IN THE SENATE
OF THE
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Thomas A. Falcigno
Acting Executive Vice President
Acting Chairperson of the Senate
Alyssa Weakley
Leadership Committee Chairperson
Chairperson Pro-Tempore
____________________________________________________________________________
*These minutes are currently unconfirmed by the Senate*
AGENDA
Marvin Center 309 | Senate Meeting #14 | March 7, 2016
I.
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IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Call to Order at 9:05
Roll Call
Public Comment
A. Michael Liu- Member of the medical school council, asking for the
senate to approve his co sponsorship request for $9,000. Helps to support follies, a
skit night where medical students and faculty get involved to do skits. We had
400/500 students attended last year, and we expect a bigger turnout for this year.
Approval of Minutes from Monday, February 22nd, 2016
A. Minutes do pass, with amendment
Opening Statement by Acting Executive Vice President Thomas Falcigno
President’s Report by President Andie Dowd
A. Setting up committee for the renovation for the marvin center. I
have also nominated Thomas to be the new EVP, so please vote to confirm him.
1. Question Senator Lawrence: How were students
selected to be on the committee? I will sit on the board, and we will get
the new President in addition to another student.
Announcements on Initiatives
A. SR-F15-04
Dr. Benno “Doc” Fritz Memorial Resolution, Sen. Smith (1 of 2)
1. Thank you for passing it.
B. SB-S16-06
WMATA Student Pass Referendum Act, Sen. Weakley (1 of 2)
1. Chief of Staff John Lindsay: Thank you for sharing
the survey, we are getting results back and we are very excited. For the
referendum, I would encourage you to consider the question at hand,
which is should we consider this?
a) Question Senator Watkins: What
happens after the referendum is passed?
(1) Chief of Staff John
Lindsay: We will evaluate the responses to the survey and
the referendum, and will be having more conversations
with high ranking officials at the University. The first thing
is working with the SA to find the best way to interpret the
data, and if the answer is that students want this, then how
do we get the best things from WMATA, like paratransit
and opt in and opt out.
VIII.
IX.
Old Business
A. MISPH Senate Seat Committee Assignment
1. Nikhila Kanthety
Motion to assign her to the Student Life committee
(1) Motion does pass
New Business
A. Confirmation Vote of Chairperson Pro-Tempore Sen. Thomas Falcigno (CCASU) to serve in the position of Executive Vice President for the remainder of the
2015-2016 Executive Vice Presidential term.
1. Falcigno submits letter of resignation at 9:20
2. New acting EVP Paden Gallagher at 9:20
a) Chairperson Pro-Tempore Falcigno:
I want to make sure that I am helping you all with your proposals
and initiatives, and want to make sure that I am working with the
finance committee and ensuring that every group is able to have
access to fair funding. On the executive side, I want to make sure
to work with President Dowd, and will be sure to coordinate with
her staff.
(1) Motion to end
questioning, and into debate
(2) Move to approve by
unanimous consent
(3) EVP Falcigno is
confirmed 9:25
(4) EVP is sworn in by
Chief Justice Cassidy Moriarty 9:26
B. SB-S16-07
South Asian Heritage Celebration Act (Sen. Merani and Sen.
Walimbe)
1. Senator Merani: This act essentially makes sure that
we as a senate market their event as much as possible, and make sure that
it gets the recognition it needs.
a) Motion to end questioning and move
into debate
b) Motion to end debate
c) Motion to Pass SB-S16-07
(1) Motion does pass
C. SB-S16-08
Co-Sponsorship Approval Loophole Act (Sen. Bernier)
1. Senator Bernier: Makes sets a maximum level that
co sponsorships can be raised, we now have two separate sets of financial
rules, so this affects both the bylaws and the financial laws.
a) Motion to end questioning
b) Motion to end debate
(1) Senator Fromkin: I
think that we should leave this door open, because this is
what allowed us to move the funds during the last issue.
(2) Senator Bernier: I was
the one who made the amendment for the money to be
shifted, but I want to make sure that it never happens again.
There needs to be better channels of conversation between
finance and the senate, before we get to another issue.
(3) Senator Kumnick:
What happened last time was right for the moment, but it
opens up a pandora’s box. What we did last week was a
special circumstance, and it shouldn’t happen again.
(4) Senator Smith: I
100% concur.
(5) Senator Spirtos: Not
every org is going to be as great as Senator Berniers and
actually transfer the funds, and this shuts down the
possibility of orgs taking advantage of that situation.
(6) Senator Fromkin: I
don’t want any of those things to happen, but I think that
there are still flaws in the system and I’m going to vote
now.
c) Motion to end debate
(1) Motion does pass
d) Motion to pass SB-S16-08
(1) Motion does pass
D. Motion to nominate new Senate Pro-Tempore
1. Motion to nominate Senator Bernier: I came into
this thinking that this would be a silly thing, but I have actually really
enjoyed the financial side of things, with FBAC. What the Pro-Tem has
left this year is basically to oversee the allocations process.
X.
2. Motion to nominate Senator Fromkin: In the interest
of the senate I would like to throw my full support behind Senator Bernier.
I love the senate, and would like to go with Senator Bernier
a) Motion to withdraw Senator
Fromkin's nomination
3. Motion to unanimously confirm Senator Bernier
a) Motion does pass
Committee Reports
A. Senate Select Committees
1. The Leadership Committee
a) Nothing currently to report.
B. Senate Standing Committees
1. The Finance Committee
a) Move to pass the follies request for
$9,395.50
(1) Senator Graybill:
How much left in the budget?
(2) Senator Gallagher:
$18,950.36
(3) Senator Bernier: I am
going to approve this, but we need to take a serious look at
what Lisner charges for student org’s. $17,000. If we want
to seriously look at affordability, taking 2 cents off printing
isn’t going to do much but this will.
(4) Senator Katcher: I am
also very upset about this, and it is very frustrating for me
to be a member of the GW community for so long, and I
have tried to advocate for this, but Lisner and other theatres
are too expensive.
(5) Senator Spirtos: It is
an extremely frustrating profit, and these spaces need to be
for students, not for turning a profit.
(6) Senator Watkins:
Yield time to President Dowd
(7) President Dowd: We
have been fighting for this all year, and we just got rid of
the 75% rule in marvin, and I would be more than willing
to set up more office hour if you will all attend.
(8) Motion to pass
cosponsorship
(9) Motion does pass
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
2. The Academic Affairs Committee
a) Senator Weakly: Senator Armani is
working for changes in the fees for graduate classes, dropping out
and moving around courses. We are actually working on student
space issues, and making sure that the SEH building is being used
to it’s full capacity.
3. The Student Life Committee
a) We have people working on printing
costs, as well as good samaritan policies, course evaluations, and
grad student space as well.
Announcements from the Chair
Public Comment
A. Aaron Hedquist: Make sure to keep yourself healthy in these
stressful times, drink water you guys know what to do.
Pass the Gavel
Adjournment at 10:01