BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
8/11/13 11:45 a.m.
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA
Conference Call: 712-432-0111
Access Code: 561941#
E.b. Vodde, WSA President, called the meeting to order at 12:42 p.m.
I.
Call to Order
II.
Roll call, Introductions, Welcome
E.b. Vodde (EWU, WSA President)
Talwinder Singh (UW-B)
Tristan Hanon (WSU-P, WSA VP of
Jackie Do (UW-B)
Legislative Affairs)
Chris Lizotte (GPSS)
Sarah Kohout (WWU)
Michael Kutz (UW-S)
Caylyn Rolph-Tate (WWU)
JulieAnne Behar (WSA OD)
Matt Bobbink (WWU)
Sophia Zaman (USSA President)
Mayra Guizar (WWU)
Chanel Rhymes (Evergreen)
Heather Heffelmire (WWU)
DJ Jigre (EWU)
Danny Edgel (WWU)
Carly Roberts (WWU)
Taylor Hennessey (WSU-P)
Kaylee Galloway (WWU)
Hayley Hohman (WSU-P
Josh Arquette (CWU)
Peter Pentescu (UW-T)
Bryan Elliot (CWU)
Megan Nation (UW-T)
Cassie DuBore (CWU)
Ben Laskey (UWT)
Garrett Havens (WSA ED)
Rai Nauman Mumtaz (UW-T)
Lily Jaquith (WWU, WSA VP of
Sam Crenshaw (BC)
Communication)
Taylor Anderson (BC)
Matt Baird (CWU, WSA VP of Finance)
Zawdie Terry (BC)
Jessie Spinney (WSU-V, WSA VP of
Andrea Torres (BC)
Federal Affairs)
Natasha Wyoyo (BC)
Approval of Agenda
WSU-P moves to approve the agenda, UW-T seconds.
No objections, agenda is approved.
Approval of Minutes
A. BOD 6/22/13 Minutes
WWU moves to approve, seconded by EWU.
No objections, minutes are approved.
Officer’s Reports
A. President’s Report
Eb said there is not much to report as he was on vacation. He has been organizing
with Garrett for a great board retreat. He is working on networking and outreach and
he is working with the Executive Board on some planning. He said he needs people
III.
IV.
V.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
on the strategic report committee to step up.
VP of Legislative Affairs’ Report
Tristan said since the last BOD meeting he has been preparing for the retreat. In
addition he has been brainstorming for the upcoming year, and what his tasks will
look like.
VP of Communications’ Report
Lily said she wants to update the website with new BOD and Executive Board
photos as soon as possible. She still needs photos from several schools and
Executive Board members. She said she is looking to update the layout of the
website as well and possibly the color scheme. Lily asked that if anyone has input,
they send her an email.
She said she is looking for stories that she could post on Facebook or Twitter. She
requested people email her regarding that as well.
Lily also mentioned that she is planning on putting all the previous minutes, that she
can access, on Google Drive in the near future.
VP of Outreach’s Report
Glen Tokola, VP of Outreach, was not present at this meeting.
VP of Finance’s Report
Matt said the WSA budget has not had much happen since the last meeting. There
have been a couple of changes in the reserve; those are referred to in Garrett’s
report. Matt said last meeting there were a bunch of questions about dues, he said he
wasn’t prepared and didn’t write down what questions were asked. He is going to
write down contact information at this meeting so that doesn’t happen again. He said
this is the time for conversations on what others are hoping to see in the budget as he
starts making one. He said he has a better idea after retreat on who he should be
talking to regarding that matter.
WWU asked if any of the passed USSA ARs may have implications on the WSA
budget
Matt said it won’t affect the WSA budget.
VP of Federal Affairs’ Report
Jessie said she has been busy, since the last BOD meeting. She continued with
USSA congress preparation. She had lots of communication with WWU and CWU
folks, who expressed interest in attending. She said she tried to work with BC to see
if they could go, unfortunately they couldn’t. She said she spent time trying to figure
out what the five days at congress would look like and sort out the delegation based
on diversity requirements. Because BC dropped out, she had to create an appeal
because WSA was short one on diversity requirement. She said it worked out and
they were granted voting rights. She said she also reviewed the agenda and gave
background information to the delegation.
She said in May she started working on co-authoring of one of the campaigns for
USSA to work on, it passed at congress.
She said she has also been on the strategic committee planning for WSA.
AA= action agenda, grassroots campaigns
AR= administrative resolution, administrative changes and structural
VI.
VII.
Staff Reports
A. Executive Director’s Report
Garrett said he’s been pretty busy. At the end of June he attended a student debt
meeting in San Francisco with Jobs for Justice. He utilized information from that in
presentation on student debt on Saturday. He’s also spent time on the hiring process
and training JulieAnne. He said he is excited to be working with her. Garrett also
attended USSA congress. He thought the Washington delegation did an amazing job
of representing WSA and students in Washington. JulieAnne and Garrett attended
AMP, which was put on by the Western State Center. Information they gathered
was used in presentations throughout the retreat. He said his time has also been spent
planning and organizing the board retreat.
Garrett said there’s been some change in the ongoing saga of WSA taxes. In
previous years there was inconsistent reporting on taxes. An accountant was hired in
February. A couple of weeks ago all of the quarterly taxes became up to date.
He had to take $12,000 out of the reserves to pay quarterly taxes for 1st-3rd quarters
of last year. Garrett said he is going to talk at next the next BOD meeting about
WSA building a reserve in a strategic manner. Garrett said he believes WSA may
get a small refund on the taxes.
The next stage in this process is getting W2 forms up to date for 2011.
The final stage will be getting 990 forms up to date. He said they discovered this
form hadn’t been submitted since 2002. According to federal law, WSA didn’t need
one submitted for 2002-2006 because WSA didn’t have staff.
UW-T asked how much the small refund would be for.
Garrett said it could be a little over $1,000.
WSU-P asked what the reserve would look like ideally.
Garrett said ideally it should be the money that we are budgeted for. That’s not
happening currently. He said WSA should at least have three months of reserve, or 6
months to be more comfortable. That would be about $50,000, possibly more.
Garrett suggested the idea of creating a 10 year plan with Matt to make that a reality.
B. Organizing Director’s Report
JulieAnne said she started in her position in July. She spent a lot of time with Mara
transitioning into the position and learning what she has done the past two year. She
went to USSA congress. She said it was really informative and valuable and gave a
solid foundation of what other states are doing. She was able to talk with the staff of
other states to learn about the structural differences in each state. The AMP
conference was also really good experience. She said she’s spent a lot of time
getting ready for the board retreat. This included working with the executive board
for their workshops.
She’s been working with the Youth Vote Coalition WSA is in as well. She’s been
talking with them about this fall’s vote, as well as the 2014 year which will be a
bigger vote year.
Committee Reports
A. Strategic Plan Committee – E.b.
EB said this committee was created at the last board meeting. Members include
B.
C.
Jessie (WSU-V), Matt, Kelsy (EWU), Chris (GPSS) and unnamed BC student.
He said an old strategic planning draft had been found. He’s tried to start setting
plans, but there are missing members in the discussion.
Garrett and Mike gave a great strategic planning presentation at the board retreat.
E.b. said this is something that needs to get done.
BC asked what the responsibilities are.
EB said they are determining the length of the plan and then goals of the strategic
plan. This could include editing the logo, mission statement and giving a solid
pathway for WSA for the next five or so years.
BC asked what the time commitment is.
EB said he doesn’t know. He wants it to be a big time commitment, but he’s not sure
if that’s feasible.
He wants the next board to have something to work with. This will be done by the
end of the year. He said the committee should work consistently and see what can
happen.
BC asked if there was any note as to who the unnamed member might be.
EB said no.
Tristan said the Chris in minutes is from GPSS not WSU-P. There was a spot
reserved for Pullman though.
CTC Committee – Glen
Glen is not present
Matt (WWU) said he hasn’t heard anything about the committee.
Garrett said Glen sent him an email that Glen hasn’t had time to contact member
institutions that said they wanted members on the committee. They’re just trying to
identify those people.
EB said they need to contact people in the next few weeks and figure out who those
committee members are.
Swag Presentation – Lily and Matt
Lily said that she has several ideas for WSA swag, but is looking for ideas from the
BOD as well.
Lily’s ideas include lapel pins, which would give WSA a look of unity at events
such as lobby day while remaining professionally dressed. She also suggested tshirts.
WWU said they think they’re good ideas.
Matt said in terms of specific numbers there’s nothing to do until WSA knows
concretely what they’ll want and how much they want to buy. As soon as WSA
decides that he can get those numbers in a couple of hours. He’s talked with Garrett
about it, they don’t want it coming from the reserve. It has to be decided when the
swag is wanted. It would be best after some dues have come in.
BC said WSA should make sure it’s sustainable. Meaning that it’s something
members can keep and use.
Garrett said in terms of financially sustainable items, the board should consider
some of these items, like a t-shirt, that can be made available for others to purchase.
UW-B asked how much is budgeted for this.
D.
E.b. said nothing is earmarked for swag.
Matt said WSA has just under $9,000 in reserves. That’s only the thing that can be
allocated right now, he wants to discuss with BOD members the idea of earmarking
for swag the future. Now there’s nothing specifically for it.
UWB suggested business card holders and bracelets.
E.b. said wants to get them.
GPSS asked if there is no line item for it on the budget.
Matt said no.
Garrett said it could be included in budget that will be set in November.
E.b. said the purpose is to get the WSA name out there.
USSA Presentation – Jessie
Jessie Spinney gave a report on the USSA congress as prepared below,
“Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
July 19th-24th, 2013
WSA Delegation: Jessie Spinney, Kaylee Galloway, Carly Roberts, Matthew
Bobbink, Heather Hefflemire, Mayra Guizar, Patrick Stickney, Cassie DuBore,
Matthew Baird, Josh Arquette
Each year, USSA holds two national conferences, National Student Congress
during the summer and the Annual Grassroots Legislative Conference in the spring.
USSA’s Congress brings student leaders from across the country together to debate,
envision and vote on USSA’s priorities and leadership for the upcoming year. This
gives students the opportunity to determine the direction of the organization in order
to best serve and reflect the needs and priorities of students.
Congress is an incredibly busy, hectic but incredibly fulfilling six days. With
a schedule including workshops, closed identity spaces, regional meetings and
plenary, students are given an opportunity to grow as leaders and student organizers
while helping to shape the upcoming year for USSA.
The WSA delegation was comprised of 10 individuals from Western, Central
and WSU-V. WSA then had a voting delegation of 8 people because that’s the
amount of votes WSA has at Congress.
WSA Voting Delegation for Congress
Jessie Spinney (Woman)
Cassie DuBore (Woman)
Heather Hefflemire (Person of Color)
Mayra Guizar (Person of color)
Matthew Baird (Individual who identifies as queer)
Carly Roberts (Working Class)
Kaylee Galloway (Woman)
Matthew Bobbink(Individual who identifies as queer)
*Non-voting delgates: Patrick Stickney and Josh Arquette
The registration process includes looking over your delegation’s diversity
requirements to ensure that each delegation is representative of as many student
voices and identities as possible. Each SSA’s voting delegation must meet the
diversity requirements USSA has laid out based on how many folks are in one
delegation. WSA’s diversity requirements were as follows: 2 womyn, 2 people of
color, 1 woman of color, 1 individual who identifies as queer, 1 non-traditional or
veteran or student with a disability or international student, and 1 working class
student. One person cannot fulfill both the person of color and woman of color
requirement (It needs to be two separate people), which ended up putting WSA short
the woman of color requirement based on USSA Rules of Congress. Because of this,
I had to make an appeal once we began registration. I explained that one of the
reasons we were short this requirement was because one of WSA’s campuses who
had intended on going to Congress had to cancel last minute, leaving me no time to
recruit elsewhere or work with that campus. Had this campus attended, we would
have exceeded diversity requirements. I also pointed out that WSA’s delegation was
incredibly diverse, having multiple individuals who identified in many different
ways, which also showed a concerted effort on behalf of each campus, as well as
myself as delegation leader, to reach out to as many student communities as possible
to ensure as diverse of a student voice as possible. After hearing my appeal, WSA
was granted full voting rights with no penalties.
After the registration process the WSA delegation met to review the agenda
for the rest of Congress and determine who would be attending which workshops
and which identity spaces. Aside from wide array of workshops students could
attend, Congress also has regional meetings, caucus groups and coalitions; these are
closed spaces, meaning only if you identify with that particular identity space can
you attend, as well as ally spaces.
USSA is broken into 6 regions; Golden Pacific, Pacific Northwest
(Washington and Oregon made up the Pac Northwest region at Congress), Rocky
Mountains, Great Lakes, Empire Garden and New England. Regional meetings are
only open to students from the states they represent. Following registration, dinner
and the opening ceremonies, the first regional meeting took place. Breaking out into
regions in a closed space provides students an opportunity to organize and prioritize
issues that specifically affect their regional communities. During these breakouts,
students also elect a chair and vice chair of their region for the upcoming year. The
chair of each region sits on the Board of Directors for USSA as a representative of
that region. The chair is responsible for planning the goals and strategies for the
region throughout the year. The Pacific Northwest Regional Meeting was made up
of WSA’s and OSA’s delegations; 10 from WSA and 6 form OSA. The first regional
meeting for the Pac Northwest involved discussing issues that directly affect
Washington and Oregon and how we can solves those issues together from a
regional aspect. Some of the ideas were having similar messaging in campaigns as
well as having events and lobby days on the same day to establish a collective and
cooperative student effort. The first regional meeting culminated with committee
and chair elections. Aside from electing a new Pac Northwest Chair and Vice Chair,
our region also elects one person from our region to sit on three Congress
Committees (each committee has a representative from each region).
The three Congress Committees were Congress Steering Committee,
Administrative Plenary Committee and the Issues Plenary Committee. These three
committees are responsible for running Congress. The Congress Steering Committee
(CSC) enforces the rules of Congress, has the power to enforce and oversee elections
and addresses conflicts or any other controversies that occur at Congress. The
Administrative Plenary Committee (APC) reviews each Administrative Resolution
submission, making sure all the information is complete and meets all the criteria for
an AR (Proposals that request projects and other administrative functions from the
BoD and/or staff to carry out. If passed, an AR could amend the USSA constitution
and bylaws). Finally, the Issues Plenary Committee or IPC reviews each Action
Agenda(USSA’s Grassroots Legislative Campaigns) and Policy Platform (Broad
statement of principal the organization stands for) submission to once again ensure
completeness and that each AA or PP meets criteria. IPC also selects the order in
which AA’s and PP’s will be presented at Plenary.
The following Pac-Northwest Region representatives were elected to serve on
Congress Committees:
Congress Steering Committee: Patrick Stickney
Administrative Plenary Committee: Matthew Baird
Issues Plenary Committee: Mayra Guizar
This was an amazing moment for WSA as each committee had a representative from
Washington on the Committee. This was a great opportunity for WSA to get
involved with USSA and help influence the direction USSA will be heading for the
next year.
Following Committee nominations and elections, the Pac Northwest Region
nominated folks for the Chair and Vice Chair positions, voting would take place at
the next regional meeting. Most notably, Carly Roberts, Kaylee Galloway and
Matthew Baird were all nominated for Vice Chair Positions, while two womyn from
OSA were nominated for the Chair position; Alexandra Flores Quilty and Victoria
Redman. After voting at the next Pac Northwest Regional Meeting, the new Chair
and Vice Chair for our region are as follows:
Pac Northwest Chair: Alexandra Flores-Quilty
Pac Northwest Vice Chair: Kaylee Galloway
This was also an amazing success for WSA, ensuring WSA representation in a
position of leadership in the Pac Northwest region.
Each day at Congress, aside from the day Plenary occurred, provided
students with multiple workshops to attend as well as closed identity spaces and
open ally spaces. Workshops includes topics from the Higher Education Act,
Building Coalitions with USSA, SLAP 101: A Primer to Student/Labor Organizing,
Expelling Wall Street from Campus, Understanding the Parliamentary Process,
Organizing from the Ground Up-Building Membership and Creating Change and
Campus Vote Project: Preparing for Future Elections. Workshops were open to any
Congress attendee and were an amazing opportunity to learn and grow as student
leaders and organizers.
Caucus groups (Closed Spaces) were also made available at Congress.
Closed spaces included: International Student Caucus, National Coalition of
Students with Disabilities, Veterans Caucus, Community College Caucus, Women
of Color Caucus, Multi/Bi-Racial Caucus, Graduate and Professional Student
Caucus, Non-traditional/First Generation Caucus, Working Class Student Caucus,
Minority-Serving Institution Caucus, DREAM Caucus, National Queer Students of
Color Caucus, Students of the Jewish Community, National Women’s Student
Coalition, National People of Color Coalition and the National Queer Student
Coalition. Caucus and affiliate meetings are only open to those who self-identify.
USSA ensures that participants have the opportunity to convene within their
identity-based committees by making these spaces not only available to those
communities, but also by making them closed spaces and therefor safe spaces. Each
caucus group also holds elections for chair and vice-chairs positions who then sit on
the USSA BoD as representatives of their affiliate or caucus space.
The following WSA delegates were elected to vice chair positions for their caucus
space:
Matthew Bobbink: Vice Chair of the National Queer Student Coalition
Carly Roberts: Vice Chair of the Non-traditional/First generation Caucu
Plenary:
Administrative Resolutions: The following AR’s passed at USSA Congress Plenary
Internal
1. National Student Calendar and Dissemination of USSA Workshops and
Trainings: The USSA will create the National Student Calendar available on
the USSA website that tracks any known and student-relevant conferences,
events, and actions.
2. Redirecting applicable staff and Board of Director’s focus on
recruitment and retention of community colleges: The USSA Community
College Caucus Chair, with support of national staff and BoD, will make a
noticeable effort to refocus their attempt at increasing the recruitment and
retention of community colleges.
3. Permanent Mental health Closed Caucus and Board Position: The USSA
will create a permanent closed space with a self-identifying board member
that is elected from within that space to address and organize around the
accessibility of higher education nationwide.
4. Asian Pacific Islander Social Justice and Leadership Development
Workshop: The chair of the National Asian Pacific American Student
Caucus will develop an APIA Identity and Organizing workshop that
provides a greater visibility, organizing education, and increased accessibility
for constituents.
5. Coalition Action Response Team (C.A.R.T.): The USSA Board of
Directors, with staff support, will create a space for sharing and dialogues
between delegates of coalitions and ally groups. Each space will be lead by
the perspective affiliate chair, and include fellow delegates, and in an effort
to engage allies towards a holistic response to outlined issues.
6. Definition of a Non-Traditional Student and First Generation Student:
The USSA staff will increase outreach to non-traditional students and first
generation student and put a valiant effort towards making delegations
comprised of students identifying with both or one of the other.
7. Divestment Toolkit: The USSA will provide a toolkit to instruct students
how to plan and implement successful divestment campaigns.
8. Feminist Language Toolkit: The USSA staff and Board of Directors will
develop a feminist language toolkit that gives supporters and members of
women’s movement language and debating tools to counter anti-feminist
sentiment in their daily lives.
9. Food Accessibility for Students at USSA Conferences: All future USSA
conferences will provide subsidized prices through reduced price meals, food
vouchers, or any other system that is deemed fit so students who cannot
afford food are still able to eat.
10. Veteran and Military Safe Space Training: The USSA will create a space
for Veteran and Military Safe Space Training workshops during USSA
conventions.
11. Banishing Slave Imagery in Conversations About Student Debt or Any
Other Campaign: The USSA will no longer use any imagery that evokes
slavery or language that cab be triggering on the topic.
12. Institutionalizing Responsibilities for DREAM Caucus Chair: The
DREAM caucus chair will be held responsible for holding the position of the
liaison between member and non-member SSA’s and the USSA. The
DREAM caucus chair will ensure recruitment and retention of DREAMer’s
along with extending pertinent education to students that may be gathered
from other partnering organizations.
13. National Queer Students Conference 2015: The USSA BoD, specifically
the National Queer Student Coalition Chair will develop a National Queer
Students Conference to bring together students that might not normally meet.
External
1. USSA Bi-Annual National Diversity and Social Justice Conference: The
USSA will host the Diversity and Social Justice Conference every two years
starting in 2015 which will be open to all students and youth organizations.
2. Administrative Resolution for a Comprehensive Joint Report on
Surveillance against Students: The USSA in cooperation with outside
organizations will write a comprehensive and up-to-date report on past and
present state sponsored surveillance and repression of students and student
organizations at the campus,, state-wide and national level.
3. Voting Rights Investigative Task Force: The USSA will launch an
investigative task force with a minimum of three members that will
investigate the effects of the Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder Supreme
Court Case and voter disenfranchisement in member and non-member
campuses of the organization.
Outreach
1. Education Reform:The USSA BoD will work directly with the Department
of Education on education reform in K-12 public education and provide
students working on education reform with more tools and opportunities to
combat the school to prison pipeline.
2. Outreaching for Higher Education Packet: The USSA BoD will develop
Higher Education Information Packets that focus on outreaching to
communities that have lacked outreach and representation in the past.
3. Creation of SSA Curriculum: The USSA will develop a training on par
with Electoral Action Training and Grassroots Organizing Weekend that
teaches students how to create student-run, student-led SSAs.
4. Lack of Culturally Relevant Curriculum for Multiracial/Multicultural
Students: The USSA BoD will work to coordinate think-tanks and
workshops which will focus on instituting multicultural curriculum on
campuses nationwide.
5. DREAM Counselor Program: The USSA will create and distribute a
booklet/pamphlet to colleges and universities for undocumented students and
train counselors in the specific situation undocumented students find
themselves in. College administration and USSA will work together to make
these booklets specific to each campus.
6. Obtaining Disaggregated Data of Identities of Students in GEAR UP
and TRIO: The USSA BoD and staff will make efforts to obtain the data of
various identities, especially communities of color In GEAR Up and TRIO
programs, with the intentions of ensuring examinations and accountability of
these programs in increasing access to higher education.
7. Behind the Hood: Diversity requirements should be upheld on membership
campus’ outreach and retain black students into the student movement. The
USSA will continue outreach to historically black colleges to further the
understanding of black student struggles. The USSA will enact a year-long
campaign to contribute to the empowerment and data collection of black
students.
Items of Special Consideration:
1. Increase to USSA fees: Starting in 2016 the USSA will increase fees by 25
cents every two years, only provided that 5 new members/SSA are
represented. There will be a $1.50 cap on fee increases. *This does not affect
WSA as we pay a percentage of our budget every year, not with a fee system.
2. Funding for Caucus Chair Travel: The USSA President shall make a best
faith effort to allocate funding towards subsidizing travel costs for those who
would otherwise be unable to pay for caucus chair travel.
Policy Platforms
Higher Education:
1. Open Access: USSA will endorse Open Access, an alternative to the
traditional closed, subscription-access system of scholarly communication.
Open access makes the results of scholarly research available online for free.
2. Shared Governance: The USSA will support an increase in shared
governance between administration and students to better increase student
voice in all college and university decisions.
3. California Assembly Bill AB 123: The CA AB 123 requires California
school districts, to include instruction on the contributions of Pilipino and
Pilipino Americans to the farm workers labor movement, spreading
awareness of the critical role Pilipino and Pilipino American’s in the history
of California.
Health:
4. Reproductive Justice Rights of Womyn: The USSA will support the need
to protect a womyn’s reproductive rights, including access to birth control,
emergency contraception, womyn’s healthcare, safe and legal abortions and
free childcare.
5. Mental Health Services: The USSA BoD supports the expansion mental
health services to marginalized communities.
Anti-Discrimination:
6. Condemning Islamophobic Hate Speech: The USSA stands in solidarity
with these communities and will stand against Islamophobic hate speech.
Labor/Working Class
7. Oppose ALEC: USSA opposes any and all policies and organizations that
have links to or are members of ALEC
8. No to Wal-Mart in LA Chinatown:The USSA opposes the opening of a
Wal-Mart in Los Angeles Chinatown and stands in solidarity with workers
and community organizations such as the Chinatown Community for
Equitable Development and the South East Asian Community Alliance, in
their campaign against Wal-Mart in LA Chinatown.
9. Oppose Right to Work Laws: The USSA does not support Right-to-Work
laws on the basis that it prohibits social mobility and decreases access to
education.
10. Support Living Wages: The USSA supports an increase in the minimum
wage to a living wage that will allow workers to live above the poverty line
at the current standard of living.
Action Agendas that will be worked on by USSA this year:
1. Student Debt:
a. Problem: Both the federal government and private corporations
profit off higher education through increasing loan interest rates,
which makes it more expensive for students to pursue high quality
education
b. Issue: Increase state funding for higher education alongside an
aggressive campaign to prevent increasing debt accumulation while
actively seeking legislation that reduces pre--existing debt.
c. Long term vision: Prevent public and private entities from profiting
off higher education through promoting legislation and regulation.
This Action Agenda aims to tackle college affordability. USSA
should advocate for federal partnerships with statewide student
associations and public institutions of higher education to address the
high cost of tuition and student loan accumulation. In answer to the
student debt crisis, we propose a multi--pronged campaign focusing
on building legislative and regulatory power for students and reining
in corporate greed. The prongs are Legislative, Regulatory, and
Corporate.
2. Shared Governance/Student Fee Autonomy:
a. Will place a priority on organizing to institutionalize student fee selfdetermination into state law instead of relying upon the grace of
Board of Trustee/Regents.
b. Will place a higher threshold for its repeal to buffer against simple
majorities taking away student’s rights to self-assess fees through
representative mechanisms.
c. Will task staff and resources to protect and build SSA’s to strengthen
them against attacks, as well as increase shared governance systems
in our states.
d. AA includes model legislative language that can be used immediately
to work with USSA’s allies in legislatures to draft bills to be pushed
in states’ respective legislative sessions.
Plenary also involved voting for new USSA officers; President and Vice President.
Sophia Zaman ran for President uncontested and won the presidency. The VP race
was between Maxwell John Love of Wisconsin and John Connelly of New Jersey.
After an incredibly close race and a run off election, Maxwell John Love was elected
to be VP of USSA.
*The finalized language for all of the AR’s, Policy Platforms, and AA’s will be
made available as soon as amendments have been added. Once I get access to the
finalized documents, I will send them out for everyone to view.”
EB asked if there’s a team that’s working on consistent messaging.
Jessie said yes, the BOD.
CWU asked who comes up with diversity requirements.
Sophia said they are in governing documents. The have been in existence for 60 plus
years. They are determined by a states’ delegation size.
GPSS asked if the requirements are subject to revision.
Sophia said that would be a constitutional change, yes.
Jessie said an AR.
UW-T asked is there a plan to meet with Pac Northwest Region.
Jessie said she hopes to have bi-annual meetings.
Sophia said there are monthly BOD meetings.
EWU asked what opportunities are there to get involved.
Jessie said Leg Con is the second USSA convention. It will be held March 14-17.
Chirag will be visiting campuses and that’s another good way to get involved.
EWU asked what stance USSA made on immigration.
Jessie said last year one of their AAs was for the DREAM act.
EWU asked if anything happened on the DREAM act.
Sophia said the DREAM causus will be working with United We Dream. Theu have
taken a formal stance on the comprehensive reform bill, but it is specifically for
DREAM act portion.
WSU-P asked if they’ve taken a stance on the senate version or the full version.
Sophia said that’s hard to say, so USSA is specifically doing work on the DREAM
amendment.
VIII. New Business
A. Board Meeting Dates
EWU moves to make the September BOD meeting on Saturday the 7th with the
location open, BC seconds.
WWU mentioned that it is in the middle of a mandatory AS vacation. It is also less
than a month after the August 11 meeting. They were more in favor of September
21.
WSUP said September 21 is their homecoming. September 14 is their first home
football game of the year.
CWU gave an idea to decide dates. The BOD restricts it to Saturdays or Sundays.
They want to create a more efficient manner of selecting each date.
CWU amended the motion to replace September 7 with making a list of weekend
dates on the white board to determine the best possible dates for BOD meeting, UWB seconds.
GPSS objects and asked if this can be more efficiently done with doodle?
E.b. said the board has to do it at a BOD meeting.
Motion passes unanimously.
5-4, September 7 BOD meeting passes.
UW-B moves to host September 7 BOD meeting, GPSS seconds.
No objections, September 7 board meeting will be at UW-B.
UW-B moves to adjourn, GPSS seconds.
Motion is withdrawn.
GPSS moves to erase what was on the board and vote on dates for October, EWU
seconds.
WWU amends to withdraw October 5, seconded by UW-T.
No objections, passes.
CWU moves to recess for 5 minutes, WSU-P seconds.
B.
No objections, passes.
BOD returns at 2:20pm.
WWU moves to have the October meeting on Sunday, October 13 at UW-T, CWU
seconds.
No objections, passes.
CWU moves that CWU host the November General Assembly on Saturday,
November 16, WSU-P seconds.
No objections, passes.
WWU moves to suspend the rules to allow discussion on December meeting.
WWU said they think it would great to have at a two day retreat at WWU. There is a
concern that it is during winter break and students might want to be with their family
and not be going to a retreat. If it is made sure that the BOD meeting is on the first
day of the retreat, then people can get out of there if they need to.
EWU said it sounds good.
CWU said they’re not sure how WSA would pay for it.
Garrett said the August board retreat was funded through the registration fee.
WWU said if they host funding options could be explored through WWU. WWU
said they can commit to hosting the one day meeting, but it might take more to hold
the retreat. They suggest the dates December 14-15.
Chris (GPSS) said as someone who goes to the east coast in the winter, it gets more
expensive each day to leave later.
Garrett said the idea is interesting. He would ask for thought to be given on what
that would look like. And for staff time and resources to be thought about. USSA
may also have staff training. In terms of staff hours, there is a lot of pre-work during
that time for liaison training. He adds that one of the benefits of being member of
WSA is that members get a GROW training from the USSA. He’s not sure about
those details, but that is an option. Patrick Stickney, from WWU, is a grow trainer so
a staffer would be the only one WSA would need to travel.
CWU liked the idea. They suggested that WSA just have a funness day, giving the
opportunity for bonding, instead of a full blown retreat.
WWU said if they are hosting there are a lot of options to figure out for who wants
to do what. They just want to set date and be authorized to explore the option.
E.b said the rule are back in order.
It is passed that December 14 will be the BOD meeting, with an exploration on a
retreat.
WWU moves to postpone date discussion past January to the October BOD meeting,
WSU-P second.
No objections, passes.
Campus Visits from JulieAnne
JulieAnne said she wants to set fall visit dates since she visits twice a term. The best
way to do it is to plan visits around BOD meeting day or other events that would be
good for her to see.
CWU asked how long each school gets her.
JulieAnne said that is not set. It can be 3-4 days. But members should remember that
IX.
it should be a block for schools on the east side of the state.
WSU-P: Sept 23-25,
EWU: Sept 27-30
CWU: Oct1-4
UW-T: Oct 11
BC: Nov 4
Evergreen: Undecided
WWU: Oct 28-30
UW-S&GPSS: Oct 8-9, Nov 5-6
Adjournment
GPSS moves to adjourn, BC seconds.
UWT objects and asked for a discussion on the role of administration.
Motion is unanimously approved.
Meeting adjourned at 3:01 p.m.