Sonoma State University

Senate Meeting Minutes 08/28/23

Minutes

Sonoma State University
AS Senate Meeting
Associated Students
12:00pm- Monday, August 28, 2023
Sonoma Valley Room – 2nd Floor Student Center

Minutes

  1. Call to Order & reading of the Land acknowledgement- The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m.
  2. Roll Call- Erik Dickson, Vanessa Sanchez, Cassandra Garcia, Brenda Hernandez, Clayton Trent, Angelina Lopez, Greta Fast, Carlos Calito, Jocelyn McMillian, Taneesha Porter, Laura Krier, Taylor Frickman, Gerald Jones, Salvador Garcia Vigil, India Garcia
  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. Guests
    1. ​Brad Starkey-Owens - Accessibility Services Analyst- Owens reported that giving a background of accessibility in SSU; current way is having rules from Chancellor’s Office and the purpose to make SSU accessible; However, the rules are not written by people with accessibility issues; There is no current student input, although there is an discussion of accessibility; needed of student input and wanting to create a program that SSU can be accessible for all students; thinking of planning of how to launch the program before actually launch the official program; 1 student is hired to help out; Feedback is probably using a survey, sending emails but maybe not because not all students check their emails; maybe try a pop up on Canvas, QR codes as well(sticker/flier style); Another issue is the password issue along with wifi, changing their passwords connecting with the DUO two factor authentication; another issue is bringing audiobooks inside the class; any additional feedback is welcome, more student based input is needed; his contact information is starkeyowe@sonoma.edu if you have any questions or concerns;
  5. Reports
    1. ​University President’s designee - Dr. Jones reported: proposed name: Noma Care Central; website is operational, and have different issues in the Basic Needs Center; advocates, counseling, CALFRESH, Medical, etc to help the students; it was named after the ; Dr. Laura Willams out on leave; Dr. Andre Shepard for CAPS; 89 students signed last week for campus services, emergency advocates started last week; However, COVID on the issue, so announcement will be coming out soon; CARE has 12 positive cases; increased student engagement;
    2. Academic Senate Representative- Representative Krier reported: this Thursday, consent items; first reading of leadership certification;

    3. AS President - President Garcia reported : discussed with Board of Directors of the Tuition Increase Proposal, tabled last week with SG and BOD about the vote and the topic in genera but not a lot of people did not know about it, possible awareness tabling of the tuition increase; discussed with Stephanie to market it on social media and other outlets to get the awareness out to students around campus;

    4. Executive Vice President-

    5. Vice President of Finance- VPF Trent reported: short catch up meeting with President Lee and Monir Ahmed, CSU System implementing budget cuts with schools with low enrollment, President Lee handling the pushback of budget cuts;

    6. Senator of Diversity-

    7. Senator of Student Resources- Senator Fast reported: working with SG to plan Open Forum in October; tabling about the tuition increase; the other topics will be student resources, accessibility and diversity;

    8.  

      Senator of Government Affairs-
    9. JUMP Representative- SONOMA serves @ Copeland Creek, cleaned with ; 41 people, 31 students; JUMP info session, however no attendance; STUDY BUDDIES, 11 signed up and interviewed 2 students; Days of Services: Goatlandia, LOBOS Pantry;

    10.  

      Basic Needs Representative​ -

    11.  

      ASP Representative- reported: Tunes @ Noon, tabling with SG; total 3 events; Ongoing Events are at the moment; Tabling 12-1; Trivia Nite, Paint & SIP,

    12.  

      Children's School Representative- 

    13.  

      Student Government Representative- Representative Porter reported: that Student Gov is continuing to hire for Student Reps, continuing to tabling and tabling at least 6 hours/week; starting another program called Call All Student Leaders; we are also doing constituency reports;

    14.  

      Executive Director-
  6. Business
    1. First reading of a Government Resolution Opposing the 6% Multi-Year Tuition Increase Proposal (Discussion)

      1. Discussion- Senator Sanchez and President Garcia, along with other departments having been doing constituency reports and have been creating this document opposing the 6% multi year tuition increase because in assumption, the increase can be approved; The Board thinks of the government resolution as a security blanket, saying like we do not agree with the increase, but if it does get approved, we would like for it to allocated to somewhere else such as Student Resources; Senator Frickman likes the language that the resolution is surrounded in, but wanted to ask what the timeline is to be in that specific and huge conversation? Senator Sanchez discussed: The goal is to get it approved, go through a second reading and voted by the Senate twice, making adjustments along the way; The unofficial timeline is in 2 weeks, since the vote is happening soon and will be voted by then; EVP Lopez asked if the allocation of the increase will be said in the resolution; Senator Sanchez said that was their previous goal, but as they were getting the constituent reports, they did not give a direct answer on where they would want it to be allocated, it was more of the line of not wanting the increase or the increase not being approved; The discussion is also of what should be included in the document for the resolution and go from there; Student Government did have a central file of the constituent reports but had a little bit of difficulty because there were so many to manually type in, so it switched to QR codes; Representative Porter added that: some of the consituitent’s handwriting was a little not legible, so they thought it would be better to use QR codes and Google forms to get clear answers and results and to keep track of what the constituent’s are saying about this topic; Director Dickson also discussed on what message do you want to say with this resolution going to the Board of Trustees and give it to President Lee, what would you want him to do with it and what is the timeline within? Director Dickson also added of what the timeline is and what is wanted to be said in the resolution because it is not just a simple business item and it is complex. It is also going to be how do you want to word the messaging and do you want to put it into 1 container? Senator Sanchez was saying that to keep the resolution but short and direct, so that when another resolution is passed, it can be explained further in detail on where the money should be allocated to but not too detailed; to be acknowledged and be aware of where the money is going when it comes after the vote; Question: if we keep to date where the money is being allocated at, is it going to be used in the correct way and benefits the students of SSU? Senator Frickman brought up about how other schools did, by passing a resolution and creating a variety of resolutions after the fact; Suggestion is to be strong in the opposition and verbiage so you get your point across to get that student voice across; Since this resolution is going out to President Lee and the Board of Trustees, it has to be precise and direct; Who is the intended audience? Senator Sanchez discussed if the resolution is going to be directed towards the Board of Trustees, it has to be very specific since they are looking at other CSU’s as well. The key thing that is missing in the conversation. is this is being talked at them, but not with them; President Garcia is discussing about how should the resolution be worded so it is short and precise, but also understandable on the pre set ; VPF Trent suggests to not set another timeline right now since there is already another timeline connecting to the tuition increase and if the audience is the Board of Trustees; The BOD are discussing the verbiage/wording of the document to make it more precise;

  7. Items for the Good of the Order- This week, no reports and no meeting on monday since it is Labor Day, so President Garcia will be sending an email of when the next meeting will be; COVID on the rise again around campus and stay healthy and if you are sick, stay home;

  8. Adjournment- The meeting is adjourned at: 1:23 pm;

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