Unofficial Minutes of the Undergraduate Student Government Association for the meeting of December 5, 1995
Held in the Lower Wedge
I. Meeting called to order at 6:04pm.
II. Roll Call
Executive Board: Cathleen A.. Connelly, President; Kirsty E. Reidy, Vice-President; Amy L. Plack, Secretary; Gregory R. Snow, Treasurer. Senate: Ryan Betts, Tara Carrie, Heather Cleary, Tanya Corrado, Matthew Defronzo, Simba Dutt-Mazumdar, Matthew Freimuth, Marni Hall, Jason Mickey, Jennifer Reese, Michael Scott, Derek Sickman, Justin Sprague, Kristen Stagg, Jason Willey, Adam Woodbury.
Absent: Alfred Andrade, Harish Chawla (excused), Ed Hallissey, Mickey Lacroix (excused), Jeremy Olszewski (excused), Sundeep Reddy, Tim Tully (excused), Kenneth Volock (excused),
Parliamentarian: Gregory Shearman
Needed for quorum were fifteen (15), nineteen (19) were present at the start of the meeting.
III. Approval of the minutes for November 28, 1995
The minutes were approved with some minor changes by Secretary Plack.
IV. President's Remarks
President Connelly entertained a motion to approve her appointment of Shawn Ayube and Harrison Ripps to the Senate, effective upon adjournment. Senator Dutt-Mazumdar moved, and Senator Mickey seconded. Senator Dutt-Mazumdar asked that the two appointees stand and introduce themselves, and they did so. Upon moving to a vote, the motion passed.
V. Committee Reports
SGA Committees
Public Relations Committee
Chair Stagg had no report.
Committee on Academic Issues (CAI)
Chair Hall reported that Senator Lacroix had reported to the committee regarding the TOEFL exam and how it is administered to graduate students. She also noted that she had met with the Dean to discuss the issue of TA English skills; the Dean requested that the committee work through him. Senators Dutt-Mazumdar, Hallissey, and Mickey will meet with the department heads to discuss course reserve materials and other issues, and Senator Mickey will be writing a new Maple Survey, to be given to Professor Branche for disbursal to calculus students at the end of the term.
Chair Sprague noted that the committee needs to get working on C-term elections.
Committee on Student Life Issues
Chair Dutt-Mazumdar reported that the committee continues to investigate the feasibility of another change machine on campus, as well as the proposed trustee mentor program.
Committee on Policies and Procedures
In the absence of Chair Olszewski, Senator Freimuth reported that the committee interpreted the constitution on the issue of the three executive officers counting towards quorum. The committee voted in favor of the inclusion of executives in the quorum count.
Committee on Appropriations
Treasurer Snow reported that the committee voted unanimously in support of Bill S.12.
Institute Committees
Committee on Academic Operations (CAO)
Representative Butland reported that the committee reviewed three student petitions for re-admission after suspension; one was tabled, one granted, and one denied. The committee voted down the biology lab modules. Future issues include a possible social science minor, physical education course changes, chemistry/biochemistry concentrations, computer science changes, and mechanical engineering concentrations.
Committee on Student Advising (CSA)
Representative Hansen had no report.
Committee on Academic Policy (CAP)
Representative Sprague reported that the committee is looking at the possibility of establishing a biomedical engineering department.
Educational Development Council
Representative Dutt-Mazumdar had no report.
Representative Plack had no report.
Representative Mickey had no report.
Representative Snow reported that the committee had narrowed the number of candidates from 64 to 12, and that the committee would now select candidates to come on campus for interviews.
Representative Hall reported that she is seeking suggestions for the committee as to how they could improve the course evaluation form.
VI. Old Business
President Connelly ruled the motion to reconsider Bill S.11 left on the table at the last meeting out of order.
VII. New Business
Bill S.12 - An Act to Solicit Student Opinion on a Proposed Increase in the Undergraduate Social Fee - Senator Freimuth
Senator Freimuth moved to approve the bill, Senator Corrado seconded, and Senator Freimuth opened discussion. After some discussion, the bill passed.
VIII. Treasurer's Remarks
Treasurer Snow reported that budget packets are being collected in the office through December 15th. Petitions to increase the social fee should be returned to his box before the end of the term.
X. Secretary's Remarks
Secretary Plack reported that she would be correcting the consistent error found in the header to all the minutes for this senatorial session.
XI. Vice-President's Remarks
Vice President Reidy reported that she has one more senatorial position to be filled and asked senators to find interested constituents to apply. During the break, she will be reorganizing some of the materials in the office to make more room for course reserves and test files. She will also be updating the information contained in the senatorial manuals.
XII. President's Report
President Connelly reported that the trustee's level of commitment to the campus center is high, but that the trustees want to build a great center and not have it be outdated in just a few years. They are committed to building the best one possible, and that is why the committee is being cautious and steadily working towards breaking ground. Renovations to Riley Hall are set for this summer, with an elevator to be added. Also, John Miller is calling together a committee to plan the West Street renovations, also slated for the summer.
XIII. Announcements
Treasurer Snow reminded everyone to get signatures on the petitions. President Connelly encouraged people to enter the WPI: The Next 25 Years paper competition..
XIV. Adjournment
President Connelly entertained a motion to adjourn. It was moved and seconded. Meeting adjourned at 6:35pm.
Amy L. Plack,
SGA Secretary
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