With no outside members addressing the senate, and no new senators or officer appointments, roll call transitioned swiftly to club presentations.
Club Presentations
Engineers Without Borders thanked the General Student Senate (GSS) for funding their initial assessment trip to Ecuador from May 16 to May 27. They lived in El Descanso for a week while determining the best way to provide the community with clean water. They hope to return to El Descanso soon, to make more assessments or to begin designs.
The Maine Steiners were scheduled to discuss their summer tour, but were not present for the meeting.
Operation HEARTS thanked the GSS for funding their spring service trip to Buffalo, N.Y. From May 15 to May 22, the club volunteered their time to work with 10 different nonprofit organizations, including the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo General Medical Center, Friends of Night People, Upstate New York Transplant Services (UNYTS), Adoption Star, the Kevin Guest House, the Buffalo Therapy Riding Center, the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge and the Ronald McDonald House.
Executive Reports
Vice President Jared Dumas reported UMaine Greek life is looking up, and are looking for ways to get more students involved in student government over the next couple of weeks.
Vice President for Financial Affairs (VPFA) Robert Begin made a correction regarding the VPFA report from the Aug. 30 meeting, stating that the Muslim Student Association returned $140.56, not $140.53. At this meeting the budget before the consent agendas is $253,620.37.
Vice President for Student Organizations Jacob Johnson offered a “strong thank you” to everyone present, and reported that a different system to update the student organization database is currently in the works.
Vice President for Student Entertainment Isaiah Mansour announced that the Bumstock concert series, originally held on Maine Day, will return, now reintegrated into Homecoming weekend.
UMSG President Kevin Bois arrived late, and reported that he is planning on hiring a new Director of Communications, in the hopes of working with them and Legal Services to better advertise and recruit for the GSS. He will be focusing on next semester’s marketing strategy, as well as making changes to the contract with Legal Services, so changes can be made to the contract with consent from the involved parties.
Periodic Report
Legal Services Liason Mary-Celeste Floreani presented the plans for the upcoming year, including creating a new scheduling system to bring more students in on office hours, and a brand new website, currently under construction at www.umsgsls.org.
Allocations
$200 was allocated to the Blade society for their office budget.
$900 was allocated to the Caribbean Club for their annual barbecue outside MLK Plaza on Sept. 16.
$950 was allocated to the Traditional Music and Dance Club for their Contra Dance Fiesta.
Unfinished Business
Nominations for three open positions in the Executive Budgetary Committee (EBC) opened, as well as two open positions for the Student Organization Council.
New Business
Mary-Celeste Floreani was nominated for the Student Services chair.
Ben Crocker, Jennifer Brown and Mary-Celeste Floreani were all nominated for the position of President Pro Tempore.
The nominations for Policy & Procedure chair and Sergeant at Arms were tabled for next week’s meeting.
(6:00 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.)
