Sonoma State University

Senate Meeting Minutes 08/21/23

Minutes

Associated Students
Sonoma State University
AS Senate Meeting
12:00pm- Monday, August 21, 2023
Bennett Valley Room – 2nd Floor Student Center

Minutes

  1. Call to Order & reading of the Land acknowledgement - The meeting was called to order at 12:02 pm
  2. Roll Call - Cassandra Garcia, Greta Fast, Angelina Lopez, Taylor Frickman, Taneesha Porter, Clayton Trent, Vanessa Sanchez, Brenda Hernandez, Ellie Orona, Salvador Garcia Vigil, Erik Dickson, Gerald Jones, India Garcia and Laura Krier
  3. Public Comment – pursuant to California Education Code 89306, the AS Senate provides this time for any member of the public to address the AS Senate on any item affecting higher education. Pursuant to California Education Code 89306(b), each speaker will be allowed no more than three (3) minutes to address the AS Senate.
  4. Reports
    1. ​University President’s designee - Dr. Jones reported: introduction, thanks for participation Move IN Day, Orientation Week; 3 Key Parts: opens BN Center on campus, will be in the old REACH office, close to LOBOS’s pantry, CAPS counseling, space for CALFresh; increasing throughout the campus(Basic Needs), so that everything is 1 location; all student programs are around together; moving Career Center to the former IT location; 2nd Divisional: working on enhancing student experience throughout data, and how to support SSU students and raising the enrollment/re-enrollment, enrollment is still down on campus of now; Alvin, former Transfer staff oversees Student Retention Area, focused on retention areas; new confidentiality app and emergency hire starting on Thursday, while doing recruitment to fill in the position entirely; searching for the position of VP of Student Affairs;
    2. Academic Senate Representative - Laura Krier reported: introduction; Executive meeting this week, Academic Master Plan, what programs to offer;
    3. AS President - President Garcia reported: introduction, attended CSA to oppose the tuition proposal, discussed every CSU Title IX as well, and best way to support our students and discussed with President Lee on how to enhance student involvement; will be attending CSU trustees meeting via of the Tuition Proposal;
    4. Executive Vice President - introduction; AS created new program to increase SI and student representation; Calling All Student Leaders program for university committees; accountability for program and asking senators and assigning 5 people to do bi weekly check ins; reorganized on the university committees, 5 categories;
    5. Vice President of Finance- VPF Trent reported: over summer, E1000 charge back, fee for services, to maintain budget, plan to reduce and look with Erik and propose final numbers to report at the end of the semester;
    6. Senator of Diversity - introduction: met with Erik & President Garcia, discussing of Student Bill of RIghts, senators assigned committees, Board training for everyone; good turnout
    7. Senator of Student Resources - reported; working with SG to plan Open Forums; Accessibility Analyst, sitting on the SPA and ARC Committee;
    8. Senator of Government Affairs - reported: CSSA meeting, discussing of Student Legislation, making sure students to be aware of the legislation and passing resolutions; CSU foundation meeting; meeting with VP of Government Affairs and agenda; collab with students to give access for the students; CSU, CIty Council, Alumni
    9. JUMP Representative -
    10. Basic Needs Representative- reported: LOBOs pantry opened the first day from 10-12:30 pm , open every day except Thursday, hours are the same except for Wednesday; CALFRESH staff in pantry, easier transition for CALFRESH;
    11. ASP Representative- reported: 2 events, DJ On the Green; 479 in attendance, feedback of shirts and sizes; ran with issues of the bathrooms since SC was closed, issues with drinks; cost: 5,682; $12/ per students; final cost; Big Nite: approximately 2,000 attendees, wristbands, Pharaoh's Fury was the most liked; 50,000 spent approximately; 18 events planned; 75,268 of our budget; Upcoming: 12-1; Tunes at Noon on This Wednesday with DJ Carlos 12-1, Speed Friending 6-7pm; Tabling on Tuesdays from 12-1;
    12. Children's School Representative- enrollment for fall 2023; 51 children, 65 student families, 58% certified families receiving full or partial subsidy, 33% staff or faculty families; flexible policy for the parents, allow parents to pay by the day; Funding: Child Care Access Means Parents In School(CCAMPIS) grant for 23-24 fully funded and 30% increase; July- Sept 2023 for current Year 2, will be allocate more salary and benefits to CCAMPIS; Staff; 29 student assistants, 1 Health and nutrition coordinator and director and teachers;
    13. Student Government Representative- Representative Porter reported: collabing with EVP forCASL(Calling All Student Leaders), hiring for another student gov representative, the application is on Handshake, so if you have any family or friends, spread the word about the position ; Deadline is in September;
    14. Executive Director - Director Dickson reported: students being more engaged due to on how welcoming we are being and giving a thank you, relax and take a rest; Sonoma Serves last Saturday, 100% increase in turnout, over 60 folks, along with the City of Rohnert Park and alumni came as well; DJ On the Green, last year attendance: 300, but ended with 12; this year, it was in the 460s; Sonoma County has no election this year, however in the Spring, CA primary election is
      in March; hiring in multiple departments such as JUMP, ASP, Student Government, so people can scan the QR codes on the boards outside and apply on Handshake; in need of amazing Student Leaders so searching; under enrollment and discussing on the AS Overall Budget VPF Trent presented and got approved for the 23/24 semester; needed to stay at a certain number to keep within the budget; Current headcount is 5832, which is a bit over than what was estimated, which was 5825, but also we need to focus on keeping the retention rate from Fall ‘23 to Spring ‘24; Budget spending is still strong since the Executive Director and certain reserves are not being fully used by the budget; The AS Audit is complete and the reports of that should be on the desk of Audit and Rules Committee next month; conversations of spending and what are the spending patterns; Director Dickson added something new to send to all of the branches, which is called the AS Report, that will be sent to Committee members such Academic Senate, etc; it should be a couple bullet points, not a long report, summarized; spread the word about AS’s social media such as instagram, Tiktok; creating a challenge for everyone during Elections in Spring;
  5. Business
    1. ​Approve a Corporate Resolution Amending the Audit & Rules, Finance, Personnel, and Strategic Planning & Assessment Codes (ACTION)

      1. Discussion- VPF Trent discussed: codes for the Committees, including ARC, Finance, Personnel, and Strategic Planning & Assessment; currently, it is 2 senators and 1 advisor, but will be changed to members of the Senate; Vice President of Finance Trent moved to approve a Corporate Resolution Amending the Audit & Rules, Finance, Personnel and Strategic Planning & Assessment Codes; EVP Lopez seconded the motion;

    2. Opposing the Multi-Year Tuition Proposal (Discussion) Time Certain 1:00 pm

      1. Discussion - President Garcia is discussing the increase of tuition and giving the side of opposing; Director Dickson also brought up discussion of how discussing about it gives it leverage but also think about how President Lee will think; having something documented, like a resolution, so that there is a say coming from this side, beside the political aspect of it; spread the word and ask around how the students in our team feel about the issue to get a consensus on

    3. Executive Director Search Committee (Discussion)

      1. Discussion- President Garcia is deciding who is going to be on the Committee, including who will be the Committee’s chair, more details coming out, people who are in it will be getting an email;

  6. Items for the Good of the Order - HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

  7. Adjournment- The meeting was adjourned at: 1:34 pm

Posted in accordance with the Gloria Romero Open Meeting Law of 2000 by: President Cassandra Garcia