Club Maintenance
The University of Maine Mountain Biking Club went before the Senate to ask for club recognition. The club consists of 21 active members who attend races and group rides regularly. Twelve of those members attend competitive races along the East Coast. The club also hosts technical sessions and race clinics. The club is currently sponsored by Securex Sports, which supplies jerseys for the club. The Senate voted to grant them club recognition.
A representative from ROTC stood before the committee, asking for a position as a representative board member of Student Government. In a long discussion, Senator Jacob Wood shared his concern with providing the group with such a position, saying that the group does not represent many of the university’s students and is more “closed” than others. Wood shared his concerns after the representative admitted that “the culture that comes along with our program is very conducive to sort of training people to feel more comfortable at these events.” The Senate voted against granting the ROTC a representative board member.
A representative from the Volleyball Club spoke before the Senate, asking that the male and female volleyball clubs be merged into a single club. According to the representative, both clubs practice together and had a vote back in October to merge the two clubs. This contradicted what another member of the club said before the Senate last week. The Senate voted to table the discussion until members of both sides of the debate can speak before the Senate at the same time.
Executive Reports:
President Mary Celeste Floreani spoke with lenders for different activities to hold during the evening of Maine Day. Floreani shared the disappointing news that the ball pit was rejected.
Floreani and Vice President Logan Aromando met with Dean Robert Dana where they discussed the appointment of the new board of trustees representative, campus business and funding the women’s research center.
Vice President Aromando worked with Dean Dana on a student survey that will be sent out in the near future.
Vice President Song Ping ‘Ryan’ Wang reported a total of $153,208.15 in unallocated funds and $210 was returned to the Vice President Executive Fund. A request for the Wilde Stein Queer Straight Alliance – Intersex and the Invisible Movement was denied.
Vice President Jacob Wood reported that the Representative Board for the Student Advisory Committee has gone permanently inactive and will no longer have ties to the Student Government.
Vice President Jared Dumas made clear that the Maine Event has no association with Maine Day, it is just the spring concert.
Periodic Reports:
Faculty Senate Student Representative, Bentley Simpson, reported that the Faculty Senate is finally the 2018-2019 academic calendar. They are also looking into a pilot program with the University of Maine Augusta to have UMA students spend three semesters at UMO. Kim John is the new president for Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate is also looking to hire more adjunct professors and graduate students for general education classes.
Student Legal Service Liaison Maria Maffucci reported that Sean O’Mara did a presentation with a fraternity about legal felony issues and constitutional rights. He also worked on finalizing insurance for the Maine Event and worked on leases for housing next year.
Reports on Standing Committees
The Services committee reported that the University of Maine is working on getting more of its food from local suppliers in the state of Maine. There is also a discussion to begin using lockers in the Package & Postal Center to allow students to pick up packages at later times in the day. They will begin using 91 lockers and expand on that if demand is high enough.
Reports of Special Committees
The Maine Day Committee has contacted multiple food trucks to attend Maine Day and has gotten quotes on multiple potential Maine Day activities.
Representative Board Reports
Commuter and Non-Traditional Students will be hosting their final Pancake Day in the Wade Center on Friday, April 20.
Community Association Reports
The Asian Student Association will be having a Taste of Asia event on April 28.
Feminist Collective will be hosting the Sex Carnival at 6 p.m. in the Union. On Thursday, April 26, they will be hosting a spa day from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Coe Room. On Friday, April 28, there will be the annual Slut Walk on the steps of Fogler Library to promote sex positivity and liberation.
Consent Agenda
The Senate voted to pass the following agenda:
Feminist Collective ($100) for food, drink and decorations for the Sex Carnival.
Active Minds ($742.65) for table, chairs and speaker rental for their Out of Darkness Walk on April 29 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Best Buddies ($500) for DJ, food and drinks for their Spring Fling, which is on April 18 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Estabrooke Ballroom.
College Democrats ($250) for a speaker, food and performers for the EarthFest on April 21, in front of the CCA.
South Asian Association of Maine ($825) for food, decorations, tables and chairs for their South Asian New Year, on April 14.
Unfinished Business
The Senate voted to update the Vice President’s position to reflect the current state of the required job tasks.
New Business
The Senate voted to call on the university to change the name of Little Hall, which was named after Clarence C. Little. The call is being made after the University of Michigan had changed the name of a building named after Little due to his engagement with eugenics and other unsavory research methods. There was a unanimous vote in cabinet for this issue to be brought up to Student Government.
The Senate passed an act to allocate funds to the Geological Society ($2,000) for lodging at Westman Islands and Blue Lagoon for their Spring Field Geological Experience, which will take place from May 14 to May 23 in Iceland.
The Chapter President of Best Buddies, Adya Plourde, stood before the Senate, asking for $5,000 after some unexpected circumstance came up. The money is for the Daniel Scott Friendship Walk, which will take place on April 22 at the Stewart Commons. The money will go toward getting Matthew Maxey, a performer who is hard of hearing and is an inspiration. The costs are bloated, due to the urgency of the group’s financial needs. The Student Senate voted to grant Best Buddies the money it needs, explaining that it is for a great cause and any unused funds will be returned anyway.
The Senate passed a request for $2,000 to the Wilde Stein Queer Straight Alliance for their Intersex 101 event.
