Senate Meeting Minutes
Minutes
Sonoma State University
AS Senate Meeting
Associated Students
12:00pm- Monday, November 6, 2023
Sonoma Valley Room – 2nd Floor Student Center
Minutes
I. Call to Order & reading of the Land acknowledgement- The meeting was called to order at 12:02 pm;
II. Roll Call- everyone is present;
III. Public Comment – pursuant to California Education Code 89306, the AS Senate provides this time for any member of the public to address the AS Senate on any item affecting higher education. Pursuant to California Education Code 89306(b), each speaker will be allowed no more than three (3) minutes to address the AS Senate.
IV. Liaisons Reports
a. University President’s Designee- AVP finalist search has been completed as the finalists came to campus; Bakersfield Athletic Leadership is visiting next week and accepted an invitation from Dr. Jones and collab with each other to review SSU athletic department in depth; Women’s Volleyball is in the playoffs;
b. Academic Senate Representative - reported: Laura Krier reported that last meeting, 2nd reading of the course modality, 2 Senate Committees adopted a policy of courses in person, online and how many courses can be considered for each
V. Special Guest
a. Ed Mills - Vice President of Strategic Enrollment- VP Mills reported: for the Fall Semester, it is currently around 5867, which is some of the lowest number for enrollment and class size in a while due to 37% of the student body graduated in Last Spring and 500 graduating in the following Spring as well; Moreover, we are #1 for transfer and retention; However, challenges from post-COVID is that SSU is less known to high schools and junior colleges; the height of SSU before COVID was 9300 students, but now is about less than half of that; talked with new Spring students on friday for Spring Noma Nation Orientation; familiar with all 23 CSU’s; applications are up 12% for next Fall; progress of rebuilding and biggest area to change: communications to improve and give more opportunities for students, incoming, current and continuing; this spring, we will be working coordinating online presence for SSU to be more known and more familiar;
VI. Business
a. October Roster of Legislation (DISCUSSION)
i. Discussion- Senator Fast and Frickman is showing the resolution of the current legislation that are the top priority for students and involving on students such as financial aid, course materials, Title IX/sexual harassment complaints, etc; They both made a roster for legislations that has already been passed and seeing what stance does the BOD have regarding the bills; EVP Lopez asked will the bills that the BOD oppose will be on the future rosters; Senator Frickman responded that it will be on there, but for now, her and Senator Fast has put the current following four on this roster; ED Dickson suggested that the BOD do read the bills on the roster more in detail, along with the voting history, costs, etc;
b. Authorization Resolution for the Associated Students' CCTR contract (ACTION)
i. Discussion - ED Dickson talked about the contracts which are also grants as well connected with the Children’s School; They are both subsidy contracts that we get 2 divisions from the Government of State of California; This contract is for the California Department of Social Services, which is our CCTR, which is also the toddler contract; Both the contracts are run through the University Office Reserve Program and all the grants and contracts goes through them;
ii. Action- Senator Sanchez moved to approve the authorization resolution for the Associated Students’s CCTR Contract; Senator Frickman seconded the motion; The motion passed unanimously;
c. Authorization Resolution for the Associated Students' CSPP contract (ACTION)
i. Discussion - ED Dickson talked about the contracts which are also grants as well connected with the Children’s School; They are both subsidy contracts that we get from the State of California Government; This contract is the preschool contract and that is for the Department of Education; Both the contracts are run through the University Office Reserve Program and all the grants and contracts goes through them; We put this on file and send with our application annually and this is just the ongoing process;
ii. Action- Senator Frickman moved to approve the corporate resolution entering into an agreement where the CSPP CFA with the California Department of Education; Senator Fast seconded the motion; The motion passed unanimously;
VII. Reports
a. AS President - President Garcia reported that: last week, met with Dr. Jones to discuss the Transfers Life Student Success = Report; it was supposed to turn in on Nov 1st, but Dr. Jones did mention that SSU asked for an extension and working on that report; met with Dr. Jeralina and Tremaine to work on; application due June 2024; Personnel Committee meeting but table an item because attorneys need to go over; met with Anna for Marketing and possibly do a Q&A; attended last week CSSA; had a BOD meeting and went over the bills that were passed and reviewed; Nov 15th, two CSU trustees will be visiting;
b. Executive Vice President- EVP reported: should have gotten that email about CASL; registration is coming up, so please make sure to be on top of the committee dates and times, so if there is any conflict of time, just let EVP Lopez know; talked with the Provost last week and make it clear that students should not be too affected by this change, it is more change for the faculty of the department; ARC meeting this week since she was out sick last couple of weeks, discussing important things and will be bringing up to the next Senate meeting;
c. Vice President of Finance
d. Senator of Diversity- Senator Sanchez reported that: multiple students meeting up with her about the Student Bill of Rights Committee; also had an interview with the STAR about the Student Bill of Rights Committee; students are becoming more aware of the Committee and word is going around; did senator tabling on the 24th and also attended the senator diversity subcommittee on Friday and discussion and invited DSI and talked further about recording class sessions and the concern of students recording class sessions without any accommodations; still discussion about revising the SETEs; talked about faculty interviews and discussing of faculty of color that are exiting; Open Forum tonight at 5-7 in Bennett Valley; email of campus safety walk on Wednesday; holding a safe space on next Monday hosted by Senator Sanchez and Josue Chavez to give the students a space to talk about the campus climate currently and invited 2 CAPS counselors as well;
e. Senator of Student Resources
f. Senator of Government Affairs -Senator Frickman reported: went to the City of Rohnert Park meeting on Oct 4th and everyone there; update on Downtown Rohnert Park and they are looking for developers and applications for vendors; Personnel Committee and tabling the Holiday Hours discussion ; Finance meeting today; finished roster of legislation and making some changes; met with Student Affairs and revision to the advising policy was the big discussion item and looks more as a policy and more accountability for faculty and students; meeting with Dr. Mills tomorrow; attended CSSA with Cass this weekend; creating LobbyCorps for Spring and reaching out for CASL; senator tabling; Open Forum tonight;
g. JUMP Representative
h. Basic Needs Representative- reported: LOBOS pantry will be closed on Friday for Veteran’s Day; it will only be open through Nov. 21st and only taking appointments by using the link that we use for the CALFresh appointments; will be closed through 22 24th; and opened again on the next Monday; Dec 11-15th is open via appointments during Finals Week and Dec 18th-5th is closed; after Jan 5th, it is open; CALFRESH advisor will host a financial workshop on the 30th of this month and activity planned such as piggy banks; updates: team getting schedules for next Semester;mworking on Pantry stats for meal plans of students or not having meal plans and improving our usage for the Pantry to impact the students;
i. ASP Representative
j. Children's School Representative- Representative Nelson reported that: working on the applications currently and due end of the month-early December, working with Facilities Management, there is a CALFire Grant, but it is due on Dec 1st, so close to timing; purpose is making more facilities more sustainable; had landscaping come over and look over the facilities to check it out and having discussions; Student-Parent Registration; 500 student hours this semester, most were from Early Education, but 68 were from Nursing and Special Education as well; k. Student Government Representativel. Executive Director- reported:
welcoming to November; giving 2 months of activity of finances;discussion of employees and looking at
budget and finances; 50 employees at least; 1⁄3 of 375 hours from last year to this year; individual programs of using their budget; it will fluctuate since hiring in the Spring but it will be interesting to since graduates for Spring is going to be gone and high turnover; advantages: budget savings, but cons: new people and new team; doing more events in each department this year than last year; need to address the turnover in Personnel; Challenges: scheduling of Senate changing because
of classes; Check your schedules and let us know ASAP! Campus is welcoming 250 students, a little lower than last
year;
XI. Items for the Good of the Order-
XII. Adjournment - The meeting was called to order at: 1:29 pm;
Posted in accordance with the Gloria Romero Open Meeting Law of 2000 by: President Cassandra Garcia
The Associated Students of Sonoma State University acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land. Let it be acknowledged that the Associated Students and Sonoma State University is located within the traditional homelands of the indigenous peoples collectively known as Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo.