UConnPIRG Core Meeting

Monday September 19th, 2016

Student Union Room 317

Attendance

Voting Members:Sam Bedard, Kelly Flanagan, Ian Beattie, Alex Pawlak, Emmett O’Donnell, Brandon Chesnut, Bob Hannan, Kharl Reynado, Saman Azimi, Colin Bixler, Matt Talley, Casey Lambert

Non-Voting Members: Emily O’Hara, Kervelle Baird, Rich McKenney, Chelsea Garcia, Metban Ajack, Walter Dodson, Will Fallon, Paula Aksenoff, Kaila Mahon, Cameron Cantelmo, Michael Artefa, Benjamin Hellmann, Alison Taylor, Angela Holley, Mathew Byanvima, Jamison Foulke, Alex DePasquale, Samuel Jaffe

Guests: Shawna Upton

Meeting Called to order at 7:03 by Chair Kharl Reynado

  1. Introductions
  2. Overview of Agenda
  3. Training
  1. What is PIRG (Saman)
  2. History of PIRG
  3. Started in California as student driven organization, would pool student funds to hire lawyers and speak on student issues
  4. PIRG faced back lash by University and BusinessSpectrum
  5. Model changed to more independent organization with student chapters, which is what we have in Connecticut
  6. We have 3 student chapters in the state, UConn Storrs, UConn Hartford, Trinity College.
  7. Speaks about the five-dollar fee, and where that money goes.
  8. Discusses state board, members and how decisions are made.
  9. What is Core (Saman)
  10. Discusses what is core, talked about the importance of Core meeting, what decisions are made, out goal is to have as many people as possible who are in leadership positions in the meeting as our decision making body
  11. De-Brief on Recruitment Drive (Matt Talley)
  12. What is the Recruitment drive, and what do we do
  13. The recruitment drive happens at the start of every semester to let people know what we do and get individuals involved
  14. Class rap and tabling are used to gain interest, was partnered with NVP campaign to also gather pledges to vote
  15. Phone Banking is used to contact people on an individual basis telling them how to get involved based on interest
  16. Open conversation and input on recruitment drive facilitated by Matt Talley
  17. Phone banking importance is discussed
  18. Internship model was determined to be a main recruitment element
  19. The pledge to vote card was very effective, it was a drive for people to come and volunteer
  20. Need better phone banking system for calling back people who could not talk during the original phone bank
  21. Maybe utilize our office phone as a better resource
  22. Class wraps help motivate people to get involved, dedication by the people involved is inspirational, the persistence we have in recruitment is convincing
  23. How does this persistence effect campus relations to people who are not mobilized?
  24. CampaignOverview
  25. Bottle (Casey Lambert)
  26. Meeting will be on Thursdays at 7pm
  27. Talked about the new social media presence, upcoming tables and prop makings
  28. Encouraged people to join at least one of our methods of communication
  29. Hunger and Homelessness (Matt Talley)
  30. Meeting will be on Tuesdays at 6pm
  31. Three main things that the campaign will be doing
  32. Fundraising
  33. Service Trips
  34. Awareness tactics
  35. National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week after the elections the campaign will be
  36. Multi-Cultural BBQ partnering with other groups on campus to raise money
  37. Food Drives and other resource drives will be conducted
  38. Democracy (Brandon)
  39. Meeting will be on Friday
  40. More events will be determined after first meeting
  41. Encouraged volunteers to get voter registration training done
  42. Debate discussion
  43. NVP (Kharl & Saman)
  44. Can’t do voter registration tables without training so encouraged people
  45. National voter registration day mini blitzdetails
  46. Prop making and four tables
  47. Goal: 250 people registered
  48. Community outreach wants to host debate view parties, we will be conducting visibility for it
  49. Regional Retreat
  50. Invitation to PIRG Retreat on October 1st &2nd
  51. The retreat will include
  52. Professional trainings
  53. Issue education

IV. Business

  1. Motion to approve minutes
  2. Brandon motions
  3. Kharl seconds
  4. Approved Unanimously
  5. Motion to approve 2 driving cost for upcoming board meeting
  6. Saman motions
  7. Kharl seconds
  8. Approved Unanimously

Meeting Adjourned by Kharl at 7:59