Ripon College Student Senate
Agenda for Wednesday February 11, 2015
I. Call to Order
II. Approval of Old Minutes
III. Committee Reports
a. Secretary Santiago
b. Treasurer Soich
c. Vice President Brixius
d. President Kay
e. Dean Ogle
f. What’s Up With Your Group
g. One Fund Talk Back
h. Student Activities Report
i. Miscellaneous Committees
IV. Old Business
V. New Business
a. Women’s Boxing Club Disbandment
b. Ripon College Democrats
c. SMAC Springfest One-fund
d. Forensics Senate Proposal
VI. Announcements
VII. Open Forum
VIII. Adjournment
Ripon College Student Senate
Minutes for Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Eleanore Clemmer - 0
Abbey Flower - 0
Lauren Hince - 0
Rachel Kolodziej - 0
Samantha Raygo - 0
Aafreen Vohra - 0
Robert Enright - 0
Seth McDonald - 0
Willie Penterman - 0
DeLou Wilson - 0
Anival Carrillo - 0
Andy Paloumpis - 1
Ben Valdez - 0
Casey Vercauteren - 0
Nicole Zeman - 0
J.J. Grinde - 0
Daniel Knox - 0
Joe Maloney - 0
Fabiola Mercado - 0
Katie Anne Peterson - 1
Marcus Reed Thorsen - 0
Senators Present: 19
Senators Excused: 0
I. Call to Order
a. 6:30pm
II. Approval of Old Minutes
III. Committee Reports
a. Secretary Santiago: No report.
b. Treasurer Soich: The one fund is $31,380.84.
c. Vice President Brixius: No report.
d. President Kay: Election packets will be out next week for executive
board positions, you’re encouraged to fill one out!
e. Dean Ogle
f. What’s Up With Your Group?
g. One Fund Talk Back
h. Student Activities Report
i. President Kay: On February 5, BSU presents Assassination
of the Black Male Character in TW 104 at 6pm, on February
9 if anyone is interested in participating in the Ripon Relay
for Life, please join the meeting at 5pm at Mugs
coffeehouse, also on February 9, BSU presents Black music
and its re-appropriation in the Heritage at 5:15pm, and on
February 11, BSU presents Unheard Voices of Black
Women in the Heritage at 6pm.
i.
Miscellaneous Committees
IV. Old Business
V. New Business
a. Queer-Straight Alliance One-fund
i. No one present to represent QSA.
ii. President Kay: In the eyes of the speaker that passes.
b. La Unida One-fund
i. Jorge Zamora: Hello, I am the president of La Unida club.
We are asking for $1,210.93 for a conference that I would
like my executive board to attend. It is the United States
Hispanic Leadership Institute Conference to which more
than 6,000 people attend. The reason we would like to go to
this conference is because it will be able to expand our
group in the future and, also to receive exposure and gain
networking skills for the executive board, which are all first
years. I understand that we are a new organization as of last
October, but this would be a great way to start it off. The
conference will take place in Chicago where many high
school students will be in attendance, which will help
promote Ripon College. Under this one-fund seven people
will be able to go this conference. This one-fund is already
as cheap as it can get.
Senator McDonald: Did you say that seven people on your
executive board are going to this event? Is anyone outside of
your executive board going? How did you decide who was to
go?
Jorge: We decided it as an incentive to being a part of the
executive board and to the members of the group. So, that
not just any member that just shows to a meeting once in a
while goes. Also, this is our first conference so, it is more of
trial and error, so we will see how things go this year and
then make changes next year.
Senator McDonald: The registration costs that are to be
covered by James Bland, are those already paid for or is he
just going to pay for them?
Jorge: That’s already paid for to get the early bird
registration discount.
Senator McDonald: What would happen to those covered
funds if this one-fund didn’t pass?
Jorge: Well, we would find a way to get there because the
registration costs are already covered for and we wouldn’t
want James Bland’s money to be lost.
ii. President Kay: That passes 12:3:3.
VI.
Announcements
i.
Kamelle: Senior 100 days’ Party is on Saturday, so please
tell your fellow seniors! See you there, 8-11pm, free beer!
ii.
President Kay: Greek council is having a pizza night at
Roadhouse for $10, for all Greeks, Friday 5-7pm!
VII. Open Forum
i.
Forensics: As some of you may have heard already,
forensics is going through an interesting time. There’s a
review of the forensics budget at the Trustee meeting and
right now they’re contemplating on reducing the forensics
program to only the second semester in the spring! This
proposal would allow for 6-7 tournaments per weekend plus
state, nationals, and interstate competitions, but forensics
needs a little bit more than that. They’re working on this
proposal now, but the students of the forensic program are
working on getting a proposal or suggestion to the board of
Trustee’s and college in general to have them understand
that this could severely hurt the program. Forensics has
existed since like 1913, it also started the founding chapter
of phi kappa delta, a strong reputation for forensics! With
one semester it would be like jumping into a sport season
half way through, which it would be hard to be prepared for
competition. Many alumni have expressed their concern
(Quote from alumni). Having forensics budget cut in half
would be hard for the forensics team! So, I just wanted to
talk a little bit about that, so now you have time to think that
through a little bit more.
Letter from forensics:
Dear President Messitte, Dean Roy, Ripon College Faculty, and Student Senate:
I was shocked and saddened when I learned about the recently proposed changes to
the Ripon College forensics team. As of next year, the team will compete only in a
limited capacity and only during the spring semester, a fatal blow to the program. The
regular forensics season runs from September through March, culminating in
opportunities for national competition, for those who qualify, in April. Cutting the
program to half a season would ensure, without a doubt, that the forensics team would
wither and die. A half-season model is unsustainable because it will drastically reduce
the amount of practice and feedback students receive. Nobody would argue that the
football, basketball, or softball teams should start competing halfway through their
seasons, and the forensics team is no different.
In addition to the proposed travel schedule reduction, this plan would also eliminate the
Director of Forensics position, replacing it with a part-time coaching position. If the
purported goal of this new communication consortium is to enhance educational
outcomes, then the removal of the Director of Forensics position is counterintuitive.
Students might be encouraged to prepare events in the fall, but without a coach, they
have no hope of truly improving their skills. Again, nobody would expect a sports team
to function without a head coach.
Those of you who are familiar with forensics know how truly beneficial this activity is. As
a campus that champions communication skills in every department through the
Communicating Plus initiative, the administration should be embracing an activity that
strengthens public speaking skills. Speech students spend hours working on events as
diverse as extemporaneous speaking, poetry interpretation, persuasive speaking, and
communication analysis, to name a few. Competitors then travel to tournaments at other
colleges and universities to present their work and receive feedback. It is at these
tournaments that students meet, network, and bond with some of the brightest and most
globally-conscious students in the country. The skills and inter-school friendships
gained from forensics competition are second to none. Thanks to forensics, Ripon
College is graduating well-spoken and well-rounded critical thinkers, the sort of
graduates Ripon should be proud of.
Not only does the forensics program teach students valuable public speaking and
argumentation skills, but it also serves as an irreplaceable recruitment tool. At a time
when small private colleges across the country are doing everything they can to attract
new students, drastically reducing a growing, nationally-recognized program, one that
continues to attract many quality students, is counterproductive. Every year, many
students apply to and choose to attend Ripon College based on their desire to
participate in speech and debate activities. Many of these prospective students are
extremely talented and driven both in and out of the classroom. Ask any Ripon College
professor, and they will tell you that forensics students are some of the most
academically-minded students on campus, which is unsurprising as forensics
competitors elect to spend their free time and weekends researching, writing speeches,
analyzing evidence, and interpreting and performing literature and poetry. Most years,
the team’s average GPA is a 3.5. Cutting the forensics program would mean that Ripon
College would no longer appeal to those looking for a competitive forensics team, thus
depriving the campus of some of the most talented and passionate prospective
students.
As both the birthplace of the National Forensic League (now the National Speech and
Debate Association) and a founding member of Pi Kappa Delta, a speech and debate
honor society established in 1913, Ripon College has a long history of supporting and
promoting forensics at both the local and national level. Forensics runs deep at Ripon.
In fact, when the Ripon forensics team learned of the administration’s plan for the team,
they took to the internet and began galvanizing support. Within hours, dozens of alumni
and fellow Ripon students pledged their support, vowing to do whatever they could to
change the hearts and minds of the administration. It wasn’t just Ripon students who
were willing to fight for the forensics team however. Forensics competitors from several
different schools also promised their support, many asking what they could do to help
keep Ripon’s team alive.
Thus far, I have tried to present an objective and cohesive argument, the way forensics
has taught me to. I cannot end this letter, however, without admitting my own bias. I am
in love with this activity. Forensics has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. It is
what made Ripon College home for me, and I cannot bear to see it die. I urge the
administration and the Board of Trustees to reconsider the decision to fatally downsize
the forensics program, and I urge students and faculty to contact the administrators and
trustees and voice your support for the forensics program before the trustee meeting on
February 6th.
Sincerely,
Angelica Schwartz
Class of ’14
ii.
President Kay: Next, week this will be on the agenda, along
with what the forensics team has to say, please take the time
to think about this and inform your constituents about
because this is a lot of money that they are dealing with that
we are trying to make a recommendation to the College to
let them continue what they have been doing for years. That
will be a recommendation that we will need to vote on twice
next week and the week after.
VIII. Adjournment
a. 6:44 pm
Ripon College Democrats One Fund
The College Democrats of America are hosting a winter summit from February 19th –
21st in Washington, DC at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Hotel. This year's summit will
be held in conjunction with the DNC (Democratic National Convention) winter meeting,
allowing us to have a front row seat as the Democratic Party gears up for the 2016
election cycle. This conference will provide students with educational opportunities and
allow them to be directly involved in the political process.
Registration and food expenses will be covered by our group’s budget, we are asking
for 1,250 to cover travel and housing for four members to attend the conference.
Registration
Hotel
Travel
Food
Total
Full Cost
$ 120
$ 450
$ 800
$ 200
$ 1,570
One Fund
$ 0 (covered by budget)
$ 450
$ 800
$ 0 (covered by budget)
1, 250
Student Senate,
The Springfest planning committee, acting as part of SMAC is requesting a One
Fund in the amount of 9,000 dollars for this years May 2 nd event. This money will largely
go towards booking a headlining act, and also help fund inflatables, a possible paint war
and other daytime activities the whole school can take part in. In the past SpringFest is
a long running tradition at Ripon College but in recent years has lacked direction and
campus involvement and we believe these funds could change that. WE plan to use
these finds to create much more of an interactive feel to the event and include new
activities during the day that play with our theme of Woodstock this year. Some of the
new additions include Tie-dye, body paint and flower crown stations in addition to a
photo booth, inflatables and a campus wide paint war. We ask for this sum also
because in the past we have had problems finding a headlining musical act that is
relevant and the student body can get excited about within our very tight budget
constraints. There are so many small details that have to go into planning and
budgeting for this event, and this is why in the past we have failed to bring in an exciting
musical act. By allotting us this money you are giving us the ability to give this campus
what it really deserves in the event and something more inclusive and multi-faceted as
far as events go. Although we are asking for a large sum of money we believe that this
is rational in proportion to what the budget currently stands at, and what we intend to do
with the event.
Inflatables: 1,200
Interactive Stations: 600
Paint War: 200
Headlining Act: 7000
The Springfest committee plans on covering all other necessities such as stage, sound,
lighting and food. This being said we believe that what we are asking is do-able for both
Student Senate and us.
Best regards,
Springfest planning committee
The Forensics Senate Proposal
We, the Student Senate of Ripon College, representing the student body of Ripon
College, resolve to support continued funding of lodging, travel, and competition entry
fees for the Ripon College Forensics Team at its current level, noting that such support
will not increase tuition. We submit this resolution as advice to the Board of Trustees,
President Zach Messitte, Vice President and Dean of Faculty Jody Roy, and the Ripon
College Community.
Forensics Team