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SGA minutes from January 25, 2012

Minutes

Eastern Mennonite University

Student Government Association Senate Agenda

25th of January 2012

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

  1. Call to Order
  2. Roll call/Prayer
  3. Approval of Minutes
  4. Announcements
    1. Funding Request- Peace Fellowship

i.     Julia Schmidt and Kirsten Rosetto presented about the Intercollegiate Peace Conference (which brings the peace groups at other Mennonite colleges together) happening in February in Ontario, Canada at Conrad Grabel University. They are requesting funds for transportation (they are taking their own cars)—both gas and car maintenance (at $.35 per mile). Members of Peace Fellowship will cover the $15 registration fee, Lorrie Miller will cover the food and they are being hosted for free at CGU. They plan to have a Weather Vane article and maybe a coffee house after the event to report about the weekend. Senators felt that it is a great conference that is organized well and the amount of money they are asking for is reasonable. Brandon Habron moved to allot the full amount ($700) to Peace Fellowship for the Intercollegiate Peace Conference. Passed unanimously.

  1. Committee reporting
    1. Erika- Strategic Planning Council

i.     The meeting consisted of various people around the university reporting on the action steps they are taking according to the Strategic Plan that was put in place. The action items will mostly be instated this fall. At the meeting, Ken reported about student interest in intentional communities on campus as well as the leadership scholarship idea (to promote upperclassmen leadership on campus). Erika said that Nancy Heisey talked about all the different events that happen on campus (Suter Sci Seminars, Augsberger Lecture Series) and asked that different disciplines be represented at those events (and others). She also talked about creating a fund for students/faculty who want to go to conferences together.

  1. Elias- QEP

i.     There are students doing a survey on campus right now about green fatigue. They talked about a Creation Care Council campus wide meeting (they may ask SGA for support in advertising that later in the semester) and Jim may come and ask SGA for feedback about QEP. They also discussed ways that different departments could be more green. There was also a discussion about David Kline, who is a farmer from Ohio, a speaker coming in two weeks to speak around campus.

  1. Old Business
    1. Over viewing Sub-committees

i.     Erika listed the sub-committees that the SGA came up with during the retreat on Saturday. They are:

  1. A Common Grounds Committee (to explore the possibility of Common Grounds dollars like Den dollars)
  2. Campus Improvement
  3. The Encouragement Committee
  4. May Term (passing on the results of the survey that went out this summer and exploring further possibilities)
  5. Res Life (establishing a way that SGA could be in better communication with them/giving feedback)
  6. Sexuality Coffeehouse (planning a coffeehouse to get student feedback on a sexuality course)
  7. Student Lecture Series
  8. Transitions/Enrollment
  9. [SGA] Website Enhancement

ii.     Erika and Hannah encouraged senators who missed the retreat to contribute ideas and to sign up for the current sub-committees.

  1. New Business
    1. Faculty Panel

i.     Erika explained that faculty panels have been held once a year or once a semester in the past, so she encouraged people to let her know if they are interested in organizing one this spring. Brandon Habron is interested.

  1. SGA Dinner

i.     President Loren Swartzendruber invited the SGA to dinner at his house on February 20th at 5 p.m.

  1. Walk for Hope

i.     This is a suicide awareness walk on March 31st from 9-12 that EMU is doing in collaboration with JMU and Bridgewater. It is partially sponsored by Coach Link at EMU. SGA agreed last semester to be on the planning committee and they are requesting an SGA rep to attend another meeting on February 24th at 9 a.m. Kari Denlinger, Brandon Habron and Carissa Harnish both expressed interest.

  1. Open Floor
    1. Sam reported some more on the IS committee: After this semester, ID photos are optional. Additionally, IS is working to minimize the emails that students receive (so that people only receive emails that pertain to them). They also want to start using Cloud Computing.
    2. James passed around a card to be signed for Theo Yoder.
    3. Elias encouraged people to put things on the agenda if at all possible so that open floor does not run too long. If people want something to be on the agenda, they can send an email to Hannah or Erika.
  2. Adjournment Laci moved to adjourn the meeting and Brandon Habron seconded the motion.