Commission on the Status of Minorities
Meeting Minutes: February 18, 2014
Call to order
Arthur Garrison called to order the regular meeting of the 2013-14 Commission on the Status of
Minorities at 11:10 am on February 18, 2014 in the third floor Psychology conference room in Old
Main.
Attendance
The following persons were present:
Jackie Fox – Office of Social Equity
Qin Geng-College of Business
Arthur Garrison – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Mary Ann O’Neil – College of Education
Rhonda Branford – Division of Multicultural Services
The following persons were absent:
James D. Jackson – African American Professional Organization
Ryan Wheeler – Black Student organization representative
Louis Rodriquez – Latino Caucus
Thomas Robinson – African American Professional Organization
Soo Goh- College of Visual & Performing Arts
Karen Deysher- Graduate Student Representative
Christopher Wentzel- Non-minority Student Government
Jose Molino-Latino Caucus
Kiara Richardson-Student President of BSU
1. Approval of the Minutes
Motion called for the minutes to be accepted. The motion to accept was made by Mary Ann O’Neil and
seconded by Jackie Fox.
2. Approval of the Budget
Budget will be discussed during the next meeting
3. Old Business
Members present discussed the meetings to be held with minority students living in the resident halls
with the intent to explore issues in the halls. Members discussed methods for conducting informal focus
groups and they should be formed. Rhonda Branford presented a question related to where these
meetings will be held and how to get the most student attendance. It was suggested that CSM recruit
through organizations that meet in the Multicultural center every other week; student leaders of the All
Org, a student organization whose membership include students leaders of various student of color and
cultural diversity organizations. Another suggestion was to have members of CSM go to the meetings of
these student organizations with our focus questions. Rhonda will have a grad assistant email a list of
contacts for these organizations. Arthur Garrison will contact or go to the All Org to present the purpose
of the focus meetings and then open up the possibility of CSM going to the meetings of the individual
organizations. It was agreed that CSM bring pizza to these meetings.
Discussion questions for these meetings will be developed via emails.
Resident life will attend our next meeting to participate in the planning of the focus groups. The
members agreed that it would be beneficial to have Resident set up a meeting with their junior and
senior student staff to gain their perspectives on life in the residence halls and what, if any, issues exist
regarding students of color. The members made clear that the goal was simply to determine if any issues
existed. If there are no issues, the effort will be documented and the CSM task force will move on to
address other concerns. Jackie Fox suggested that if there are no issues with resident life, discussions be
opened to any other concerns from the students attending these sessions.
Details for facilitation of these meetings will be addressed when James Jackson and Thomas
Robinson are present.
Arthur will meet with financial aid. Kim Scranage will be invited to the April meeting when
issues on financial aid will be addressed.
CSM projects at least one meeting with a student group and one meeting with resident life this
semester to begin collecting data.
Reminder: The March meeting date was changed to the 25th at 11am.
5. Additional meetings for the semester
The next meetings of the commission are scheduled for March 25th and April 15th, 2014 all at 11 am in
the Psychology conference room.
Adjournment
Arthur made the motion to adjourn at 11:50. The motion was seconded by Qin Geng
Minutes submitted by: M. O’Neil
Approved: