ASNAU SENATE MEETING #10
TWENTY-EIGTH SESSION
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Date: November 18, 2015
Date of Senate Meeting: November 12, 2015
Number on council: 14
Number present: 13
Prepared by Kyra Johnson
Amanda Dietlin, Vice President of Academic Affairs, called the Senate meeting of the
2015-2016 Associated Students of Northern Arizona University Senate to order at
4:01pm in the Havasupai Room A & B of the University Union.
Roll Call
Absent: Senator Nunnally
Approval of Minutes
Motion: Senator Ridge moves to approve last weeks’ minutes.
Second: Senator Sowerwine
Vote: Unanimous, last weeks’ minutes have been approved.
Call to the Audience:
Unfinished Business
New Action Business
Chair Dietlin: For all the clubs that are here today when I call your item. Come to the
podium and if you are here for recognition tell us about your club: number of
people, what you do, what you wish to accomplish. If you are here for funding come
up and tell us what the funding is for, how much, how will this impact the college.
Item A- Club Recognition: National and Arizona Science Teachers Association
Student Chapter
Motion: Senator Graham moves to vote on Item A- Club Recognition: National
Arizona Science Teachers Association Student Chapter
Second: Senator Anderson
Discussion: Hi, I am Brandon. I am here to represent the National and
Arizona Science Teachers Association Student Chapter. This chapter is
getting big, we already have 60 members interested in the club. The goal of
the organization is to integrate our students into the learning community of
Flagstaff. We are going to reach out to help elementary students and that in
turn will help us develop great leadership opportunities and skills. To grow
on that we are going to have tutoring hours, create science fairs, and have
students come to NAU to see what it is like/create interest. To benefit our
members, we wish to create internships based on professional development.
Vote: Unanimous, Item A- Club Recognition: National Arizona Science
Teachers Association Student Chapter has been approved.
Item B- SB 28-33: Cristina Guerrero
Motion: Senator Mathew moves to vote on Item B- SB 28-33: Cristina
Guerrero
Second: Senator Sowerwine
Discussion: Good afternoon, I am not Cristina but am representing her. We
both will be attending the American Educational Studies Association
conference. I have my bill coming to senate later. We have written papers
that we hope to present on white privilege and how that effects the class
room. It touches on how a part of us has to die for us to recognize the truth
about white privilege. The funding will cover travel, hotel, and registration.
Senator Moore-Sharp: You said this is an organization?
Presenter: No we are going as individuals.
Senator Moore-Sharp: Can you give me a few examples, you said in the
classroom with white privilege.
Presenter: The conference is going to be about social injustice in the
classroom. We will be presenting small pieces on what white people don’t
recognize. For example, if you are in the classroom and a student is causing
problems if they are white students its seen as they are just having a bad day
and if they are colored they are just troubled.
Vote: Unanimous, Item B- SB 28-33: Cristina Guerrero has passed.
Item C- SB 28-34: Camp Kesem
Motion: Senator Roos moves to vote on Item C- SB 28-34: Camp Kesem
Second: Senator Ridge
Discussion: We are representing Camp Kesem. Kesem is a student lead camp
that is three weeks long for kids with parents who have cancer. We are
asking funding from going to the Camp Kesem National Leadership Summit
where we learned how to be better leaders and bridge the gap between the
community and the campus. We have a better sense of community outreach
and it taught us how to work with outside organizations and how to perfect
those skills. We learned about how Stanford founded us and there is a lot we
can do professionally to better our chapter.
Vote: Unanimous, Item C- SB 28-34: Camp Kesem has passed.
Item D- SB 28-35: Gold Axe Award Pins
Motion: Senator Sowerwine moves to vote on Item D- SB 28-35: Gold Axe
Award Pins
Second: Senator Mathew
Discussion: Chair Dietlin: If you guys scroll to page 15. The bill is
reimbursement for the pins we bought for the Golden Axe winners. This is
something that we have done this over the years.
Cindy: For those you haven’t been the Golden Axe is a gift to the outstanding
seniors of NAU and we fund it because we started it. Some winners are in
ASNAU and many are not. It is an individual that applies for it and all the
colleges are represented.
Vote: Unanimous, Item D- SB 28-35: Gold Axe Award Pins has passed
Item E- By-Law Change: Diversity Committee Addition
Motion: Senator Rosic moves to vote on Item E- By-Law Change: Diversity
Committee Addition
Second: Senator Graham
Discussion: Senator Ridge: I looked at legislative committee and
appropriations committee within the by-laws. I have typed up bylaws that
reflect the new diversity committee duties and used similar language as the
other sections. If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Senator L’Ecuyer: Why do they report to the VPSA and not the diversity
director?
Lauren: Everyone reports to an executive.
President Buchta: I think it is not a bad idea to change it so the director would
just be the chair of the committee. Kind of cutting out the middle man.
Senator Carr: Would we have to amend the director to act as chair of
committee?
Chair Dietlin: We can have further conversation in leg about it.
Vote: Unanimous, Item E- By-Law Change: Diversity Committee Addition has
passed
Item F- Petition: Gender Neutral Bathrooms
Motion: Senator Anderson moves to vote on Item F- Petition: Gender Neutral
Bathrooms
Second: Senator Carr
Discussion: Senator Rosic: So if everyone can go to page 17, it has the petition
on there. We met with LGBTQA support services and the commission plus
talked to Vanessa and John for their support on create and executing this.
The petition faces the problem that NAU doesn’t have gender neutral
bathrooms. It breaks policy and we are addressing Cheng’s university page
for the protection against gender discrimination. At the bottom we
highlighted how Cline doesn’t have one and there has been work to get one.
We are trying to show NAU that this issue should be a priority. There are
budget allocations for this and the committee was hoping to get signatures. I
will be asking if someone from Greek life can talk to me about representing it
as well. The page talks about it having one bathroom in each building, adding
a budget line in for it, and making it mandatory for all new buildings to have
one. This is the petition and I hope you can all support it. I know it’s a lot.
Senator Moore-Sharp: You said there is a budget. Hasn’t that been cut into
because of the state budget cuts?
Senator Rosic: I tried to see how that was changed, but I couldn’t find any
information on it. There is set amount for across campus and what we have
to do is show that this is a priority.
Senator Mathew: Where do you suppose to take the money from?
Senator Rosic: Since we are outside, it will be a future conversation with the
university about it. The diversity committee is willing to find out.
Senator Roos: How many signatures will make it a priority?
Senator Rosic: From what I found I think we are the only ones that have done
something like this and we are all connected with other organizations so we
should get a decent amount.
Audience: Is there a timeline for it?
Senator Rosic: Since we are going to make it a priority hopefully as soon as
possible. It depends on the building codes, but we are on the outside so we
are trying to get in there with a voice for students.
Senator Moore-Sharp: Wait what are we voting on?
Chair Dietlin: That senate approves the signatures.
Vote: Unanimous, Item F- Petition: Gender Neutral Bathrooms will go out to
students
Chair Dietlin: Can I get a senator to motion for a last minute addition to the
agenda?
Motion: Senator Moore-Sharp moves to vote on a last minute addition to the
agenda.
Second: Senator Davis
Discussion:
Vote: Unanimous, the last minute addition to the agenda has passed
Item G- SB 28-36: Bearded Beanies
Motion: Senator Moore-Sharp moves to vote on Item G- SB 28-36: Bearded
Beanies
Second: Senator Roos
Discussion: I know that last time I mentioned the beanies. So to recap we are
working with athletics to bearded beanies at the first basketball game next
semester. They are blue with the NAU athletic logo. I wrote I bill to get the
spending approved, we are taking it out of the lumberyard line on budget. It
should cost $6000 so we are splitting the price with athletics. We are writing
the bill for $3000.
Vote: Unanimous, Item G- SB 28-36: Bearded Beanies has passed
Chair Dietlin: For all the clubs and organizations here today we have finished
the voting phase and are moving on to our reports. Before you leave, if you
did have a senate bill passed, we invite you to the podium to take a hand out
that shows you how to get in receipts and extra information about it. If you
write your names and fill out the other information the would be great. After
you do that if you have places to be and people to see you are welcome to
leave.
Executive Reports
a. President- Alexandria Buchta
- As you have noticed, I haven’t been here lately and that is due with being
out of town and sick, but I am here now. I wanted to talk about senate bill;
they have greatly improved over the last few weeks and I am glad we
have seen that.
Chair Dietlin: We are working on amending the funding packets, as well.
Senator Roos: Do we have to approve that?
Lauren: No, but if you have idea on what you would like to see, talk to us.
Senator Carr: What if we have sent in a bill, but they haven’t showed up in
senate?
Lauren: If they didn’t come to appropriations they are not on the agenda.
Senator Moore-Sharp: Is there an expiration date on those?
Chair Dietlin: Two weeks here from their event date or before. If
something is tabled, we can keep re-tabling it.
President Buchta: Once you finish writing the bill, please email your clubs
so they know to come. This Tuesday I went to gold axe awards. If you
know the old president of RHA, she got an award. Cindy is gone right now,
but I have higher learning commission tomorrow. Got I phone call from
Flag PD about the noise ordinance. They want me to make a statement so
I will be talking to our advisors about that. I want to thank Allison for the
hard work she has done on the diversity front. For Its On Us, thank you
for everyone that came. I know its disheartening, but this is important
that college campuses across nation participates and it hard to get
students to come if we can’t even get our own people to come. No one is
having fun, but we need to support each other; 1-5 women and 1-16 men
are assaulted. We are having a sex trafficking week next semester, so I
hope that is a better turnout. We are looking to do another showing of
Hunting Ground that week. Next week, 6 of us will be going to ABOR so if
you need us next week, Vanessa, John, Heaven and myself will have our
computers.
Senator Carr: I heard about the about a safe campus act and I wanted to
know if we could talk about that. The bill is trying to make sure the school
can’t punish an accused the student if they don’t report it to the police. I
don’t know how they will effect us.
President Buchta: I will look into that.
Senator Rosic: In my capstone class, health promotion came we talked
about sexual assault and a few people brought up an idea of creating a
new process of reporting. Right now you have to click through multiple
links and maybe having a one click link is better when you are panicking.
Senator Moore-Sharp: For the safe campus act, I think there is no concern
for due process. I know there currently title 9 that administers courts. Is
that correct?
Senator Mathew: It’s a public university, they are bound by federal rule
and if they are private it is their own rule.
Senator Moore-Sharp: I know there were people wondering why the bill
was brought up. During the process like that there will not always be
evidence and I imagine these courts are taking action. I think that’s the
reason why.
Kristine: The university has an obligation to looking into those things.
There is not a court process or legal; it is only student status.
Senator Carr: Unless the student is taking legal action there is nothing the
university can do about it.
President Buchta: I have been talking to ASU and UofA and they think we
should bring a topic to ABOR and I don’t agree. ABOR said of there is an
important student topic we can present. I just wanted to let you know
they have been fishing around for topics. They want to talk about fees. I
just think that NAU’s fees are already transparent enough; we have a fee
for transportation, 23 fee, etc. So I am going to tell the other student
governments that I don’t wish to speak and it not the semester to do so
for fees since that is a spring semester.
Senator Carr: Is there another topic that you could propose?
President Buchta: I don’t have anything, so if you have one that’s works
for all three campuses, let me know.
Senator L’Ecuyer: Security on campus.
President Buchta: Vanessa and I are looking at it with Erin about on locks
on doors.
Senator L’Ecuyer: It may be a concern on other campuses.
President Buchta: Also they hijacked the conference call we had and they
would just talk about the shooting on our campus. They decided they
want to hold a moment of silence and talk about guns at ABOR. I think
that it is a Flagstaff PD and NAU PD issue so I don’t think student
governments should be talking about it.
Senator Carr: what did they want to talk about with it.
President Buchta: I think they wanted to sensitive, but its not. Its not
something that I thought they would bring up in their agenda.
b. Vice President of Student Affairs- Allison Kelley
- We have our last tailgate on Saturday. If you haven’t completed all three
of the required workings, sing up for both shifts. NAU athletics didn’t
realize how big we were, so they will not be giving us all bobble heads. I
will raffle them off if you have done your tailgates and have helped out
exec. Things like going out of your way and if your safe zone trained
already. I will let you know. Thank you for everyone that came Tuesday to
safe zone. I attended a workshop by multi-cultural services and am
planning a workshop for this semester or next. Sustainable applications
go out next week. For the diversity director we had 8 people and we are
going to be doing interviews soon. I want to let you know that you can
turn in letters of recommendation for the director position; please email
it to me Sunday night. We are going to have the t-shirt design competition
out and we might extend it. Each person on our PR team with be
submitting one to be voted on. Diversity Committee meet with me after.
Senator Beghtol: Bystander Training is November 22?
Allison: Yes
C. Vice President of Academic Affairs- Amanda Dietlin
- I have a meeting with the textbook company. I amended a lot of bills this
week, they just needed tiny fixes. If you have any ideas about the funding
packet revision, let me know. I sent out an email and I need some one to
be a presentative for ATD.
Senator Graham: It is for the 2nd right?
Chair Dietlin: Yes, is there anyone that is willing to be a presentative
Wednesday 9:00-10:30am.
President Buchta: Could one person from diversity do it?
Chair Dietlin: Someone to miss the committee? Ashley, perfect. They only
have one more meeting and next semester they may change, but just let
me know.
D. Vice President of Government Affairs – Vanessa Pomeroy
- It was a success that we were able to get It’s On Us rescheduled. I have
had so many students that thanked us for hosting it and that it did make a
big impact on our campus. Ali, covered our concerns and we can’t expect
student body to come if we can’t. This week is being put on with all the
colleges in the state on the same week. That will be coming up and we
have meeting with Circle K to be putting on the event. We are busying
planning for ABOR and for spring semester is the tuition talks. That is
something that we will come together to lobby and propose to the state
level. We are working to get locks on the classroom doors and it is
something we can talk about to the other governments if it is a universal
problem. We are excited and will have another report in next senate
about it. We have an event coming up next week. Also bystander training
it’s the 22nd, if you talked to me about missing please email me as well.
Senator Moore-Sharp: What time?
Vanessa: 12pm-2pm. Please respond to the poll.
e. Chief of Staff- Lauren Stebbins
- Sorry about no report last week. We have been working on a holiday
week and we have trying to see what we can do. Maybe its like, NSG is
going to do a can food drive. Maybe a festival of lights and connect the
international clubs.
Kristine: RHA is having a dance so maybe we can work with them?
Lauren: We will let you know and let your friends know about the t-shirt
design. Donuts with the dean, I have only heard back from a few senators,
but I need to know dates so we can get it scheduled and on the calendar.
We have our study break coming up, Sunday and Monday in the library. It
would be really great if you don’t have early exam to help us.
Chair Dietlin: As stated in our bylaws you are suppose to have two
meeting a semester with your dean. I only know of Mark and Kyle having
meeting. The outline is in your notebook; I need two of them.
Senator Mathew: We emailed you one.
Chair Dietlin: Yes
Senator Carr: Can we emailed you late?
Chair Dietlin: Yes
President Buchta: I know deans travel, so if you haven’t had the
opportunity to meet with them just send that to Amanda.
Chair Dietlin: Yes, I know it is a struggle, but please email me if not I need
to documented cases. It can be four sentences long. Anything works.
Senator Roos: Does the dean need to sign anything?
Chair Dietlin: Its just between you and me.
Staff Reports
a. Student State Affairs- Heaven Pollock, John Bower
-So as you know we had Its On Us week and I think Ali and Vanessa
covered it very well. Last time, I mentioned our idea for a debate
watching party; we have them scheduled on Monday in two separate
rooms. Each room will have a different parties debate (republican or
democratic); we have the last debate recording and will records this
Saturdays debate. It in SBS at 5:30pm in rooms 104 and 107. When we
have free food we have a big turn out so that what we got and we will
have registration forms there as well.
Senator L’Ecuyer: Will you email the whole student body so they know
about this?
Vanessa: We can in the Friday email, but we will also need you guys to
share the ads.
Senator Moore-Sharp: When is the next debate?
John: Saturday
b. Public Relations- Reed Emerson, Connor Wandersee, Korrin Snow
- We are focusing on Kiss My Axe t-shirts; each of us is making a design. I
am making a clean cut one and rustic one. That’s about all, we aren’t very
busy right now so if you need something, we aren’t doing much.
c. Special Events- Amy Edgerton, Taylor Wesner
-Lauren has said everything we are up too.
d. NSG- Lexie Hardy
- Our event Coca, Cookies, and Constellations went really well and got to
hear what students wanted to see in the future. We are having a canned
food drive in the freshman halls called The Hunger Games. Our committee
is working on setting up a holiday party it will be ugly sweater and have a
white elephant. We are looking at hosting a dance party for whichever
dorm has the best attendance to athletic games. For The Hunger Games
we are going to decorate boxes based on the halls mascots and we are
having two extra set up in the union and dub as well.
Committee Reports
A. Appropriations: Senator L’Ecuyer
- We has to table a bunch of bills this week. The way it works its that we
get the packet then it has to go to appropriations; finally comes to senate.
Tell your clubs, because they are not coming.
Kristine: Who emails them that they didn’t come, you should have a
process for that.
Senator Graham: Last week when the girl showed up and I hadn’t even
written her bill yet.
Chair Dietlin: I talked to the front desk about you emailing them.
Senator Graham: She still didn’t come this week.
Chair Dietlin: She was at the conference, that’s why.
B. Legislative: Senator Carr
- To re-address the quarter zip issue. Drake extended the budget line. If
people have ideas of what logo you want on them and we will need
someone to write a bill. So if someone is passionate that, let me know.
Chair Dietlin: The companies that we use have the same logo as our
polo’s.
Allison: Also they are approved to use the NAU logo.
Chair Dietlin: We will be talking about it in exec.
Senator Ridge: To be clear it is quarter zip not half zip, that is just
awkward.
Lauren: We have to get them approved.
Senator Carr: We brought up the idea of creating standing positions that
would be held for international students. I think it would be unique to
add and I think they want their voices heard.
President Buchta: Two more or just two of them?
Senator Rosic: Just two reserved for them.
Senator Carr: It would give them that opportunity to be apart of ASNAU
and present their group.
Senator L’Ecuyer: Would every other senator represent the others?
Senator Carr: I mean since they are not here the year before, they don’t
have the opportunity to run.
Senator Copeland: Well we need to remember most don’t have a working
visa so they can’t be paid.
President Buchta: We all represent the student body.
Senator Carr: We are not trying to make it that way, just so they get to be
involved.
C. Diversity: Senator Rosic
- There was only 4 of us. We finalized our petition. Thank you all for
your help.
Senator Graham: Last week did you debate about paper or electronic?
Senator Rosic: I talked to Vanessa and John; they said a physical paper
would be better so they can see who else has signed it. We talked
about some organizations we can reach out to and I will create a
Google doc for the ones we have reached out to and send it out to
everyone. We are going to table hopefully before Thanksgiving,
because that is in a week or so and we are running out of time.
Hopefully we can have two and everyone is welcome to be a part of
that, when we have dates we will send that out. As chair I wanted to
highlight about the University of Yale, I stand in solitary with the
colored students. If anyone has any ideas how to start an open
dialogue about that, send me an email.
Senator Reports
College of Arts and Letters
a. Abbey Matthew- Emailed our dean for the donuts events and
we are planning on December 1st from 12-1pm.
b. Stefan Rosic- Abby did all the work this week.
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
a. Brooke Graham- NR
b. Gabriella Nunnally- NR
c. Drake Ridge-Our dean planned the donuts with the dean on
November 18th by herself. So I don’t know if we need to get
anything.
Lauren: Email her to make sure but its kind of too late for us to
order anything now.
College of Health and Human Services
a. Alex Roos- NR
b. Ashley Beghtol- NR
College of Education
a. Alyssa Anderson- NR
b. Kyle Davis- We setup a meeting with dean.
College of Business
a. Amanda Copeland- NR
b. Lauren L’Ecuyer- NR
College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
a. Madi Sowerwine- NR
b. Stella Carr- I know ASNAU had breakfast with president Cheng.
If we could get that information on how she selected students,
that would be great. I am trying to create something for a camp
that children with chronic illnesses go to. Its called painted
turtles, I invited you all to like my Facebook event. You get
material (any kind) and sew the outlines for the turtles. If you
are looking for a project to do with your club or organization,
you can use this and I can sign off on that. Its on going so when
you want to you can do that. I can’t do it on my own so if you
have fabrics lying around let me know.
Chair Dietlin: If you want to email that to me.
President Buchta: So do you just need fabric. I could send it out
in the student body email tomorrow.
University College
a. Marc Moore-Sharp- Had another meeting with my dean and we
talked about the colleges goals. Amanda came and we
discussed what ASNAU can do to support the college. She
talked to us about the courses they have available. I brought up
some of your guys issues with guiding services and she said it
has been changing since we were freshman. Still don’t have a
time for donuts with the dean so next time I will talk to her
about it.
Advisor Reports (Cindy Anderson and Kristine Heflin)
Cindy Anderson— Thank you to everyone for Its On Us campaign. What was
presented was quality. I also wanted to applaud you on how you are finding
ways that you can better represent the students on campus and your spirited
conversation is refreshing. Outstanding seniors, the president has given them
an award. The first award winner was the women Ali talked about and it was
amazing to hear the things she has done around the community. The second
was Justin and how he found sobriety/ his recovery. He is gone on to help
others to recover; if you have heard about that that who he is. On the
sporting front, women volleyball and men football is having senior’s day.
There is something special happening to remember a fallen student. Michael
was killed when he was with his family a while ago. The president is
awarding his family with his degree in finance and they will be on the field to
get his recognition. I want to thank all of you for your care.
Kristine Heflin— Thank you Stefan for mentioning the campuses in other
places; if you don’t think you have power, you do. It is interesting, I was
looking for event spaces in the spring and got a space for Louie awards. It is
really packed so let’s get those reserved for what we need. I have stepped
down from being an advisor to NSG, I will be helping the new advisor, but
now I can focus more attention on you.
Discussion Items
Chair Dietlin: The golden pinecone goes to Parker this week, because he has had a
lot of questions for our by-laws this semester and he is getting them to us as fast as
possible.
President Buchta: Today Kyra and I got invited to the economic outlook conference
and got met Bill Franke, the guy who paid for the W.A. Franke College of Business to
be built. It was cool and shows how being apart of ASNAU can help you stand out
more.
Senator Beghtol: If you know anyone else on the Lacrosse team, we are playing ASU
and GCU on Sunday.
Senator Carr: I am not going to be here next week at senate since I am going to the
conference you all helped me to attend.
Announcements
Important Dates
Adjournment
Motion: Senator Graham moves to adjourn meeting at 5:33pm
Second: Senator Mathew
Vote: Unanimous, meeting has been adjourned.