Student Government Association
Senate Agenda
20th of March 2013
The difficulty lies not so much in developing
new ideas as in escaping from old ones. -John Maynard Keynes
1. Call to Order – at 8:46 pm
2. Roll Call/Prayer
3. Approval of Minutes – Minutes passed.
4. Announcements
a. Park Cabin Workday: Erika passed around a sign-up sheet for Friday’s workday and to sign up to bring food for the community volunteers.
b. March 26th UG Dean Meeting: Next Tuesday 8pm in Common Grounds meeting with Deirdre Smetlzer Erb. Hannah would like a few people to commit to come and chat.
c. Executive Elections: Petitions are due back the 25th, elections on the 2nd. Exec officers will start training for the last month of the semester.
5. Old Business
6. New Business
a. Doug/CAC concert planning: Doug Wandersee and Cody Walker from CAC asking about performing arts series and Joshua Radin concert and what our input/advice would be for next year. Doug provided info about EMU’s agent. They discussed the pros and cons of PAS vs concert. brought list of artists in the $10,000-20,000 range; questionnaire from last year had students favoring PAS 55% to 45%, so they want to revisit the idea of a concert. students are coming to events because it’s the PAS and recognize that quality even if they aren’t familiar with the acts. Carissa asked Doug what they wanted from SGA; Doug wants guidance: do we want a large act or PAS? Matt M suggested sending out a new survey. If we do a large concert, how do we go about choosing an artist? Go through list from agent and of the artists that will be touring next year and matches their tour date and our facilities and then ask students. Even if we have our artist, we need a back-up or two. Chantelle said she preferred PAS because it was spread out and not once and done. Andrew liked the community turn out of big events at Hesston and would like that community feel at an EMU concert as well. Carissa said it might feel repetitive to have only PAS; Matt Naf likes the spread out PAS but thinks there should also be a large act every few years. Hannah said she thinks students like big events now and then as a visual of where their money is going. Erika highlighted Carissa’s point of a concert making a PAS refreshing. Overall senate feeling towards a concert. Matt M suggested putting a Facebook poll/update to help narrow down an artist. Doug needs decision by end of April; concert at earliest next fall, possibly next spring. CAC is severely understaffed this year and needs volunteers for Springfest April 19 and Cody passed around sign-up sheet.
b. Intellectual Life/speaker sponsorship: Tara Kishbaugh; Brian Martin Burkholder and others contacted IL committee about hosting Rachel Held Evans (from TN) her fee is $4,000 for two speaking events; out of budget, would there be other groups interested in contributing to her fee? She is a blogger and a writer chronicling her faith struggle and embracing tough questions; also what does it mean to be a woman Biblically? Tries to take approach that there are many commands about what it means to live correctly and we all pick and choose and then cover it up and don’t talk about it. Would like for her to speak in chapel and then do a follow-up chat later in the evening. Tara wants to know if others are aware of her? Tara would like her to talk more than just about her book, but also why youth leave the church and why some choose to come back. For Spring 2014; IL only has $1,000, would SGA be interested in helping to fund her? Tara doesn’t need decision right away, next IL meeting is April 2nd. Tara wondered if we thought Rachel would be generationally appropriate. We have the money to work with but would the students be interested? Matt M had concerns about overall campus involvement. We’ll look at blog then discuss it again next meeting.
c. Questions for Townhall meeting: Zach sent Loren, Ken, Daryl, and Nancy 5 questions that we had as of Tuesday. Zach would like us to brainstorm more questions: Reflections on how the university has changed in the last 10 years; why do we offer so few languages if we have such a focus on being globally aware? What is the Master Plan? Ask each of them what they think the most interesting portion of the Master Plan is. Why aren’t their financial incentives for students to be more sustainable? Why aren’t we making institutional changes?
d. Faculty Appreciation Day: April 8th and 9th; a class is already planning a faculty panel on 8th but might be moved to 9th. Meg, Becca, Carissa volunteered to help with poster/cards. Becca mentioned that setting out flowers and smartees helped bring awareness to faculty appreciation. Elias volunteered to help Erika with that. ask Molly about taking pictures outside of caf for dress like a professor day. Becca suggested a baby/teenage picture guessing contest.
e. Funding Request-Andrew Penner: Eldon gave the amount of $500 to put up lights in sand volleyball courts. Money goes to cover the cost of the concrete bases, conduit, and the wire. Hopefully they’ll be up by the end of the school year, but we aren’t sure of the timeline. Zach made motion to approve $500 funding request. Becca seconded. Motion passed.
7. Open Floor
8. Adjournment
a. Becca made motion
b. Christine seconded
c. Motion passed.