Unofficial Minutes of the Undergraduate Student Organization

I. Meeting called to order at 6:00pm.

II. Roll Call

Executive Board: Cathleen A.. Connelly, President; Kirsty E. Reidy, Vice-President; Amy L. Plack, Secretary; Gregory R. Snow, Treasurer.

Senate: Tara Carrie, Harish Chawla, Tanya Corrado, Matthew Defronzo, Simba Dutt-Mazumdar, Matthew Freimuth, Marni Hall, Ed Hallissey, Seth Kintigh, Jason Mickey, Jeremy Olszewski, Jennifer Reese, Kristen Stagg, Cindy Vollaro, Jason Willey, Adam Woodbury.

Absent: Eric Ammon, Glenn Avery, Tim Tully (excused)

Parliamentarian: Jennifer Yambert

Needed for quorum were fourteen (14), twenty-one (21) were present at the start of the meeting.

III. Approval of the minutes for November 14 & 19, 1995

The minutes of November 14 & 19, 1995 were approved without changes.

IV. President's Remarks

President Connelly entertained a motion to approve four senatorial appointments, Ryan Betts, Derek Sickman, Sundeep Reddy, and Michael Scott. Senator Woodbury moved, Senator Dutt-Mazumdar seconded, and the motion passed. President Connelly then entertained a motion to approve her appointment of all senators to their chosen committees as posted in the office. Senator Olszewski moved, Senator Vollaro seconded, and the motion passed. Concluding her remarks, President Connelly noted that the trustee meeting is Monday and she is still seeking input for her presentation.

V. Committee Reports

Public Relations Committee

Chair Stagg reported that the committee met and discussed adding a list of Frequently Asked Questions to the SGA web pages. A list of these questions is available in the PR box, and if anyone has any input, please feel free to leave notes in the box.

Committee on Academic Issues (CAI)

Chair Hall reported that the committee would be meeting after the Senate meeting in Gompei's.

Elections Committee

Chair Sprague reported that the committee would meet for the first time on Wednesday at 7:00pm in Forkey Conference Room, Harrington Auditorium.

Committee on Student Life Issues

Chair Dutt-Mazumdar reported that the committee would meet Wednesday at 6:00pm in the office.

Institute Committees

Committee on Academic Operations (CAO)

Vice-President Reidy read a report for Representative Butland. At the last meeting, the committee approved the minor in Entrepreneurship. The ME concentrations and Biology lab courses were tabled. CAO members also met with CAP members so that the two committees could discuss the issues of multiple concentrations and double-counting courses. The committee is now looking at some new PE course changes.

Committee on Student Advising (CSA)

Representative Hansen wrote a report before the meeting, which is on file in the SGA office.

Faculty Awards Committee

Senator Mickey reported that the committee discussed guidelines and measures of outstanding teaching. They also discussed different types of "evidence" for outstanding teaching, including teaching portfolios, peer classroom visits, student course evaluations, and present/past nominations.

Provost Search Committee

Treasurer Snow reported that the search is going well.

VI. Old Business

There was no old business to discuss.

VII. New Business

There was no old business to discuss at this time.

VIII. Treasurer's Remarks

Treasurer Snow reported that organizations will be starting to turn in budget packets very soon and briefly described the procedure for senators on office duty to accept the packets, a detailed procedure will be posted in the office.

X. Secretary's Remarks

Secretary Plack reported that Glenn Avery and Eric Ammon are considered removed from office per the constitution and will be sent written notification of their removal within the week.

XI. Vice-President's Remarks

VP Reidy reported that there are still three open senatorial seats for which she is interviewing.

XII. President's Report

President Connelly had no further report.

XIII. Announcements

Treasurer Snow asked for unanimous consent that the letters contained in Bill S.11, approved 19 November, be forwarded to the appropriate press, namely Newspeak and the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Senator Lacroix objected, and the request was not granted.

Senator Sprague moved to forward the letters contained in Bill S.11 to Newspeak, the Telegram and Gazette, and also to the Boston Globe. Senator Hall seconded, but the motion was called out of order by the chair, as the agenda had not yet been suspended.

Senator Vollaro moved to suspend the agenda (hear new business) and Senator Hallissey seconded. Motion passed by the 2/3rds required.

After the request of the chair that Senator Sprague present his motion in writing, Sprague moved to recess for five minutes to allow him time to write down his motion. Senator Lacroix seconded, but the motion failed.

Senator Sprague moved that the Secretary send copies of the letters contained in Bill S.11 to Newspeak, the Telegram and Gazette, the Boston Globe and the Holy Cross newspaper. Senator Carrie seconded and Senator Sprague opened up discussion. During discussion, Secretary Plack asked that "the Secretary" be stricken from the motion, and Senator Dutt-Mazumdar stated that he would be willing to send the letters himself. The motion then read (as presented to the Secretary): "I move that Senator Dutt-Mazumdar, on behalf of the Senate, send copies of S.11 to Newspeak, the Telegram and Gazette, the Boston Globe and the Holy Cross newspaper with a cover letter of explanation.."

Treasurer Snow called the question, seconded by Senator Hallissey. Secretary Plack read the motion, and the chair ordered that the words "with a cover letter of explanation" be stricken, as they were not stated in the original motion, but added in the written copy. After a vote, Senator Cleary called for division. The motion failed by a vote of 16-11. Secretary Plack noted that the newly appointed senators had voted and shouldn't have, as they were not included in the roll call for the meeting. A re-vote by roll was held and the motion failed 13-10. (a 2/3rds majority was required for the motion to pass)

Senator Sprague moved to reconsider Bill S.11, and Senator Hall seconded. Sprague opened discussion, stating that he intended to amend the motion passed at the last meeting to include the motion which had just failed, so as to circumvent the necessary 2/3rds vote (only a majority is needed to reconsider).

Senator Stagg moved to adjourn; Senator Olszewski seconded. Motion passed, and the meeting stands adjourned

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