Virginia Commonwealth University
Monroe Park Campus Student Government Association
Student Senate Meeting Minutes
Monday, September 12, 2011
I. Call to Order
a. Welcome
b. Roll Call
i. 36 present
c. VCU Creed
d. Approval of Agenda
e. Approval of Minutes
II. Introduction and Reports
Officer Reports
1. Chairwoman – Miracle Allums
if you miss more than 3 committee meetings you will be removed from senate
2. Vice-Chairwoman – Jazmin Tanner
3. Clerk – Juston Hugue
see Tiffini at the end of the meeting if you are not in a committee
III. New Business
a. State of the Student Body Address- President Asif Bhavnagri
i. we must provide visible ramifications for the student body
ii. there is plenty of work that needs to be done
iii. Cabell library - we need to help get donors
iv. we need to help improve academic advising
v. we need to create lots of bills and resolutions
vi. VCU SGA - make the impossible your reality
b. Paint the Town Green - Chief Venutti
i. drug and alcohol arrests are up this year compared to last year
ii. noise complaints are up
iii. the neighborhood team was formed -coordinates with paint the town green
iv. we need SGA's support on October 8 at 9am (paint the town green)
v. Chief really wants to work with SGA this year to help solve some of the problems we have
c. Academic Affairs Committee Guidelines – Chairwoman Katheryn Alice Witt
i. only changed a few grammatical issues
d. Appointments Committee Guidelines – Chairwoman Tiffini Smith
i. changed appointment of senators process - if approved, candidate no longer has to attend four senate meetings to be approved.
ii. must be recommended by a senator in leadership and the appointment committee will
conduct an interview
e. Appropriations Committee Guidelines – Chairman Ryan Evans
i. did not change much, just a few outdated emails
f. S.B. 012011 - Chairman Sajan Moktan
i. changing the date of elections because they coincide with fall break
g. Elections Committee Guidelines – Chairman Sajan Moktan
i. changed date of fall and spring elections
h. Information & Technology Committee Guidelines – Chairman Anthony Morales
i. specified meeting time, refined language of committee vision - decided not to specify the meeting times
i. Long Term Projects Committee Guidelines - Chairman Wesley Dawson
i. not present
j. Legislative Issues & Civic Action (LICA) Committee Guidelines – Chairman Virag Patel
i. added some clauses to encourage involvement with the student body and community engagement
k. Public Relations Committee Guidelines - Chairwoman Jerusalem Solomon
i. they need to know about events 30 days prior to the event
l. Student Life Committee Guidelines – Chairwoman Evelynn Escobar-Thomas
i. changed meeting time to 6pm, no longer 5:45
m. Special Grants Committee Guidelines – Chairman Joel McNamara
i. narrowed 3 guidelines down to one, will be finalized this week
IV. Discussion & Voting
V. Committee Reports
a. Academic Affairs – Chairwoman Katheryn Alice Witt
i. confirmed that they want to continue with extra exam study space
b. Appointments – Chairwoman Tiffini Smith
i. set up delegate schedule for the next couple weeks, if you have a committee time conflict you need to email her
c. Appropriations – Chairman Ryan Evans
i. bylaws are a work in progress, seeing 3-5 groups this week, bringing two bills for approval next week
d. Elections – Chairman Sajan Moktan
i. two new senators appointed, election packets are ready for print
e. Information & Technology – Chairman Anthony Morales
i. working w/ VCU tech services on wireless access points in the library, soon will be moving to the residence halls
f. Long Term Projects - Chairman Wesley Dawson
i. no report
g. Legislative Issues & Civic Action (LICA) – Chairman Virag Patel
i. looking forward to working with Young Democrats on voter registration, lobby day
h. Public Relations - Chairwoman Jerusalem Solomon
i. "I Will" 911 tribute, making a montage video, committee pictures will be soon not today
i. Student Life – Chairwoman Evelynn Escobar-Thomas
i. we need to discuss a new vice chair, please come to the meeting at 6
j. Special Grants – Chairman Joel McNamara
i. working on the bylaws
VI. Bill Assignments
a. S.B. 012011 - elections
VII. Announcements
VIII. Adjournment