Constitution and Statutes Committee Agenda
March 21st, 2016
John E. Sapp Conference Room 7:00 PM – 7:55 PM
Chair: Senate President Pro-Tempore Burke
I.
II.
Call to Order
a. Meeting called to order at 7:04 PM.
Initial Roll Call – Vice-Chair Dato
a. Quorum has been established with 6 voting members; Dato, Butler, Cisneros,
Platts, Johnson, Awan.
III.
Student Remarks
IV.
Approval of Minutes – February 29, 2016
Senator Platts: Motion to approve the minutes from February 29th, 2016. Second. Moved.
V.
Approval of Agenda
Senator Platts: Motion to table CR to next committee meeting.
Senator Johnson: Motion to approve agenda as amended. Second. Moved.
VII.
Remarks of the Chair – sgaspt@unf.edu
Deadline to apply for the Senator Scholarship is March 28th
Senator orientation is this Saturday 3/26. Sports Themed.
SG Banquet is Thursday 4/7. After our last Committee meeting.
Next Committee, we have at least 3 bills on the agenda, familiarized yourselves.
VIII.
Unfinished Business
1. OB-16S-2944: The Vacancy Solution (Title IV only) – Senator Sayers
a. Senator Sayers: I am under conflict of interest. With this added addition, this
further solidifies AG Baker’s interpretation. It’s so that future GO chairs don’t
take advantage.
b. Senator Johnson: How will they be elected? For the GO Chair, it will be every
semester.
c. Pro Tempore Burke: So does this have to go through elections or via
appointment? There will be a nomination for a new GO chair
d. Senator Butler: Do you have to differentiate that the senate elects them? It’s
heavily assumed that it’s done by the senate.
e. Pro Tempore Burke: If you are a fall seat, you won’t be able to be the GO Chair
because you’ll have to be reelected? Right, because there will be a conflict of
interest.
f. Senator Butler: Motion to forward OB. Second. Motion passes 6-0-0.
IX.
New Business
1. SB-16S-2946: Title III Adjustments – Senator Mims
a. Senator Mims: I’ve been working on title III a lot. There are 4 changes I made.
The first change is in Chapter 302.3 section B: “The president must establish a
Policies and Procedures for the Executive Branch – this allows the president an
option to do so. Under Title 3, Chaper 302.3: Sections D and E were added to
define the role of the VP, which was not previously defined. Vice President
Grantham suggests to strike section D. The 3rd change is under 308.1, this allows
the president to appoint someone for the role of VP without having to advertise –
this takes away days of not having a VP when the president already knows who
they want to serve as VP. I added in that they must get confirmed through the GO
committee and then passed through senate.
b. Senator Awan: For the first change, why does the president have to make the
policies and procedures? Because he is the head of the executive branch.
c. AG Baker: Is there a timeline in place for when they need to complete their
policies and procedures? I suggest whenever the Fall semester begins because 10
business days is not enough. Have the deadline be the fall allows them to have the
entire summer to create.
d. Senator Butler: Why not a compromise for the beginning of the Summer B
semester? There are a lot of variables for vacancies during the summer term such
as study abroad. Summer classes are also not required. The executive branch takes
the summer to create initiatives and to hire their complete staff.
e. Senator Sayers: What is your rationale to giving the GO committee the power?
We felt like they confirm senators that go through appointment so we feel as if
they’d be better vetted to be able to confirm them.
f. Pro Tempore Burke: Where is the check on the PnP’s for the executive cabinet?
That may be an over reach and may even be unconstitutional.
g. Senator Awan: Would the office be able to prosecute if the executive cabinet
doesn’t follow the PnP’s? Yes.
h. Pro Tempore Burke: If we don’t check their PnP’s, do you think the new
administration would just recycle the old PnP’s? There’s nothing we can do to
stop that, but Senator Mims is basically giving the ability to impeach those
members since they do not have a PnP to abide by. This holds them accountable
for their responsibilities.
i. Senator Sayers: Is there a person that will be in charge of the executive PnP’s?
We wanted to leave it up to the executive cabinet.
j. Senator Awan: What if the president wants to change the PnP’s overnight? It has
to be approved by the cabinet first.
k. Pro Tempore Burke: How will we know when the PnP’s are being changed?
That’s up for the GO Committee to check in on them.
l. Senator Sayers: If this gets passed, should there be something in title 13 to make
this firm? No.
m. Senator Awan: Will these be posted online as well? They don’t have to be online;
the judicial’s PnP’s aren’t online.
n. Senator Plattes: Motion to amend SB so that it reads “... prior to the first day of
classes of the Fall semester”. Second. Motion passes 7-0-0.
o. Senator Platts: I feel like this is clear enough so that we don’t have to be so
specific.
p. Senator Awan: I move to amend SB to add subsection C in chapter 302 saying
“the policies and procedures must be part of the public record” – motion
rescinded.
q. Senator Awan: I move to amend SB to add “…and publish the…”. Second.
Motion passes 4-0-3.
r. Senator Awan: I think it’s important for this to be on public record. The purpose
of this bill is to make everything more concise and to increase checks and
balances.
s. AG Baker: I think the issue that is this something the student body wants to see.
This would open it up to a veto.
t. Seantor Sayers: I feel as if this isn’t the goal of this bill. This could be a change
added in the future. I don’t think this is a smart decision of possibility of a veto.
u. Advisor Shore: People ask me for the PnP’s of the judicial branch.
v. Senator Awan: I’d rather have a bill be vetoed for improvement. If this isn’t
public record, I don’t understand the point of it.
w. AG Baker: It’d still be public record, but it wouldn’t be online. People can still
ask for the document.
x. Senator Mims: There’s nothing saying that the administration won’t publish this
online, so they still have the choice too.
y. Senator Platts: Motion to amend SB. To strike line item E. Second.
z. Senator Mims: Current VP Grantham said this ties hands of future administrations
and that shouldn’t be something in this document. This changes from
administration.
aa. Pro Tempore Burke: Do you think it’d be necessary to include a line saying the
duties of the VP is defined by the president? You can.
bb. Senator Awan: Move to approve SB-16S-2946 as amended. Second. Motion
passes 7-0-0.
cc. Senator Awan: I think it’s complete.
dd. Senator Mims: Thank you.
2. CR-16S-2947: Revisions to Article II – Senator Beaucham
X.
Announcements
Senator Awan: Thank you to Senator Mims.
XI.
Final Roll Call – Vice-Chair
Quorum has been established with 7 voting members; Dato, Butler, Cisneros, Smith,
Platts, Johnson, Awan.
XII.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 7:51 PM.
Minutes taken by Justin Dato, CSC Vice Chair