Sunday, September 23, 2007

ASHMC Minutes

 

Attendance:

•     Rishad, Case

•     Andrew, North (late)

•     Zack: West

•     Monica, Social

•     Lucia/Gena, Sontag

•     Kacy, Atwood

•     Oksana, CAP

•     Leah, SFC

•     Liz, South

•     Leslie, East

•     Jesus, DAC/North

•     Josh/Dgro: Linde

 

STATUS REPORTS

 

Linde: Somewhat successful Catholic School Girls party Saturday night, but one of the four trees in our quad was snapped in half (south front tree). Does anyone know about it?

•     Zack: Over summer, drunken CMCers had half-chopped away at the tree.

•     Lindsay: Sounds like someone needs to self-report if it’s an on-campus person.

DAC: Groovin’. Possibly make a funding proposal in the near future to get money for people to do murals, but not sure how mural discussions going to turn out. Right now talking about having money for students to paint murals, depending on exposure factor (probably inside walls would be okay). Talking to F&M. DAC would ask for money from ASHMC and would pay for the cost of painting over the murals if the person from the following year would not want it to be there, and the school would pay for the supplies.

East: Gathering last night, went fine.

South: Good.

SFC: Meetings on Thursdays now, had first professor meeting. Need one more senior on the SFC board.

CAP: Had joint CAP/DOS event to go to the faire, but rained yesterday. But can go next weekend. Some events going on next week.

Atwood: Chauncey’s birthday party was fun. Decided on quiet hours. Have dorm audit now. Working on network issues.

Sontag: Having another dorm meeting Thursday, have few people with Internet problems too.

West: Doing well, but have lost receipts during the move – have 3 right now. Last year’s treasurers were Cynthia (first semester) and Corina (second semester). No online banking statements, no spreadsheets. Only get them in paper. Can go to bank but won’t have any idea what money was spent on what. But going to try to get something.

Case: Good.

North (reported by Jesus): Dorm meeting on Thursday. So many e-mails on community-l. Foam party on October 6, but going to be called something else. But going to be 3C (CMS), not flyering for it. Basically telling no one about it. So hopefully attendance issues will be smaller issues.

Social: Lingerie is this Saturday, Suds is the Saturday after that.

 

 

Treasurer Update

Anu: Spent money on dorms, 5C funding, HMC organizations, left with $24,000 to spend for the year.

Lindsay: Perhaps we could have a goal to spend $10k per semester. I think the goal is to spend continuously over the year, since it belongs to the students that go to the school now. We should think of projects and ideas to help the campus.

 

Yearbook Discussion

Anu: Issue last time about yearbook editors funding.

Zack: What if we don’t get a yearbook editor?

Lindsay: We’ll need to discuss that. Something we were discussing was not having a yearbook, but a senior book: classy, senior pictures, graduation speech printed nicely, dorm shots. Would be less work, senior class would take care of it. This year we’ll have to do a regular yearbook, but maybe we could talk about this next year. I’m a big yearbook fan, but a lot of people seem to not care.

Dgro: Well, they’re not 40 yet. It’s something you look back on.

Lindsay: It wouldn’t be that much different than what it is now, except that it would have less stuff.

Patrick: Don’t think we need to make any changes, since we will have a yearbook editor this year.

 

Anu: For the dorms, we need audits from West, Sontag, and Linde before we can give you guys the next checks. But I’ll give you your first checks.

 

Patrick: Status report on electronic voting

Talked to Alex Korn about electronic voting. He thinks he can get it through Odin/Charlie accounts so we can ensure that it’s a one-student-one-vote kind of a deal.

Basically: AKorn can make a thing we can change at any time to put on the website. We’ll have it in addition to the voting in the Hoch.

Zack: What if we had an incentive, that could be delivered to their student mailbox or something?

Jesus: How long would this take? He normally charges $55/hour for his website stuff.

Lindsay: Why don’t we have Alex come here?

Gena: Why don’t we open it up to all the students?

Lindsay: We can send out an e-mail about setting up electronic voting.

 

Report from JB/DB chair about an ASHMC yearbook editor

JB Chair: Claire O’Hanlon

DB Chair: Jen Du Mond

 

Lindsay: Going to talk about a report from the JB/DB chair about ASHMC yearbook editors.

Claire: A student, lied to the students and the deans about the progress of the yearbook. Significant late charts ($9100), and yearbook could not cover these charges. This decreased the quality of the 2006-2007 yearbook.

Basically the student didn’t complete his duties as yearbook editor, and we were charged $10k extra by the yearbook company because of this.

Previous council made accusations of honor code violations, failure to uphold the responsibilities of ASHMC, willful deception of deans/ASHMC council, violation of verbal agreements, and monetary loss.

The student went abroad last semester, and felt he wouldn’t be able to defend himself till he’s back.

They drew up a settlement last year. You guys would have to vote to see whether you want to pursue this settlement.

 

---: How is he being adequately defended now? This seems like a ploy to get a new council.

Claire: Normally this would go to a trial, and the student would be present to defend himself.

…

---: What was he saying? Said he was meeting deadlines when he wasn’t?

---: This was for the 05-06 yearbook.

 

Claire: The charges affected the quality of last year’s yearbook, but the yearbook that was under the direction of this student was the 05-06 yearbook.

 

---: When did they find out about this?

Claire: In April of last year.

---: I think it was found out during fall semester, but brought to council during spring.

 

MOTION TO PURSUE CASE:

Yes: 11

Opposed: 0

Abstain: 3

Result: Going to pursue

 

Claire: He didn’t take the out-of-court settlement that I’m about to read, but we could offer a different settlement. But if he does not take the out-of-court settlement, we’ll have to go to trial.

 

Previous offered:

The accused should complete 100 hours of community service, 50 of which should be serving the Mudd community directly. These hours should be completed by the end of spring break 2008. Secondly, $500 should be charged to the accused and paid to ASHMC. Signed letters of apology should be sent to students and deans. And the student should be barred from any ASHMC or club position that would include the oversight of money.

 

---: Is there something specific he didn’t like?

Claire: I don’t think he was willing to settle out-of-court.

…

If he’s found guilty, the hearing body would determine the punishment if he is brought to trial.

 

---: For those people who weren’t here last year, we thought long and hard about this out of court settlement. Basically, $10k is a lot of money. We’re asking him to pay $500, and hopefully his volunteer time will sort of make up for the money he owes us.

 

---: The way I remember it was $500 to make him understand the magnitude of 10k.

---: Does anyone feel like we should add other punishments? I think it’s adequate. But if anyone has problems, please say so.

---: Is it a signed letter, or anonymous?

---: It’s a signed letter, because there were 2 yearbook editors.

---: We can propose the same out of court settlement?

---: We can propose it and urge that he accept it because it would be easier for us.

…

---: Why are the community service hours supposed to be completed by spring break of 2008?

Claire: Because the student will be graduating, and it gives us time before walking.

Claire: Believe that monetary losses are unprecedented in Harvey Mudd history.

Dean Noda: This has been a yearbook case before, where they just didn’t get it done. It didn’t have the financial implications though. Yearbook took 2 years to go out, but the yearbook company didn’t penalize ASHMC. ASHMC took him to JB and settled him out of court and he was not able to be in office.

---: What are some typical punishments for these kinds of cases?

Claire: Letters of apology, community service, educational experiences (watch videos/read books/write papers). But because it’s between a body and an individual, it’s more awkward.

Jen: Probation, like not holding a position.

---: 100 hours seem to be standard for someone who messes up.

…

---: This is $10k of ASHMC money (i.e. money of the students).

---: Already paid for?

---: Yes.

---: I worry because I don’t know the standards of community service.

 

Claire: Community service is looked at as if paying for the debt. When you take something, you can pay them for their time.

---: Why not all 100 hours on Mudd campus?

---: Would be difficult to serve all 100 hours on Mudd campus.

---: Had a discussion about having a job that would bring back money to the campus.

---: seems like yearbook is where we need help. So maybe we could make him somehow contribute to the yearbook?

---: I don’t’ want to put this kid anywhere near a yearbook.

---: May want to add an educational experience, teaching him how to organize his time.

---: What’s the purpose of adding that? Since he already didn’t want to take the out-of-court settlement?

…

---: How much worse if court found him guilty?

Claire: If claiming innocence and found guilty, generally punishment worse. If claiming guilty…it’s not good to go to hearing. I don’t know if they’d help him anymore than we would.

---: Maybe some of the 50 hours that are outside of the Mudd community could be dedicated to something that would help him learn to better manage his time.

---: Doesn’t Bev Chen have a class?

---: HEO has specific class for time management.

---: If they’re graduating and feel like they have some sort of accomplishment with time management skills, then I don’t think that class would be taken with the intended effect.

---: I like these ideas. Has been 6 months since offered out of court settlement. But to tell the student has to take 7 habits and such-and-such session, but that’s condemning the class since those are very interactive classes. But it could be a creative way to help him learn.

--: Could these count for his community service hours?

---: When would we know if it’s offered?

---: But that’s just one of a menu. He could go off campus and find something.

---: So we could add a stipulation that the hours for community service would go to a class--

---: Maybe we could have a limit like, up to 15 hours a week, so if he has a class it won’t count for all his hours.

---: Up to 20 hours?

 

---: It seems like the trick here is that he didn’t ask for help and lied about getting it done. Seems like that’s more of an issue than time management. It seems like the thing he did wrong was he got overwhelmed, but he could’ve come to ASHMC to ask for help or to get someone to help him.

---: Maybe that’s part of the class of 7 habits of highly effective students.

---: Question: There were two editors, but neither of them came forward to tell deans to tell them that it wasn’t going?

---: JB/DB chairs are not giving that much detail on case. But by March of that year Dean Chris knew that yearbook wasn’t working out. Went to ASHMC. Yearbook said that everything was fine, but I knew it wasn’t true. Waited out till May, then took it away from him. Someone else who needed a summer job and took care of yearbook.

---: Maybe offer a more general class. A class offered by HEO, or Mansur, or something.

---: I don’t know if they have a class for liars.

---: Would it be all right if he comes to us when he has a class and then we can approve it if we see think it’s all right?

Claire: So, up to 20 ASHMC-approved hours.

 

Motion to add the stipulation that 20 of the community service hours not dedicated to Mudd be ASHMC-approved hours:

In favor: 14

Oppose: 0

Abstain: 0

Results: Passed

 

Claire: If he doesn’t accept it again, then will have a trial, and a representative from ASHMC will be asked to serve on the trial. Don’t know the timeline exactly, but there are deadlines and the timeline starts now.

 

Deciding on a Yearbook Editor:

Julia Matsiaba, ’11, enters the room.

 

Lindsay: Basically you are interested in being a yearbook editor (one of several). So we just want to make sure we have a really good editor. So could you tell us why you want to be editor, and why you think you’d be good at it, and something about the classes you’re taking?

Julia: I’ve been doing web design since forever. My senior year of high school I got into yearbook, and was a staff member, so got a taste of how yearbook could be fun, but I didn’t get to make any of the big decisions. So throughout that time I got into graphic design, which goes with web design. I’m always looking into fonts and graphics and stuff. A lot of graphic stuff goes into making shampoo bottles! So I want to make our yearbook look like a shampoo bottle. I’m a freshman so I feel like I might have more time to put into than upperclassmen. And I like making things.

Dgro: What classes are you in?

Julia: Just core.

Zack: Experience in Photoshop?

Julia: Yes.

Jesus: So next semester will be more work for you, and you will have grades. The yearbook is an undertaking, to say the least, so it’s just something you’ll really have to commit to.

Julia: I think I’d be more worried about chasing people down or administrative stuff. So I’d want someone else to be there to do that.

Anu: You have to do weekly meetings, have to report to us, talk to deans, report on budget.

Lindsay: Editor is a big deadline based thing. You’ll have weekly meetings with Dean Chris, and it’s more than a normal appointed position where you can decide your own workload. You’ll have to come talk to us, and you’ll have to uphold this. Have you talked to Dean Chris about it?

Julia: I haven’t talked about that aspect of it.

Lindsay: Maybe we can set you up with a meeting with Dean Chris.

Julia: I talked to him about yearbook, but not specifics of how to run it.

Lindsay: How are you in terms of a worker? Do you classify as someone who doesn’t need deadlines?

Julia: I generally need deadlines. I’m normally a night person, but I’m jealous of morning people.

Lindsay: Yeah because, as a council, we’d like to hear what’s going on. So we’ll have you come every Sunday, or every other Sunday, to see you. There are other people interested in being an editor, so we’ll talk to them, but we’ll let you know within a week.

Julia: Are the people going to be working with me? Or what?

Lindsay: It’s hard because it’s 2 people, so we have to make sure they’re compatible. We’ll have to discuss it with the council.

Anu: You’ll have a lot of people to help you.

Lindsay: We’ll try to set up a committee for you, to take pictures and stuff. Try to talk to Dean Chris about it.

Julia: Is there a “most work” period?

Lidnsay: I as yearbook editor in high school, and most of the work was in the fall. But it depends on your deadlines, and the company.

Julia: How much negotiating can we do? Can get more color?

Anu: You can talk to Dean Chris about it. He knows the budget.

Lindsay: Could you talk to Dean Chris, and make sure this is what you want to do?

(Julia exits)

 

HMC Poker Club Budget Request (Round 2)

Presenter: Tim Sweda

 

Tim: New proposals. Only found one chip set in the LAC.

CHAOS ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE CHIPS ARE

Tim: Well, we looked through and only found one chip set, and couldn’t find Dean Chris.

Oksana: I can go look and see if they’re chip sets are in the LAC.

 

Tim: If it’s the case that we have chip sets, then we can ignore proposal 2. Then we can get it down to asking for $100. Last week the discussion seemed to focus more on the chip sets. I didn’t hear any objections to tournament prizes, so I left that on the proposal this week.

Patrick: Have you thought about doing a celebrity poker match with Yong, Evans, Benjamin, etc?

Tim: Math club and Poker club do a joint thing.

Tim: Tournaments would be for everyone. Thinking a week before finals, both semesters. One tournament per semester.

 

Lindsay: So we’re going to strike item 1, down to $100.

Oksana: So just need $61.59 for tourney prizes.

Tim: I e-mailed a copy of the charter to you.

…

(Tim leaves)

 

Discussion of Poker Funding Request

---: The big issue is that do we want to pay for tourney prizes?

---: I think it’s good idea for tourney prizes.

---: I like that he’s getting nice cards and sets.

---: How many people go to poker tournaments?

---: I think a fair amount of people.

 

MOTION TO GIVE $100 TO POKER CLUB

Approve: 14

Abstain: 0

Oppose: 0

Results: PASSED

 

Back to yearbook discussion

Lindsay: Feel like we need to move back to the yearbook editor issue.

Liz: I would be willing to help, and Christina Snyder.

Leah: Would be willing to help second semester.

Zack: Just don’t want a freshman without an upperclassmen helping her.

Dgro: Think she would do really well if she was a senior in high school, but she’s a freshman at Mudd.

Anu: We could do a 3 person thing?
Jesus: I think we should keep it to 2.

Liz: Christina wants to the design stuff, but I don’t think she wants to talk to the companies or anything.

Lindsay: Liasions are usually really nice. Who were other people you heard back from?

Rishad: I had one person who said he was interested, but he didn’t send me a statement.

Liz: I’m interested in helping, but don’t have experience with design.

EVERYONE TALKING!

Lindsay: I think you’d be a really great editor, Liz.

Dgro: Have we heard from all the dorms about editor or committee?

Leslie: Can we have non-Mudders be on the committee? One Scrippsie in my dorm is the historian.

Lindsay: That’s fine, they can be on the committee.

Zack: Let’s just make sure she has enough help.

Gena: Are we going to have her sign an official contract?

Lindsay: We should talk to Dean Chris about the requirements, and then write something up. We’ll have that by next week.

Leah: Can we have people get class credit?

Lindsay: I think it’s more of a grade vs. money.

Patrick: Students can teach classes.

Leslie: If I could get on-campus credit, then I would do it.

Oksana: It could just be credit, pass/fail.

Lindsay: Let’s just go with the money this year, but go with class credit later. I’ll talk to Dean Noda about it. Let’s vote about approving Liz and Julia as yearbook editors. Next week I’ll propose a written thing and have them sign it.

(Liz leaves.)

*RANDOM JIBBER JABBER*

MOTION TO APPROVE LIZ AND JULIA

Approve: 12

Abstain: 1

Oppose: 1

Result: PASSED

…

*MORE RANDOM JIBBER JABBER*

 

Lindsay: Can we approve last week’s minutes?

 

MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES

In favor: 11

Oppose: 0

Abstain: 3

Result: Minutes Approved

 

Done: 4:52