The meeting of the 60th Student Senate was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by Student Senate President Nathasha Cole.

Senator Pierre lead the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moment of Silent Reflection:

MEMBERS PRESENT (First Roll Call): Senators Alexander, Benson, Corlew, Cuyler, Dawson, Gohagen, Gonzalez, Harrison, Howard, LaCroix, Lutfi, P. Malone, Misita, Mook, Oglesby, Pierre, Robertson, Slade, Sokos, Tomlinson, Toole, Walker, Waltz, Wilson.

MEMBERS ABSENT: (First Roll Call): Senators Ali, Atkins, Barnes, Brandow, English, Gooden, Kelly, McKanstry, Oliver, Ondriska, Sexton.

MEMBERS TARDY/LATE (First Roll Call): Senators Jackson (7:55), Omega (8:51).

Corrections: None.

Student Comments: Daniel Cardenas, HLSU Assistant Director, asked the Senate to help with the CARE move in on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Landis Green. Jolie Abreu, HLSU Director, said that she is a CARE Counselor and urged Senators to come help with the CARE move in. She asked for support of Resolution 54 and said that she feels that their organization should have a space so they can showcase their organizations. She said they might not be as large but they are just as active. Dr. Howard told the Senate that SGA is facing a budget shortfall and the university is not admitting 1,500 students meaning they would lose about $341,000, and this figure could be more or less. She told the Senate that there are several ways to look at cutting the budget: sweepings, central reserves or a combination of both. She said that Admin cannot do anything with A&S monies and they will have a better idea of what is going to happen in September or October. Senator Carter Harrison told the Senate that his opinion of the budget shortfall differs from Dr. Howard. He said that Campus Recreation and Union put nothing into Sweepings, so they should take nothing from it, they get to keep their money. Harrison said that Senate Projects will have to last an entire fiscal year and he wants the accounting office to not allocate money that SGA does not have. He said that as of July 1, 2008, monies will be disbursed despite the fact that the money is not real and inaction is unacceptable and the will of the students is not to disburse money that does not exist. He said Senate will probably have to use Sweepings and Central Reserves to cover shortfall. Dr. Howard said that she does not know what Sweepings will be and she will not know until July 1 and it will probably be enough to cover the shortfall. She said that Senate needs to re-adjust the budget.

Special Introductions and Announcements: None.

Messages from the Executive Branch: Laymon Hicks, Student Body President, told the Senate that Senator Harrison explained the budget shortfall pretty good and Hicks said that he strongly disapprove of giving somebody something and then taking it back: that is what is called an Indian Giver. He told the Senate there will be a College Game Day where every college in the USA will wear their school colors every Friday before their home games and they want to reward students for wearing their school colors. Hicks told the Senate that there is a freeze on enrollment and a six percent tuition increase across the board. Hicks said that on the True Seminole Campaign, $25,000 went to the Global Peace Exchange (GPE) and students went to Africa to build a school and Student Boosters wants SGA to invest $6,000 for an ad campaign. However, no longer will SGA have to give the money to the True Seminole Campaign. Student Body Vice President Ryan Powers told the Senate that they support the True Seminole Campaign and they do not want to put $5,000 into advertising since SGA is having budgeting problems and SGA would not be able to control how the money is spent.

Messages from Agency and Bureau Directors, and SGA Organization Officers and Employees: Jolie Abreu, HLSU Director, told the Senate that they had a workshop last week and it was very successful. She said they are having their week July 14-20, where a lot of events are planned and the t-shirts should be ready by then. Patrick Emilien, OLA Director, told the Senate that he is working with SGA Lobbyist Sean Pittman to have one of the presidential debates at FSU. He asked the Senate to talk to him about resolutions to see if that group or person is already working on the issue.

Messages from the Congress of Graduate Students: James Baratta, COGS Financial Officer, told the Senate that he recently met with the Senate Finance Committee and he thanked the committee for considering them at the meeting. He said a good relationship is needed with the Senate.

Messages from the Senior Class Council: None.

Messages from the Judicial Branch: None.

Messages from the Union Board: None.

Messages from Campus Recreation: None.

Report of the Student Body Auditor: As of June 10, 2008, Senate Projects is $9,280.19.

Committee Reports:

Student Affairs-As reported in the Calendar.

Budget-6-18-08 The meeting was called to order at 6:37 p.m. Present: Senators Howard, Sokos, Gonzalez, Alexander, Tomlinson, Malone. Absent: Senators Jackson, Fisher, Oliver, Atkins and English. The committee discussed the budget packets contents, dates of hearings and deliberations. The committee also discussed budget shortfall for Bill 2008. The meeting adjourned at 7:07 p.m. During Senate Chairman Sokos said that budget hearings and deliberations will take place in September.

Finance-As reported in the Calendar.

Judiciary-As reported in the Calendar.

Internal Affairs-Did not meet.

Rules and Calendar-Resolution 49 was failed in committee. Senator Dawson made a motion to go into Committee of the Whole to interview two candidates for Senate. The Senate interviewed and passed Sumeet Oberoi for Undergraduate Studies Seat 16 and Jacqueline Richards for Motion Pictures and TV Seat 1.

Senate Confirmations: Sumeet Oberoi for Undergraduate Studies Seat 16 and Jacqueline Richards for Motion Pictures and TV Seat 1.

Consent Calendar: None.

Bills First Reading:

Bill 51-Sponsored by Senator Harrison. An addition to the Student Body Statutes, the Finance Code. Purpose: adding Chapter 802.3, the SGA Non-Discriminating Policy. REFERRED TO FINANCE AND JUDICIARY. TABLED IN FINANCE 6-9-08.

Bill 54-Sponsored by Senator Alexander. A deletion to the
Student Body Statutes Chapter 1011. Purpose: to delete the
Institute for Liberal Studies. FAILED IN JUDICIARY 6-17-08.

Bill 57-Sponsored by Senator Dawson. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapter 400.2. Purpose: to update the responsibility of the Senate Page and change the title from “page” to “clerk.” REFERRED TO JUDICIARY.

Bills Second Reading:

Bill 55-Sponsored by Senator Benson. A revision to the
Student Body Statutes Chapter 300. Purpose: to revise the statutes of the Executive Cabinet. PASSED AS AMENDED.


Bill 56-Sponsored by Senator Cole. A revision to the Student Body Statutes Chapters 800.5, 803.1 and 803.2. Purpose: to put the Congress of Graduate Students in line with the Finance Code and to specify that RSO financial officers must also sign off on transfers. PASSED.

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. SENATE PRESIDENT COLE SAID THE SENATE IS WAITING ON ADVICE ON HOW TO HANDLE A NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY.

Constitutional Amendment 2 (two)-Sponsored by Senators Harrison, Toole and Entine. Adding Article V, Section 8. Clarifying what information shall appear on the official ballot of the student body elections. SENATE PRESIDENT COLE SAID THAT THE SPONSORS ARE LOOKING INTO HOW TO DO A LETTER OF CONTENT FOR THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

Resolutions:

Resolution 49-Sponsored by Senators Brandow and Gonzalez.
Subject: Amending the Rules of Procedure
Rule 11.12.
FAILED IN RULES AND CALENDAR 6-18-08.

Resolution 51-Sponsored by Senators Dawson, Cuyler and Robertson.
Subject: Increasing the bi-weekly hours
for the Senate President and Senate Pro
Tempore.
PASSED.

Resolution 54-Sponsored by Senator Dawson.
Subject: Amending the Rules of Procedure Rules 5.03 and 5.04, the Senate Page.
REFERRED TO RULES AND CALENDAR.

Resolution 55-Sponsored by Senators Robertson and Toole.

Subject: Recommending that the University consider allocating comparable space to the organizations of the NPHC and MGC.
PASSED.

Resolution 56-Sponsored by Senators LaCroix and Cuyler.
Subject: Recognizing the accomplishments of the FSU Men’s Track and Field team.
REFERRED TO RULES AND CALENDAR.

Resolution 57-Sponsored by Senator Harrison.
Subject: Asking that the SGA Accounting Office allocate the full balance of Bill 2008 to all SGA entities to cover the budget shortfall.
PASSED.

Unfinished Business: None.

New Business: There was a motion by Senator Harrison to go into New Business for consideration of Resolution 57; the motion passed and Resolution 57 was debated and passed.

Closing Announcements: None recorded.

Final Roll Call: Not taken.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00 a.m.