Student Senate Meeting Agenda Sunday, February 12, 2011

Student Senate Meeting Agenda – Sunday, February 12, 2011

3:00 pm in the Adminstration Building, NNMC Espanola Campus

AllStudentSenatemeetings are open to all students, faculty and staff and we encourage anyone who is interested in student empowermentto attend. People attending this Sunday, Feb. 12th meeting should bring your campus ID so that security can approve your entrance into the building. (Although we generally meet during the week between Monday and Friday, we are experimenting with meeting on Sunday because it has been difficult this semester to find time during the week that does not conflict with the class and/or work schedules of student senators.)

I. Meeting Called to Order @ _3:13 pm_

II. Roll Call and IntroductionsSenators: Arturo, Juan, Chris, Kusum, Jeff – Advisor: Richard – Student – Allen

III. Approval of February 12th Agenda – Approved

IV. Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes – Minutes not completed, but no decisions were made at last meeting – Meeting consisted mostly of discussion with Ricky Serna about legislative priorities and ideas for Student Senate organizational development – Jeff apologizes for not doing minutes

V. Treasurers Report

Senate Account Balance is _Not Availabile_ Juan reports on administration not providing info on our account balance due to financial audit still in process. We agree this makes it very difficult for Student Senate to do serious planning for organizational development, and it has been almost continuous problem since August 2011. Juan wants to bring this up at next BoR meeting. Also, Juan reports that we are being charged approx $600 for printing done in January 2011 for “Blessed Me Ultima”show – an expense that turned up during the audit.

VI. February 12th Agenda

A)Legislative Update on Student Regent Bill SJR7 – Reimbursement for Expenses of Lobbying – Coverage in the Rio Grande Sun – Good progress has been made with SJR7 and it has a chance of passing the Legislature before the 30-day session ends on Thursday. Juan and Kusum have helped lobby with Jeff taking the lead. SJR7 unanimously passed Senate Rules and Judiciary Committees; now must pass Senate floor, House committee and House floor. We are grateful to President Barcelo and Regent Alfred Herrera for testifying in personal support of the bill. Senator Richard Martinez is the bill’s champion and Rep. Debbie Rodella has agreed to move it on the House floor. Jeff will go to the Roundhouse again on Monday, Feb. 13 to make sure it keeps moving. Everyone agrees that coverage of the issue in the Rio Grande Sun has been positive. Jeff states that while passing the Legislature remains our goal, he would feel content with the campaign if it at least passes the Senate floor, which would build momentum for us to come back stronger next year and to press for immediate non-voting student advisory position on the Board of Regents. Senate approves reimbursement to Jeff $17 for expenses incurred in lobbying (Thank You cards to four Senators who serve on both Rules & Judiciary).

Jeff reported that on Saturday Feb. 11, the Santa Fe New Mexican printed a story about possibility of funding for Northern athletics program getting totally cut by the Legislature. Interview with Coach Ryan discussed how he works extremely hard for the program, and reporter urged Legislature not to cut funding. This is all that Jeff has heard about this, nor has he been informed about progress regarding college’s other legislative priorities. We briefly discussed the potential impact of this funding cut, plus various positive and negative aspects of Northern’s athletic program.

B) Feb. 23rd Luncheon and Meeting with the Board of Regents – Ideas for agenda and what Student Senate would like to achieve through this meeting. We briefly discussed this but realized that the results from our next discussion on organizational development are likely to impact the agenda, so we moved on. We did not have time to come back to it, and tabled it to our next meeting on Friday Feb. 17 which will be mainly focused on this. All Senators are requested to attend the BoR meeting. Jeff will also meet with Ricky Serna this week regarding the agenda. Juan expressed that we all must make greater effort to attend all BoR meetings. Jeff agrees and is concerned that he is usually the only face of Student Senate who the Regents see.

C) Student Senate Organizational Development – Elections in April – Possibility of stipends for student senators – Proposal for Student Empowerment Training – etc

Decisions – 1) Approved $525 funding for 15 Student Senate polo shirts with customized logo (one shirt per senator). The shirts will be used to help identify senators at events and create stronger “team spirit.” 2) Revised ASNNMC bylaws to allow for possibility of stipends for senators. 3) Revised ASNNMC bylaws to eliminate requirement for collecting 50 petition signatures by applicants seeking to join Student Senate. 4) Approved revision of ASNNMC bylaws to state that funding for student clubs (which derives from our budget) may be withheld if they fail to participate sufficiently in Student Senate meetings and activities. Specific language to be proposed by Juan.

We generally agree that instituting a stipend for senators is a good idea that would incentivize more participation and demonstrate that we value the time students commit to Student Senate. However, as Juan emphasized it should be structured carefully to be tied not only to participation in Senate but also proactive advocacy and leadership for student interests. Further discussion and long-term planning is highly dependent on knowing our account balance.

Other ideas included – Enabling option for students to receive NNMC broadcasts on their personal email address in addition to NNMC address, which many students do not use. Delivering more frequent presentations to classes about Student Senate activities and opportunities – we all should be doing this. Jeff will create a new flyer that we can hand out in classrooms.

D) Trip to Highlands University Health Center – late February / early March? – to learn about how a student health center is operated at small 4-year college similar to NNMC

Decision – Friday, March 2nd approved as date for trip. $200 approved for food, to be processed as petty cash reimbursements. Jeff will follow up with Ana to confirm the date (Ana has been in contact with Highlands administrators to receive their approval for the trip.) Richard will reserve college van. Nursing students & faculty will be invited to join.

E) Student lounge / game room request for new video games

Richard has already taken care of purchasing the games – thank you, Richard! We also discussed concerns regarding inappropriate behavior that often takes place in the lounge, including harassment that creates a hostile climate for female students. Foul language is not allowed and should be actively prohibited by work-study employees, who often ignore it. Students who have complaints should file them with Dean of Student Services Frank Orona. More discussion is needed on how to create a safer space – perhaps with Women Of All Ages (WOAA) support group.

We also discussed the WOAA film series that began in the student lounge on Thursday. We agreed that the way this happened was problematic and should be reconsidered, perhaps using a different space to watch the films. Richard observed that only a few people were watching the film and majority of them were not students. Many students were displaced into the common area of administration building. Regardless of other problems that need to be addressed, the student lounge is reserved for students and should remain that way.

F)Filtered Water Station – Student president is engaged in discussions on this topic with Food and Water Watch group and UNM student organizer. UNM recently established a free filtered water station. Student organizer says, “The Student Union Building (SUB) management team had recently taken a tour of other universities and saw the popularity of the stations. They weren't so hard to convince. I'd recommend to write a resolution with your student government and send it off to the people at your campus with the influence to buy the filtered water stations.”

Decision: Senate unanimously supports the idea. Jeff will follow up by writing a resolution to present at subsequent meeting. This is important because Espanola has relatively poor quality city drinking water. Filtered water would taste better, eliminate or minimize contaminants, and improve physical and mental health of the students, staff and faculty who choose to drink it.

G) Film Series – Feb. 14th and 15th – Screening Chasing Babies andUnder Arpaio co-sponsored by Tewa Women United. Doors open 6:30 pm for refreshments, we need people there at 6 pm to set up. Discussed logistics for purchasing refreshments and setting up for event.
H) Report on Feb. 3-4 Democracy School – Need to schedule a workshop for students and community members interested in learning about topics of democratic empowerment covered by the Democracy School. Jeff gave brief report on the 12-hour training, which was extremely informative and focused on US history that has led to corporate domination over our legal and political systems, plus grassroots strategies and solutions that can help empower communities to reclaim democratic control. Jeff will present a workshop to students and community in mid-March, date to be determined.

VII) Senate comments, announcements, and/or concerns.

Juan discussed idea that cosmetology students should be able to earn dual-credit with Espanola Valley High School’s cosmetology program. Richard and senators gave him some good feedback and contacts to move this idea forward.

VIII) Next meeting – Friday, Feb 17 at 4:30 pm

GREAT MEETING – THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEING THERE!