Student Government Senate

Tuesday February 4th, 2014

Session Minutes

  • Call to Order/Roll Call
  • The meeting was called to order at 4:32pm. Presiding Officer Hukins conducted roll call. Quorum was met with 18 out of 23 senators present.
  • Temp pro tempore is Jahardanan.
  • Approval of Minutes
  • Minutes approved with no corrections
  • Communications and Announcements
  • Senators
  • Non-Senators
  • Presiding Officer Communication and Announcements
  • There’s a bill from VASA that needs a sponsor. It’s pretty much the same as last year’s, but the senator they used last year isn’t here anymore. Contact with Vincent Kong if you are interested. Thanks to the 2 people who showed up for bill writing workshop. Ming has been taken off the agenda.
  • Pro Tempore and Committee Reports
  • Pro Tempore
  • All Committees
  • Executive, Judicial, Advisor Reports
  • President
  • I want to apologize for my absence at today’s meeting, but I have homework I must catch up on. Today, I am nominating Darius Miner to the SG Supreme Court. The Chief Justice has resigned and Justice Tony Collado has assumed responsibilities of the Chief Justice. I kindly ask that approve his nomination and appoint Mr. Miner to Court. I have also appointed Garrett Stapp to the Election Commission. Next, I’d like to invite everyone to attend the SG Open Forum that is scheduled for February 19, 2014 at 2:00 PM in the Innsbruck Suite of the University Center. As always we’ll have free food available for all those in attendance. We will also have a presentation from Dr. Donna Dickerson regarding the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP). The President sent an email to the UNO community last week, but basically the QEP is a course of action for institutional improvement that addresses one or more issues contributing to the enhancement of student learning. Dr. Dickerson will present details about this plan and how students can be involved in the process. Finally, I have a pretty good amount funds in my executive account, so please let me know if you know of any organizations that need small financial assistance for events.
  • Treasurer
  • The operating account sits at $26,731.09, the executive account sits at $14,824.43. Saybe thanked those on the budget committee that submitted their schedules. 4 people still need to. He will be conducting two budget sessions. The first one will be during dead hour on Tuesday and at 3:00 on Thursday for budget writing. He will be discussing how to get money from SG then he will do hard core answering specific questions. Writing requests are not hard and you don’t need weeks to do it. There will be a March 1st deadline at 4:30pm. He needs the schedules of the budget committee to start scheduling meetngs. He also needs 2 more people on the committee. If you are interested in the treasurer position or if you want to run for any executive position, you have to be a sophomore and have to have earned 30 hours, not be in the process of earning it. The president has to have 45 hours. President should be a junior.
  • Rougelot recognized at present.
  • Secretary of State
  • Judicial Report
  • SG Advisors
  • Rault urges the student government to use the semester wisely. Last semester there was a lot of time talking about rewriting law. This is the last time to get it on the election ballot to be able to change it. Also she wants senators to put thought into their bills. A lot of people will be coming up, figure out what you want to sponsor. Don’t wait until the last minute. The last 2 weeks everyone is coming up and then slammed with bills. On February 21st, Pam will be attending a meeting about having the smoke-free campus she is trying to see if they will allow e-cigs. Privateer Bound is looking for math tutors. It’s a bridge from Delgado to UNO to make the transition easier. If you want to make connections, contact Cat Polavola in First Year Experience.
  • Old Business
  • New Business
  • B.S14A023 Strengths Quest Bill
  • Strengths Quest is a requirement in all UNIV classes. This is Gallops thing. It tells a person’s 5 top strengths. 600+ universities use it. Can help with recruitment and diversify. Pam and LeeAnne are educators. SG does more than write bills, can recruit and knowing the strengths and SG as a whole will be more effective
  • Reyes: For the freshmen who have already taken it, will the $9 be reverted back to SG?
  • Rice: Yes, but if more people come in that haven’t taken it we can use it on them.
  • Teagle: When will we take the test and can we have a more concrete idea of what to use with it?
  • Rice: We have 30 days to use the funds, it only takes 45 minutes. Online is has different charts and it can put the strengths in a histogram. People who are analytical and accounting can come together for the budget committee. Google uses it for their employees.
  • Rougelot: For the people who opt out, will the money go back in reserve?
  • Rice: Yes.
  • B.S14A024 Tri Beta Projector Bill
  • Walsh served as temporary Pro Tempore.
  • This bill is to replace a protector that was stolen out of the Tri Beta study room. Hundreds of kids use this room other than sciences, but can’t use it anymore because it was stolen, there’s at like 5-8 students in there at all times.
  • Teagle: What steps are you taking to keep next one from being stolen?
  • Tri-Beta: You will be buying a lock to lock it in the ceiling.
  • Teagle: With new security and limited access, won’t be used for those outside of biology.
  • Tri-Beta: The door is always open, it will be closed at night and someone will be sitting in there with it during the day.
  • Nominations and Appointments

Senators

  • Tran, Thien,College of Business Administration
  • Tran is a former senator. He was here last spring, but didn’t do it in the fall because of conflicting schedules. He waited to make sure his schedule didn’t conflict before signing up this semester. He is involved in COBA groups like CBEC. Main goal is to have more for students and have more activities and things.
  • With a roll call vote of 19 yes 0 no and 0 abstentions he is appointed.
  • Bingham, Aram College of Sciences
  • Graduate student in department of math. Second semester at UNO. He is in the society of post math graduates. He is looking forward to promoting interactions between departments and colleges. And promoting academia at large.
  • Rougelot: How do you feel about social groups?
  • Bingham: They are an important part of the university and shouldn’t be overlooked at all.
  • With a roll call vote of 19 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions he is appointed.
  • Fournier, BradfordCollege of Sciences
  • Graduate student in mathematics. Also involved in grad math students. Pilot flight instructors. Was a piano teacher at Loyola. University seems to be at a turning point that could go will and want to be a part of the changes that could happen.
  • Rouglot: How do you feel about social?
  • What do you mean be non-acadmeic
  • Anything outside a classroom
  • If didn’t have those things, should just go to an online college.
  • With a roll call vote of 19 yes 0 no 0 abstentions he is appointed
  • St. Amant, NicholasCollege of Liberal Arts
  • Freshman film major. Was a senator. Currently in Lambda Chi and serves as academic chair.
  • With a roll call vote of 19 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions he is appointed.

Supreme Court

  • Miner, Darius
  • Sophomore English, pre law major. Chief justice of Theta Xi, marketing of SAC, emerging leader, honors society, and more.
  • With a roll call vote of 19 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions he is appointed
  • Open Forum
  • Teagle: We are missing a member of the governance of committee, need a third member to make law changes, the committee should be full to suggest and recommend. Please send an email to to fill this committee before next Monday.
  • Leeanne: Next week is homecoming, there are events every day. Mentalist onMonday, Trivia on Tuesday, Carnival on Wednesday, Thursday is thewomen’s and men’s basketball game, its free for students, Friday is the dance. Baseball on Saturday. Great for students to know why you came to Uno and make alum connections.
  • Hukins: We need someone to write the VASA bill.
  • Tran: CBEC is having a career week coming up. Have a lot for science majors and having trouble with liberal arts, if you have businesses that you want there let him know so we have someone.
  • Rougleot: IFC function for recruitment tonight called, Meet the Greeks, if you don’t like greeks, go to find out more, if you want to know more to join, I recommend it.
  • Johnson: On Saturday the Service Coalition is partnering with SPCA to take care of the, pay $3 to register.
  • Reyes: Congrats to the new senators, whoever is in charge of thewebsite, e-mail him at to talk.
  • St. Amant: Next week if homecoming, vote for Cate Gunnell for queen.
  • Adjournment
  • The meeting was adjourned at 5:13pm.