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Jacksonville, Florida 32224-2645
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Office of the Student Senate
University of North Florida Student Senate
Special Senate Meeting Agenda – October 1st – 8:00 PM – Senate Chambers
I.
Call to Order
Meeting is called to order at 8:02 pm.
II.
Pledge of Allegiance
III.
Invocation
IV.
Roll Call
Quorum is established with 34 voting members.
V.
Approval of Agenda
Motion from Sen. Versace to add students seeking appointment.
Attorn. Gen. Turner- cannot have students wishing to speak tonight.
Motion from Sen. Barrs to approve the agenda. Second. No objections. Moved.
VI.
Student Remarks
Steven Anderson- would like to remind you all that you are here to represent the students and the minority. Do
what best represents the student body and the university’s mission.
Mariah Moss- here to speak on behalf of the pi club. Values were different back then and others couldn’t think of a
man marrying another man. Many would commend those of the LGBTQ community including the head of Chick-fila. We can acknowledge that there are differences. I am asking for a compromise.
Justin Savage- would like to thank Mariah for speaking. Like to speak on Chick-fil-a on the financial and health
aspects. Within the ten-mile radius of school there are 6 Chick-fil-as. There is also one that is connected to shuttle
route. A typical meal is over 2,000 grams of sodium, which is more than the daily intake. It is going against the
healthy ospreys initiative and wouldn’t want to see us back tracking.
Tolu- as a former senator, I have seen a lot of different issues come to senate but nothing like this. This is a big
issue. Minorities have to fight for their right to be where they are. Civil rights and women’s rights both fought
continually to have rights. The winners are African Americans and women. There are losers who have fought. This
is not just an issue in the senate but in the United States. In this issue we have a very big fight that is being fought.
We will have winners and losers. Want you to take this in mind and decide.
Eric Hagen- last week an employee of Chick-fil-a said that Chick-fil-a is a safe place for people to go in and hate. All
across the country his beliefs echo across the country. Some say this is best. Have done a lot of work to keep this
out of the media. Why would we want to bring a company that fosters hate when the campus does not? Our
university has a new wellness center and nature trails. This is not just a set back for LGBT but also for the health
initiative. My opinion is to give the student body more time to consider the health aspect of this issue.
VII.
Guest Speakers
None.
VIII.
Senate President’s Remarks: Senate President Zak Varshovi – sgasp@unf.edu
Discussion on this bill must be in accordance with Southworth. Personal beliefs cannot come into the discussion;
just what is best for the student body.
IX.
SG President’s Senate Q&A: President Carlo Fassi – sgapres@unf.edu
With the help of our student advocate and student advocate committee; we have surveyed the students for their
dining options. I will know hand it over to Sergio, our student advocate for 2012-2013.
Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action Institution
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32224-2645
(904)620-2750 Fax (904)620-1005
Office of the Student Senate
Sergio- presentation on the quantitative data. The numbers are from surveying. Used Vovici, this is the data
without being adjusted. This is the major idea. Adjusted considered invalid surveys. 70% of the students are in
favor of Chick-fil-a and Papa Johns. 30% stated no. Also surveyed the student through Osprey Voice earlier in
semester and last month. These are all the numbers that have been gathered thru SG.
Pres. Fassi- like to add there was also a survey over the spring semester.
Questions?
Sen. Keen- were they all the same questions?
Yes the surveys had same questions.
Sen. Hebeishy- do you know if these are the same students being asked?
Again, this is an approximation. For the recent survey through email, a student could only put in their n number
once.
Sen. Caudio- do students have access to the direct data if the wanted to?
To the Osprey Voice, yes. However for online survey it states the n numbers so I don’t think it will be available.
Business Manager McGuire- we could just put the data without the student’s information if needed.
Pres. Fassi- We are allowed to host a special senate meeting. I vetoed the bill last week. I take full responsibility for
the improper wording of the bill. Lines 15 and 16 should read renovations for Papa Johns and Chick-fil-a. This will
make it know to the students of what the plans are. I ask that you hold the arguments until after the amendments
are made. I will only approve the bill of the amount that the contractors have given. Proper application of
Southworth will be discussed with the attorney general as to the proper interpretation.
Attorn. Gen. Turner- will discuss what is applicable and how it pertains to tonight’s request. This does not apply to
funding. Southworth’s focal point is pertaining to the first amendment, it lays out a viewpoint neutral for the
request in a fiscally responsible manner that best suits our students. Passed out what is affected by the request
tonight. The parliamentary procedures state what can and cannot be said tonight. Ask that you all vote on the
entirety of the bill tonight.
Pres. Fassi- remind you all of the hard work that you put in for the students for this dining experience. Remember
the reasoning behind the choosing of these venders. Chartwells conducted a study and Papa Johns and Chick-fil-a is
a huge success. With the clarification of Southworth and my veto, this request will not have the debate and
magnitude this issue deserves.
Sen. Delgado- can you explain as to why theses vendors were selected
Again, Chartwells conducted preference surveys, and an overwhelmingly amount wanted Chick-fil-a and Papa
Johns or Pizza Hut but Chartwells has a relation with Pap Johns already. After these results, we chose to survey the
students through the SAC committee.
Sen.- Has anything been written that both venders are coming?
Both venders are interested and intend to come after the renovation.
Ritter- who is the franchisee?
University will be the franchisee.
Sen. Caudio- will more profits go to the school and Chartwells or to Chick-fil-a?
That would be determined by the contract written between Chartwells and Chick-fil-a.
Motion from Sen. Estrada to amend the bill and add on line 15 to read building 58 for Papa Johns and building 8 for
Chick-fil-a. Second. No objections. No discussion.
Electronic vote.
Passes 35-02.
X.
Old Business
i. Vetoed Legislation
1. SB-12F-2631 – Executive Branch On-Campus Dining Renovations
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Pres. Varshovi- Will be resigning as SB-12F-2631(A).
Motion form Sen. Garcia to approve SB-12F-2631(A). Second. No objections. Moved.
Pres. Varshovi- we have a unique opportunity to affect ospreys for years to come. This is one of the great fiscal
requests I have seen in all my years in SG. Students have again and again stated that the dining options need
improvement and UNF can do that. Starbucks was a big change. Not only campus dining will improve but also
tonight we have that chance to make the change with the overwhelming amount of student support. It is fiscally
irresponsible to leave student fee dollars to be left in an account and accumulate with no purpose. Budgets are left
over and that is to be expected however if we do not use it will not benefit the students. Last year, Matt
Brockelman was seeking to find ways to utilize this money. The ropes course is an example of that. Lets show the
students that their tuition is worth it. Tonight let’s put our A and S fund balance to good use. Tonight it is our time
to make a difference to the Ospreys to come. Politics have nothing to do with this initiative. It is about better
quality food on this campus. Lets take a stand and leave a legacy to echo for the years after we graduate.
Sen. Galanti- would like to touch on the issue. For the Osprey Voice from March, students were opposed to this
because there is a Chick-fil-a in town center. To found out how long it would take to get to the Chick-fil-a in the
Town Center and back to campus, I tried it out. It took 54 minutes to take the shuttle there and get food and eat
and then come back. Most students don’t have an hour in between classes. Students don’t even like to stand in line
for the Boathouse. Bringing Chick-fil-a to campus would help the issue of not leaving campus. Will be in full
support of this.
Sen. Keen- tonight you do have an opportunity to make a big impact and leave a legacy. Is Chick-fil-a that legacy?
Are students really going to say, “Man the SG brought us a chicken sandwich.”? Is there an opportunity to bring
another vender on campus? Instead students should say, “There was a SG that inspired me to live a healthy life.”
Need to get kids outside and get active. Can probably get to the Chick-fil-a in Town Center on bike in ten minutes. I
feel like if more options had been put in the survey, we could have got a better feel for what the students want and
more effectively help our student’s health initiative. I propose a pita pit. There are healthier options and options
for vegetarians and for people who aren’t feeling meat that day. Pita Pit would serve students 7 days a week as
opposed to 6. Especially Sundays for students on campus are important and they need the option. Pita Pit is only
located at the beach. Better to have more options and healthier options. Like to bring up, which is not political, this
is your qualitative evidence; the students that are here. Students do not speak and address the opposing side, only
some senators have. Last week it got crazy in here among senators. And the controversy won’t end once it gets
here. This could snowball, is this really what we want? Just consider something else.
Sen. Doty- I am a numbers person and numbers don’t lie. Can do a million surveys but in the past 3 surveys the
numbers are consistent. Until a CEO made statements, no one was against Chick-fil-a coming. People came to SG to
talk us out of it at the very last minute. You cannot get more objective than numerical data because numbers don’t
lie.
Sen. Fountain- Thank Sen. Galanti for the great research. I think it is fiscally irresponsible to bring a vender on
campus that is already all around the campus. There is also already a Papa Johns that delivers around the school.
We should be looking for venders that aren’t around the campus. Still have name brands on campus but not these
brands because they have so many locations near the campus.
Sen. Salem- We are all adults. We know what is healthy and what is not healthy. We want kids to stay on campus
and participate. We want to transform this campus into the best it can be.
Sen. Howard- There is 6 different places on campus that you can already buy a chicken sandwich. Don’t the
students deserve more than just chicken? Every other vender has that option.
Sen. Kvies- this has been in the works for a year and a half now, this is a little late. 80% of students want it. Its solid.
Students will always come in and state their opinion but 80% want it and the numbers don’t lie.
Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action Institution
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32224-2645
(904)620-2750 Fax (904)620-1005
Office of the Student Senate
Sen. Caudio- want to take into consideration that this is not about health, what we feel like, what we feel like eating,
this is about the students. The students love it and they want it. Student still want Chick-fil-a on campus. Students
are so for it. That’s what needs to be taken into consideration. What the numbers tell us is that students want
Chick-fil-a.
Sen. Moray- the bill was fine the way it was. But the contractor is not put in place yet. If something happens, we
need to have something else ready.
Pres. Fassi- if this is passed, it goes to auxiliary oversight. If a contract would not be reached, the money would not
be spent. However, overwhelming support came up for both of these venders.
Sen. Fountain- about the numbers. A small percentage responded and the majority was for it. However cannot
disregard the rest of the student body. 1/3 were against this.
Sen. Hebeishy- we have been over this for the past 3 weeks. Have heard every possible idea that could be brought
up. I think we need to just vote on it.
Motion from Sen. Galanti to close the floor. Second. Objection: Sen. Petrosan- the money spent is a lot of money. We
could instead use the money for activities for students at UNF. At what expense is bringing these renovations?
Surveys are there to guide us. There is more to it. We need to know what prices include. Not right to satisfy
someone’s appetite for a minority. Don’t think that makes it the right decision.
Treasurer Namen- he objected so he should be doing a pro con pro.
Sen. Amira- he needs to state his objection.
Sen. Petrosan- My objection is for the students to speak up.
Sen. Hebeishy- they seconded the motion to end the discussion, we have heard all who wanted to speak.
Electronic vote to close discussion.
Motion passes 92%.
Electronic vote to approve the bill that was amended.
Passes 30-07.
XI.
Announcements
a. Next regularly scheduled Senate meeting will be on October 8th 2012 @ 6:30 PM
b. Dress business casual as in senate.
XII.
Final Roll Call
Quorum is reestablished with 37 voting members.
XIII.
Adjournment
Meeting is adjourned at 9:05 pm.
Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action Institution