The meeting of the 60th Student Senate was called to order at 7:34 p.m. by Student Senate President Nathasha Cole.

Senator Howard led the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moment of Silent Reflection:

MEMBERS PRESENT (First Roll Call): Senators Abreu, Angulo, Atkins, Barbas, Bastardo, Benson, Cuyler, Dawson, DuBosar, Fasano, Fisher, Goins, Guiddy, Hall, Harris, Howard, Jackson, James, Kushner, Lightner, Malone, Oliver, Ondriska, Richards, Seifter, Shafter, Slade, Sokos, Toole, Wilson, Yeager.

MEMBERS ABSENT: (First Roll Call): Senators Chapman, Crabtree, Coakley, English, Entine, Frady, Freelove, Hamilton, Holman, LaCroix, Loe, Michel, Patterson, Singh, Whitter.

MEMBERS TARDY/LATE (First Roll Call): Senators Cardenas (9:05), Emilien (7:48), Firat (9:16), Harrison (7:54), Kaufman (8:23), Omega (7:48), Paul (7:45), Pierre (9:31), Primiani (9:16).

Corrections: None.

Special Introductions and Announcements: Mark Rosenberg, Chancellor of  the Board of Governors and the State University System of Florida, congratulated FSU on Dance Marathon. He told the Senate that he is responsible for policies and finances that run the state university system and he thanked Senator Richard Benson for inviting him. He also said that FSU is lucky to have Dr. Howard and he benefitted from her when he was an undergraduate at FSU.  Rosenberg said the major issue that pre-occupies him is quality and the quality of education in Florida.  He said Florida is going to need a lot of educated people and there are not enough people getting college degrees and the state could be a lot wealthier if we had more people with an education. He told the Senate that it is not acceptable that Florida is 46 out of all the states that award students college degrees. He said they are not trying to get rid of Bright Futures, they just want the best of the brightest and half of the students in the university system get Bright Futures. The Senate was entertained by the FSU School of Music Male Acapela group call Reverb.

Florida A&M University Student Government Association was present and introduced themselves to the Senate. Mallory Lumpkin FAMU Student Senate President and Student Body Vice President-elect, told the Senate that they meet on Mondays at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Services Building. She said their motto is “Leadership that listens and define the voice of the students.”  She said that she looks forward to many collaborations with FSU and tuition is an issue they are taking on.  Lumpkin said in reference to the court battle between the legislature and the Board of Governors, they are in favor of the legislature setting tuition as they have done in the past. She said seventy-five percent of the students at FAMU are on need-based financial aid.  Senate President Nathasha Cole tapped Sakeena Gohagen as a member of Garnet and Gold Key.

Student Comments: Senator Nick Thompson announced to the Senate his resignation from Senate. He thanked everyone for all their help and support and he recommended that Senator Holman be appointed to his seat. Amanda Brown told the Senate that she wanted to be recognized and heard and the Senate wrote laws that they are not enforcing. Thomas Papp and Shannon Squires said that they were at Senate last week and they saw Senate got scared because a man in suit with a law degree told them they could get sued. Justin Jones told the Senate that “Got Issues” was a great idea as long as you do something about it and he asked the Senate to please protect him. Robert Payne said he does not feel protected and he feels that Senate does not care.  Brent Girard said that he thought he would be safe at FSU but he feels betrayed because groups that receive funding has no right to exclude him. Brogan Wikarek quoted the SGA Oath of Office and told the Senate to act on issues. Daniel Scarantino said that he wants his A&S Fees to go to a lawyer to protect his right, rather than be denied to join a group. He said he wants a new motion to give him his fees back and he thanked the Senators that have supported him. Gerry Nielsen said that Senate has failed the student body and PSU and stolen his ability to exist as an equal member of the FSU community. There was a motion to extend Student Comments; the motion failed. There was a motion to hear Student Comments after Senate business is complete; the motion passed.

Messages from the Executive Branch: None.

Messages from Agency and Bureau Directors, and SGA Organization Officers and Employees: Keenan Mahoney, IRHC Assistant Director told the Senate that they will host SAACURH “No Frills” Conference in 2009 and IRHC Week starts on March 24-28, 2008. David Grimes, ILS Director, told the Senate that when you don’t do what you took an oath to do then you have committed nonfeasance which is an impeachable offense and Senate was elected to provide leadership and deliver values; and to refuse to stand up for students is not living your values. Grimes told the Senate that they took the oath of office to protect students.  Zachery Dryden, Pride Student Union Director, told the Senate that they had a “yard work day” at the Center and they planted flowers and trees. He announced that the Drag Show is on March 21, at 8 p.m. in Moore Auditorium. Dryden said that he was disappointed in this body and it is upsetting Senate put Student Comments to end. Jeremy Lightner said that he has a constitutional amendment and he wants the students to vote on it and there was three Senators that spearheaded a movement to kill the constitutional amendment. He said he is fighting to get Senate to impose policies and he told the Senate they were elected by seven percent of the student body.  Jessica Robles, PSU Assistant Director, thanked the Senate for supporting her as a person and student and she is not angry, not upset but she is not okay with the situation.  Jessica Pinto, Women’s Center Board of Directors member told the Senate that she is a member of the Coalition for a Equitable Community. She said she was proud of the “Got Issues” campaign and a positive change needs to be made.

Messages from the Congress of Graduate Students: None.

Messages from the Senior Class Council: None.

Messages from the Judicial Branch: None.

Messages from the Union Board: Thomas Kester, Union Board Member, said the next meeting of the Union Board will be on March 26. He said they met  today and approved the Central Reserves request of $115,000.  He said the funding boards under the Union Board will give their budgets after Spring Break. Kester said they are updating their web site and Chili’s opening date is the end of April.

Messages from Campus Recreation: None.

Report of the Student Body Auditor: As of March 4, 2008, Senate  Projects is $15,315.19.

Committee Reports:

Student Affairs-As reported in the Calendar. Chairman Toole thanked everyone who tabled today.

Budget-As reported in the Calendar.

Finance-As reported in the Calendar. Chairman Harrison said that he wants Senate to hear the constitutional amendment in Committee of the Whole.

Judiciary-As reported in the Calendar.

Internal Affairs-As reported in the Calendar.

Rules and Calendar-Did not meet.

Central Reserves-Packets are out and the meeting times have changed. See Chairman Sokos for those times.

Senate Confirmations: None.

Consent Calendar:

Bill 22-Sponsored by Senator Cardenas and Abreu. An allocation of $360.00 from Senate Projects to Dominican Student Association. Purpose: to pay for registration and hotel rooms so that members can attend the Florida Dominican Student Conference on March 28-30, 2008, in Gainesville, Florida. PASSED.

Bills First Reading:

Bill 19-Sponsored by Senator Fisher. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapters 406, 803.3 and 805.1 A (6,7). Purpose: to amend statues to clarify that RSOs are not required to include a separate non-discrimination policy in their governing documents, as long as they follow the non-discrimination clauses in sections 206.1 and 803.3 and to extend investigative rights of the Senate to SGA funded organizations. STILL IN JUDICIARY AND STILL IN FINANCE.

Bill 20-Sponsored by Senator Benson. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapter 409.2. Purpose: to add a requirement to post legislation online and clarify archiving requirement. WITHDRAWN BY SPONSOR IN JUDICIARY.

Bill 21-Sponsored by Senator Kushner. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapter 807.2. Purpose: to put the Greek Funding Board in line with actual practice. REFERRED TO FINANCE, JUDICIARY AND BUDGET.

Bill 23-Sponsored by the Finance Committee. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapter 800. Purpose: to revise the Finance Code making it more accessible to students and more consistent with current policy and other statutes and more in line with the Senate’s goal of financial accountability. REFERRED TO FINANCE, JUDICIARY AND BUDGET.

Bill 24-Sponsored by Senators Dawson and Yeager. An allocation of $4,680 from Senate Projects to FSU NORML. Purpose: to augment funding received for Hempfest. REFERRED TO FINANCE.

Bills Second Reading: None.

Constitutional Amendments:  

Constitutional Amendment 1 (one)-Sponsored by Senator Lightner.  Adding Article X, Sections 1, 2,3 and 4. unequivocal protections for all of the members of the student body within the Student Body Constitution in a way that will not infringe upon the Expressive or Associative Rights of students or student organizations. REFERRED TO THE STUDENT SUPREME COURT FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION.

Resolutions:

Resolution 20-Sponsored by Senator Benson.

Subject: Recommending to the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to approve proposal CP0002, regarding higher education.

TABLED UNTIL AFTER SPRING BREAK.

Resolution 21-Sponsored by Senators DuBosar and Goins.

Subject: Allowing the SGA Lecture Series to pay more than $4,000 to bring Ralph Nader and Jean Killbourne to speak at FSU.

PASSED.

Unfinished Business: None.

New Business: Senate President Cole announced that the Senate will hold elections for Senator for the Month of February. Senators Richards, Bastardo, Benson, Harrison and Kushner were nominated. Senator Richards was chosen as Senators of the Month for February.

Student Comments: Scott Harvey told the Senate that he is disappointed in those elected officials who are supposed to represent him and he has sat in the Senate Chambers at one time for an hour and watch Senate debate about money allocations for t-shirts. He thanked the Senators who voted in favor of freezing the funds. Benjamin Early spoke about the non-discrimination policy. Jeremy Lightner told the Senate that the students did not pay for their t-shirts. He said straight people paid $5.00 and gay people got the shirts free.

Closing Announcements: Senator Sokos announced that Delta Gamma won first place in Dance Marathon. Senator Benson thanked everyone for being receptive of the Chancellor. He said that the World Affairs Program is going to Chicago tomorrow. Senator Slade told the Senate that he Senate President Cole and Dr. Howard met with Tallahassee leadership to discuss making Tennessee Street more safer.  Senator Bastardo told PSU that he do not hate them, but there are more technical things involved with freezing someone’s funds.  Senator Seifter said that SGA had a 500 percent voter increase from the fall and 66 percent increase from spring of 2007.  He said someone from the UF Alligator newspaper called him again about on-line voting. Senator Harris announced that he and Senator Harris have started a petition to change the Union Board policy on reserving tables in the Union on Wednesdays and he asks Senators for their ideas and concerns. Senator Howard commended Senator Slade on his work on the Tennessee Street problem. Senator Hall said that he was disappointed that Senate did not hear from people on the other side of the freezing of funds.  He said that he finds their shirts offensive and insulting; and that bullies go looking for a fight and Senate did not create the situation. Hall said that it’s just a bunch of bullies picking on a group and he may be wrong but this is just his personal opinion. Senator Richards said that it was rude for a group to tell Senate they did something wrong when they were just trying to uphold the State of Florida Statutes. She said the Senate is not lazy and we do not get paid and Senate is here working hard for everyone. Sandra Miles told the Senate that she is a vegetarian now. Dr. Howard complemented Senate on being orderly and their decorum. Senate Pro Tempore Kushner told the Senate that FSA structure is changing and they have a new website. He also mentioned that FSA traveled to UCF and UCF’s creed is everywhere on their campus and they allocate $14 million in A&S Fees. Senate President Cole told the Senate that they found out at the FSA meeting that there will be no action taken on Bright Futures; it will continue for now.  She told the Senators that sit on funding boards that they are doing an amazing job. She said that March is Women’s History Month and there will be many events. Cole urged everyone to read the new Finance Code and to please meet with their deans.  She announced that Senate will vote on Spring Awards at the next Senate meeting. Cole also announced that FSU will send delegates to the USSA meeting on March 15-18, in Washington, D.C.

FINAL ROLL CALL: Present: Senators Barbas, Benson, Cardenas, Cuyler, Dawson, DuBosar, Emilien, Fasano, Firat, Fisher, Goins, Guiddy, Hall, Harrison, Howard, Kaufman, Kushner, Lightner, Malone, Omega, Ondriska, Paul, Pierre, Primiani, Richards, Seifter, Shafter, Slade, Sokos, Wilson, Yeager. Absent: Senators Abreu, Angulo, Bastardo, Chapman, Crabtree, English, Entine, Frady, Freelove, Hamilton, Holman, James, LaCroix, Loe, Michel, Oliver, Patterson, Singh, Toole.

The meeting adjourned at 11:30 p.m.