Unofficial Minutes of the Undergraduate Student Government Association

I. Meeting called to order at 6:12pm.

II. Roll Call

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

Senate: Alfred Andrade, James Armitage, Tara Carrie, Jonathan Chaillet, Heather Cleary, Tanya Corrado, Matthew Freimuth, Marni Hall, Ed Hallissey, Mickey Lacroix, Chris Mello, Jason Mickey, Jeremy Olszewski, James (Ben) Petro, Sundeep Reddy, Jennifer Reese, Michael Scott, Derek Sickman, Justin Sprague, Kristen Stagg, Cindy Vollaro, Jason Willey, Adam Woodbury.

Absent: Matthew Defronzo (ex), Seth Kintigh, Kenneth Volock (ex), Tim Tully (ex).

Parliamentarian: Jennifer Yambert

Needed for quorum were sixteen (16), twenty-six (26) were present at the start of the meeting.

III. Approval of the minutes for February 13

The minutes of February 13 were approved with minor changes.

IV. President's Remarks

President Connelly reported regarding last week's meeting of the Board of Trustees. She attended a session with the Physical Facilities committee, where the plans for this summer's renovations of Sanford-Riley Hall, Salisbury Laboratories and West Street were reviewed and approved, and the committee also looked at plans for the campus center. The Financial Aid Office reported to the Trustees that it would continue to offer Merit Scholarships to WPI students, and Admissions reported its intention to use WPI alumni more for recruiting purposes. A presentation by Mary Cox (Healthy Alternatives) and Janet Richardson was discussed, particularly the results of the core survey on alcohol and drug use at WPI.

Because President Connelly was discussing the Trustee meeting, she asked that Senator Hall give her report on the Academic Planning Committee meeting, which she attended. She reported that an ad-hoc subcommittee reviewed the tenure process and found it to be the best way to handle tenuring professors at this point. The committee is working to update the Institute's Intellectual Property Policy, and a second satellite campus in Waltham for Continuing Education was approved. The committee also discussed the language proficiency of teaching assistants, and Dean Durgin would like departments to have telephone interviews with TA candidates. Finally, the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science will be expanded next year to include the ninth and tenth grades, although these students will not attend classes on the WPI campus.

President Connelly continued her report, stating that the Board approved the budget for FY 1997-98, including the Social Fee increase proposed by SGA. The Board also approved the professors recommended for tenure by the tenure committee.

V. Committee Reports

SGA Committees

Committee on Academic Issues (CAI)

Chair Hall reported that the committee reviewed the motion to fund the Actuarial Club and prepared its recommendation for the Senate. The teaching assistant language proficiency surveys, with a cover letter written by Dean Durgin, will be mailed out this week to professors with TA'ed classes. These surveys will be distributed to students with course evaluation forms. Senator Mickey met with Professor Branche of the Math Department last week regarding the Maple survey (the report of this meeting is in the binder in the office), and Senator Hallissey presented his student honor code to the committee, to be reviewed further at the next meeting.

Committee on Appropriations

Treasurer Snow reported that budget hearings are ending this week and the committee would be presenting the SGA budget at the first meeting of D-term as required. He is also taking requests from officers-elect and others for next year's SGA Operating budget.

Committee on Student Life Issues (CSLI)

Chair Freimuth reported that the committee approved Senator Lacroix's recycling letter/petition for Senate approval tonight. The committee is also looking into the issue of the lack of available bulletin board space on campus; committee members are to come to this week's meeting with three ideas for places on campus where a bulletin board could be appropriately installed. Also, he and Senator Woodbury will be meeting with Bernie Brown Thursday to present and discuss the committee's ideas and concerns regarding the Gompei's liquor license and the trustee mentoring program.

Elections Committee

Chair Reese reported that the elections went very well this term. We had 757 voters, which is 30% of the undergraduate student body. She thanked everyone who helped out this year.

Public Relations

Chair Stagg had no report.

Policies and Procedures

Chair Olszewski reported that the committee spent their last meeting finalizing the Rules of Operation II Amendment.

Institute Committees

Committee on Academic Operations (CAO)

Representative Butland's report, as submitted to VP Reidy, stated that the committee did not meet this week, but the faculty approved the minors in Social Sciences at the February 15th faculty meeting.

Committee on Student Advising (CSA)

Representative Hansen had no report.

Committee on Academic Policy (CAP)

No report - we need a replacement representative.

Educational Development Council (EDC)

Representative Woodbury had no report.

Web Committee (WebCom)

Representative Plack reported that the Web Graphics Design Competition will begin Tuesday of next week and run until April 1st at midnight. It will be sponsored by the Web Committee and coordinated by herself and a new committee, to be announced later. More information about the contest is available at http://www.wpi.edu/Contest/.

VI. Old Business

Bill S.21 - Actuarial Club Funding Request - tabled from February 6th

Senator Woodbury moved to take the bill from the table, Senator Sprague seconded. Senator Hall reported that CAI recommends to deny the club funding. Reasons included the fact that club members had not yet explored all available avenues, that funding would present a dangerous precedent, and that the materials purchased would not be widely available to all students wishing to take the exams because of the amount of time involved in studying. CAI recommends also that the club contact the Library, CDC, and Math Department in person and talk with them about obtaining funds, as well as opening communication with insurance agencies in the area which may lend materials to the club. After discussion, the motion to fund failed.

VII. New Business

Bill S.24 - Endorsement of Recycling Petition - Senator Lacroix

Senator Lacroix moved to pass the bill and was seconded. During discussion, several amendments were made to the bill, including the insertion of the words "and administrative" with regard to the buildings in which enhanced recycling should be made available, and removal of the words "both dormitories and," which were replaced by "residence halls." After discussion, the motion passed.

Bill S.25 - Rules of Operation Amendment, Part II - Senator Olszewski

Senator Olszewski moved the bill, and was seconded. After much discussion, and a vote by roll call, the motion passed.

VIII. Treasurer's Remarks

Treasurer Snow had no remarks

X. Secretary's Remarks

Secretary Plack had no remarks.

XI. Vice-President's Remarks

VP Reidy announced that she is creating an ad-hoc committee, the Technical Advising Committee, to be chaired by Senator Woodbury. The committee's charge is in the SGA office binder.

XII. President's Report

President Connelly had no remarks.

XIII. Announcements

Treasurer Snow asked that Senator Reese read into the minutes the winners of the elections. She did: President, Matthew Freimuth; Vice-President, Cindy Vollaro; Treasurer, Lance Baden; Secretary, Jennx Yambert; and Senators-at-Large, Jeremy Olszewski, Terry Fay, and Jen M. Johnson.

XIV. Roll Call & Adjournment

Senator Hallissey moved to adjourn. Motion was seconded and passed. Meeting adjourned at 7:10pm.

Agenda for the Meeting of February 27, 1996

I. Call to Order

II. Roll Call

III. Approval of the Minutes for February 20, 1996

IV. President's Report

V. Committee Reports

SGA Committees

Institute Committees

VI. Old Business

VII. New Business

Bill S.26 - Men's Lacrosse Emergency Funding Request - Appropriations

Bill S.27 - QuadFest Funding Request - Appropriations

Bill S.28 - Peddler Debt Reconciliation Act - Senator Sprague

Bill S.29 - Letter to the Committee on Governance - Senator Olszewski

VIII. Treasurer's Remarks

IX. Secretary's Remarks

X. Vice-President's Remarks

XI. President's Remarks

XII. Announcements

XIII. Roll Call & Adjournment