New Senators and Officer Appointments
Senators Ryan Wang and Jacob Wood will be sworn in next week.
Club Presentations
Engineers Without Borders thanked the senate for funding their trip to Ecuador. The $1,000 paid for their hotel stay in the capital before getting to work in the small community. They gathered data and are working through proposals to create a rainwater shower system, hoping to implement a larger water system.
Students for Liberty thanked the senate for funding their trip to the International Students for Liberty Conference in Washington, D.C., despite being unable to attend due to car troubles and returning the money. When asked what their favorite part of the trip was, the representative responded, “the parking lot.”
Executive Reports
With the snow cancellations, there has not been as much progress on President Kevin Bois’ projects as he hoped. He is preparing an agenda for the UMS/Student Government Association Conference Planning Committee meeting.
Vice President Jared Dumas apologized for missing his office hours last Thursday and Friday. He and President Bois will not attend next week’s meeting due to a networking event.
Vice President for Financial Affairs Robert Begin reported that $221,477.34 was in unallocated funds.
Vice President for Student Organizations Jacob Johnson discussed plans for recognized student organizations next year, such as the ability to request $200 for office expenses. The new database is in final stages and the new organization forms will be able to include media such as logos.
Vice President for Student Entertainment Isaiah Mansour eased concerns regarding the act to allocate $80,000 in funds for the Maine Day Spring Concert, promising to explain during the new business portion of the meeting.
Periodic Reports
Legal Services Liaison Maria Maffucci stated that Sean O’Mara has resolved a number of cases and is in the process of working out the kinks in the new website and Facebook profile.
ROTC Representative James O’Neill discussed new details for the upcoming dodgeball tournament. They plan on holding the tournament the Thursday after spring break and look to have first, second and third place prizes from local restaurants and give proceeds to Veteran Affairs on campus. They are also planning a visit to the local veteran’s home in late March, sending multiple teams to the Nets for Pets for Vets event in Bangor and preparing for elections for officers of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment next year. A military ball will be held in tandem with commissioning, a formal event to celebrate upperclassmen and seniors, with special guests not yet finalized. The entire junior class will travel to Fort Knox as part of their final assessment. Five cadets have been sent abroad to serve and learn with foreign militaries.
The Provost Council met the day of this meeting to talk about the Engaged Black Bears Program. More details next week. They are working towards two open houses on March 25 and April 10, as part of their big push for admissions this year.
Reports of Standing Committees
The Political Activism Committee has tentative plans for an event to bring all three groups together at the Memorial Union next Thursday. More details next week.
The Services Committee announced that pork will now be labeled in dining hall, for the benefit of those with dietary restrictions. The current plan for spring break housing is to leave it unchanged for the next academic year, while opening up dining, to test the waters. A new charging station will be accessible at the Union Central via the new MaineCard. Students with the old MaineCard who wish to use the charging station will need to upgrade.
Reports of Special Committees
The UMS/Student Government Association Conference Planning Committee has secured a draft for the program. The Conference is currently scheduled to run April 22-23, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Representative Board Reports
The Honors College Syrian Refugee Clothes Drive continue until the end of week. Plans for the Maine Day Meal Pack are still in the works.
The Interfraternity Council plans to collaborate with Miracle Network. Sean O’Mara will discuss “legal things” next week.
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is planning a campus wide kickball tournament, close to Maine Day. They’re also working on opening a mental health group for athletes.
Community Association Reports
Student Heritage Alliance Council welcomed the South Asian Association of Maine as part of their affiliates. More info on the upcoming Diversity Week will be revealed in the coming weeks. They will be hosting Taste of Asia on April 27, as part of Asian Heritage Month.
New Business
Dressage was granted $1,510 for their intercollegiate dressage shows. These funds will cover arena costs, judge fees, horse, entry fees, a van rental to Rhode Island and the home shows.
Men’s Rugby was granted $1,985 for tournament entry fees this semester and van rental for the Rhode Island Beast of the East Tournament.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers was granted $1,300 to send 20 students to the AIChE regional conference.
Orono Student Nurses’ Association was granted $1,080 for hotel costs for National Convention in Texas for four days in April.
Men’s Lacrosse originally requested $2,575 for practices, goal posts and officials. But due to outside circumstances, the club requested an amendment for $700 for the goal posts as well as helping with payments on the new helmets. The senate was unable to grant this proposal, as back-funding items already purchased is prohibited by student government policies. The motion was tabled for next week.
Student Entertainment requested $80,000 for the Maine Day Spring Concert. After last year, the decision was made to limit the starting funds for the concert from about $250,000 to about $180,000, as well having one half of the budget come from the student senate, which helps serve as a bargaining mechanism. 2013’s Pretty Lights concert costed $247,312.87 and it became necessary to charge the student body admission, which organizers don’t plan to do that this year. The budget for last year’s Adventure Club concert did not include contingency funds and cost $139,694.50. This year, the planned budget is a grand total of $154,215.00. A survey was sent out to freshman to determine the genre, which ended well in favor of rap/hip-hop. Student Entertainment hopes to get multiple rappers, but will need approval from the senate before they start sending any offers to performers. Any unspent funds will be returned to unallocated. The motion passed.
