ASNAU SENATE MEETING #6
TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Date: October 11, 2013 Number on council: 12
Date of Senate Meeting: October 10, 2013 Number present: 12
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:
-All Present
Approval of Minutes
Motion: SenatorSmart move to approve the minutes from last week’s Senate meeting
Second: SenatorLibby
Discussion: None
Vote: Unanimous, last week’s minutes have now been approved.
Call to the Audience
SETE Presentation–Denise Helm is the special assistant to the Provost this year. Provost Huenneke apologizes for not being able to come, she had a prior engagement. SETE is a Student Teaching Evaluation. This year a campus-wide trial is being done where the survey is electronically delivered to students and will be accessible over multiple devices. Students will receive notices from one place instead of from multiple teachers, and once all classes have been completed the notice will no longer come. Students will also be given two reminders. She had a PowerPoint that couldn’t be pulled up but President Mastrud will be sending it out so the Senators can view it. In 2011 Provost Grobsmith asked for a task force to look at the current evaluation process on campus. Made up of a student from ASNAU as well as a student from GSG, the task force spent a year exploring options for making this process better. Some of the recommendations were: to clarify the purpose of the evaluation process, for administration and faculty to collect comments and information to improve classes on campus, and to evaluate faculty performance on campus as a whole. Another recommendation was to create the end of term evaluation with twelve questions and a comment section and as well as a mid-term evaluation. Next was to add common items, so that each course will be evaluated with the same twelve questions. This will be for consistency and to see how faculty is effectively instructing across the university. Lastly, was for the survey to be conducted electronically for ease and efficiency and to support the green initiative. Since the task force administration went to several groups around campus and got feedback surrounding the recommendations. There was a pilot test implemented, and it was found to be not as effective if it is only in pockets of small departments. The best option to determine the effectiveness of SETE will be to do a campus-wide trial. Administration has gone to the same groups for feedback and now they are ready to implement the trial. This evaluation is completely anonymous, and it is important that we use this information in evaluation of faculty and for changing courses in the future.
Questions: Senator Tillinghaust says his concern is that if the same twelve questions are used, that they will not be effective for all types of classes. He is wondering if there will bean adjustment. Denise replies that the initial process started with over 30,000 questions and went through a four-step process to determine if it measures what they were looking for. It was then narrowed to 12,000 and reevaluated again. In that process they looked at a variety of courses and multiple variables such as time of day and requirements. This was developed to measure broad teaching effectiveness. Senator Simon says she believes it is a great idea to make it accessible on many devices, because students are much more likely to complete the survey from phones or tablets rather than just a computer. Senator Simon also asks if the campus-wide pilot doesn’t work effectively just as the initial pilot, if further changes will be made. Denise explains that this wasn’t effective in the original pilot because there were 5 different people doing mapping and there were 5 different discontinuities as a result. It wasn’t the evaluation of the teaching that wasn’t effective. However, if they do find that it isn’t effective they will look at why and make changes. Senator Gorshe asks if the evaluation will evaluate the course itself. There are multiple areas, the overall teaching, the content in the course and the faculty member’s ability to explain, and evaluation of the faculty’s ability to motivate. Senator Gorshe asks if she might define what she believes teacher effectiveness to be. She says it is, in her mind, the ability of a faculty member to relate to the student the course material effectively and motivate in the process. In closing, please do end of term evaluations.
SHAC Tobacco Free NAU Initiative –Alexis is the President of the Student Health Advisory Committee and is here to talk about the Tobacco-Free Initiative at Northern Arizona University.SHAC has been working on this for the past two years. In the fall of 2011 they determined tobacco was an issue at NAU. Since then SHAC members have attended some informational trainings on how to create the policy as well as many other meetings to get this initiative going. They have done a survey with students, faculty and staff, conducted a petition, met with President Haeger, and met with faculty senate and other staff. SHAC is hoping to propose a tobacco-free policy at Northern Arizona University. The first reason for this is the health of students, not only those who currently use tobacco products but those affected by secondhand smoke as well. They are looking to protect the 88.4% of the Northern Arizona University population who doesn’t smoke from the effects. Second is to protect the environment and promotethe green movement at NAU by eliminating a lot of litter and other pollutants. Employers are more likely to employ those who are tobacco-free, and SHAC is looking graduate students who can get into the workforce and be successful after college. SHAC will enforce this tobacco through social enforcement, as there are over 1,100 universities who are tobacco or smoke free currently and many of them use this method. Through extensive research, SHAC believes this will be the most effective type of enforcement. To explain, everyone at the university will be required to comply and to enforce. She says if there is anything that she missed that anyone would like her to cover, she will. She would like the input of the student senate because they are still molding and remolding these ideas.
Questions: Senator Simon asks about student safety, she is concerned about students travelling off campus late at night to smoke. She doesn’t know how this is going to prevent crime committed against these students. Alexis says that they investigated other schools with this enforcement and there haven’t really been any issues pertaining to rise in crime rate. SHAC has walked and biked off-campus to see what students will have to do to comply with the change and the longest time was five minutes (from the union to behind the library). They are asking students and staff to simply step over the boundary, nothing like a mile from campus. Senator Ortega asks if more litter will occur if the disposals are taken away. Alexis says that one of the policies they looked at and compared to is the one implemented at Montana State, and initially they didn’t state that there was an increase in litter but they did still see tobacco associated litter around campus. This will happen when the policy is first in place but will change over time. SHAC will work with city to add ashtrays right off campus to counteract the litter. Senator Smart feels that this is a great movement and won’t be too hard. Only 11.4% of students reported using cigarettes in the poll sent around 2013. They aren’t asking a lot of students to change. Senator Ortega asks how they will make sure the smokers don’t feel like they are being personally attacked. Alexis says with the first two to three years they will offer classes and support groups for those who chose to quit and helping educate students and staff to make the policy known. Making sure they’re aware of the policy and the change that is happening will be effective in ensuring the students do not feel this is a personal attack. Senator Gorshe asks how they will educate exchange students who see smoking as a normal thing in their country. She says they have done a lot of research in the past few weeks, they don’t think this initiative will affect enrollment; the majority of students who come to the US for school are not smokers. To answer the questions, SHAC will just work to create an environment that is promoting health and wellness instead of tobacco use to international students as well as local students. The outreach will be spread with education. Senator Howard says that the student body could enforce, but the smokers may not take this seriously. He asks if there are any concrete penalties that will be established. Alexis replies that as this is still a fluid movement, they are still working out the details. They didn’t want to create any more work to be done with this initiative but she understands his concern. They are at first hoping to create a social norm, such as the transition to move from smoking in a building to smoking outside, as we have seen throughout history. They will be tracking and recording data to see what changes will need to be made. She thanks everyone for the time to come and speak.
Unfinished Business
Motion: Senator Cabral move to remove Item A: Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA) from the table
Second: Senator Gorshe
Vote: Unanimous, Club Recognition: Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA) has been removed from the table.
Motion: Senator Ortega move to vote on Item A: Club Recognition: Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA)
Second: Senator Libby
Discussion: Makenzie is here to represent GAMMA, which is a Greek organization to make sure that different events and parties are approved and alcohol is being used responsibly. They will also be in charge of having Anti-Hazing week, and a week for Nation Alcohol Awareness, making sure it is being used responsibly not only for the Greeks but for all of campus. Senator Gorshe says it is a great idea and he would like to commend GAMMA. Senator Simon says that this has been a really great help in ensuring chapter members do not consume alcohol before events and it is a very positive thing for Greek Life.
Vote: Unanimous, Item A: Club Recognition: Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA) has been approved.
New Action Business
Motion: SenatorSmart move to vote on Item A: Approval of Bylaws.
Second: Senator Howard
Discussion: Senator Gorshe highlights the following changes to the bylaws: Article XIII, Section 10 more clearly defines the hours of the Students State Affairs Directors. Also pertaining to the directors is Article XIII under a new section requiring SSA to attend all regular and special sessions of the Senate. Article VI, Section 5 was changed to replace Dr. Brandel with Office of Student Life, and Article II, Section 10 removed the words “The ASA central office”. Article II, Section 28 implemented ASNAU staff in place of Northern Arizona University Arizona Students’ Association Delegates, and staff. Finally, Article XVII, Section 1, Sub-section a replaces ASA with SSA members.
Vote: Unanimous, Item A: Approval of Bylawshas been approved.
Motion: Senator Ortegamove to vote on Item B: Club Recognition: NAU Bowling.
Second: Senator Boruch
Discussion: Vice President of NAU Bowling Club is here to promote sport bowling on campus and work with the bowling alley in town to start an NAU League. Going to work and in long term create interest for an NAU Collegiate Team.
Question: Senator Gorshe asks if they will hold on-campus meetings. Yes, they will be for logistics of the club and for holding sessions. Senator Smart asks if this will be considered a club sport, yes after this they will go through HLC to be made a club sport.
Vote: Unanimous, Item B:Club Recognition: NAU Bowling has been approved.
Motion: SenatorLibby move to vote on Item C: Club Recognition: NAUCERT
Second: Senator Simon
Discussion:Zach Nelson is an Emergency Manager looking to start a club called NAUCERT. This club, to his knowledge, has attempted to be established in previous years but didn’t get going. CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team but for Northern Arizona University purposes the C will be changed to Campus. This program is nationwide and currently there are over 2000 programs across the nation. The purpose is to assist responders in a great emergency in the case of lack of manpower or resources. For example, the CERT team for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office helped with the Yarnell fire. Members take a 20-hour training class to give them the building blocks they need to help the community. NAUCERT will help with anything on campus as well as in the community. They will also be able to call in help from other CERT teams in the case of an emergency.
Questions: Senator Cabral recommends that in the constitution, the names of officers be removed so it doesn’t have to be revised every year. Senator Tillinghaust is concerned that if the club already made an effort to be established and didn’t progress, not much will allow it to be successful this time.He would like to know what NAUCERT would do this time around in order to make the club successful. Nelson replies that they will be partnering with the agency to help establish the club and the training system at NAU. Senator Simon says the criminal justice department will be very willing to help with this, so if they are looking for interest go there to promote.
Vote: Unanimous, Item C: NAUCERT has been approved.
Motion: SenatorTillinghaust move to vote on Item D: Club Recognition: Program in Intensive English Language Club
Second: Senator Libby
Discussion:International Students are here to start a club to improve English skills for international students. This will be open to all students and the community of Flagstaff as well. They will do dinners and other activities so that students can share and talk to each other in order to practice their English in a relaxed and fun setting. It will be very helpful to these students and they plan to advertise these events. Also, this club will help to establish international friendships between these students and other students here. Students will also be able to learn more about cultures. The club will help international students to know about the university and university rules as well. Will help teachers to know about helping lower level students to learn on top of this. Students helped will be from multiple countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia, China, Kuwait, and many others.
Vote: Unanimous, Item D: Club Recognition: Program in Intensive English Language Club has been approved.
Motion: Senator Ortega move to table Item E: Club Recognition: Western/West Coast Swing Club
Second: Senator Startt
Discussion:
Vote: Unanimous, Item E: Club Recognition: Western/West Coast Swing Club has been tabled
Motion: Senator Gorshe move to vote on Item F: OA: NAU Forestry Club, $500
Second: Senator Boruch
Discussion: Quinn, President of NAU Forestry Club, is here to discuss the OA and SB 26-12. They are going to the Society of American Foresters Convention in Charleston, SC. Attendees will be learning about the science and management of forestry, as well as receiving the Outstanding Student Chapter Awardfor the second year in a row. They are sending 15 students, 8 of which are here tonight.
Questions: Senator Smart asks what members are contributing. Quinn replies that members made a $100 deposit in the spring, will be contributing another$200 tomorrow, and other fundraising efforts will be going towards the trip. Such fundraising efforts are a Breakfast bar and the Lumberjack Breakfast forHomecoming. Current student contribution totals $300 and funds raised will also assist in covering the cost.
Vote: Unanimous, Item F: OA: NAU Forestry Club, $500 has been approved
Motion: Senator Ortega move to vote on Item G: SB 26-12: NAU Forestry Club, $1500
Second: Senator Gorshe
Discussion: See Discussion for Item F
Vote: Unanimous, Item G: SB 26-12: NAU Forestry Club, $1500
Motion: Senator Howard move to vote on Item H: OA: Chabad at NAU, $500
Second: Senator Libby
Discussion: Zach Abrams, President of Chabad at NAU would first like to thank Senator Simon for all of her hard work on the OA and SB 26-13. At the end of October, Chabad at NAU will be joining hundreds of other chapters in a New York City conference, located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This area is predominately Jewish and will be a unique cultural experience for the students that are attending and learn from other chapters. Club bonding will take place as well and be a great thing for members involved. There are many different schools attending as well as them, as it is the International Chabad On-Campus Retreat. They are looking for $500 OA and $2000 Senate Bill to cover the estimate budget for $552.50 per student attending. About 10 students will be attending and will give $380 towards the trip, which doesn’t cover appreciation gifts to host families, walking Manhattan tour, and taxi rides including to and from the airport. The money from ASNAU will help these students attend the conference.