SGA Senate Agenda
February 11, 2014
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Call to order 7:00pm
Roll Call 7:01pm
A. Present: 51
B. Adding Senators to roll call list:
1. Cutter: Senator Min Cho
C. Nominate/elect new Senators into Committees
1. Senator Haisley Wert | Getting Vegetarian Dining Hall Committee
2. Senator Laura | Getting Vegetarian Dining Hall
3. Senator Zoe | Dining Committee
4. Senator Samira | Getting Acapella
5. Senator Bailey | Gym Hours
6. Vote of Confidence
Pass last meeting’s minutes 7:05pm
A. Pass: 41
B. Fail: 1
C. Abstain: 9
Meeting Part of SGA Cabinet: Curriculum Committee Head & Elections and Appointments
Committee Head 7:11pm
A. Curriculum Committee Head Frances Black ‘14
1. Inventory of courses that have strong social justice content, available on
registrar and attempting to incorporate that in Latin Honors
2. In short­term goals, aiming to get more reasonable textbook prices
3. Integrating online learning in a Smith education
4. Exam study period and how to utilize it most efficiently as well as faculty course
evaluations
B. Elections and Appointments Committee Head Leslie Hillsamer ‘16
1. Registration will start March 10 and end on April 4
2. Divestment referendum that will further be proposed to Senate
3. More information can be found on Smith Social Network
4. Involvement with Lean In: Meet once/twice a month
Smith Social Network Campaign—Meghna Purkayastha 7:18pm
A. Increasing awareness and integrating Smith Social Network to Smith students,
especially on social media sites like Facebook
B. Elect Smith Social Network Committee Senate Reps
1. Senator Miranda Coleman
2. Senator Mary Ruth Robinson (Elected)
3. Senator Bree Currier (Elected)
VI.
VII.
VIII.
4. Senator Gabby Zutrau
Parsons House Update ­ Parson House Senators 7:27pm
A. Parsons House is slated to close at the end of the school year (2014) due to issues of
the house not being up to code
B. Part of a real estate package that will be sold in 2015, alongside Dawes House and the
area of the Friedman Apartments
C. Has affected members of the house community who were not properly informed (first
years not informed this year, other classes were only told in a cursory manner)
D. Presenting to prompt discussion on the matter and rally support to prevent breaking the
community further
SGA Bylaws ­ SGA President Gussie Gronquist 7:33pm
A. Reviewed the SGA bylaws by section with Senators
B. Generally formatting and/or changes that have taken place over the years. such as
chartering guidelines for the ORC, budgeting guidelines, and other matters
1. Certain created clauses would be covering committees that have already been
established to set up ground rules, others change the language of the bylaws to
be more neutral, etc.
C. For the student body, essentially helps the students in understanding the campaigning
process
D. Motion to vote to pass the changes | passed
Committee Updates 7:50pm
A. Open forum/Announcements
1. Health Care Services Committee
a) Goal is to collect students’ major concerns, set up a survey that
Senators should send out to their house members
b) Planning to meet with Dr. Jaffe
2. SGA Shuttle
a) Sent an email, awaiting reply
3. Acapella Committee
a) Contacted Peter Bloom, directed to Music Director
4. Adjusting Heat in Rooms Committee
a) Will meet later in the week to
5. Dining Hall
a) Sent email
6. Rally Day Committee
a) All Rally Day members will meet after Senate session to discuss
preparations and misc logistics
7. Gavel Awards
a) Received 87 nominations, the top 2 for each section will be announced
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
on Rally Day
Send out house emails—make sure to cc sgasenate@smith.edu
Feb 18. Senators are required to help set up for Rally Day Jamboree—community
service hours!
Senators are highly encouraged to meet after Senate with their committee
Senate Meet & Greet at Rally Day
Misc. community service ideas
1. 30­minute shifts on Friday from 1pm­5pm to hand out CandyGrams for
students to sign up
SGA is working on restructuring its organizational structure
Wear your Senate shirt on Tuesday!