General Assembly

Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm

Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

Call Meeting to Order: 4:31

a. Moment of Silence
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Roll Call
II. Guest Speakers
a. Susan Mendoza- Office of Undergraduate Research (OURS)
i. Resources and providing support for research
ii. An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an
original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline (Council on Undergrad
Research, 2013)
iii. Research and scholarship begins with an observation, leads to a question that is
pursued through a method of inquiry that leads to knowledge or information that was
not known before and moves students from a position of consuming knowledge to
creating it.
iv. Different than any research at another university.
(1) Rigor, relationship, relevance, and resources
v. Provide and establish comprehensive services and programs, which support students
in their pursuit of inquiry, creativity, scholarship, and research.
vi. Academic Conference Fund-Currently funded by OURS and Student Senate
(1) This year over 1000 students will be funded.
III. Five (5) Minutes to Pass Papers
a. VP Fritzemeier-Sign-up sheet for going to Community Councils
b. Senator Tyus- Passing around sign-up sheet for senate bonding activities-Ice Skating and
SkyZone
c. Senator Nguyen-Constitution and Bylaws Task Force Sign-up
d. Senator Fitzgerald-Mentor program info sheet
IV. Public Comment
V. Presidents Report
a. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
i. Senator Johnston-Motion to add discussion to add resolution to agenda-retracted
b. Thanks for being flexible while she was gone, will be bringing back leadership ideas
after Battle of the Valleys.
c. Another thank you is for helping with Battle of the Valleys S/O to specific peopleOMelia, Fritzemeier, Milad, Ziegenfelder, Hopkins, Bowman, Chui
d. Schedule for tonight-Solidarity for Mizzou event after GA, Cider Ball starting at 8pm.
I.

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General Assembly
Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm
Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

e. Met with Democratic Dialogues and Deliberation Series of Events. Collaboration with
many different offices on campus. Idea is to create a space to discuss issues outside of
class. Will happen after Teach-In.
f. Challenge by T. Haas to help with funding. Some of Cabinet met to discuss a way to do
so. Met with Matt McLogan to help plan for it. If interested please email President
Cleghorn.
VI. Executive Vice Presidents Report
a. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES-Approved
b. Wednesday the 18th 6-7pm, Thursday 19th- for one-on-ones
i. Email if you need to set up a different time
VII. Officer Reports
a. Senate Resources
i. Senator Tyus-Overseeing the work for the committee, compiling the evaluations,
working on Secret Senator-fill out Google Doc, Mentee/Mentor reveal (Senator
Fitzgerald will be explaining more)
(1) Senator Haji-Where is the Google Doc for Secret Senator? Will be available
Friday.
b. Finance
i. Looking into synthesizing the funding boards more, bringing all of them under
appropriations. Separate allocations, but more consistent. Will be meeting with
student leaders to see how they feel about it. Rolling on.
c. Campus Affairs
i. Thanks for the help with Battle of the Valleys.
ii. Moved Public Forum back to have a more successful event.
iii. Food Committee was this week. One more left in the semester. December 3rd at 4pm
iv. VP Butler and him went to a meeting with Disabilities Resource Center
(1) Refurbished elevator resolution coming soon
d. Educational Affairs
i. Dickinson Elementary-Thank you to Senators Rapp and Hasmanis.
ii. Last Lecture-Dean Merkle will be presenting. Will be an event with high attendance,
so be sure to allow others seats first
iii. Office of Student Life-I Am GV Nomination time-closes November 20th. Nominate
people
iv. Open Access-During finals week, $150 to be used, there will be a video about Open
Access and you get a free meal if you watch.
v. S/O to VP OMelia for Battle of the Valleys
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General Assembly
Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm
Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

e. Diversity Affairs
i. Come to Clocktower to support [Missouri] University
ii. Also the kickoff party for the Climate Survey is after GA
(1) Good timing for the event for Missouri University.
iii. Senator Rapp working on a Holiday Party for the end of December. Anyone that
wants to help let Senator Rapp know.
f. External Relations
i. ERC has been focusing on Battle of the Valleys
ii. Senator Liebertz is going to Grand Haven High School and meeting with their Senate
for projects within high schools
iii. Working on the funding issue.
iv. Thinking of new project ideas.
(1) Reaching out to other universities for ideas
g. Public Relations
i. Senators Hamlin and Ziegenfelder are working on a word-of-mouth campaign.
ii. Senators Hamlin and Kapusta working on a newsletter.
iii. Senator Milad will be going to Community Councils. Let her know if you would like
to help.
VIII. Public Comment Part II
IX. Call for University Committee Reports
a. Senator Chui-Student Organizations Review Board-Approves of organizations.
Approved several new organizations-Safety Awareness for Everyone, Professional,
Archery Club, two community councils and more. Organizations cannot have GVSU and
other things because theyre copyrighted. University Assessment Committee-A professor
went to an assessment conference, and learned about a university that has ended their
general education program and instead has learning outcomes.
X. Old Business
a. Discussion on resolution F-15-03
I.
Senator Haji-Why did you not change the word emergency in the resolution? I did
change it. I did not have time to send it in. Sorry for the confusion.
II.
Senator Soltis-Thank you for discussing this again. I have had a lot of people
come up and thank me for this. Fox 17 posted something about the resolution and
there were many interesting comments.
III.
Senator Johnston-How many active undergraduate students and faculty have
come up and given positive feedback? Many individual students and professors

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General Assembly
Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm
Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

have been giving a lot of feedback, both positive and negative. No qualitative
evidence.
IV. VP OMelia-Can you go over the biggest changes in the new document? The
biggest change is immediate threat or immediate danger. Discussed a few changes
last time, but were explained into one document.
V. Senator Butler-I would like to thank Senator Kapusta to post on FB to see what
fellow students and faculty feel about the resolution. The language seems to
undermine the Student Code and, since we are the Student Senate, we are
supposed to be upholding the Student Code. Are you going to change the phrase,
Undetermined legal footing? Senator Soltis-It is still undetermined, and that is
why this is still in the resolution. At the moment, I do not think it is necessary to
change it. Senator Butler-Take out that first Let It Be Resolved.
VI. Senator Sagheipour-Point of clarification. Does the student code allow firearms?
Only law enforcement may carry firearms. However, the Student Code says
nothing to allow Garda to carry, and yet they do carry them on campus. Senator
Sagheipour- I have an issue, I am not understanding how they can be legally
allowed to carry firearms. Senator Soltis-Our Student Code is policy, not law. The
law says that you can conceal carry with a permit. Yet, other people do not have
to follow the student code.
VII. VP Turnbull-If the Student Senate passes this document, we would be supporting
the opposition of our university, thus it can be undermining the university and can
be used as a document of evidence in the court. Question to Soltis-Have you
shown it to any literature professor? You could remove any ambiguous
statements. Friendly amendment-Strongly suggest we take out the first Let It Be
Resolved. Accepts the friendly amendment.
VIII. Senator Fitzgerald-Confused as to the purpose of the resolution is. Confused as to
whether everyone should be allowed to open carry. Senator Soltis This is to say
someone can legally carry a gun on campus under the Student Code. If you do it
under reasonable circumstances, you are not proven guilty. No, people should not
be allowed to carry on campus. If someone legally carries a gun, you have to have
a CPO, a full day of training, be 21 and get a license from the state. You do have a
license from the state to carry.
IX. Senator Johnston-Yielded
X. Floor is closed. Come prepared next week to discuss more.
XI. New Business
a. CALL FOR NEW ORDERS OF THE DAY
XII. Public Comment Part III
a. Emergency-VP Turnbull made a good point to have life threatened. He hopes that can
find its way into the resolution. Danger is very vague. Theres a difference between

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General Assembly
Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm
Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

harm and danger. Consider adding that. As far as the Student Code v. the law, Michigan
Law allows us to carry, Student Code disallows us to. The most important thing is that
we follow the laws in the line of the State. I love GVSU. This is by far the best
experience that I have had. I do not treat the Student code as the Holy Grail. It could be
wrong, we all could be wrong. If the State Law is against our Student Code. The only
other thing that I would like to talk about-last week we talked about what the students
think. Would like to share a couple of view-teachers yes, students no. I trust humanity,
but sometimes I think one thing, that doesnt make any sense. If it was for everyone, I
would be for it. Im all for the Second Amendment, but Im not an idiot. Im for the
Second Amendment, but not in practice. He does not want an illusion. He wants what
the framers set-up. Is the best form of government that weve ever seen, you bet your
bottom dollar. All in favor of getting the opinions of the student body. But if our student
body is ill-informed, then we shouldnt follow the ill-informed people. The law should.
b. President Cleghorn shared two opinions from faculty that could not be here.
i. Aaron Haight- Revitalized the Student Code and made it more readable. She asked
to share the fact that the Student Code exists to protect students. It is not meant to
contradict the federal or state laws. Only for the well being for the students on the
campus. Adding a loophole or form of acceptance of guns on campus, does not make
campus any safer in her opinion. She gave an example of first responders coming to
campus in the idea of the imminent danger. How do they know who the active shooter
is if multiple people have guns out.
ii. Dean Antzack I have heard things from uneasy faculty about a resolution at Student
Senate that they seem to be saying would OK a breach in student code if a student
engaged an active shooter (some say its tabled). Please, please, please dont suspend
the code, which would in effect encourage carrying guns on campus. It would be so
easy for such a student to be mistaken (not by trained police, but untrained cowboys
whod never have been in a live fire situation) as the shooter, compounding the
tragedy. Theres something antithetical in the words university and gun, and it
would be for everybodys safety if they were kept separate in the code. No points for
good intentions! No guns here!
iii. Not a lot of students for why we should not have guns on campus. If I see someone
carrying a gun on campus, I would have a reaction that is normal right now. I would
think and ask, why are they carry a gun right now? We cant have guns on campus.
But, if everyone has guns on campus, no one is going to go up and ask why someone
has a gun on campus. A shooter will not be able to get on campus without someone
asking them why they have a gun. Guns do not do anything with hand-on-hand
combat. There are a few people here who will carry guns with a permit, supposedly
they will be trained enough to protect us. By everyone carrying guns, we are
eliminating students to ask why someone has a gun.

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General Assembly
Thursday, November 12, 2015 4:30 pm
Pere Marquette Kirkhof Center
Chair: Maddie Cleghorn
Parliamentarian: Jorden Simmonds

XIII. Call for Announcements

a. Senator Fitzgerald-Never notified who would be paired up with new senators. Check
your placard to find who your mentor or mentee is. There is also an information sheet. It
is an informal program, just to get to know that individual, be that guiding light, and feel
free to email him or VP Noell. The climate survey opening party will be there as well as
the Mizzou parade to stand with those students. Lot of news articles about the issue.
b. VP Butler-Forgot in report to talk about the DSR meeting. We are doing a good job to
accommodate for all students. Will be talking about the possibility to create a testing
center for students that miss an exam or need more time to take tests. Will be making a
task force for this. Mindful, etiquette, etc. of students for being mindful of people with
disabilities.
c. Senator Rhoades-Thank you for coming by and signing the pledge for Its On Us. She
hopes to see this activity go strong for more years.
d. Senator Soltis-1. I am not a cowboy. 2. Free speech is the best freedom that we have in
our society. There have been videos of Mizzou that do not support this. 3. A piece of the
Berlin Wall is in Zumberge. There will be a demonstration from 10-2pm tomorrow. Free
Speech is an important thing that we have.
e. Senator Chui-Uploaded quotes from Facebook page and if they need context let him
know. Rec Center Expansion Survey has come out. Everybody has access to it, so if you
go to the Rec Center. President Cleghorn-Bring those questions back for discussion next
Thursday.
f. Senator Rodriguez-Change cover letter for Last Lecture. Its University of Missouri.
Take a picture for University of Missouri.
g. Senator Tyus-Tailgate on Saturday.
h. Senator Haji-Be careful crossing the dark roads. Take caution because it is so poorly lit
and a car recently hit a friend.
i. Senator Milad-POD next Wednesday. Any questions can be directed to her.
XIV. Adjournment: 5:48

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