S.G.A. SENATE MEETING
February 23, 2015
The meeting was called to order in the Leaders Suite of the Donald G.
Bollinger Student Union at 4:00 p.m.
Presiding officer was Vice President
Mary Sauce. The Recording Secretary was Dolly McGeever.
The pledge was led by Senator Tommy Thibodeaux and the prayer was given by
Senator Grant Ordoyne.
The Nicholls Student Government Association Mission Statement was read by
Senator Abigail Ledet and Senator Les Theriot read the first value of the
Nicholls Creed.
The following Executive Board members were present:
Vice President Mary
Sauce, Treasurer Bobby Dufrene, Director of Student Rights and Grievances
Carolanne Moore, Director of Public Relations Lillie Bourgeois and Secretary
Dolly McGeever.
The following Executive Board member was absent:
President Adam Lefort.
The following Senators were present: Lawrence Arceneaux, III, Meah Johnson,
Les Theriot, Chante’ Singleton, Grant Ordoyne, Markos Picou, Trey Clark,
Peyton Chiasson, Emily Sauce, Austin Wendt, Tommy Thibodeaux, Jessica
Fradella, Tiffany Durocher, Katelyn Cortez, Abigail Ledet, Charles Johns,
Micah Hebert, Darian Graivshark (appointed), Taylor Bruce (appointed) and
Kaitlyn Mistretta (appointed).
The following Senator was absent:
Yaye Ba.
Web Tech was represented by Trey Clark.
Student Supreme Court was not represented.
Election Commission was represented by Ex-Officio Dolly McGeever.
The following guests were present:
Dr. Eugene A. Dial, Jr., Vice President
of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services and SGA Advisor and Vincent Sbisa,
staff writer for The Nicholls Worth.
No Minutes were presented.
GUEST SPEAKER:
None.
OFFICER REPORTS
PRESIDENT’S REPORT – ADAM LEFORT
Vice President Mary S. reported in President Adam L.’s absence:
 I am in Baton Rouge for a Board of Supervisors meeting/Trusteeship
Conference.
 Remember to keep recruiting and coming up with motions.
 Elections are coming up so make sure remind people to vote along with
applying if you want to be Senators again next semester.
 I will be conducting Election Commissioner interviews this week.
 I hope you attended the “State of the University” events from Dr.
Murphy. Remember to keep things positive for Nicholls students to relay
the same message received from administration.
 I hope you enjoyed your Mardi Gras break and that you’re ready to get
back into the school routine.
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT RIGHTS & GRIEVANCES’ REPORT – CAROLANNE MOORE
The third WID/WIH is due this Friday by 12:00 noon. I guess I didn’t explain
it well enough.
I’m glad you’re putting emails with your WID/WIH but also
put their names because it will help me to identify if it’s a girl or guy.
OFFICER REPORTS CONTINUED
TREASURER’S REPORT – BOBBY DUFRENE
The Can Wars will be held Monday, March 9th, in the Plantation Suites.
Basically, Can Wars is where organizations build structures to promote team
spirit.
You have three flyers to put on bulletin boards around campus to
raise awareness for the event.
Also, we have a registration form.
Please
talk to your student organizations and explain how the rules work, complete
the form and return it to the SGA office. There are two $250 prizes to win.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS’ REPORT – LILLIE BOURGEOIS


Tomorrow is the student appreciation night for softball. We won’t give
out anything at this game, but we will next week on March 3rd. Please
attend and encourage others to attend. I’ll pass out a sign-up sheet
for that.
I’m posting information about Can Wars, Spring Elections, as well as
Mr. and Ms. Nicholls. Please share this information with your peers and
on social media as I post it. The nominations and petitions are due
next week.
VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT – MARY SAUCE





I’ve been attending budget meetings with President Adam L. and
Treasurer Bobby D. If you have anything interesting to share or
concerns, please let us know.
I have a Student Advisory Committee Meeting coming up so if there are
any major issues on campus that you’d like us to bring up to Dr. Dial,
let us know.
This past weekend, they were trying to help clean up the campus for
LAS, that’s the event we’re co-sponsoring, so they’ll help paint the
halls.
Today, Director Lillie B., Secretary Dolly M. and I attended a meeting
about Crawfish Aquatics. They want to host a triathlon here on campus
on May 3rd.
Its pending approval from Dr. Weaver and Dr. Murphy but
basically what we talked about today is what a triathlon is.
It’s a
swimming, biking and running competition.
They’re already trying to
block off roads, etc. Everything is going along fine but Mrs. Murphy
is most concerned with how this event will be beneficial to the campus
as a whole for our students. Think about whether you would be
interested in joining this (Senator Micah H. already expressed an
interest in signing up). If you think students really want to
participate in this, please let us know so we can advise Mr. and Mrs.
Murphy.
We need to make sure students want it.
I don’t know if
they’re looking for students to actively participate in it but they may
make it a discount for students. It would be $65 for regular members
but for Senior Citizens, the Military and for students, it would be $40
to $45.
I think Mrs. Murphy is looking along the line of making it
educational because they’re talking about making everything on campus
beneficial to students.
It shouldn’t just be somebody coming in and
hosting the event on campus that students don’t participate in.
They
spoke about Crawfish Aquatics renting everything out.
They’re paying
for all the facilities and all of the staff. Any revenue made would be
for Crawfish Aquatics and they agree to make a donation. It could be
another way to bring people to campus.
If we’re able to get high
school students to enter, it’s another way to get students interested
in our university.
We have a motion on the “Voices of Possibilities” event and I want to
read you an email from Dr. Rya Butterfield so you will know what it’s
about and encourage students to attend.
On February 26, at 1:00 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom,
help strengthen the Nicholls community by attending the
“Voices of Possibilities” – a free public event about
contemporary
issues
of
personal
and
communal
racial
identity that will conclude this year’s African American
History Month Program. The event will include three guest
speakers,
audience
discussion
and
a
reception
with
refreshments. The guest speakers are Dr. Joyce Smith Louden
OFFICER REPORTS CONTINUED:
VICE PRSEIDENT’S REPORT CONTINUED:
who is the Director of Education and Training for the Office of
Citizens with Developmental Disabilities and the Louisiana
Department of Hospitals, Dr. Theon Hill, an Assistant Professor
at Wheaton College who has studied the role of radical rhetoric
and civic engagement and Nicholls’ own Dr. Tommy Ponson, the
Director of Judicial Affairs and recipient of the 2009 Staff
Achievement Award.

This is an event we co-sponsored so it would be really nice for you to
attend and encourage other students to attend also.
The attorney appointments are going really well. If you know someone
who needs to speak to an attorney or needs something notarized, make
sure to let them know he’s available.
ACTIONS TAKEN ON OLD BILLS
S1415-041
I move that the Senate approve the Spring 2015 Budget.
Passed and signed.
S1415-043
I move to allocate up to $2,600 to purchase a security camera in the Library.
The price breaks down as follows:
Extreme B5G124-24P2 Network Switch =
$1,977
Axis P3354 Camera
=
599
This should be taken from the Senator Project line item of the budget.
Passed and signed.
S1415-046
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Katelyn Cortez for the position of Senator of the College of Business
Administration. Passed and signed.
S1415-047
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Abigail Ledet for the position of Senator of the College of Business
Administration. Passed and signed.
S1415-048
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Trey Clark for the position of Web Tech for Spring 2015 term.
Passed and
signed.
S1415-049
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Charles Johns for the position of Senator of University College. Passed and
signed.
S1415-050
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Micah Hebert for the position of Senator of Veterans Affairs.
Passed and
signed.
S1415-051
I move that the Senate allocate up to $800.00 to fund registration fees for
up to 6 graduate students to attend the NASPA Conference in New Orleans from
March 21-25, 2015.
$800 is the maximum amount that can be given in
accordance with the Bylaws.
This will come from the Senator Projects line
item of the budget. Tabled.
STUDENT SUPREME COURT REPORT
No report.
ELECTION COMMISSION REPORT – Dolly McGeever
The deadline to submit petitions for SGA President or Vice President is
Thursday, March 5th.
Those positions are voted on by the student body but
we’re also taking petitions to serve on the Senate in the Fall. Everyone has
a petition in their SGA mailbox so if you want to serve on the Senate next
year, complete the form and submit it before March 5 th.
If you have been
serving as Senator-at-Large and would like to serve in your own college of
Arts and Sciences or Business, this is the time to ask for those positions.
ELECTION COMMISSION REPORT CONTINUED
If we have only 4 positions available and 6 people apply, then you have the
option to be placed on the ballot or just elect to get into a Senator-atLarge position. If you don’t submit a petition by March 5 th, you’ll have to
reapply in the Fall and be interviewed again with the Judiciary Committee as
you did when you first came on board.
So please get this in as soon as
possible.
Also, March 9th is the deadline for Mr. & Ms. Nicholls nominations.
Please
get with your groups to nominate. Get the paperwork to the SGA office soon
because co-curricular forms are due at that time and they have to be signed
by Advisors and/or Presidents.
WEB TECH REPORT – Trey Clark
No report.
SGA SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS
Finance Committee – Tiffany Durocher, Chair
Present:
Senators Tiffany Durocher, Lawrence Arceneaux, III, Peyton
Chiasson, Trey Clark, Katelyn Cortez, Charles Johns, Meah
Johnson, Markos Picou, Emily Sauce, Les Theriot and Tommy
Thibodeaux
Absent:
Senator Yaye Ba.
Guest:
Treasurer Bobby D.
Today we discussed the following:



We went over the “Love the Nicholls Fountain” motion that will be voted
on today.
Treasurer Bobby D. discussed Can Wars and handed out flyers and
registration forms for distribution.
Asked Senators to start thinking of ideas for motions so we can use our
funds for students.
Judiciary Committee – Lawrence Arceneaux, III, Chair; Austin Wendt, Co-Chair
Present:
Senators Lawrence Arceneaux, III, Austin Wendt, Peyton Chiasson,
Trey Clark, Meah Johnson, Markos Picou, Chante’ Singleton, Tommy
Thibodeaux and Emily Sauce.
Absent:
Senator Yaye Ba.
We discussed the following:
 We interviewed three appointees and went over one absentee form. After
interviewing the three appointees and discussing their interviews, we
found them all highly favorable.
 We discussed one absentee form and excused it.
Meet the SGA/Social Events: Mr/Ms Nicholls/Banquet - Homecoming/Christmas) –
Grant Ordoyne, Chair
Present:
Senators Grant Ordoyne, Peyton Chiasson, Abigail Ledet, Chante’
Singleton, Les Theriot, Tommy Thibodeaux and Austin Wendt.
Absent:
Senator Emily Sauce.
We discussed the following:
 The next two student appreciation nights for softball.
Members are
encouraged to attend.
 We talked about the Nicholls Can Drive and advertising this event as
much as possible.
 Swamp Stomp is around the corner and since SGA is a co-sponsor, we
discussed advertising this event as well.
SGA SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS CONTINUED:
Campus Improvements Committee – Peyton Chiasson, Chair; Tommy Thibodeaux, CoChair;
Present:
Senators Peyton Chiasson, Tommy Thibodeaux, Katelyn Cortez,
Tiffany Durocher, Jessica Fradella, Charles Johns, Abigail Ledet,
Grant Ordoyne and Austin Wendt.
Guest:
Senator Les Theriot.
We discussed the following:
 We resolved that the lights in Zeringue and the projector in Powell
Halls were both fixed.
 We discussed issues with the following:
- curbs entering the parking lot behind the Union and Talbot Hall;
- temperature in Ellender Hall;
- garbage can behind Talbot Hall is still taking a parking spot;
- Grid’s cookies are comparable to hockey pucks;
- Sodexho should reconsider weekend hours to accommodate breakfast for
Saturday and Sunday mornings;
- bees around garbage cans and the Union; and
- possibility of replacing the lady that works the front desk of
Campus Police.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
S1415-052a
I move to take the motion to fund the Nicholls Fountain from the table.
1.
2.
Move into vote:
Passed For-16
Against-0
Lawrence Arceneaux, III
Austin Wendt
Abstained-0
S1415-052
I move that the Senate allocate up to $2,000 to
Nicholls Fountain” campaign on Fundly website.
Campus Improvements line item of the budget.
1.
2.
help fund the “Love the
This will come from the
Tiffany Durocher
Les Theriot
Discussion:
Senator Tiffany D. said the committee felt that we could help
fund it for $2,000.
Question: Move into vote
Passed For-16
Against-0
Abstained-0
NEW BUSINESS
S1415-053
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Darian Graivshark for the position of Senator-at-Large.
1.
2.
Question: Move into vote
Passed For-16
Against-0
Tommy Thibodeaux
Emily Sauce
Abstained-0
S1415-054
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Taylor Bruce for the position of Senator of the College of Education.
1.
2.
Question: Move into vote
Passed For-16
Against-0
Abstained-0
Austin Wendt
Meah Johnson
NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED
S1415-055
I move that the Senate accept the SGA President Adam Lefort’s appointment of
Kaitlyn Mistretta for the position of Senator of the College of Arts and
Sciences.
1. Jessica Fradella
2. Lawrence Arceneaux, III
Question: Move into vote
Passed For-17
Against-0
Abstained-0
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE REPORTS
General Education
Singleton
and
Assessment
Committee
–
Les
Theriot
and
Chante’
On February 11, we discussed the following:
 the results-action form provided by the members and their committees;
 changing SLOs in the Social and Behavioral Sciences;
 having the faculty committees creating a threshold of benchmarks within
groups; and
 Computer Science SLOs and rubric were submitted and reviewed.
DISCUSSION PERIOD:
Vice President Mary S. said we’ll discuss the update that President Murphy
and Dr. Weaver have given. (The floor was opened for comments.)
COMMENTS:
Senator Charles J. reported that they spoke of ways to
improve our enrollment from 6,500 to 7,000 students. They
encouraged us to entertain new ideas. Tuition is scheduled
to increase and basically students will likely go to twoyear colleges instead of four-year colleges. They want us
to encourage students to come to a four-year university
like Nicholls.
COMMENTS:
Senator Austin W. said one of the main reasons we had this
update is because of the budget cuts that could possibly
happen and how the University is doing as a whole.
President Murphy said he’s not going to raise tuition. He
detailed how the University is funded by the State and how
slowly funding has been taken away from us just through the
budget cuts.
It’s interesting to see how the University
has been able to survive the budget cuts and how we’ve been
able to provide the programs that are crucial.
He
discussed the accomplishments of the University, teaching,
etc. especially the Culinary Institute.
I thought the
update was really good.
Vice President Mary S. said Dr. Murphy is at the Capitol today. I think the
biggest thing to take from it is the positive attitude. None of them focused
on the cuts, they focused on the positives.
He is very strong about not
increasing tuition or any kind of fees if we can help it. We don’t want the
students to be the source of revenue.
We need new students and not the
current students charged more. He focused on how the scales have changed in
accordance with others in how we relate to other states. It’s because of the
oil prices.
We’re not the only state where oil is a primary source of
revenue. If you look at the schools that spend the most on education, they
are oil states as well. We have a right to be funded and we can’t let this
happen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mary S.
Reminded everyone that SPA is hosting Canvas Art in the
ballroom at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. They have 40+ spots
available.
Encouraged everyone to promote attendance to Swamp Stomp.
Carolanne M.
Delta Zeta Sorority is having their Turtle Tug.
It’s $15
per person. If you want to make an SGA team, that’s great.
Also selling raffle tickets.
ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUED:
Lillie B.
We have positions available on the Senate so please talk to
your friends about getting involved in SGA.
The following officers were sworn in by Vice President Mary Sauce:
Darian Graivshark – Senator-at-Large
Taylor Bruce – Senator of Education
Kaitlyn Mistretta – Senator of Arts & Sciences
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.