Tuesday November 1, 2005
SGA Senate Meeting Minutes
I.
Call to Order
II.
Roll Call
a.
Meg sent an email on Monday – did you receive it?
III.
Open Forum
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7:04
Party “Hoe-Down” Nov. 4th, Campus Center Carol Room 101am, “dress in west”
Clean Energy for Smith – Competition, put your computer on
sleep mode, by Nov. 22nd.
Asian American Conference, Saturday
Students for Saving Social Security panel 2pm Sat. at Mount
Holyoke College
Trans-Awareness week, events next week, Monday panel 4:306 Seelye 101, gender workshop, etc…
Party for SCEMS “doctor me up”, Nov. 11th 10-1
Hurricane Katrina Relief Dinner Nov. 16th 6-8, Don Baumer
will speak, Creole style diner
SGA Forum Series
Social Discourse: Class and Privilege Awareness, Nov. 21 78:30 CC Carroll Room
Live Chats with Student Reps. On College committees, Nov. 28
7-8:30 CC Carroll Room
Social Discourse: Gender and Sexuality, Dec. 5 12:00-1:15 CC
Carroll Room
Smith College changing the world: Why I LOVE Smith
College, Feb. 14 12:00-1:15 CC Carroll Room
IV.
Minutes
a.
10/18 and 10/25
Minutes from 10/18 pass, 3 abstentions
Minutes from 10/25 tabled
V.
MAPS Charter Presentation
(Minority Association of Pre-health students)
Began last year, could also do volunteer programs
There is a pre-health association for non minority students, but any Smith
student can participate in any Smith organization
Group hopes to meet other pre-med students in the country and visit medical
schools
Group is different because it has connection throughout country
VI.
Knitting Needs Charter Vote
a.
How will you vote?
b.
Did your house have an opinion?
c.
Do you want to persuade Senate to vote in a particular way?
 Knitting Needs Charter fails
 23 Yay
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14 Nay
10 abstentions
Motion passes to not reconsider charter, to not revote.
31 yay
13 nay
2 abstentions
Non voting members do not affect the vote
2/3 of Senate must be present to meet quorum and vote on issues.
2/3 of the present senators must vote affirmative to pass a vote
Must motion to revote, before motioning to pass a charter for a second
time.
VII.
Senate Information Committee Presentation.
 Use the information committee to research your questions about
organizations, or other issues, so the Senate will have the correct
information for the discussion the following week.
 They are working to help find answers to your questions involving your
jobs as Senators.
 Important Contact handout
a.
Do you have any questions?
b.
What worked well with this presentation?
c.
What could be improved?
VIII.
Date with an administrator program
 Each senator must invite an administrator on a date, like attending a house
tea, before the end of the year.
 This is to increase morale on campus, to get students more involved with
the administration
 Other smithies should be present, to expose the administrator
 Send a thank you note
 Give a three minute presentation to senate, to update senate
 First person to complete the task receives lunch with Meg in the art café.
 Give three weeks notice to your administrator. They are busy people.
a.
Which administrator will you ask?
b.
Which event will you bring them to?
c.
Each house must have at least one “date” during the year.
IX.
Committee Updates
a.
Are committees active?
b.
Senators must hold each other accountable
c.
Curriculum Committee and Housing & Dining Committee present next
week – what are you doing for your presentations?
 ORC: Checking charters, do funding requests every week
 Elections and Appointments: Completed interviews for committees
 Curriculum: Meet every Tuesday, discussing faculty teaching awards
(student nominated awards which go to a junior and senior faculty
member, Curriculum Committee chooses winner, upper classmen can
nominate by form), Met with provost to discuss class size
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Rules: will meet when there are questions about parliamentary
procedure and the constitution
Hurricane Katrina Relief: Going to present to the head of organizations
and will also present this pamphlet to senate. Would like to change
name. Motion was made to change committee to Disaster Relief
Committee, motion passes
Community service: bad representation at meetings, group will be
meeting with Meg to discuss this.
House and Dining Issues: Contacted Hannah Durant and Kathy Zieja
who will come and speak with senate, also the group is going to speak
with Hannah and Kathy about the committee’s goals
Publicity: designing flyers to put in student mailboxes to advertise
senate meetings, also hoping to publish information about senators
Informational: Completed presentation today
Diversity: will have a panel or film, have been discussing goals
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Closing Announcements
XI.
Adjournment 9:01
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A look ahead to next week . . .
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How can we help Smithies to love Smith? We will brainstorm Senate’s ideas
for morale campaign.
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We will vote on the MAPS charter – what does your house think?
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Committees will have 20 minutes to meet – come with agendas for productive
meetings!
*Come to Meg’s office hours!*