ASHMC Meeting 2/14/10

Linde Activities Center

4:00 PM

 

Status Updates:

Nick: Researching constitutional convention  - is anyone interested in attending a retreat to rewrite the constitution the weekend after next ?

Chris- where are we staying?

Maureen- in a cabin

Caro- how many people can you accommodate?

Nick- varies

Chris- Is this going to be fun? Wine, cheese?

Maureen and Nick- no. 

Caro- so it won't be fun?

Nick- well, I'll be there. 

Maureen- if you don't go.

Social- good

Seniors- good

Athletics- good

West- good. Want to buy a bus. Starting to fundraise this week

CAP- good. Asking for money today

Frosh- good

Atwood- good

Juniors- good

Sophomores- good

South- good

East- good

Sontag- good

Case- good

DAC- good. Starting stuff for room draw

North- good

Dean Maggie- DOS is good. New office. There was an incident with an alum.There was an email about it. If you see him, call campus safety.

Treasurer- good. Sent in taxes and non-profit forms. Still don’t know what the tax liability is- but looks like it’s going to be ok. Gave dorms money. Going to have change with big clubs (e.g. CAP). We want updates to see financial status (minute presentation).

President- Working on picking up the club charters. Put them online so that new president’s can look up previous charters.

 

Bryce Lampe  - MSD update on electronic voting system

Bryce- It looks like we may be able to use the electronic voting system in an upcoming election. (showed us preview of the website). It’s at the stage where people could vote both online and on paper, but you’ll need to keep track yourself who has voted.

Maureen- it’s really good. Thank you.

 

Grant Ukropina - HatSHMC charter proposal

Ellery- Basically it’s a hat library.

Maureen- sent email. Interest?

Grant- Yes, 30 people. A lot of people say they’re interested and then don’t email me.

Elly- why did you want to start it

Grant- I wore a sombrero, and then people said there should be more hats.

Ellery- And I wanted to too and so did Grant and here we are.

 

Daniel Ihlenfeldt  - GameSHMC budget request

Daniel- I’m trying to increase board games. Kinds of games students like fluctuates per year. Want to have permanent games. Mailed gaming-l, got a survey. Went to other places on campus besides just GameSHMC’s and took inventory of those. Will be emailing the dorm presidents, etc. to see if we can borrow them

Erin- where are you going to keep them?

Daniel- wasn’t exactly sure. Possibly in Sontag lounge. Right now they’re in the president’s lounge. Put money on the budget for a shelf. Would be talked about with the leadership of GameSHMC from year to year.

Erin- would you take the dorm games?

Daniel- wouldn’t take those, just put them on the list. That would be up to the dorm.

Caro- How often are games checked out?

Daniel- some are out all the time. Some of them are only checked out 2 or 3 times a semester. They will last for years- should stay for a long time after we’re gone.

Strieter- What kinds of games are these?

Daniel- Mostly party games. More strategic game. War type games. High levels of strategy.

Maureen- how much money did we give you in the spring?

Daniel- about $350. Most of that money- because it was mostly computer gamers in the club- went to buying memberships and snacks for 24-hour war crack.

Julian- Are the exact games you want on this list?

Daniel- Will send the list out, and see if people didn’t want those games. Would just keep it in long term funds if don’t spend all the money.

Bonny- if stay in lounge, how do you keep people from taking them?

Daniel- Keep it in place where only accessible by students. But there’s no answer for students taking them.

Margaret- we ask because a game we used to play is gone

Daniel- it could have been a person’s game. Would label our games

Strieter- We gave you 500 dollars in the spring

Daniel- I heard that they have 300 left. Use it for 24 hour war crack over spring break. They talked about getting one board game out of those funds.

Hufsa- How many people in the club play board games?

Daniel- the events have attracted 12-16 people. But that was without students-l email. Hopefully more people will come. There are about 32 people on the list (it began on Friday). All the people in the gaming club play board games- about 12 people of those play board games.

Erin- have you thought about making own board game club?

Daniel- the club was heavily against fracturing the club into another board game club. I’m trying to uphold their wishes.

 

Jessica Witt & Karla Whitfield  - CAP budget request

Jessica- Have $1500 left for the semester. Want more. CAP, ever since DC has been here, has given $1000 for each noisy minutes, asking ASHMC to do that now.

Jessica- Had negative balance

Alyssa- why do we have so much percentage spent on concerts? I don’t like how it seems CAP is only for concerts.

Jessica- People request that. If you think that should be changed, we can talk

Caro- do you have a standard for how much you’ll spend?

Jessica- depends on event. 40-45 most.

Nick- limit how many times one person can go?

Jessica- no

Maureen- is this an issue?

Jessica- not people taking advantage of it

Caro- how much do you subsidize?

Jessica- 12-15 mostly. Unless there’s a lot of interest.

Maureen- if we were to allocate 2000 for noisy minutes, what would you do with that money?

Jessica- Give some of it to summer CAP

 

Dean Maggie Browning - Compensation for ASHMC Officers discussion

Dean Maggie- in September talked about this. This had come up in the cabinet. Something we’d be willing to partner with ASHMC to do. Encourage people who have to do work study to participate in ASHMC. Estimates that executive board made on the hours they spent per week working for ASHMC were close. Treasurer- 7 per week. VP—avg 4-6 for each per week. President- 8-11 per week. Fairly substantial time commitments. The cabinet is willing to take on half of the financial support. Pay $1000/semester for president and $750/semester for the other two officers. Did research on tax consequences on this—would be taxed. So willing to do room credit for this instead. Part of the requirement to stay on campus then it doesn’t count as taxable income. We will give half if ASHMC kicks in the other half.

Nick- Paid per hour or per semester?

Maggie- Per semester. The expectation is that it’s up to ASHMC to police the productivity of the executive board. You and Emma said that your hours fluctuate (eg during elections)

Erin- have you talked at all to financial aid? Because it reduces financial aid.

Maggie- it would affect people the same way a proctor’s compensation does. It reduces financial aid?

Erin- they look at it as if you can pay more so they reduce financial aid.

Maggie- I will look into it because it was done differently at my previous school

Julian- why look at just these people as opposed to other positions?

Maggie- it can be revised

Jessica- we do 5 hours a week each. 15 during spring break. If you’re going to fund some people, seems a little unfair if same amount of work.

Alyssa- CAP does about 4 hours a week each.

Caro- I don’t think it’s unfair. I got into this position knowing that. My job isn’t as stressful. Maybe DAC should get paid.

Maggie- my understanding is that it would have to go to student vote.

Nick- is this what they’re willing to pay?

Maggie- if cutting line at executive counsel doesn’t make sense, will bring it back to cabinet.

Nick- Is there a time table for these decisions?

Maggie- no. but if not decided this spring, then won’t go into effect in fall.

Maureen- talked to honor board chairs?

Maggie- not yet.

Maureen- want committee chairs and honor board chairs to send you how much they work

Maggie- They should send it to you. You guys should decide who else if anyone you want to pay.

Hufsa- seems like there are a lot of issues of who deserves it or with the financial aid stuff. But because it’s for work study people- I think we should pay by the hour.

Nick- would be good if you could look into it

Maggie- ok. Do the other committee members want to submit hours?

Alyssa- I don’t think that my position (DAC) should be paid. The line draw is difficult.

Caro- I don’t think social chair should be paid either.

Maureen- all committee chairs email hours and biggest responsibilities and if you think your position should be paid.

Jessica- there have been incidences where students car caught on fire- proctors were upset that they had to get them. If we’re responsible for the students at these events, we should be compensated.

Julian- when are we going to talk about how we feel about paying positions in general?

Maureen- either this week or next

Julian- we need to talk about it

Nick- need to talk about it In this setting and at the convention.

Maureen- start it now or next week?

Margaret- staring it now will be better to continue next week.

 

Discussion and action

 

HatSHMC

Caro- This is a little ridiculous. Where do we draw the line?

Shawn- we should make standard for per person funding.

Caro- we should have standard for per person funding amount?

Shawn- present it as idea for people in the beginning of year.

Nick- like the idea. Not most equitable thing to give money to stuff we like and not to clubs we don’t

Maureen- we have to do this. Not really relevant to discussion right now. Don’t know what to do.

Margaret- don’t think it matters if they’re a club. Different if they come to us with a budget request.

 

Julian motions to approve HatSHMC Charter

Caro seconds

Motion passes

(16,0,1)

 

GameSHMC

Maureen- like it. It should come from the long term fund. Stay on campus. If lose it, pay and take it out of fund to buy new one

Nick- would be good to take out of long term if had place to store it

Erin- Use LAC in club storage.

Shawn- can’t get in after hours

Erin- closes at 130 am. You should be able to plan ahead of time.

Christina- better to keep at LAC

Mas- any room in platt?

Nick- build shelves

Julian- issues about those shelves last year.

Elly- a kind of a lot of money for the first

Caro- it is from long term fund.

Alyssa- also not spending money all right away.

Nick- feeling it’s too much?

Elly- a lot to ask for at once. Should build on it

Christina- what if interest changes. If people aren’t interested in these games?

Maureen- amount in mind?

 

Caro motions for GameSHMC budget of $500 from the long term fund

Julian seconds

Motion passes

(16,0,1)

 

CAP

maureen- don’t think they should be paying for noisy minutes. I would rather reimburse them. Don’t need the money left over because the ask for summer CAP money again.

Nnick- if give them 3000 more, have to go to student vote

Maureen- yes. Let’s reimburse them for noisy minutes this semester and pay for noisy minutes next semester. And then give them another $1000.

Erin- they should keep track of who’s going.

Margaret- Along the same lines, we can’t limit clubs you can be in. isn’t it the fault of the people not taking advantage of CAP?

Caro- issue is that people don’t know how to use it. Should include links in their emails

Alyssa- I’m fine with giving cap more money, but I’m not ok with money spent on concerts. But it’s really inconsistent on how much they spend. Sends out impression that it’s only for concerts. They should promote that it’s for other things

Maureen- could be in constitution. Specify that can’t spend 50-60% of budget one thing

Shawn- confused why they need more money

Nick- with rough estimate based on previous years, this is how much they needed

Maureen- last year, spent $1000 less Spring semester. They’re concerned that they’re going to have to start turning people down though

 

Caro motion for CAP budget request of $2000 with stipulation that we will pay for Noisy Minutes

Margaret seconds

Motion passes

(16,0,0)

 

Compensation

Julian- I don’t think this is something ASHMC should be spending money on. And it sucks that people can’t do it because of time, but funding it doesn’t give a lot back to students.

Strieter- Who pays the positions at other schools?

Maureen- own student government funds

Nick- Just to be clear, none of us are getting the benefits of paying positions this year

Caro- Paying positions is so that the student body is benefitted. Then we shouldn’t get snacks at meetings either

Julian- we shouldn’t get snacks

Caro- But snacks help us stay more focused and ultimately does benefit the student body. I think there are less people just trying to get something on their resume

Julian- I’m worried still about those people

Strieter- I don’t think people are going to just do nothing cause they’re getting paid

Caro- don’t see that situation happening

Shawn- problem with proctors?

Nick- doesn’t seem like there are problems with them

Juilan- but ASHMC isn’t paying for that. Don’t have problem with paying for it. I have a problem with paying for it through ASHMC funds

Mas- Bryan’s concern was thinking if more people would actually run? If unopposed, automatically get money?

Nick- my take is that it won’t get more people to run then now.

Jessica- but won’t see money if going to housing

Nick- that’s an issue we have to tackle.

Allysa- negatively influence unpaid positions? Will it hurt or help?

Kiley- The fact that my position is paid had nothing to do with me applying for it

Nick- don’t think money is going to change it

Shawn- Want it to be funded

Nick- Want it to be funded if it can free more time but I don’t think it will affect people. But way people would be paid doesn’t work

Hufsa- how bad are taxes?

Strieter- takes out 12%

Maureen- only for work study people?

Caro- no. would limit who’d work the most

Margaret- would be better if work study done in better way.

Nick- seems like general consensus that we don’t like the housing way of compensation

Maureen- who thinks it’s unnecessary?

Julian- don’t see why those three jobs are special. Other jobs have same time commitments

Bryce- made it this long without payment

Shawn- why does the cabinet care? To free up time?

Maureen- to get more people to run. This was the first year in a while that we had two people running for president.

Nick- this is good to take back to Maggie.

Maureen- put on hold and talk to Maggie.

Caro- if we’re compensating people for time, benefits student community. Like Alex and Camille’s project that fell through. Hourly would be better. Put more time in then.

Margaret- we should consider interest levels in ASHMC. If people aren’t interested, then they aren’t. Sophomores and frosh are invited. That is one step

 

Minutes from 1-31

Julian- Can you keep track of how much money was approved in the minutes?

Kiley- Yes.

Julian motions to approve the minutes from 2-14

Caro seconds

Motion passes

(17, 0, 0)