Meeting minutes for Consolidated Student Senate, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, October 13, 2004

CSUN SENATE MEETING 34-35 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2004 MSU 201, 6:30PM I. CALL TO ORDER SENATE PRESIDENT AMESQUITA called the meeting to order at 6:34pm II. ROLL CALL The following senators were present: SENATOR CORPUZ, SENATOR MULLINAX, SENATOR SOLDANO, SENATOR CRAWFORD, SENATOR CAZARES, SENATOR KRISTA DONNELLY, SENATOR MAYER, SENATOR SANTIAGO, SENATOR SUMNER, SENATOR FRIEDLIEB, SENATOR JIMENEZ, SENATOR ESPINOZA, SENATOR ZANDER, SENATOR HUERTA,, SENATOR TEMPLETON, SENATOR DEARMAS, SENATOR KARA DONNELLY, SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH The following senators were absent: SENATE PRESIDENT PRO-TEMPORE CIANCI, SENATOR CONWAY (unexcused), SENATOR BOWERS, SENATOR MACK, SENATOR MAPES(unexcused) III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. PUBLIC COMMENT V. NEW BUSINESS A. Action Item: Approval of an amount not to exceed $25,000.00 for the Michael Moore Lecture to take place on October 15, 2004. Cost to be encumbered from the CSUN 2702 FY05 NSA Lecture Series Account. Entertainment and Programming Account, and Senate Discretionary Account. As submitted by Senator Espinoza on behalf of Director Blood. SENATOR SOLDANO: move to approve SENATOR ESPINOZA: 2nds SENATOR MULLINAX: move to amend, striking 25k and inserting 30,500. SENATOR KARA DONNELLY 2nds 17-0-1 SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH abstains Amendment PASSES 1 SENATOR FRIEDLIEB: um, I withdraw, actually. I forgot what I was going to say. SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH: discussion regarding amendment or the item as a whole? SENATE PRESIDENT AMESQUITA: the item as a whole. SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH: I hardly speak at meetings, but I've given it a lot of thought and it seems that the decision's already been made but senate has to approve because we spent the money already. I feel like I don't heed to be here. It seems that students aren't being given a choice. If they don't go to this event, their money will go down the drain. The cost is to do this thing is 30.5 k, right? It's double dipping. We're using students' fees, and then we're making them pay, too. The speaker and the Thomas and Mack walks away with the money. I think it's a lot of money and I can understand if it's being spent on something the entire student body can participate it, but it's a one-sided event. I'm nonpartisan. It's early in the year and we have the rest of the year before spending the money. As far as publicity, think of the publicity CSUN will have if it doesn't pass. I'm in general a supportive person. We know how the media can manipulate the truth. I'd like to go and see for myself, and I hope you go too even if you oppose. SENATOR MULLINAX: I agree this was done poorly, but it's been going orb... Eisenhower used to do it. I don't agree with it. I would have rather got a phone call when they found out about it Thursday or Friday and then started the marketing and all that. As far as Michael Moore, himself: yes, he's controversial, but we represent a lot for our students. You're representing your constituents. I'm representing Fine Arts. When's the last time we had cameras and UNLV police here? The fact is we're getting someone's who's putting people in an uproar. If CSUN can help out, then awesome. There are as many people for it as there are.. .I'd say 75% don't care what CSUN does. They don't care about homecoming, rebel ruckus, etc. If we can do something positive for students, then we should do it. The fact is I have a choice, I can vote no. It puts CSUN in a bad position, especially e-board. It's my understanding that we'll be making some money back. You do what you have to do. I don't agree with it, but I am.. .you never know. I think it would be in poor taste not to vote for this. PRESIDENT SCHUCK: SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH said some of these students weren't going to go. I wish we could have an event where 21 k students would go. With Yellowcard, we knocked out 75% who don't like rock. To clarify monetary.. .we're asking to front 35k. We have all intention to make money back. SENATOR ESPINOZA was able to sponsor 9k today. It's something the community and students are excited about. We're going to get a lot of people excited. This is the most people we've got excited with an event on this campus. If we ever put you in a tough situation, SENATOR MULLINAX is right, you can still vote no. It's not something we tried to slide under your door. We came to you on Monday. This is an election year, we're trying to get people excited about the election. If Michael Moore does nothing else, he's gets people excited about the election. 2 SENATOR SOLDANO: I was just wondering, how many of you guys feel adamantly opposed to Michael Moore. My point is that you can't ever get 100 percent to go for something. No one would ever vote unanimously on one speaker. It doesn't mean that we agree with them. Our director doesn't agree with a lot of the things that Michael Moore... I don't think censorship is our job. He gets people excited and people to think. SENATOR MAYER: I'd like to echo what SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH said. tThe central purpose and focus is to present different ideas. Whether you agree with Michael Moore's politics or not, it's important to get people to think about it. A lot of people are voting on feelings. At CSUN we can't give the impression that we support Michael Moore. It's not an endorsement. It's an opportunity for a forum to be presented for students. I don't know what's happening with Sean Hannidy... SENATOR CAZARES: okay, um, I've never seen Fahrenheit 911 until last night, just to see what the big deal is about. I haven't followed the elections these past moths, and it was amazing. It didn't necessarily agree with everything, but it did inspire me to do some research. I really want to give our students the option to choose whether or not they want to go. By voting no, we've already eliminated the students' right choose. I'd like to give our constituents the option. We will eliminate a lot of support. I just really hope that you consider there may be a small percentage in y our college who want to vote. SENATE PRESIDENT AMESQUITA: unless there's further discussion, I'm going to take the vote now, because I understand... there is more discussion SENATOR CRAWFORD yields to DIRECTOR BLOOD DIRECTOR BLOOD: if you could put it where the money's coming from. 18k out, Entertainment and Programming Rebelpalooza account in the amount of 8k, and Senate Discretionary in the amount of 4,500.00., and 4500 from senate discretionary. SENATOR CAZARES: move to amend the item inserting after account, in the amount of 18k, Entertainment and Programming Rebelpalooza account in the amount of 8k, and Senate Discretionary in the amount of 4,500.00. SENATOR ZANDER 2nds 16-0-2, amendment passes SENATOR FRIEDLIEB: question for BUSINESS MANAGER HILL. Without passing the contract for the event now, is it okay legally? BUSINESS MANAGER HILL: contract's still with purchasing. SENATOR FRIEDLIEB: is it legally okay to have the event and approve after?7 3 BUSINESS MANAGER HILL: Yes. SENATOR ESPINOZA: call to question. SENATOR SUMNER 2nds SENATOR FRIEDLIEB, SENATOR CRAWFORD, SENATOR MAYER, SENATOR SORVONGSAVANH oppose 12-4-0 Action Item A CALLED TO QUESTION SENATOR FRIEDLIEB opposes SENATOR MAYER abstains 16-1-1 item PASSES A. Action Item: Approval of an amount not to exceed $30,500.00 for the Michael Moore Lecture to take place on October 15, 2004. Cost to be encumbered from the CSUN 2702 FY05 NSA Lecture Series Account in the amount of $18,000.00, Entertainment and Programming Rebelpalooza account in the amount of $8,000.00, and Senate Discretionary in the amount of $4,500.00. As submitted by Senator Espinoza on behalf of Director Blood. SENATOR SUMNER leaves at 6:57 VII. GOOD OF THE SENATE VIII. ADJOURNMENT SENATOR MULLINAX moves to adjourn SENATOR ESPINOZA 2nds Meeting adjourned at 6:57pm ***ALL MINUTES ARE SUBJECT TO SUMMATION*** VI. EXECUTIVE BOARD SUMMATIONS STUDENT SENATE PRESIDENT MICHAEL J. AMES QUIT A, JR. SENATE SECRETARY SONG KIM 4