Session of January 28th , 2021

January 28, 2021

Minutes Recorded by: McKenzie Craycraft, Secretary

Visitors: Dean Scott, Stephen Fosters

Call to Order at 11:07 AM

Senator Moyes prays

Roll Called

Approval of Minutes

Minutes approved at 11:10 AM

Officer Reports

None

Committee Reports

Senator Gonzalez: I declare the senate wiki has been disconnected from life support. We have a better website.

Chairman Willis: I purpose a moment of silence

Approved

Senator Avent: I call for a division of the house

All in favor: 6

All against :4

Moment of silence for the wiki

Senator Avent: Student life is currently investigating the loss of the nineth hole for the Frisbee golfcourse.

Senator Hoeksta: We will discuss chapel in open forum.

Senator Willis: Student life committee, I have heard a few complaints about a missing dumpster, people are wondering where that is.

Senator Beach: Student life is working on the ISN on working on getting fliers out. Please let us know if you have any ideas.

VP Murphy: That is the isolation network.

Senator Anderson: I have the bill for this semester’s funding. I will be sending out emails to the clubs and organization. The budget deadline is February 7^th. We will have the funding bill presented on the 25^th.

Senator Moyes: Governmental processes, we have decided on some dates for deadlines for conformation of candidates, we will purpose a bill for funding on food.

Special Business

VP Murphy: Shared resignation note of sergeant of arms from Reese McClain. I appoint JonathanEdwards as our new sergeant of arms. On the note of still active senators, we do have two people who have academic flight blocks. In constitution senate is allowed to approve that they can remain but having an excused absence for the entire semester. They do not have to be counted. I would like you to make sure both of those guys are excused from senate.

Senator Avent: Who are these people?

VP Murphy: Austin Taylor and Reese Davis.

Senator Moyes: Motion to excuse them

Senator Avent: Second

Senator Bright: Do they still have a way of communicating with the session?

VP Murphy: Austin has a lot of contact with Wesley, voting districts is able to have 2 senators. Reese can be kept up to date by Cord.

Chairman Willis: Point of information, this motion should specify that it is just this semester and it’s not counted to corium.

VP Murphy: The original had a second.

PPT LaQuey: I amend the motion on the floor.

VP Murphy: All in favor.

Approved

VP Murphy: The motion that was amended allows Taylor and Davis to be excused for this semester.

Approved

VP Murphy: We have some new senators to swear in.

Cameron Crowder & Jason Eaton sworn in

PPT LaQuey: Senator Eaton to FAC, senator Crowder to student life committee.

VP Murphy: We will have more senators sworn in, we just need to get people trained and present over the next two week.

Old Business

None

New Business

None

Announcements

Chairman Willis: Ice cream will be this Friday. From 3:30-4:00 outside of ASC. During the second 30 minutes we will take the ice cream over to the societies. We wanted to visit every dorm are last semester,so we are taking it to the societies. Please come and help out.

Open Forum

Senator Bright: I would like to bring up the issue of the missing dumpster.

Senator Willis: Regarding the missing dumpster I am speaking to facilities to learn some information.

Senator Bright: Some people also mentioned about getting an extended menu at the Hive and getting some later hours what are some options we have.

Senator Moyes: I recall we did have some discussion with on the app and the restrains are based off of their contract, I think menu items are discussable, but I do not know about the hours.

Senator Bright: Is there anyone have anything more we would want to discuss with Bon Appétit that would be worth bringing them in?

Chairman Willis: I think it would be worth telling them they are doing good. I think we could let themknow we appreciate what they are doing.

Senator Avent: These hours are probably decided by the COVID hours, because of the menu everything has been shifted over to saga. I’m not sure requesting those extra 2 hours would be good.

Senator Bright: I purpose we ask them to come in to thank them and to ask what the possibilities of an extended menu would be.

PPT LaQuey: It’s a great recommendation, before we take up their time, we could just go over to theCorner Café and just speak with them. We can write a thank you note.

Senator Willis: I would be willing to give the letter to Bon Appétit.

Senator Avent: We could want to nominate Senator Willis. I would motion to make this letter.

Motion approved

Senator Willis: As mentioned early by senator Hoekstra, we do need to talk about chapel. As the student life committee, we have heard a lot of discussion about chapel. I think the primary complaints are the no singing, it’s an odd situation.

Senator Bright: Regardless of what side you are on, I want to point out a contradiction, of speaking Psalms but not signing. I wanted to know if they considered this.

Senator Eaton: There is a difference between singing and speaking, that is a good note to make.

Chairman Willis: I think you don’t have to have a doctorate to see the contradictions of the school. Chapel is aiming for a radical middle ground of having things in place. Instead of heling to appease both sides it has made both sides upset. I think they did a good job. Yes, there are frustrations. We need to discuss what our floors have said.

Dean Scott: I would reiterate that; I didn’t have anything to do with the chapel. We are just humans trying to do something that a university was not made to do. Trying to keep a university open during covid is like trying to drive a car underwater. I am under the water in a car. I completely agree there are problems. Easiest way to be consistent is to say no. The only way I can be consistent is taking away more things. I think chapel did do a middle ground. The majority of the feedback has been this is too dangerous we shouldn’t be doing it. Then chapel happened and everyone thought why are you restricting us some much? Our job has been trying to make people equally angry at all times. We are doing super weird things and we are trying our best.

Senator Avent: Well since you are at the state of getting better, I think we could get better at, distancingin the classroom. We are still close enough to get contact traced. Shouldn’t it at last protect you. My idea for this would be to allow certain people that would be exposed to each other to sit near each other.

Dean Scott: Sitting in clusters?

Senator Avent: It would depend on how complete it is. I think it would be something to think about.

Dean Scott: Physically they are too small to spread out. People went in over the summer to try to figure it out. We found we had some options where you do your best, or do things where class is virtual half the time. Those are tradeoffs. We are finding that classroom is the third largest spreader. Most of y’all are getting exposed in an unknown way.

Senator Gonzalez: I want to bring up a point of info, the school sets its own guidelines, and each department set their own rules. Am I correct saying this?

Dean Scott: Yes, to an extent, some professors do a great and others do not care. I love it when studentsay they don’t have to wear a mask in ASC because they do not have to wear one in class.

Senator Gonzalez: I want to discuss about the covid violation procedure, student life are giving more write ups. Last semester you would be warned then be given a certain number of warnings. Now it is either a warning and you don’t get it or the next time you get a write up and you didn’t even get a verbal or written warning.

Dean Scott: Last semester was verbal, written conduct, this semester we want to start tracking it. There is a written warning that stays. You are not going to get a surprise letter about something that someone hasn’t talked to you about. Further things after that there is a fine and conduct meetings. The policeshaven’t changed but we are making it stricter. You still get a waring.

VP Murphy: To clarify, I do not have mask on because I am in here as a professor, right?

Dean Scott: You are functioning as professor; I am not out to get people.

VP Murphy: The asking of this question is not pushing a line but being an example.

Dean Scott: I would like to share that at the beginning of this pandemic, I completely understand that people have their personal feelings. Since March, as this has been going on there have been a lot of things that have hit close to home. A student here lost his mother to covid this last week. There may be someone on your floor who has lost someone because of covid. The experiences are getting really real for the students. People are getting sick.

PPT LaQuey: Thank you Dr. Scott, for your words, I think it is one of those things where we are frustrated about doing what is right. I want to ask, about where the status of the isolation network is at?

Senator Gonzalez: I am coordinating with chairman Willis and PPT LaQuey so we can purchase meals for those who are isolated so we can decide where we can get food from that is close and cheap so we can feed as many people as possible. I feel like we need to encourage the use of discord. We need to have people email Chairman Willis. It looks like we have 14 who have active cases and 50 isolated. We need to work on communicating with those who are isolated.

Chairman Willis: I agree with all of that, like senator Beach mentioned, we are trying to get some flyersout to the apartments. We want to focus on the care packages and fast food and ice cream. Focusing a bit on that will be helpful.

Senator Gonzalez: PR&R, is there a way we could work with Dr. Mays to make an announcement? We could make a station or 2 outside of belcher to talk about it.

VP Murphy: If you want specifics email Ms. Londa and Ben Goller get on the discord and inform people. Get in touch with Hannah Eisen because she is in charge of having food delivered. Between those peoplewe can get some help.

Senator Gonzalez: Motion to adjourn

Senator Moyes: Second

Senator Anderson: I call for a division of the house

All in favor: 8

Meeting Adjourned at 11:54 AM