Student Senate

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

6:00pm, 111 Harrison Hall
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Two Minutes of Silence
III. Roll Call
IV. Announcements and Remarks by the Chair
a. Senator Introductions
b. Relay For Life
- April 9th and 10th, 6pm to noon, Cook Field, teams of 8-12 and each team has a goal
of fundraising about $1000, you can register online at relayforlife.com/muohio

V. Consent Calendar
a. Minutes coming via email tonight!

VI. Student Concerns

Mr.Jacobson: friends parking on the street over spring break, and getting 72 hour ticket
Mr.Ciccone: Mullet is open and they can rent a pass for a week, a lot of appeals during the
snowy weather and no appeals have been approved.
Mr.DiDominico: No printing in the Psychology building
Mr.Ciccone: lack of reminder for the returning student scholarship
a. Ideas For Miami updates

VII. Reports
a. President of the Student Body
-new strategic planning committee email from President Hodge to analyze the
budget of the Oxford campus in detail to make recommendations about what kind
of cuts the university should be making, structural changes will have to be made
to how we operate because costs will be exceeding revenues, one student
representative which will be served by Mr.McNabb until new student body
president is elected
-more design meetings for BSC, hopefully images will be brought to senate by the
beginning of April
Mr.Forrest: can we have more than one student representative?
Mr.McNabb: I have asked but I don’t think so?
Mr.Senko: have any suggestions been made about what will be cut?
Mr.McNabb: no that was the purpose of it

b. Vice President of the Student Body

-debate next Wednesday at Hall Auditorium at 7:30
-day at the statehouse moved to April 15th, if interested email Mr.Harris

c. Vice President of Campus Activities

- David Hall and Mike Emling are running for my position, check them out
 - CAC Can Make your Shamrock, 5-7 on St.Patricks day at uptown park- free
Skippers, Irish dancers, bagpipe, and a Celtic band
- Canned Food Drive, any individual or group can collect cans and then create a
structure, Thursday night of Diversity Week on central quad

d. Vice President of Student Organizations

-no reports

e. Secretary for Off Campus Affairs

- informational sessions for students to not sign leases so early, speaking with
parents council this weekend, possibly writing a letter to the landlords
encouraging them to set a date as the sign date, goal to get students at the housing
fair, check out options, and then sign leases the following week; forum in April on
how to move off campus
Ms.Riddle: do we have dates for the walk throughs?
Mr.Ciccone: yes we do, email me for more information

f. Secretary for On Campus Affairs

-Redhawk hunt registration 8 am next Wednesday, $50 per team, 12 people per
team

g. Secretary for Academic Affairs

-OPAs on Monday, choosing award winners after Senate with committee
-Article in the student today about liberal education
- provost search committee meeting with consultants Thursday night, if anyone is
interested joining, email Tyler Sinclair

h. Secretary for Diversity Affairs

- Diversity Awards Banquet nomination forms were sent out today, you are all
invited to come to the banquet, March 31st 6-7:30 pm
-Diversity week coming up March 27th-April 3rd, look for slideshow next week
and p.r. coming out this week
-Monday is the next DAC meeting, if you are interested in running for my
position or any of the leadership board positions contact me
i. Secretary for Public Relations
- Invite all your friends to the elections debates, comm. Committee and elections
committee will need to help with quarter sheet hand outs
-encourage all secretary elections candidates to speak to current secretaries
-introduction to Dylan Tussel, Miami Student staff writer

Mr.Tussel: many of you are paranoid about what my predecessors have put out
about ASG, I want to clarify that I am not out to get you, I will make sure to ask
about more information when I do not understand, if you are worried please talk
to me so your perspective is well represented in the article
-story about environmental bill was pushed back for a week, but no more stories
will be delayed or withheld
 j. Secretary to the Executive Cabinet
k. Treasurer
l. Tech Director
-will be videotaping the debate next week
- live streaming senate has not happened yet, but still working on it
-minutes updated on site
-tech. fee proposals meeting next week
m. Advisor
- six more senate and cabinet meetings left
- acknowledgment of Mr.Harris’s hard work on elections
- reading of other school’s creed dedicating academic and personal integrity,
encouraging Miami student government to create the same

VIII. Special Business of the Day:

a. Senator Requirements
Chair: all the people who are running for elections have given an e-signature to verify
they are in good academic standing, above 2.6 GPA and good conduct standing with the
university
-I have written a bill, but wanted to open up discussion before introducing it
Mr.Streubing: I think everyone in this room is probably in good standing, and if you are
willing to spend this much time here and you aren’t in good standing you should switch your
priorities around; I think we should be held to a higher standard
Mr.Jacobson: I agree with Mr.Streubing, I’d like to be a sponsor
Ms.Moore: I considered this when I first started senate and was not asked for my grades, and as
leaders on the campus we should be held to this standard
Mr.DiDominico: I agree with the other speakers but if this is not a current problem I don’t
understand the necessity
Mr.Herbst: we are representatives of the people who elect us and if the people who elect us want
to vote for someone with a certain low GPA, then it is their choosing
Mr.Forrest: I completely disagree with that; we are not in the U.S. senate, and it is not public
information to our constituents if we have low GPAs or are suspended, I think we need to hold
ourselves to a higher academic and disciplinary standard
Mr.Hanna: You should consider that when a first year runs for a senator position they only have
a few weeks of grades
Mr.Frazier: You could do the GPA the same as rush is done, where they take your GPA later and
suspend you if you don’t meet it
Mr.Cowles: the e-signatures are in place because cabinet members get paid and none of us do
Mr.Jacobson: I agree with Mr. Forrest because our constituents don’t know about our grades or
our behavior, and they depend on us to enforce the promised behaviors; although it may not be
an issue currently we should put it into place for the future before it becomes a problem
Mr.Cowles: Most of you that campaigned did not run on your GPA, so they never know, and just
because cabinet is paid does not mean the senators do not have big responsibilities and standards
as well
Mr.Herbst: if you do not think constituents are not informed, you should inform them, I think
people want to elect someone who has these qualities and look for the information
Mr.McNabb: think carefully about who in this body actually gets to see the grades, it will only
be the pro temp and the advisor, so while we don’t want to be calling people out we should set
some standards for this body
Chair: in terms of logistics, those who do not qualify would not appear on the ballot rather than
removing them from senate later on
Mr.Shanley: if we get this to run correctly, you would know whether you are eligible to run
when you sign up to run, rather than starting your campaign and finding out later
Mr.Ciccone: I think we could solve a lot of our problems by working to make this a 1-credit hour
course, to solve our accountability issues and improve quality of candidates
Chair: my predecessor and I have worked on this, you need an academic sponsor, and it has to be
in good standing with the university, but I think it is something either my successor or AAC
should definitely take up
Mr.DiDominico: I have a problem with the G.P.A, while I know school is more important, we
are also struggling to meet quorum and we should be responsible enough to balance the two on
our own; if someone is willing to make the commitment to do it, yet has a low G.P.A they should
be given the opportunity
Mr.Hoffman: I caution you to not insult people with lower GPAs to not insults, looking at
student developments, students do have bad semesters and I don’t think this should prevent them
from participating because of it; I also want to caution you of the idea of a mid-year check point
and retrospective measures if GPAs drop
Mr.Streubing: I think there certainly needs to be awareness for onset factors that may be beyond
students’ control
Ms.Wadsworth: I do not the the GPA defines a senators skills, I may have a lower GPA because
of my majors, but I think I have the skills to be a good senator
Ms.Keefer: You should not run on a platform for your GPA but I do think this is good for
accountability, in terms of juggling senate and school, keep in mind we are college students first
and we are here for our academics
Ms.Riddle: we are student senators, students before senators, holding us to some standards even
a 2.0, is not terrible; it ensures that it will not put additional stress on your academics, and some
people run without realizing the amount of work and its impact on school work
Mr.Forrest: I think we have had a lot of good points, but I think you can only represent your
students to a certain point; I do not think we have a community in this organization and if you
have to reconsider your commitment to this community because of academics, we should hold
each other accountable as a group to work together- rather than punishing or chastising each
other
Mr.Ferguson: to rush a fraternity you need at least a 2.5, and athletes need that same GPA; the
reason for these rules is if you are joining something with a big time commitment, you need to
consider your school work, also keeping in mind that you are representing yourself, this
organization and the entire student body
Mr.Frazier: in the student handbook, the acceptable level set by the university is 2.0
Mr.Shanley: this is a floating standard depending on the number of credit hours, as a freshman it
is 1.7 and floats up to a 2.0 with more credit hours
Mr.Rees: before any administrator sees your GPA they will watch how you acts, and I think code
1 violations reflect far more on your character than grades
Mr.McNabb: bylaws state cabinet has to be in acceptable judicial and academic standing, and
keep in mind that this affects your financial aid, other activities on the campus, etc.
Chair: I think this will be a good discussion to have on the list serve over the next few weeks
b. Brackets!
-due in the ASG office by Thursday at noon, chair’s mailbox, top 5 will be rewarded

IX. Old Business:

a. SR021009: Bylaw Concordance Act of 2010
Mr.Senko: the only change from last time was to allow elections committee to remain
open from year to year
Mr.Cowles: request to pull up bylaws
Mr.Zwayer: it is making sure we are abiding by our own rules as written, great job

SR021009 passes with two thirds majority voice vote.

X. New Business:
a. SR021010: The Report of the Adhoc Committee on Environmental Sustainability
Mr.Zwayer: this bill is a requirement of the Adhoc committee when passed last year
- the report outlines objectives for the committee moving forward
- the composition is to remain with the current composition of a smaller committee and I hope
the next chair will illicit new student members to join in the future for their insight
- I will ask senate to approve a committee on Environmental Sustainability to become a standing
committee

XI. General Announcements

a. No Campaign Talk in the Office!

SR021009:
Bylaw Concordance Act of 2010

Michael Sinko, On-Campus Senator

Author(s)

Adam Clampitt-Dietrich, President of the Senate

Matthew Sinko, On-Campus Senator
Sponsor(s)

Submitted to the Student Senate on:

3/2/20010

Whereas: The Associated Student Government Bylaws are confusing, misdirecting, and in some
circumstances even contradictory.
Whereas: The bylaws of an organization are one of its most important documents, in that they
govern the behavior and actions of the members, and the direction in which the organization is
headed.
Whereas: The bylaws of the Associated Student Government disagree with the Standing Rules
in some key instances, such as elections;
Whereas: Such a disagreement could cause confusion among members of the Associated
Student Government, or members of the Student Body at large.
Whereas: Although the bylaws govern the behavior of an organizations members, it is at times
necessary to change the bylaws to match the currently evolved modus operandi.
Whereas: These changes will help improve the understanding of the bylaws for students at
Miami University.

Therefore, be it resolved: The bylaws of the Associated Student Government be amended as

follows:

101.H. The two students selected to serve as nonvoting members of the Board of Trustees shall
be nonvoting members of Student Senate, and shall be required to attend the weekly meetings of
the Student Senate as often as is necessary to keep the Student Senate informed of the Board’s
actions.

104.G. Elect, by the second meeting following spring break, the President of the Student Senate
for the following academic year.

214.C. The Secretary to the Executive Cabinet shall also be the Chair of the Administrative
Committee.

214.C. The Secretary to the Executive Cabinet shall be paid according to the formula outlined in
Article II, Section 09.217 using as a base the 2007 salary of $1,317.

602.B. If there are more than two candidates for any one office, there shall be a primary election
for the office. The two candidates receiving the largest number of votes in the primary shall be in
the final election. The primary election shall be held in the month of February, at least one week
prior to the final election.

602.I. All offices shall be presented as separate and individual ballot questions on the official
elections ballot. Specifically, the format of the ballot shall not allow a single election choice to
fill more than one office.

607.G. After all speeches have been given and all questions have been asked, the Executive
Council will discuss the merits of the applicants and then vote. Each Executive Council member
may vote for no more than five applicants. The top five vote-getters will be the Executive
Councils’ nominees. The executive council will vote on the applicants, resulting in no more
than 5 persons recommended to the governor. The results of the balloting will be announced at
the same Executive Council meeting.
 SR021010:
The Report of the Adhoc Committee on Environmental Sustainability

Nathan Zwayer, Chairman of the AdHoc Committee on Environmental Sustainability

Authors

Adhoc Committee on Environmental Sustainability

Sponsors

Submitted to Student Senate:

February 16, 2010

Whereas: In January 2009, Student Senate mandated that an Adhoc Committee on

Environmental Sustainability be established,

Whereas: After a period of one (1) year a report must be filed by the Adhoc Committee to
Student Senate committee’s objectives, composition, effectiveness, and existence going forward.

Whereas: the one (1) year period came to a conclusion on January 13, 2010.

Therefore be it resolved: that the report of the Adhoc Committee on Environmental

Sustainability is hereby submitted with the following recommendations.

The Report of the Adhoc Committee on Environmental Sustainability

Committee Objectives:
 CES will continue its efforts in promoting objectives of the Associated Student
Government’s Green Mission Statement
 The Committee on Environmental Sustainability(CES) seeks to create an enthusiasm for
environmentally friendly and socially responsible initiatives for Miami University
 CES will provide for students, through legislation or other appropriate measures, a
platform to present and educate students on sustainable projects
 CES will work with administrators, faculty and staff, through the University
Sustainability Committee or other appropriate bodies, to petition for innovative and
forward measures in securing a sustainable university

Composition:
 The composition of the current Committee is as follows:
o 4 Student Senators, with representatives from both on-campus and off-campus
o 2 Student members
o 1 Chairperson

Effectiveness:
 CES has submitted two bills before Student Senate. The first bill was the establishment
of a ASG Green Mission Statement, the second is the encouragement of President Hodge
to sign the President’s Climate Commitment
  CES is also committed to providing effective programming that promotes sustainable
missions and goals
 A difficulty with the formation of the committee was discovering the exact goals before
we were able to move forward. This took a great amount of time and effort on the part of
the senators and student members

Future Existence:
 CES’s future existence will be established as follows:
o The Committee on Environmental Sustainability will be established as a Standing
Committee of the Student Senate
o The Effective Bylaws will read as follows:
 106.E. Committee on Environmental Sustainability shall be tasked to
continue its efforts in promoting objectives of the Associated Student
Government’s Green Mission Statement, seek to create an enthusiasm for
environmentally friendly and socially responsible initiatives for Miami
University, will provide for students, through legislation or other
appropriate measures, a platform to present and educate students on
sustainable projects, work with administrators, faculty and staff, through
the University Sustainability Committee or other appropriate bodies, to
petition for innovative and forward measures in securing a sustainable
university
 1. the Committee will consist of 8 members, with at least 2
members from the general student body.