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Joint Session Feb. 15, 2012

Joint Session Minutes

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Meeting at 7p in Central Library Community Room

Welcome

  • Call to Order, Speaker O’Neill
  • Roll Call, Secretary Julia Peredo

Speaker, Dean of Libraries, Connie Dowell

Old Business, Speaker Hooks

  • Open Floor for Vanderbilt Student Body: Kenny Tan
    • Has heard from several close friends of victims of sexual assaults
    • Students often have false sense of security
    • Next Friday, February 24 the Women’s Center is holding a Green Dot Certification event
    • Speaker Roteta: Engineering holding engineering week events next week

Resolutions, Speaker O’Neill

  • Resolution 11-12-27: Regarding Conduct
    • Technical Questions
      • Is it any probation for any reason?
        • Following Dean of Students handbook
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House: None
  • Motion passes both House and Senate
  • Resolution 11-12-28: Regarding Consistency GPA Checks
    • Technical Questions
      • Why was the requirement changed to 2.75?
        • Changed with new Constitution and Statutes presented by SPC and passed last year
      • Could you clarify full-time students?
        • Under 12 hours is academic probation unless senior with approval
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House: None
  • Motion passes both House and Senate
  • Resolution 11-12-29: Constitution and Statute Amendment GPA Checks
    • Technical Questions
      • By having this run through VSG Advisor, do they have access that the Attorney General no longer has?
        • Yes, as was the previous manner. Just re-aligning to apply to federal law
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House: None
  • Motion passes both House and Senate

 

  • Resolution 11-12-30: Campaign Financing
    • Technical Questions
      • Could you specify what current reimbursement procedure is?
        • Check reimbursement policy (request check through VSG advisor) and follow necessary procedure
      • Why $200 and $100 numbers?
        • Wanted to give more people opportunity to run, and $500 is a lot of money
        • Substantial enough number, but no specific reason for these numbers
      • Is this the first time reimbursements are being done?
        • Yes
      • What part of budget?
        • Attorney General budget, which we have never been able to spend in the past
        • Also from Exec contingency fund
      • Where does VSG get money?
        • Funded by Dean of Students Office and some from Housing based off of students living on campus
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House:
      • Speaker Tan: Other students should not have to pay for other students’ campaign expenditures
      • There should be demonstration of need before reimbursement
        • A.G. Scholl: There is no legitimate way to judge need
        • What happens to money that is not spent?
          • If not allocated to other areas in organization, then it goes into reserves
        • Groups like ASB allocate financial aid, how does that work?
          • Good way to let serious candidates have access to money, but it isn’t like this money would go to anyone who runs
        • Extrapolating on U.S. government, this is equivalent to using tax money for candidates
          • Not a significant amount of money
          • Reflects that students will be invested in own student government elections
        • There are public financing laws in the U.S.
        • Not significant amount of money, but based on principle
        • It’s about 10 cents a student to provide more students the opportunity to run
        • Can say you don’t agree with giving out free money, but this is helping people do something they might not be able to do and is evening out the playing field
        • Sunk cost for money that would otherwise not be spent
        • This money is already coming from students, so then could argue that all things such as co-sponsorships
  • Motion passes House and Senate
  • Resolution 11-12-31: Kissam Representation 2012-2014
    • Technical Questions
      • As of now there is no representation?
        • There is one seat now
        • Going to re-work numbers in 2014
        • Have room for 30 seats in new Senate
      • Would this senator represent those moving to Blakemore?
        • Actually deciding this currently
      • Question about the language with “passed”?
        • Subject to Senate approval
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House: None
  • Motion passes Senate and House

 

 

  • Resolution 11-12-32: Regarding Outside Involvement in Campaign Finances
    • Technical Questions
      • An organization on-campus can endorse a candidate?
        • Yes, that motion passed two weeks ago (existed before but clarified regulations)
      • What are the penalties?
        • Considered election violation
  • Debate
    • Senate: None
    • House:
      • Should have spent more time considering the violation of freedom of conscience this resolution presents
      • If choose to run for president, agree to follow procedures
      • By setting rules that mandate what students can say, this is violation of free speech
  • Motion passes Senate and House
  • Resolution 11-12-33: Resolution Commissioning Study for Vending of Emergency Contraceptives
    • Technical Questions
      • There are distribution laws, such as the age limitation?
        • At the other university, you have to show ID to use machine
        • Should have the technology to swipe Commodore Card
      • Left vague intentionally to work with women’s center to create survey
      • Would you envision VSG doing the legwork?
        • There are members of VSG who could work with women’s study, such as SST
      • It is highly recommended that consult with pharmacist regarding Plan B, so wondering about the law in Tennessee versus in Pennsylvania?
        • Have spoken with director of Student Health regarding these matters…
      • Would this be for any student or just sexual assault?
        • Any student 17 years or older
      • Any concerns about people buying these in bulk and selling them for less?
        • Can only buy one every 10 days because it is effective for 10 days
        • But to be clear, this resolution is for a survey and if the results reflected that students did not want this, I would by no means support it
      • Where would this vending machine be located on campus?
        • Offered some examples, but really will reflect survey results
      • What are the benefits to this system since there is not a way to ensure anonymity since administrators would see who swiped?
        • Time sensitive issue
      • Where does the funding come from that gives Student Health option for reduced rate?
        • Tuition
      • Did the women’s center express concerns that having this readily available would deter women from reporting?
        • There have been numerous studies
  • Debate
    • House
      • Someone mentioned the 72 hours, have to take into consideration the mental state of woman in this situation
      • There are side effects, and someone may more readily go to machine before consulting with healthcare
      • This resolution is for a survey, not the implementation
      • Need to be wary of fact that university is under increased national scrutiny presently and the legality of issue since the one at Shippensburg is under investigation
      • With respect to comment about side effects, there is a consensus (looking at FDA and others) that there are not serious side effects…need to pay attention to fact that this is for a survey to see what student body wants
      • Putting a drug that is so strong in a vending machine can be very dangerous
      • Need to know that it is feasible and does not violate law before presenting this to students because if they want it then cannot do it, would be a problem
      • Survey to see what student body says, then would look into it further
      • If student body does want this in survey, then would put pressure to go through with this, so it is important to look into
      • We are not an accurate sample size of student population, and not forcing to switch to this service, just adding another, and only if student body wants it
      • President Meyer: Have on record that the Director of Student Health did not speak on this issue, and the necessary administrators to enact this do not support it
      • Motion to table—does not pass, debate re-opened
      • Couldn’t hurt to find out what students want
      • Reinforcing same points over and over again
      • Submitting survey would tacitly reflect that this would be VSG-supported initiative
      • Senate: None
  • Motion does not pass in either House or Senate

New Business, Speaker Hooks

  • New Business, Student Body President Meyer
    • Wanted Adam to convey: Reminder that VUPD exists for students to use
      • Blue lights
      • Vandy Vans
      • Escort
      • Non-Emergency number: (615) 322-2745 and emergency (615) 322-1911
  • See upcoming events
  • Proceeding with online syllabi initiative—more to come
  • Co-Sponsorship Update, Executive Vice President Manard
    • Congrats to InVUsion
    • SPC Update, Attorney General Lucas Scholl
      • Speaker situation
        • Clarifying interpretation of Attorney General
          • Do not have one senate now because have to be fall elections
          • Called senate but is combination
          • Under Constitution, word Senate comes from residential and academic bodies
          • Interpretation: One speaker and anyone from either body can run and both bodies will vote
      • SPC leader:
        • Have debated hours on the issue
        • As a committee, agreed to follow the interpretation of Attorney General
      • Senator Landis:
        • Statement about fairness of this election process due to the fact that House outweighs Senate
        • Believe should have two speakers for one year
        • Also would put 4 people in Exec
        • Having two for one year would give SPC more time to decide how to add a 5th member of Exec (if decide to do so)
      • Attorney General
        • Clarifying where we are constitutionally, can still present a new solution
        • The five vs. four exec is separate issue
        • VSG Internal Survey Results, Chief of Staff David Head
          • Supposed to give presentation but obviously no one wants to listen to that
          • Moving down the road
          • Upcoming VSG Events
            • Commodore Express: Sunday, February 19
            • Pizza and Parliament: Tuesday, February 21
            • CommonDores February Meeting: Tuesday, February 21
            • Free for All on the Wall: Thursday, February 23
            • VSG Movie Night, The Dark Knight: Friday, February 24
            • Presidential Candidate Declaration Meeting: Sunday, February 28
            • Benefit Poker Tournament at Commons: Thursday, February 15
              • Info on Facebook

Adjourn and Thanks, Speaker O’Neill

 

Posted by JohnTucker on Thursday, February 16, 2012 in Minutes.

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