Tuesday Meeting Agenda: Sept 5

Tuesday meeting agenda: Sept 5

In attendance: Rachel Weber, Hsien Seow, McKinley Glover, Kate Machusick, Rick Brathwaite, Mona Rezapour, Anne Sawyer, Rachel Millstein, Renee Gindi, Hui Yang, Cynthia McOliver, Andy Tan, Monica Li, Janet Tai, Amrittra Ramakrishnan, Dilini Ranatunga, Ruben Hernaez, Mei Wen, Amy Boore, Kamila Mustry. (Total 20)

I. Welcome (Rachel Weber) --Email out for Student groups, applications due Sept 11.

II. Communications update (Amy Boore, Hsien Seow & Rachel Weber) --Updating website. Pictures going up. Every committee has a website. Website is highly visible. --Listservs: updating listserv; activities-l and student-l is still on old system … but will be switching to new system soon. (i.e. can update off-site). Still a work in progress. More updates soon. Can request a list-serv from ISIS. --Hsien Seow resigning from VP Comm position. Monica Li will be acting as exec VP until end of elections.

III. Social/Cultural update (Monica Li & Nafisseh Sirjani) --Party on Friday. Welcome party was a success, with band and DJ. --Happy Hour this week…Thurs. --Next event is Halloween. Ideas are welcome. No plans as of yet. --Winter Gala date – Feb 24/07. date set. --Spring Tonic – trying to get the space for Turner auditorium/Turner concourse. Sommer is too small. Still awaiting dates. Trying to have it on Friday too.

IV. Student Groups update (Mei Wen) --Not a lot of activities during the summer. With new year, new applications to new groups. New trainings on how to form a new group, guidelines for funding, etc. Hoping for dates in Sept or Oct. --Next New Event Planning is: Oct 26 in Feinstone Hall. Funded and planned by Scott Klein. Try to attend, if you haven’t already attended. Space needs to booked early! – because so many groups… approval form linked through SA. Try to book space early, and choose your date early! Lunchtime training session.

V. Finance update (McKinley Glover) --Fundraising auction will be in December, not in the Spring. --First meeting was held on Aug 14 reviewed applications for funding (reviewed 2 events and gave out money appropriately). --Highlights: New discretionary budget was hit before school started, because receipts turned in late. Encourage student groups to hand in receipts and forms right after event. APHA was penalized due to funding. --Also Red Maple did not cash a check a few years ago…and so $600 was taken out from discretionary again.

VI. Elections update (Andy Tan) --Elections nominations start Sept 11. Several positions up for election. President-elect, VP Comm, VP Community affairs, VP Social Cultural Committee, and 6 MAL. Nominations accepted until Sept 18. Balloting start for 1 week, until 24 Sept midnight. --Still missing Dept reps. Looking for Biostats, and MMI. --Postering: Mike Ward spoke to working with faculty and housekeeping to try to develop a solution. Will be following up to inform SA.

VII. Baltimore Week update (Rachel Weber) --Lainie Rutnow: was the Community Relations Chair for the summer. --B’more week Sept 29 to Oct 7. Lots of speakers, displays, movie screening, mayor is speaking, tri-school service day. --SA has 1 event at Sommer Hall. --more than 14 groups co-sponsoring this event… the biggest amount of supporters in SA history (we think) --Duza Baba was supposed to take over; but is not at school yet. So we need the VP Community affairs (once elected) … to help out. --We need community affairs committee to step up and help… Next meeting at Friday at 12 noon. VIII. Student Grants Fund update (Amy Boore & Hsien Seow) --Hsien and Amy have written the selection process. Have gotten feedback from faculty and students. Are in the late stages of approving this process. Will be online soon. Oct 1st and April 1st are the opening dates for application process.

IX. Vote to Amend Bylaws (Rachel Weber & Amy Boore) --From an experience last year, with a last minute write in candidate… we have amended the election by-laws to prevent people from soliciting support from list-servs. --As well, department list-servs are hard to regulate. So new language has been written to try to make the process clear and fair. Amendment vote: 13 votes in favor None opposed None in abstention Result: Motion carried

X. Committee updates (Anne Sawyer and others- time pending) --Mental Health: Following this issue closely. Access to mental health is still an important issue to work with. Policy surrounding school work or regular everyday function – we are discussing policy making about mental health rules, since currently there are no rules or statements to this effect.

XI. New business --Women’s Health Action Group trying to plan event for World Aids day. Assembly has been invited to it. Need a representative for it. --SA main office has drinks for other events. Please don’t take out of fridge. --Introductions around the room. 