Attendance

AAS Senate Meeting Minutes

Monday October 31, 2005

 

Voting Explanation:

Attendance: X – present; ½ – half-absence; U – unexcused absence; -- – unexcused absence (unconfirmed)

PBG: Motion to approve the PBG Ad-hoc Committee Report

$87: Motion to remove $87 from BC Recommendations for Speaker’s meal expenses for Bi-Semester

$496.25: Motion to remove $496.25 from BC Recommendations for food for Bi-Semester

BC: Motion to approve the BC Recommendations with exceptions

$490: Motion to allocate $490 for Focus Groups Senate Project

$1000: Motion to allocate $1000 for Hillel Speaker

 

 

Call to Order at 9:03 p.m.

Approval of the minutes: Minutes approved.

Officer Reports:

Committee Reports

Announcements

Special Orders

1.  Committee Elections

    1. Sam Siegal had to resign from Social Council seat

  i.  Social Council meetings are Monday 7-7:30PM (Executive), 7:30PM- (General)

  ii.  Nominations: Julie Kim 08

  iii.  Julie Kim is the new committee member

    1. College Council Class of 2009 Seat

  i.  Not enough senators for election

2.  PBG Ad-hoc Committee Report

    1. Gyorody presents report
    2. The Committee discussed various questions with members from PBG
    3. Notes: Efforts underway to find alternative resources; Fees are part of a goal to make PBG self-sustaining; Fees may be a better idea than previously suggested in last meeting; Report explains everything
    4. PBG member Nic Desmarais: President Marx’s involvement
    5. Bhala, Treasurer: If something get be received in writing
    6. Gyorody: Motion to approve the report as recommended
    7. Das: It is hopeful that next year, Senate will refrain from funding and President Marx will provide such funds
    8. Simmons, President: Calculation error?; Caution on making recommendations for future Senators; Career Center may not be well-known
    9. PBG member: comments about Career Center: two problems of CC sponsorship: 1) too expensive; 2) too much commitment; Suggestion that Marx sponsors CC to sponsor PBG; CC recommended asking Marx to sponsor directly
    10. Silberstein: Comments about two separate motions: no need for a second motion as it is built into the BC recommendations
    11. Djabatey:
    12. Das: Senate previously had sent memos to administration; urge to call
    13. Bhala: Senate Orders attempted to make history, but putting provisions on BC Recommendations is probably the best way
    14. Stein: Willing to write memo; calls; objection
    15. Silberstein: yield to Gottlieb
    16. Gottlieb: Senator should be committed to remember
    17. Das: General Privilege: Senate Orders exist to serve as institutional memory
    18. Simmons: Caution on Orders; may be ineffective, but there may be no way around it
    19. Bhala: Constitutional or Bylaw
    20. Smith, JC Chair: Senate is not supposed to fund Interterm….
    21. Vote: Roll Call Vote (see table)
    22. Motion PASSES; Recommendations approved

3.  Raj Borsellino: Lip Sync

    1. Room draw: Lip Sync provides room draw group to win top slot in class
    2. Borsellino: Complaints have been brought:
    3. Sexist: boy-on-boy drag stuff, etc.; crowds love it and judges must oblige; discourages females
    4. Forum:
    5. Djabatey: Agree completely with complaints;
    6. Kim: Maybe make a rule prohibiting make-outs; this may force people to be more creative
    7. Benson: was the direct loser of such acts; own group chose not to do it and may have lost because of it; Lip Sync should not be completely eliminated: 1) provides a way for those “screwed” to advance higher – rules should be changed in that regard 2) fostered sense of group between group members despite losing
    8. Siegal: Possible solutions: create set of criteria; or distributing ballots to those watching it
    9. Das: Criteria might skew incentives; a group may hit all criteria but not give a good performance; it may discourage females from performing, but if group X keeps winning, people will emulate X; if some other group provides serious performance and wins, others will follow
    10. Gottlieb: is a contest where few win and many lose; buck up and do a better show next time; rules will not fix the problem
    11. Smith: Lip Sync is the only one fun thing Housing Office does; would be a disaster if things were changed; best performer (most ridiculous) will win; leave it alone
    12. Cobbs: Keep in mind: Lip Sync only works when there is a wide variety of bad housing; maybe focus on getting better housing and not on Lip Sync’s problems
    13. Bhala: Perhaps a problem with the Lip Sync “art form”; it’s either boys in drag or scantily-clad girls; recommend instead a talent show: other talents can come in besides being able to kiss a boy
    14. Kim: Get more winners (Bhala: like affirmative action)
    15. Djabatey: what Julie Kim said
    16. Gyorody: other schools have bigger events; perhaps investigate whether similar problems exist
    17. Simmons: all students do Lip Sync; no random room draw groups
    18. Zeiser: Weigh whether to have rules, or if not; go to have a good time

4.  Senate Projects

    1. Silberstein: must go through JC first
    2. Isserman: have projects ready soon

5.  BC Recommendations

    1. Bhala: Lots got tabled because BC thought Senate wasn’t going to meet
    2. Questions of a general nature:

  i.  Benson: YAI: If Senate allocated last year, it’s not possible to write a check now?; Bhala: Books have to close

  ii.  Das: HTG Bi-Semester: What is Senate’s opinion on the food costs as they are high?; Rep: Costs built for 75 people (50-60 show up); additional costs include delivery and set-up; African-American food catering is difficult to find;

  iii.  Gyorody 1: Track record on funding food for speakers; Bhala: don’t know

  iv.  Gyorody 2: FLICS: What did Dean Haynes exactly say; Rep: A little angry Senate hasn’t handled it yet

  v.  Gyorody 3: HTG Bi-Semester: Approach Smith College for half of other expenses besides transportation; Rep: Speaker will spend more time at AC than Smith

  vi.  Das 1: HTG Bi-Semester: Does fellowship give money?; Rep: Bi-Semester started with money out of advisor’s pocket, but since then SGO/AAS has provided funding

    1. Das 2: A Senator may have to move to include the recommendations in yellow
  1. Gottlieb: Motion to approve Recommendations without tabled and not discussed; motion withdrawn
  2. Das: Motion to approve Recommendations including Bi-Semester, but not YAI and FLICS
    1. Das: Why not FLICS: wants to speak to Dean Haynes first; HTG Bi-Semester: would vote for honorarium for speaker
    2. Gyorody: Motion to amend Bi-Semester: Strike food costs for speaker ($87) to $0

  i.  Gyorody: Not done before, and speaker is also going to Smith College

  ii.  Smith: Yield to Simmons

  iii.  Simmons: Food issue keeps coming up; should not always act on precedence

  iv.  Silberstein: Valentine provides meals

  v.  Cindy Jean, HTGBS rep: Professional approach is to provide foods; contract provides for meals; $87 is reasonable for 5 meals; Smith College is paying for parts of transportation and accommodations

  vi.  Das: Move the Question; Seconded

1.  Voice Vote: Motion to Move PASSES

  vii.  Roll Call Vote: Yes is to remove $87; No is to retain $87 (see table)

  viii.  Motion to Amend FAILS

    1. Stein: Motion to cut in half the accommodations; Seconded

  i.  Smith: $269.98 for one night in Northampton seems excessive; have Smith pay other half

  ii.  Djabatey: Is it possible to have an invoice first – it seems that the costs are for two nights

  iii.  Simmons: Lord Jeff offers rooms for $160 per night on weekend;

  iv.  Das: Motion to table debate; Seconded

1.  Urge to move the question

2.  Rothschild: Move the Question; Seconded

a.  Voice Vote: Motion PASSES

  v.  Motion to Table Voice Vote: Motion PASSES

  vi.  Accommodation issue TABLED

    1. Rothschild: Motion to reduce food costs from $496.25 to $0

  i.  Rothschild: Large amount of money per person; $18/person is a lot

  ii.  Cobbs: This is ridiculous; vote it down

  iii.  McKay: The woman who usually cooks is unavailable; no alternative is available

  iv.  Gyorody: Move the Question; Seconded

1.  Voice Vote: Motion PASSES

  v.  Roll Call Vote (see table)

  vi.  Motion to Amend FAILS

    1. Das: Call the Question
    2. The Motion is to Approve the BC Recommendations without YAI, FLICS
    3. Roll Call Vote: (see table)
    4. Motion to Approve Recommendations PASSES

New Business

  1. FLICS
    1. Rep: Dean Haynes recommended that FLICS employees pay for the lost costs themselves; this is why FLICS is bringing the matter up to the Senate
    2. Das: Motion to commit to Das and others to talk to Dean Haynes; Seconded

  i.  McKay, Siegal, Kim, and Das volunteer

  ii.  Voice Vote: Motion passes

    1. Motion to Commit PASSES
  1. Senate Project: Focus Groups
    1. Silberstein: Senate must approve, then JC will finalize completion; Project: The idea is to run focus groups to find student opinions on services, departments, etc.; Last year, subject was IT; This year, starting with Career Center, then Student Activities with Dean Haynes; four senators working on this project; Request to Senate is to order Chinese food for six (6) groups; funds would come from the Senate fund and not the discretionary fund, so there is no competition for money with other groups; Other senators have helped and allows better communication with constituents; Request is $490
    2. Das: Motion to allocate in full from Senate fund $490

  i.  Good idea; food will provide an incentive to show up consistently

  ii.  Stein: Question: how much was spent; Silberstein: $60-70 spent last year

  iii.  Bookman: Publicity issue; Silberstein: Done randomly

  iv.  Koehler: Response rate?

  v.  Das: Call the Question

  vi.  Roll Call Vote: (see table)

    1. Motion to Allocate Funds PASSES
    2. Bhala: Perhaps Senate Projects should go through BC process just like any other groups
  1. Hillel Presentation
    1. Speaker is coming; a Muslim-Arab born and raised Israel; now lives in New Jersey; She is coming to speak of her experiences in growing up in Israel; goal is to find out about religious plurality in Israel; hails from Haifa; a Cultural-Religious event
    2. A BC request was filed but was not acted upon because Senate meeting was expected to meet on Thursday
    3. Held in the Red Room, 8PM, Wednesday next week
    4. Request is $1250, with $950 on top

  i.  Speaker’s fee: $2000

  ii.  Travel expenses not part of request

  iii.  Accommodations and publicity: $150

    1. Sponsored on Foreign Policy Forum, but focus is on religion
    2. Other places for funding:

  i.  ISA co-sponsorship pending

  ii.  Noor co-sponsorship pending

  iii.  Willis Wood Fund through Religion Dept.; rejected

  iv.  Political Science Dept.; deferred

  v.  History Dept.; no response

    1. Questions

  i.  Simmons: urge to pass a motion

  ii.  Das: Have Dean Haynes, Lieber, and President Marx been approached?

  iii.  Response: Interdepartmental Fund is only available if Senate rejects funding

  iv.  Serrill-Robins: Where was the speaker found? Background?

  v.  Response: At a conference sponsored by the Israel Project, speaker there recommended current speaker in question; has appeared in radio shows, spoke in Florida

  vi.  Benson: We just funded a speaker for a religious event for $500; why $2000 here?

  vii.  Response: More prominent; consults with government agencies; supply and demand

    1. Das: Motion to Fund $1000; Seconded

  i.  Other sources seem to be able to cover the rest; if not, then Hillel can come back

  ii.  Gottlieb calls; objection

  iii.  Rothschild: Motion to Amend to $1250; Seconded

1.  Das has good point, but why not fully fund now?

2.  Gyorody: Das’s motion might allow the gap to be covered

3.  Stein: It might just be as easy for Hillel to try to find sources and return any unused funds

4.  McKay calls

5.  Voice Vote to Amend FAILS

  iv.  Borsellino calls

  v.  Roll Call Vote: (see table)

  vi.  Motion to Fund PASSES

  1. Bookman: Update on Bus to Williams College Football Game
    1. Bookman’s work seems to have been all for naught;
    2. Social Council seems to be working on this;
  2. Simmons: Some Matters of Budgeting Process
  3. Bhala: Musical Ad-Hoc Committee
    1. Basically, AAS is funding a semi-academic departmental affair just because of interdepartmental feuding
    2. Siegal: Motion to Commit to an Ad-Hoc Committee; Seconded
    3. Voice Vote: Motion PASSES
  4. Jason Kung 08 resigns from the Senate
  5. Motion to Adjourn

Meeting Adjourns at 11:05PM

 

Table of Roll Call Votes

SENIOR SENATORS

PBG

$87

$496.25

BC

$490

$1000

Rania Arja

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Rob Cobbs

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Andrew Gehring

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

David Gottlieb

A

N

A

Y

A

Y

Caitlyn Phan

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Jessica Rothschild

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

Mira Serrill-Robins

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Emily Silberstein

Y

Y

N

Y

A

Y

JUNIOR SENATORS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avi Das

A

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Janice Djabatey

Y

Y

A

Y

Y

Y

Andrea Gyorody

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Charmel Maynard

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jordan McKay

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Gloria Monfrini

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashley Rose

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Tim Zeiser

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

SOPHOMORE SENATORS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patrick Benson

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Adam Bookman

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Raj Borsellino

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Daniel De Zeeuw

Y

N

N

Y

A

Y

Julie Kim

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Jason Kung

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Samantha Siegal

Y

Y

N

Y

A

Y

Josh Stein

Y

N

N

Y

Y

A

FRESHMEN SENATORS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacqueline De La Fuente

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Anneliese Koehler

Y

N

N

Y

N

Y

Paul Nielsen

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Nicholas Pastan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jelani Lundy-Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michele Tran

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ayyappan Venkatraman

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Shantel Watters

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

Mike Simmons

 

Noah Isserman

 

Richa Bhala

 

Ryan Smith

 

Austin Yim