Student Government of Seattle University

Representative Assembly Meeting

Meeting Minutes
April 1, 2015 STCN 130 at 6:00 p.m.
I.

Call to Order
Raquel calls the meeting to order at 6:01 PM

II.

Roll Call (initial on the line)

Eric Sype, President _________
Raquel Davalos, Executive Vice President _________
Matthew Kelly, Vice President of Finance _________
Meggie Green, Vice President of University Affairs _________
Luke Larsen, Senior Representative _________
Manuel Siguenza, Junior Representative _________
Palmyra Jackson, Sophomore Representative_________
Owen Goetze, At-Large Representative _________
Mark Vargas, At-Large Representative _________
Sarah Coluccio, Athletic Representative
Monica Chan, Multicultural Representative _________
Lynn Doan, Commuter Representative _________
Jordan Murakami, Transfer Representative _________
Jaden Phan, International Representative _________
Braden Wild, Students with Disabilities Representative _________
Jarrod Gallagher, Nontraditional Representative _________
Isheeta Tewari, Freshman Representative _________
Tanish Bhojwani, Freshman Representative _________

III.

Approval of the Minutes

Motion passes unanimously with abstention from Jaden Phan.

IV.

Public Comment None

V.

Guest Speakers None

VI.

Old Business None

VII.

New Business
REPA 20150401 Spring Quarter Elections Plan (Tyler Saito and Eric Sype)
Tyler: Im going to walk us through a timeline. This is the timeline. Weve moved things up so that we can spend more time
with the newly elected people. Tabling in C Street and Pigott will be next week. Candidacy declaration packets come out on
Tuesday. Packets are due on Friday, the 17th and campaigning begins on the 22nd. On April 23rd, there will be a new event.
Lindsey will be running this event.
Lindsey: This event will be a Meet your Candidates Fireside Chat with smores (hopefully) and cultivate dialogue within the
group that attends. It wont so much be a formal event as it is a get-to-know-you event.
Tyler: Thank you. Were looking to do a formal meet-and-greet on the library patio during the day with lemonade.
Jarrod: Do you have any back-up plans if it rains?
Tyler: Either in here or by the hearth. The back-up timeline involves pushing everything back a week. I really need everyones
help in reaching out to your constituents.
Matt: Why would the back-up timeline be needed?
Tyler: Slow turn-around times.
Eric: Please share any dazzling ideas you might have as well.
Jarrod: Reaching out to the Spectator might be good.
Eric: Tyler, what are the top 3 things you need from us?
Tyler: Everyone on the same page with terminology and requirements. Candidate signature packets need to be picked up in
the office.

Myra: Will we have something to give them at tabling?

Tyler: Yes.
Jarrod: What is that?
Tyler: An information card with all requirements.
Raquel: Thank you, Tyler!
REPA 20150401 Elections Code Amendment (Tyler Saito)
Tyler: We can go through this point by point. This part is just updating the phrasing from net codes to social media and
weve implemented inclusive pronouns throughout the document. I removed this redundant subsection here. Weve included
the Students with Disabilities Representative position. Ive altered the requirements for signatures to be more reflective of
constituency sizes. This bit allows us to better analyze who votes. The Commuter Rep position will be altered slightly as well.
Raquel: Does this mean we need to change the bylaws?
Tyler: Yes. This article here just adds clarity. According to Housing, youre allowed up to 10 flyers in your building and the fix
to this is to allow each candidate one flyer in each lobby of the residence halls.
Eric: Whats the rationale to leaving out the Murphys and Douglas?
Tyler: They dont have a common space.
Izzy: The solution could be to distribute those flyers to the RAs and have them distribute them because otherwise you leave
out all upper division housing.
Tyler: Okay. Good.
Jarrod: If I understand this correctly, someone who seeks office as a representative for students with disabilities must selfidentify to the world through the universitys policy?
Tyler: Yes.
Braden: Its unfortunate, but yes.
Eric: Thats a change that needs to take place in the by-laws and were having a conversation about that next week.
Jarrod: Okay.
Matt: Could you go back to the division of spring/fall elections? I feel like this change is problematic.
Raquel: Yes, it is but it has been and the change via voting will reflect that.
Tyler: We had an incident with chalk this past fall, so we have a new policy about the importance of washable chalk. This
section allows for students to post as many times as they like on social media. Additionally, all members of SGSU may not
specifically endorse one candidate or another. This section includes new sanctions.
Jarrod: Where does that fine money go?
Tyler: Currently it goes to the Elections account. With the amending of the codes it will go to the SGSU Projects fund.
Raquel: How do we enforce these sections?
Tyler: Through the integrity board process.
Owen: I move to approve the codes.
Myra: Seconded.
Raquel: Motion passes unanimously.
REPA 20150401 Student Employment Under ACA (Eric Sype)
Eric: I would like to give this a little context. I sent out a letter with some information from Miami University in Oxford, OH.
Theyre asking student governments to sign on to this letter. I asked Jerry Huffman in HR about this and he explained that SU
has always had a cap on student hours, so it doesnt impact our university. Questions?
Manuel: What about Bon App student employees?
Izzy: Thats an outside vendor.
Matt: During the summer students are allowed to work full time so this could be a complication. I think we should sign on in
solidarity with other students around the country.
Luke: I agree.
Eric: I dont have any way of knowing if what theyre saying is accurate.
Mark: Most universities require students to have health insurance anyway, so this could be redundant.
Raquel: I think we would be ascribing a problem to SU that might not exist.
Monica: Do you have to have health insurance if youre employed over the summer?
Margaret: You either have 12 months of SU insurance or outside health insurance that is your own business to maintain.
Izzy: We should look at larger employment issues at SU.
Matt: We should sign the letter in solidarity with students around the nation.
Myra: Maybe should wait until one of our peer eleven groups sign on.
Eric: We have more options than just a vote right now.
Kristen: *Reads list of universities that are signed on*

VIII.

Matt: My recommendation would be to table this discussion.

Mark: My recommendation would be to not sign onto it because its unnecessary and redundant.
Matt: I seek a motion to table this topic until we complete a fact-finding mission.
Isheeta: So moved.
Monica: Seconded.
Raquel: Six in favor of tabling, eight in opposition. The motion does not pass.
Eric: I seek a motion to not sign on to this letter.
Mark: So moved.
Owen: Seconded.
Raquel: Eight in favor of motion, six in opposition, so the motion passes to not sign on to the letter.
REPA 20150401 Nicaragua Trip (Braden Wild)
Braden: Im going to do a coffee cupping later in April. We did eleven local interviews and weve decided to create a brand
under the mission of more than just fair trade. Were importing coffee at a 25% premium to compensate from the loss. This is
going to have a good impact on campus. Were only going to be doing it on a small scale. Well be doing one round of coffee
on campus annually. This is the farmer family we worked with. Well be highlighting this farm. What Im looking to do is
advertise for these efforts. In its current state there are green-washing troubles in the Fair Trade resolution and were looking
to resolve this.
REPA 20150401 Structural Changes (Eric Sype)
Eric: As many of you know, I was offered a Fulbright Scholarship. Right off the bat, I have several deadlines that I have to
meet, so Im going to be stepping down this quarter. Raquel will be stepping in as president for the quarter. Myra will be
stepping in as EVP. Anything else that needs to be said?
Raquel: My apologies for another difficult transition.
Myra: Raquel has been training me all year in the pro-tempore role.
Eric: I guess the only thing I have left to say is APRIL FOOLS.
Officer Reports:
A) Eric Sype-President:
a. Board of Regents Meeting: presentation next Friday with GSC and Michele Murray
b. Tobacco Free Implementation Task Force is finally coming together.
B) Raquel Davalos- Executive Vice President:
a. Reminder: please let me know if youll be missing office hours.
b. By-laws changes.
c. Calendar updates.
d. Guest speaker ideas.
C) Matthew Kelly- Vice President of Finance:
a. Budget update.
b. By-laws amendment, re: appropriations.
D) Meg Green- Vice President of University Affairs
a. Academic Assembly:
i. Program updates
b. I will be reporting on the service trip I went on in the near future.
E) Representatives
a. Luke Larsen, Senior Representative:
i. Senior soiree.
b. Manuel Siguenza, Junior Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
c. Palmyra Jackson, Sophomore Representative:
i. Meeting with Kent Koth.
d. Owen Goetze, At-Large Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
e. Mark Vargas, At-Large Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
f. Monica Chan, Multicultural Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
g. Lynn Doan, Commuter Representative:

i. Nothing to report.
h. Jordan Murakami, Transfer Representative:
i. Meeting next Wednesday
i. Jarrod Gallagher, Non-traditional Rep:
i. Social Justice Film Fest!
j. Jaden Phan, International Representative:
i. Meeting tomorrow!
k. Braden Wild, Students with Disabilities Representative:
i. Events.
l. Sarah Coluccio, Athletic Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
m. Isheeta Tewari, Freshman Representative:
i. Volunteers for SUSO event?
n. Tanish Bojwani, Freshman Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
o. Kristen Wieliczka, Civic Engagement Director:
i. LGBTQ task force
ii. Adding position to by-laws
p. Izzy Gardon, External Chief of Staff:
i. Conference in DC over spring break.
q. Margaret Quartararo, Internal Chief of Staff:
i. Office hours.
F) Advisors
a. Kayla Zobel:
i. iLead! April 10th and 11th.
IX.

X.
XI.

Committee Reports
A. PAB:
a. First Friday Donuts is next week.
b. Send availability to Margaret.
B. Steering:
a. No meeting time yet.
b. Drag Show! Who wants to go?
c. Events?
C. Finance:
a. April 8th, appropriations requests are due. April 18th will be Appropriations day! Well be allocating $12,000.
D. University Affairs:
a. Nothing to report.
Announcements
Eric: In the small office, the computer on the right is being replaced. Exec meetings will be at 6pm on Monday night.
Braden: Im on the Redhawk Experience Committee.
Tanish: Tonight is Fiesta in the Campion Ballroom.
Izzy: WQ15 Report!
Adjournment at 7:13 PM