12/2/2015 SGA Minutes

Eastern Mennonite University

Student Government Association

December 2, 2015

Moment of Mediation/Prayer
Call to Order
- Rachel calls meeting to order at 8:05pm.
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
- Minutes approved.
Announcements
- Student Recognition Chapel: Wednesday, December 9th.
- Finalize list for carry-over to next semester
- Late-Night Pancakes
  - Tuesday the 15th.
Old Business
- Idea Drive responses
New Business
- WeatherVane Funding Request
  - Requesting an additional $2,000 for operating expenses for the year. Continually putting out a weekly paper throughout the year. Some of the WeatherVanes are used for class projects and practicums. All of the photographers this semester are doing it for practicum credit.
  - They say there are several factors why WeatherVane has not been able to meet its budget. These include: SGA allocation has been consistently lower than requested, increased printing cots for a higher quality paper production since 2013-2014, decreased ad sales due in part to a changing advertising economy. Even with systematic contact with our returning customer base and outreach to wider base of new customers, the staff is not on track to meet our original sales goal for the year. We are committed to providing supplemental temporary pay positions for co-editors who now manage a larger staff with fewer hours available through work study/work program. Many have already met their temp hours.
  - Kat: have you considered printing in black and white?
  - Mario: have you considered not providing meals?
  - Nicole: what about providing meals from the caf?
  - The meal is where they do most of their team building.
  - Jessaymn: how many copies are left over and how many are being picked up?
  - They had some issues at the beginning of the year getting papers out so they don’t have those numbers.
  - Same and Mario would like to some how cut money down for meals.
  - Hanna: does want to acknowledge that the meal does provide community as well as this is a lot of time for them.
  - Kat: what if we allotted them the $2,000 now but also reconsider when budgeting next semester.
  - Hanna: reiterate that we have $3,200 for the rest of the semester with 2 weeks left
  - Bethany motions to give WeatherVane $2,000. Elisabeth seconds.
    - In Favor: 11
    - Abstaining: 4
    - Opposed: 0
    - Motion passed.
- IncludEd Discussion
  - Here to discuss the included program that will be launching in the spring. 2 years ago they started having discussions on how students purchase textbooks. One class will be piloting this in the spring. It will allow students to use financial aid to pay for class fees. It will still be a rental program and there will be the option to purchase books.
  - Taylor: will it cover e-books as well?
  - It will cover all books that professors require for their class.
  - Nicole: how much is it per class again?
  - $60 per class.
  - Mario: wants to know how they would address when students wouldn’t be paying $60 for all books in the year.
  - They are looking at how certain books cost more and less for different classes. Want to address how some students don’t purchase textbooks for classes at all.
  - Taylor: can you explain more on how students would purchase books.
  - The students would have the option, like they do now, to pay the difference between rental and purchasing.
  - Bethany: when would the books be due?
  - The last day of the semester.
  - Sam: the cost and benefits is very dependent on departments. Also is there a way to differences between departments.
  - It’s only starting out as 100-200 level course.
  - Hanna: does it feel like there’s any undue influence by the bookstore as they are the one putting it out?
  - This model seems to work best for the university. Not saying this model wouldn’t benefit the bookstore but any proposal usually has some gain. There were 3 proposals. One was only 3-books. Another was an encompassed model and with out a bookstore. Fallett proposed a one with the bookstore as well only first and second year books. The bookstore says that most students who do purchase the books are first and second years students. So by only doing 100-200 level course it helps know that student in upper-level courses have the knowledge of how the system works.
  - Vi: doesn’t think she’s received the final word yet, but the writing handbook that all students get won’t work with the system.
  - Bethany: I think it would be important to consider the opt out for students like the health center. So they would still get the books, but if they can get them some where else they can as well. There are a lot of other options. Currently taking 8 classes and it would be $400 on the system.
  - The problem would be the students like would never opt out and the system would fall apart. One of the largest impact would be to insure everyone has books. There’s the most vulnerability in the 100-200 level classes for drop out so they want to start there.
  - Mario: the reason students don’t want to buy books is to prevent debt and this would be forcing them to buy them and possibly not wanting to come to EMU because this would be an increased debt to them.
  - Not everyone has the option to buy books online.
  - Sam: curious if there are projections if this is going to be profitable to the bookstore.
  - From a university prospective no one is gaining money from it. Not sure from the bookstore because they don’t provide their information. Fallett proposal is in field with competitors.
  - Taylor: is there statistics on how many students don’t get books?
  - Don’t have a number but it’s a concern from administration.
  - Hanna: faculty or just VP for enrollment.
  - It is from both faculty and VP for enrollment. One professor is concerned that his 100 level course weren’t getting books.
  - Elisabeth: this would be effecting many first generation college students.
  - Kat: the concern is defiantly that students don’t get textbooks. Those first year courses, how much is from not caring, or not having access to get textbooks because my first year I didn’t have any information about rentals. Would be helpful to provide more information out there but not sure about this system.
  - Sara: respects the view point of first generation however there is some responsibility in entering university. It feels a little like holding hands. My professors are understanding with the first weeks about getting textbooks. Also because there wouldn’t be forcing reading them. Hope you take into consideration that a lot of students aren’t very happy about it.
  - Sam: there’s a problem about how much textbooks are actually used in class or just for small excerpts.
  - Bethany: would be willing and see energy behind mentoring first years in how to get cheaper books. If this goal is to benefit students it would be to saving students money as well as providing options.
  - Kat: providing knowledge about options for underprivileged students have.
  - Vi: would like to know what to tell a student who got an email saying they have to pay $60 and have no way to pay for it.
  - Taylor: would just like to make the plug that as a science major this wouldn’t be saving any money over all.
  - Hanna: the major problem is that this feels very top down but it is obvious that students would be able to help with options and mentoring students. I think we are all hoping for more collaboration and conversation on this.
  - Would be happy to come back after the pilot to provide more information.
  - Vi: would like to know at some point who this is coming from and who was on the committee.
Open Floor
- President’s cabinet would like more discussion with YPCA about their name change because of the significance of the club.
Adjournment
- Mario motions to adjourn the meeting. Robert seconds. Meeting adjourned at 9:57pm.