Tuesday, December 6, 2005
SGA Senate Minutes
I.
Call to Order 7:03
II.
Roll Call
Senate met quorum, 7:15
III.
Minutes
a.
Make sure you give Lindsay ample time to make changes.
b.
Minutes from 11/8/05 pass, 9 abstentions
c.
Minutes from 11/15/05 pass, 2 abstentions
d.
Minutes from 11/29/05 pass, 3 abstentions
IV.
Open Forum
 Survey to check comfort levels with difficult issues
 2008 Cabinet will host dancing around the world in four days this
week, in Mwangi Center, cost: $1, 4:15-5:15 p.m.
 Albright Senator Eva had date Friday with Smith Alum, Smith is
now politically correct, for example Winter instead of Christmas
weekend
V.
ORC Presentation
a.
Make sure you understand guideline changes.
 Organizations and SGA vans are funded through Student
Activities Fee
 Student Activities Fee is approved by Senate
 Each ORC member-at-large is an org. liaison
 They are each responsible for about 10-15 orgs.
 They make sure things are running smoothly for the school’s
chartered orgs.
 Changes are presented
 A significant change: An officer of a chartered org. cannot sit on
ORC
 If an org. doesn’t submit a budget one year, it is classified inactive
 If it doesn’t submit a budget for a second year in a row, it is
defunct and needs to be re-chartered
 Newly chartered orgs. Become Zero Year orgs. And can apply for
$200 dollars.
 Change: Orgs. still submit budget, but apply for event funding as
events are planned
 Saves from wasting money on events that don’t end up
happening
 Also, money not used by the end of the year usually roles over
into the SGA reserve, ORC can not take money back if not used
at the end of the year, this would still be true, but orgs. wouldn’t
b.
have the huge lump of unused money sitting in their bank
accounts each year, it could be allocated to other more active
orgs. in need.
 The expected effect is that less money would roll over each year
 The SGA reserve funds things like the SGA vans, but money can
not be taken from it by ORC
 ORC gains funding from the Student Activities Fee to grant to
orgs.
 If an org. doesn’t submit a budget and becomes inactive, under
the new system of requesting funds as events are planned, the
inactive org would still not be able to apply for event funding
 Senate will vote on changes next week
Do you want to become a member of ORC?
Ann and Caitlin are new ORC members
VI.
Elections and Appointments Committee Presentation
 Elections and Appointments handout
 Shared voting results in past elections
 Discussed the committee’s duties on campus
 Discussed election and interview schedule
 Difficult to run from abroad, Senator asked that the issue be
discussed by the committee
 Cabinet has been talking about this issue as well as campaign
finance at Smith
 Information Committee was used for the presentation
VII.
Voting on Bicycle Kitchen Charter
Bicycle Kitchen Charter passes
5 opposed
5 abstentions
VIII.
Committee Updates.
Committee Chairs give quick 2-minute report on your committee’s activities.
 Disaster Relief will table and make another pamphlet
 Information has worked for Disaster Relief and Elections and
Appointments, posters
 Diversity is going to release an ongoing newsletter or pamphlet
covering different issues of diversity, will have suggestion/question box
in SGA office and publish answers in newsletter, may organize panels
or open forums
 Housing and Dining is working with Phys. Plant on house maintenance
issues, will form menu committee with Kathy Zieja, overcrowding at
Hubbard House, has been discussed
 Publicity stuffed mailboxes with invitations to Senate meetings

Curriculum just had dinner meeting with Committee on Academic
Priorities, issues discussed: encouraging a greater percent of students
to strive to fulfill Latin Honors, capping class sizes, quantitative skills
requirement, spreading out class scheduling to more time slots, premajor advisors, link to Committee members on Provost Bourque
website, Dean of faculty, fill out Aspects and read them, link on the Jolt
and smith.edu/aspects, talking about student run faculty awards due
January 27th, Sherred teaching award is run by administration, can
also still be nominated for
IX.
Gavel Awards Updates
Have you placed the nomination forms in a prominent location?
Nominations are due on Friday at 4pm.
Should be turned in to Senators or SGA office
X.
Next Week: The Last Meeting of the Year!
How will we celebrate?
 People will bring their own drinks, fruit platters, Indian food,
ice cream and cookies
Community Service Committee Project.
 Committee will ask Senators to make Christmas cards for
women at the women’s shelter, and will bring materials
XI.
Closing Announcements
XII.
Motion to Adjourn. 8:34