The chief of staff’s compensation and Associated Students Inc. senate decided Wednesday that the bylaws used to govern would remain unchanged.
The members of the senate carried the motion but it was also decided that it would be brought up again in the future by ASI Vice President Hironao Okahana, who voted no on the matter.
The meeting also included a discussion with ASI President Shefali Mistry and introduced special guest David Hood, professor of history and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation liaison officer, to present their Accreditation Institutional Proposal.
The business at hand regarded the chief of staff’s lack of compensation. The senate agreed that it was not an efficient way to govern the student body and that something must be done because it was not appropriate for an official to be working for free and the things the student government are hoping to accomplish would not likely happen.
Senator-at-Large Justin Todoroff spoke of the issue concerning being on the election committee and also a member of the senate. “It is a huge conflict of interest to be in both,” Todoroff said. The senator added this would also apply to cabinet members.
Senator-at-Large Ashley Stanton motioned to have the position chief of staff become a student-elected position instead of an executive position as it currently stands.
“This position should be elected by the student body because they are serving the student body,” Stanton said.
Senator-at-Large Shelena McClinton explained, “The chief of staff works side-by-side with the president. If there’s conflict, a lot can happen.”
It was also noted that this kind of decision would have to be sent to the referendum in order to take place. The debate was then suspended for the time being.
Hood presented the proposal from WASC that included three major parts: assessment of student learning for success, organization for success and respect to personnel (professors and clerks) for success. The proposal will determine the path for campus-related issues for the next three to four years.
It goes as far as thinking about spring 2010 regarding the level of resources and educational effectiveness by that time. The importance of a student’s education should stay with him or her long after graduation, Hood explains.
“The question is, are you able to carry the knowledge and take it with you the rest of your lives?” Hood said.
WASC also commissioned a survey that laid out a list of strategies, asking the participant to organize from the most to the least important. It was sent by e-mail to 29,000 students and faculty, and of the 1,671 who logged on and reviewed it, 993 completed the survey. Of the 3,000 students who accessed it, 1,853 did the survey.
The strategies included learning outcome, lifelong learning and support mastery and skill. Of this list, both students and faculty selected almost all of the same choices as “most important.”
“This survey shows us that both faculty and students have the same drive and the same desire, which is a true reflection of the state of this campus,” said Hood.
Mistry was brought to the stand and asked various questions from the senators-at-large regarding relationships with school officials, student safety and resources for campus events.
“I have been in contact with F. King Alexander and we’ve discussed the issues involving security on campus,” said Mistry. “We are discussing the possibility of cameras in the parking lots, because theft on campus is ridiculous. There are on-going discussions with University Police.”
Senator-at-Large Philip Cendena also brought up the issue of a possible recreation center being built on campus.
“I am all for it,” said Mistry. “But I don’t think we should use the money until we know for sure it’s what the students want. If the students feel we’re not ready, it’s not right.”
Mistry also announced to the senate that additional student housing is in the process of being built. She also pointed out there are numerous parking lots that could be used to add more on-campus housing. The housing will most likely be located either behind Parkside Commons or in the Residence Commons area.
The senate resolution for the amendment bylaws was brought up once more and there was a two-thirds vote needed to change them, which was not met. The deciding motion left the amendment bylaws open for discussion in the future.