst greek orgs, residence halls, etc. Once we get more information, we’ll pass on information to you guys.
e. Graduate
i. No update.
V. Old Business
a. Resolution 11-05
i. Motion to bring to floor by Mr. Boitano, seconded by Ms. Lightfoot.
ii. Mr. Placek: Passed by Board of Representatives, was not passed in Cabinet by 3-2-3. Subject to 2/3 majority approval by the Board of Representatives.
iii. Motion to open discussion by Mr. Boitano, seconded by Mr. Jantz.
iv. Mr. Boitano: Was presented to Faculty Senate of College of Arts and Sciences, passed overwhelmingly. Tabled by Academic Council.
v. Mr. Erbs: We had a lot of questions about this resolution, but we had Mr. Boitano. So where their objections based on that?
vi. Mr. Placek: We were reiterating what you all and what Chris said during the Board of Representatives meeting.
vii. Mr. McAcy: Biggest concerns with cabinet was that it doesn’t necessarily ‘do much.’ This was a concern held by the exec team as well, and does not bind the University to anything. Another concern was as to why we would do this, why now, etc. We did express there is no cost, and tried to answer all questions as per our discussion here.
viii. Mr. Boitano: In response, I think one of the best things was that I got to hear Ed Dupree present the resolution, and I think I get too excited when I bring this up to you guys. The resolution doesn’t make it a necessity that we have more Fair Trade things on campus, but just recognizes us for what we have now and gives recognition for the work we already do, and gives recognition to those who have done the work already. Any questions? Don’t underestimate the power of recognition – Fair Trade USA is part of a larger organization in Europe, and we’d be the 4th in the United States to have this recnognition.
ix. Ms. Stara: What other Fair Trade products might we expect to see?
x. Mr. Boitano: Sodexo buys Fair Trade when we can, energy bar in Harper, as is ice cream, del grase in bookstore, last 3 fair trade items on campus are in and around non-fair trade items on campus, so students have an option.
xi. Ms. Worcester: What’s the price difference between the fair trade items on campus and non fair trade items?
xii. Mr. Boitano: I have no idea.
xiii. Mr. McCoy: If we increase the amount of Fair Trade items on campus, will options for non fair trade items on campus decrease?
xiv. Mr. Boitano: It depends on how students react to that, and their buying response.
xv. Mr. McCoy: My concern is about the price difference and how much it forces students to pay.
xvi. Ms. Archuleta: With the Fair Trade items on campus, are students buying them more?
xvii. Mr. Boitano: I don’t have that information.
xviii. Ms. Archuleta: If students aren’t buying, what’s the point of continuing with it?
xix. Ms. Weaver: I don’t see any harm in being recognized for what we already do. As a Jesuit, Catholic University we have an obligation to maintain options for Fair Trade. We should make a commitment to this sort of activity in our daily actions.
xx. Mr. Gill: Point of clarification: if we had more Fair Trade items on campus, would that be added to inventory, or would it replace non-fair trade items?
xxi. Mr. Boitano: Last 3 items have been fair trade options among other options.I foresee the trend continuing, but that’s a conversation from Sodexo and vendors and not a result of this resolution.
xxii. Mr. Placek: suspending conversation here – motions?
xxiii. Motion to vote by Mr. Erbs, seconded by Mr. Kiner
xxiv. Resolution passes 31-0-4, overrides Cabinet vote
VI. New Business
a. Bylaw Change 11-05
i. Motion to bring to the floor by Mr. Jantz, seconded by Mr. Kiner.
ii. Reading of Bylaw Change 11-05
iii. Motion to forgo reading by Mr. Cunningham, seconded by Ms. Worcester.
iv. Motion to open discussion by Ms. Lightfoot, seconded by Ms. Archuleta.
v. Mr. McAcy: Quick clarification – last week at State of Student address, vote taken by students of 70-2-2 in favor of amending the constitution to elevate Chief of Staff to VP for Communications. As Const. overrides Bylaws, bylaws with Chief of Staff are void – to correct this, we’ve presented revisions, next is Policies and Procedures. Included VP for Communications. Increase anything that may have been lowered, such as office hours, etc for VP comm. To be equal to other Vice Presidents. Balanced duties of VP Comm and the VP Student Affairs. 2 more things – Appropriations board is taking place of Finance Committee. Ensures transparency among student body by bringing in students outside of CSU and allowing all members to have a say. Still goes up for Representative Review, so not eliminating Rep say. Many grammatical and formatting changes, and number of signatures candidates are required to complete for elections. Changed to reflect Policies and Procedures. Questions?
vi. Ms. Worcester: Appropriations Committee – not allowed to hold exec in other student organizations, is that any position, or just President, VP, Treasurer?
vii. Ms. Thurman: I think further down the line, Chairperson is not exec.
viii. Ms. Starzyk: Whoever is listed as officer would qualify.
ix. Mr. Boitano: Is that to prevent conflict of interests?
x. Ms. Thurman: Yes.
xi. Ms. Worcester: Would it be a possibility to exclude an exec from an appropriations board meeting instead of as a whole, I feel like this excludes a lot of people.
xii. Ms. Thurman: That change can definitely be made.
xiii. Mr. Boitano: Greek elimination?
xiv. Mr. Placek: That was put in there many years ago by an exec team, and did not make a change to the Stduent Handbook, which supersedes our documents, and we’re just eliminating it to clean up the documents.
xv. Ms. Worcester: Can we discuss the appropriations committee bit? We can still change that right? Could have alternates as Ms. Thurman said as an alternative.
xvi. Ms. Lightfoot: I agree, a lot of us are involved in other student organizations, so I think it’d be good that we don’t have to choose between being on the committee and being an exec on a smaller organizations.
xvii. Friendly amendment proposed to Bylaw VI, Sec. A, Point 2 by Ms. Worcester to remove clause “may not hold exec position in undergraduate organization” and add “may not vote on any case pertaining to any organization in which they hold an executive position.”
xviii. Mr. Cunningham: How many members does it take to pass something?
xix. Ms. Thurman: 4
xx. Ms. Worcester: We could amend amendment to say they will not vote for any organization they are an exec of and will not be present for any vote of the organization on which they are the an exec.
xxi. “May not be present to any vote on any case pertaining to any organization in which they hold an executive position.”
xxii. Move to strike amendment by Ms. Worcester, seconded by Ms. Lightfoot.
xxiii. Motion to make Friendly amendment by Ms. Worcester. Seconded by Mr. Kiner.
xxiv. Move to strike clause concerning executive members on organization above “Members may not vote on or be present for the vote involving any request for any organization in which they are an executive of that organization.” To be placed after first sentence.
xxv. Second to amendment by Mr. Tran.
xxvi. Motion to vote by Mr. Gale, seconded my Mr. Crawford.
xxvii. Amendment passed 31-0-4.
xxviii. Motion to vote by Mr. Cunningham, seconded by Ms. Weaver.
xxix. Bylaw Change 11-05 passed by a vote of 31-1-2.
VII. Announcements
a. Next Committee Meeting Session: November 14th
b. Next Full Board Meeting: November 21st
c. Send all Committee Meeting Minutes to Rob Placek
Adjournment: 6:08