Session of OCtober 8th , 2020
Minutes Recorded by: McKenzie Craycraft, Secretary
Visitors: Laura Cobb, Abbie Turner, Justin Moore, Seth Boyes, Stephen Foster, Jordan Pride, Joshua Frederick, Kyle Matthews, Abby Beach, Cameron Crouter
Call to Order at 11:03 AM
Senator Avent prays
Roll Called
Approval of Minutes
Minutes approved at 11:05 AM
Officer Reports
None
Committee Reports
Senator Gowing: For constitution, we have drafted an act for combining constitution and elections. There is a bit more work that needs to be done. We will need to find a resolution or find a way to fix both things at once. We have until next semester to fix this.
Senator Willis: For student life, we are working on several projects, the sustenance bill was passed last week, and we are finding out what we can provide for floors, I will bring that up to discuss in open forum. We also had 30 people fill out the Nintendo Switch survey for what games they want to see.
Senator Anderson: Not much to report this week, but I did send an email to clubs letting them know how much funding they have been allocated for this semester.
Special Business
Senator Gowing: Motion to add senator Lockridge to roll
Approved
Swearing in senators Jonathan Edwards, Chris Willis, Donavan Hoekstra
PPT LaQuey: Senator Edwards for the constitution committee, senator Willis & senator Hoekstrato for the student life committee.
Senator Willis: Which senator Willis were you referring to?
VP murphy: We can have the distinction of chairmen Willis and senator Willis.
Chairman Willis: Motion to have chairmen Willis and senator Willis
Approved
VP Murphy: All in favor of chairmen Willis and senator Willis
Senator Anderson: I call for a division of the house
VP Murphy: Two opposed, bill passes
Old Business
None
New Business
Senator Gowing: Motion to bring Direct Assimilation of Respective Nations bill to the floor
Approved
VP Murphy: Can you write in that all references will be referred to as governmental processes until officially changed? And stating what will happen as far as appointing one singular chair when the two were merged.
Senator Gowing: If we want to table this bill, I can write those points for next week or can we friendly amend. Motion to table this bill.
Bill officially tabled
Announcements
Chairman Willis: For our new ice cream schedule we will be doing a rocky road thing where we bring our ice cream to the buildings. It will be from 3:30-4:30 but from 4:00-4:30 we will be at different places. We have six weeks left and this week will be at the Trinities, then next week will be Thomas/Gilbert/Davis, then Tyler, then apartments/Quads, then South/Married, and last the Societies.
PPT LaQuey: I have been in contact with about TOTOCS. We need people to coordinate different events. It is Saturday form 2-4:30. You can coordinate or get in touch with Joseph Wang.
Senator Avent: LaQuey you said Saturday was October 31st from 2-4:30, I was wondering if it was a Saturday in the other hours?
Open Forum
VP Murphy: I am aware there are many things to discuss so try to move it quickly so we can discuss everything thoroughly and effectively. Anyone can speak as long as I point them.
PPT LaQuey: Motion to bring bill Senate Isolation Commission Act of Fall 2020 to the floor
Senator Anderson: Call for a division of the house
6 in favor, 4 against
VP Murphy: What bill?
Senator LaQuey: This is an opportunity to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in isolation.
Chairman Willis: Motion to friendly amend the sponsorship part to chairman Willis from senator Willis.
Citizen Boyes: I would like to discuss with senate about the current COVID email, will there reach a point where we will have to go home?
Citizen Morgan: It could, I do not have a way to forecast that, we want people to distance, we don’t have a max out.
Citizen Boyes: I have also seen many people are upset about only having four per table in Saga.
Chairman Willis: I do believe this is a very important point of discussion, but we have a bill to discuss.
Senator Gonzalez: I am in full support of this bill, but I would like to table it.
Senator Lockridge: Second
VP Murphy: It is still on the table
Senator Moyes: Motion bring to vote
Bill approved
PPT LaQuey: If you are interested in being a commissioner on this, we wanted to give the opportunity for junior senators to take point on this.
VP Murphy: The idea was to have this overseen by senate, but any student of this population can be a part of this.
Senator Gowing: I would like to say that we if we are doing our jobs without getting input from other students, we are doing our job poorly. Our job is to represent our own student body.
Senator Anderson: Speaking to a point that was brought up earlier, I am voicing concern on the four to the table issue in Saga. It is difficult to keep being involved in community in the case of the tables. Saga has been seen as an escape to get away from the daily grind of tests and to sit down and have a meal with brothers in Christ. That is part of the reason why there has been such an outcry. I want to convey why the frustration is so strong, is there any other action that can be taken? I hope that it is clear this isn’t a matter of inconvenience. This is a deeper concern. We are all in this together.
Citizen Cobb: I am the assistant general manager at Bon Appetit, I am under Charity’s name in emails and on the Buzz app. I wanted to let you know Dr. Morgan and I spoke extensively about this. We have not made this discission quickly. We have massive contact numbers, I get it, you guys are so cut off from each other. It is frustration, we are hoping that this is a temporary measure that could last a week or too. The reason why we have so many people in isolation is because it is a contact game. Everyone in that group goes into isolation even if you test negative. It’s just a game and it keeps going. Some models have shown how many groups are affected. With just eight people sitting at one spot, if we cut it in half for a week or two, we can bring down the numbers of those in isolation and we can go back to the way we were. We can remind people to be more aware. Regardless of what you consider is helpful and what is not. Please bear with us so we can bring down the numbers. I feel cut off too. Everyone feels cut off. Everyone is experiencing this. I apologize that it feels like it was sprung on you we do not want this to rise. I am always available if you ever need to talk about this situation. Please feel free to contact me.
Citizen Morgan: That is exactly the situation, it is a visual reminder. We do assume there are asymptomatic cases. You cannot assume that everyone is fine.
Senator Bright: A big point that has come up is the lack of communication about why this decision was made. It wasn’t true but it seems that way.
Citizen Morgan: An email went out this morning, I was in meetings all day. We are doing triple jobs right now. We try to communicate but decisions are being made quickly. we do not want to take way your joy, think back to the people who are making the decisions.
Citizen King: We were talking about making the groups smaller, I also know that the CDC recommended to not do testing at the beginning of school. What CDC policies is the school deciding to follow?
Citizen Morgan: The CDC said they didn’t recommend that everyone get tested because some schools could not handle the legislative process of this. They didn’t discourage it. We got one day results. Generally, for things like isolation we are following to the degree that we can.
Senator Gowing: Honestly school administrations’ hands are just as full as ours, let’s try to remember that this is more than the school administrations fixing problems.
Citizen Morgan: Put your mask on.
Senator Anderson: Thank you all for coming, you are hoping this a temporary measure, is there a specific number that it needs to drop below for people to sit at tables of eight again?
Citizen Morgan: There is a lot of factors with how much space we have on campus. I do not have an official number for you. I don’t think it is helpful to have a number for people to be monitering. We need to have space to house people.
Citzen Cobb: In addition, it is not about a number, it is not how long how we can go, there is a lot of up and down, we need to see some time of calmness, we are not going without people testing positive.
VP Murphy: I appreciate all that is being discussed, but there is a specific group here to speak, President Turner and your group would you like to come up and share.
Abbie Turner & Justin Moore shared presentations
Senator Bright: I love this idea; you are talking about how the main point is unity so maybe the shirt should say unity first.
President Abby: We view each other as equals first and that is how unity can be had.
Citizen Justin: It’s not just race, equality isn’t just race, its gender, unity comes from being equal.
Citizen Boyes: President turner, would the verse that you had shared here be included on the t-shirt?
President Abbie: That is a possibility, we have not added that.
Senator Gowing: I have to head out, I do recommend staying away from things that are politically divisive, LeTourneau is conservative. You would be more likely to annoy some people. I like the idea of putting the scripture reference. It looks more political so you could add the verse to make it more palatable to the student body.
Senator Anderson: I think it is important it isn’t taken as a political statement we just want to make sure it isn’t political; we should talk to our floors to give them the t-shirt design.
Senator Avent: I think there could be more discussion and we can table this to next week.
PPT LaQuey: Do you know how much this will cost?
President Abbie: I can get back to you on that soon
Chairman Willis: Motion to table this until next week.
Approved
Senator Gonzalez motions to adjourn.
Senator Anderson seconds.
Meeting Adjourned at 11:55 AM