73rd Senate Meeting called to order by Speaker Megan Brandt
Roll Call (present-absent-proxy-excused)
Elizabeth Zika 2-0-0, Katie Kendhammer 2-0-0, Haley Pederson 2-0-0, James Dye 2-0-0, Kevin Bender 2-0-0, Brandon Ross 1-1-0, Jenna Ault 2-0-0, James Gilness 0-2-0, Melissa Turner 2-0-0, Gabe Afolayan 2-0-0, Seyi Ofunseye 2-0-0, Christopher Frederick 2-0-0, Lisa Darvell 2-0-0, Josh Peterson 2-0-0, Sandy Vue 0-2-0, Sarah McLaughlin 1-2-0, Onur Bicakci 0-2-0, Scott Musselman 1-1-0, Ryan Boone 1-1-0, Shannon Woods 2-0-0, Michael Bruner 2-0-0, Jessica Cichy 1-1-0, Matthew Ward 2-0-0, Jacly Fishman 0-2-0, Jared Jackson 2-0-0, Sharmarke Issa 0-2-0, Andrew Isker 0-2-0, Joe Mikolai 1-1-0
President Adam Weigold 2-0-0, Vice President Rob Wills 2-0-0
Approval of Agenda Agenda stands approved
Presentation-Vice President of Finance and Administration Dean Trauger
Congratulations to you all on a successful election. I visited with the previous President in November, we
gave information on challenges and budget for fiscal year 06. I would like to be more specific. The legislature is still meeting and discussing the Higher Ed budget. It could be June or July before we hear the decision.
The Chancellor’s office will then look at appropriating the dollars.
FY06 Tuition Rates-We are talking about at least a 5% tuition increase considering the legislature appropriation
for MnSCU. Range could go to 9%. (see enclosed documents) You have been lobbying for a tuition freeze.
MnSCU would then need to have allocations increased. The worst case scenario is 9%.
Why have tuition rates increased so much in recent year?
Per Student Funding has gone down from $4,592 in FY 99 to $3,681 in FY 05. This does not reflect erosion due to inflation. Given the scenario of 5% and appropriation we would be $12,178,787 short.
With 3 1/2 % increase for salaries, 16% increase for insurance costs, 8% increase for library materials, 3% increase for non salary items and 5% increase for utilities, budget changes need to be made.
The University Strategic Initiatives for FY 06 are: #1) Campus Wide plans, public relations & marketing, enrollment management, campus facilities master plan and fundraising #2) Promote Diversity #3) Distance Learning #4) Graduate Education #5) Excellence in Undergraduate Studies. The estimated base funding for FY 06 would be $1,260,000 plus another $800,000 for Talent and Need Based Scholarships
The M& E preliminary FY 06 expenditure budget would be approximately $116,879,105. This is short about
$873,038 in excess of budget We are not able to meet needs requested.
How does MSU compare with other MnSCU universities? Only Moorhead and Metro are lower in tuition.
Senator Bruner-Does the administration keep in mind that we have one of the lowest tuition’s?
Vice President Trauger-Yes, everyone involved is aware of this mainly faculty and staff want our
tradition maintained. We have had difficulties with cutbacks in state appropriations. Moorhead is lower because of the competition with North Dakota. We are very competitive.
Senator Bruner-Can you discus Public Relations & Marketing, Enrollment Management and Campus Facilities Master Plan?
Vice President Trauger-The University hired a marketing firm to help as we begin a capital campaign for private funding donations to improve the university. These people want to donate to something that has
significant value. We want the campaign to get the word out that MSU is a great place, we need to talk about
good things accomplished here. We are doing a feasibility study to see how much the campaign should be requesting. They are planning billboards, etc. One of the keys-the more highly regarded MSU is the easier
it is when graduates go out to find a job. It places a value on your degree and getting a job.
Excellence in Undergraduate Studies-Things that would enhance undergraduate experience, things that would improve learning experience, but we need to look at these and have student input. We want to continue this
discussion throughout the summer. We don’t want students to be caught by surprise with a tuition increase.
Approval of Minutes 04-27-05 Minutes stand approved
Committee Reports
SAC-Nate Entinger, Chair
SAC M#04.27.05A Athletic Training Club
Motion passes
SAC M#04.27.05B Delta Sigma Pi
Motion passes
SAC M#04.27.05C Alpha Sigma Alpha
Motion passes
SAC M#05.04.05A Psi Chi & Psychology Club
Motion passes
Accreditation Committee-Karl Mertens
Next February we will have a visit from the Accreditation Committee. (see handout) The five areas that
we as students are concerned about are criteria 3 and 4, Student Learning and Effective Teaching and Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge. These reports will be out in the future.
We need to replace two students on this committee. This is important because faculty and staff have an
important function but students are important for recommendations and inputs.
Officer Reports
President Weigold
Committees, there are many committees, get involved or encourage students you know to get involved. The Accreditation Committee is very important. Our degrees are important. We need someone to serve on this committee.
MSU Calendar committee-veterans day is being looked at as a school holiday because of the amount of
veterans coming back. Texbook Price Containment Committee-Book orders-right now about half of the faculty has turned in their book orders. Right now the bookstore will pay you 50% if the book is being used if they do not know you get very little back. Talk to your professors, encourage them to get their book orders in.
Tuition-There are many trustees on the MnSCU Board that may not want to see a 9% increase in tuition.
We could see an increase of 9%. In our MSU budget expenditure, there is an increase of $800,000 for scholarships, that is about 1% right there. The Strategic initiatives are requesting over $1,260,000.
Appointments: Homecoming Committee- Kevin Bender, Parking Appeals-Mike Bruner, Andrew Isker
Senator Bender-How much was the ad you took out on textbooks?
President Weigold-A little over $100.00.
Vice President Wills
Give us names of people for committees. Next year MSU will be hosting the Wellstone Project, increasing
activism on campus. We need to look at this, we can send 20 people to this training. It will cost
us but we can get involved with other organizations on campus.
Senator Kendhammer-Where will the money come from if students want to do this project?
President Weigold-I am sure this would be a SAC request.
Senator Bruner-Is this a partisan thing, it looks like it is not and I am uncomfortable using
student fee money for something that is partisan.
Senator Bruner-There web site does not say that they are partisan.
President Weigold-This is coming for sure, SLD&SL and Academic Affairs are already getting involved,
Vice President Wills-This is open to anyone but we need to identify who will be going.
Senator Bender-This is great for SLD&SL and we should all be unbiased. We can look at this.
Senator Pederson-If students are coming together to talk about this, why do we need to talk about this.
Senator Ward-Do you think that overall now that SLD&SL is doing this that this would enhance the working relationship?
Vice President Wills-Absolutely, we all need to work on this. This is a chance to take this is our hands.
Senator Kendhammer-Why did we choose this over something less partisan for less money?
Vice President Wills-This is put on by Civic engagement.
Senator Kendhammer-If we would choose not to pay money could other students attend?
President Weigold-This has already been planned, we were just asked to co sponsor it.
Senator Kendhammer-Can individuals pay a fee and attend?
President Weigold-We did not organize this. You would have to ask the organizers.
Senator Bruner-Does the $1300 dollars pay for 20 students, can we send less do we pay less?
Senator Isker-When does this start?
Vice President Wills-October is quite a ways a way.
Speaker Brandt
Former President Anwer has been doing a ton of work on a training program for the senate.
We will let you know when we will be doing that before senate starts.
Campus Affairs Coordinator-Syeda Khumar Raza
I will be working on many areas. Senators you will learn so much but if you have any
ideas or want to promote something, let us know. I want to know why you joined Senate,
what are your plans, if you still want to work on certain areas that you campaigned for, let me know.
Announcements
Mike – This is our last meeting, We talked to Vice President of Student Affairs and met with Dr. Davenport about student fees. Not all positions, etc will be given an answer immediately.
Kevin Bender – finals week, have fun over summer. apple river after 4th of July
Speaker – Weekend after 4th is my birthday
President – Adam endorses alcohol – Hooligans tonight.
Matt Ward- About the Wellstone project, we should do it. Good luck with finals
Mike Bruner – Hooligans starts at 9.
Senator Isker – birthday on sat. 19th
Roll Call
Senators Present
Elizabeth Zika, Katie Kendhammer, Haley Pederson, James Dye, Kevin Bender, Brandon Ross, Jenna Ault,
Melissa Turner, Gabe Afolayan, Seyi Ofunseye, Christopher Frederick, Lisa Darvell-proxy Susan Thelen,
Josh Peterson, Scott Musselman, Shannon Woods, Michael Bruner, Matthew Ward, Jared Jackson, Andrew Isker
Senators Absent
James Gilness, Sandy Vue, Sarah McLaughlin, Onur Bicakci, Ryan Boone, Jessica Cichy, Jacly Fishman, Sharmarke Issa, Joe Mikolai
Executive Staff Present
President Adam Weigold, Vice President Rob Wills
Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 5:15 PM
