Meeting was called to order at 7 pm
Reports
Erica’s report – Last meeting of the semester will be on December 7th at Rich’s house. We will have a white elephant gift where we hide weird things in Rich’s house. Election sign ups are the 17-22, posters can start the 23-4, elections are December 4-6.
Robert’s Report – There are a few updates to the constitution and bylaws pending. The diversity and inclusion committee is putting together a survey to all of campus to find out how students feel and make changes based upon that. Robert will be doing interviews on the CFO search committee tomorrow. They might be meeting with the SGA later. Academic dean committee met today and they are getting prepared to look through resumes.
Senior Class President Report – Ishaya
Committee is reviewing the advisor agreement and came up with expectations for organizations on campus.
Junior Class President Report – Tristan filling in for Nick
Looking at improving the scoreboard as well as creating a memorial for the fallen officers.
Sophomore Class President Report – Pierce
Will be talking about important projects at the committee meeting after this meeting. Met with president simmons last week to talk about the resolution.
First Year Class President Report – Lewis
Will not be involved with PRSSA. Will go with quarter zips for SGA attire. Still talking to William Penn to find a time to meet with them. Creating mailers to send out to new first years coming in so students are informed about what SGA is.
Food Committee Report – Cody
Chip variety in Kent has been approved.
EPCC – Britney
New human services major was approved and it will replace social work minor. Will have a lot of the social work classes but will be more extensive.
New Business
Tristan moved to allocated $1,500 to CEO.
Seconded.
Tristan said the initial amount was cut from $2,400 to $1,500 for students to go to a conference.
Tre asked if the allocation was just for the conference because the amount seems high for the number of people being sent.
Cort said that the costs is mainly coming from registration fees and transportation. The cuts included the number of people going therefore also reducing hotel and transportation cost.
Ishaya asked if SGA had discusses the problems at last year’s conference.
Tristan said that they had discussed this with the advisor and the execs.
Motion to allocate funds carried.
Cole moved to allocate $6,500 to charging stands.
Seconded.
Robert said that he discovered while visit another campus that changing stands are very useful. He has done research into what the charging stands will cost and how we will carry out the plan. The tables will be located in Kent – two downstairs and one in the org suite. One will go in the fitness center. One will go in the science building. Three will go into the library in different areas in the first floor.
Cole said that the stands have multiple chargers connected to it. The SGA logo will be put on the back of it. Computers are also chargeable at the stations and the tables are fully customizable.
Emma asked if the tables are going to be colorful.
Cole said the would be.
Blake asked if the wiring is already in place.
Robert said that the outlets for the tables to be plugged into are already available.
Cole said that tables are going to cost $600 each and the stands will be $450 each.
Cort asked about the mobility of the tables or if they will be placed permanently.
Cole said the tables are moveable if the schools so chooses.
Lewis asked if people might steal the cords.
Robert said that the person would have to disassemble the stand so that isn’t likely.
Ishaya asked about where the SGA logo will be.
Cole said that it will be painted on metal on the back.
Teig asked if there would be any issues with liability.
Cole said there probably isn’t any chance of liability more than normal.
Erica said that we should look into liability.
Cole said he’d look into it more.
Emma asked when we’d know about designs.
Robert said once we get approval for designs we will look more into it.
Motion passes.
The Epic Resolution
Britney moved to approve the resolution.
The epic challenge focuses on improving women’s leadership in campus administration. Cabinet said they’d be willing to agree on committing to 3 of the 5 focus areas. Probably will not sign the actual commitment until the board of trustees meeting but are fine with SGA moving on with the resolution.
Sydney asked what the committee would not do.
Britney said the committee did not want to actively recruit women for administrative positions and or focus on promoting women to leadership positions.
Resolution passes.
Constitution and Bylaws Update
Robert talks about updates. The purpose behind the next set of revisions is to ensure that the next SGA president has a guide on the transition. Appeals boards have been updated as well as formally outlining the committee co-chair position. Next year the committees may consolidate from 4 committees to three committees. Updates will provide more guidance to first-year class presidents. The duties of the appeals board are better outlined.
Erica made everyone stand up because Robert is boring.
Robert continues to talk about the update of the constitution and bylaws. There will be student representation on the board of trustees committee.
Britney asked to look at the co-chair section again. She asked if the class president would work with another class president making them run two committees.
Robert said the case would be you might have two presidents running one committee.
Lewis noted that if this isn’t passed there will still be someone who will take charge on committees if leadership is needed even without the co-chair title. He also asked that if implementation of less committees would start next semester.
Robert said that would depends on the next administration.
Pierce said that moving forward there would be more likely less committees anyway. If we wanted a senator in the committee chair position we would have to write it in to the constitution.
Lewis asked if co-chairs will do less because of diffused responsibility.
Nick said that we’ve had problems in the past of chairs not doing anything so that’s less of a problem with co-chairs and just a problem with chairs in general.
Casey asked if this would apply only to first-year co-chairs.
Erica said it’s up to the discretion of the executives.
Robert said having more people working together solves more problems.
Erica said even without the three committee structure this update would work by making the vice president or president a co-chair.
Teig said that there’s a possibility that every chair could be new and then you might run into a problem.
Pierce said that chairs would work more with different members on their committees to help themselves.
Teig said he just didn’t want to think the next administration would make first year class presidents have to have co-chairs.
Cody moved to amend the amendment to change the wording to say a first-year class president may be assigned a committee co-chair from the executive committee.
Robert said he would inform everyone when the parking ticket appeals board update has been made.
Tristen motioned to table.
Seconded.
Motion to table passes.
General Discussion
Advisor agreement
Ishaya said that the advisor agreement will be updated with the requirements of the advisor meeting with the president of the organization at least once a month, attend at least two meetings or events a semester, and look at budget requests before they are submitted to SGA.
Robert suggested limiting how many groups a person may advise.
Tristan suggested that making sure an advisor knows how to advise.
Teig asked if these are requirements or guidelines.
Ishaya said they are guidelines but we really want to stress that advisors need to do these things.
Drew asked why it’s bad if an advisor is advising multiple groups.
Erica said that certain advisors are spread very thin therefore they are not able to fully advise a group.
Drew asked if these will actually accomplish things.
Robert said that this is the best we do but we lack the ability to punish advisors.
Kelsey asked if we could have trainings for advisor or if that’s something org committee could work on.
Cody suggested that we have an advisor workshop.
Robert suggested that we do that the week before classes start.
Nick said we’d have to talk to the president of the dean about that schedule.
Expectations for new organizations
Ishaya said that the student org committee will review organization for whatever group is trying to start, and look through their first budget requests.
Erica said that new student organizations have had problems with budget requests and this can help that.
Ishaya asked if SGA should vote on which organizations get funding.
Nick said that’s what the finance committee is for so if the org committee helps with budget request it can go through normal procedure. He also suggested giving them a realistic timeline of what events a new group would expect.
Cody suggested making a guide for new student organizations.
Geoff said that we need to discuss whether SGA should fund groups that don’t represent Simpson’s campus.
Erica said that we do have a harassment and bullying policy and if a group goes against that they will not be funded.
Sydney noted that a group has to have a faculty advisor to get funding or reserve rooms as a student organization and faculty should choose which groups are okay.
Nick said that students groups that don’t register cannot reserve rooms on campus.
Geoff said that the a lot of people don’t like the communist club but nothing could be done to deny funding and there was a Simpsonian article about it.
Nick said that he’s not a fan of communism and could have stopped funding as the chair of the financial committee or the SGA could have voted it down. He also said he didn’t find anything wrong with the club and we shouldn’t block not harmful ideologies. It is up to the school’s discretion to add the list to the website.
Ishaya said his committee will be working more on the expectations and advisor agreement.
Announcments
Nick wanted to publicly thank OneIowa for hosting an event that was open to all ideologies.
Tristan wanted to thank President Simmons for the campus discussion we had last week.
Robert announced that there is play this weekend as well as a basketball game on Saturday in Des Moines.
Kelsey said that mega bingo is this Friday in the black box.
Emma asked if there would be a crock pot.
Kelsey said that she can make that happen.
Britney announced that Tri-Delta will be having pancakes on Sunday from 12:30-2:30 in the black box.
Courtney said that connect floor is collecting goods for the Polk County Children’s Home and goods can be dropped of in Kresge lounge.
Cody said that Lambda is doing a food drive.
Sydney said that the prarie opening will be December 1st at 4 pm.
Ajournment
Ishaya moved to adjourn.
Seconded.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:13 pm.
Simpson College Student Government Association 