Chancellor JoAnn Gora made an impromptu visit to the Undergraduate Student Senate at their most recent meeting on March 27.
Gora spoke at the beginning of the meeting, addressing budget concerns, mentioning the upcoming CD release party to celebrate “Live at the Millenium,” and the formation of the Campus Community Team.
“We are preserving our academic programs,” Gora told assembled students, citing that cuts were being made to public service programs when necessary to enable the university to maintain academic programs. “One example is child care … we’re giving them a year to become self-supporting.
The chancellor said that 74 faculty and 30 – 40 staff are taking early retirement, and acknowledged that there’s “bound to be anxiety” in these difficult budgetary times. “It is now April and we still don’t know what our budget will be.”
The chancellor went on to point out positive items around campus, including:
A CD-release party, Wed. 4/17, 2:30-4:30 in the University Club “Live at the Millennium,” featuring UMB music groups (and the University Club has been remodeled); the Campus Community Team, lead by Dean of Student Affairs Stephanie Janey; the Campus Center is on-schedule and on-budget and should open by December, 2003; the university’s website has been redesigned; and that the university is working on designing dorms.
After her prepared remarks, Chancellor Gora answered questions from the students.
Student Senate President Heather Dawood asked about the two Student Life staff members who are now paid from the Student Activities Trust Fund.
“I know this is a concern,” Gora said, “In times when the university was richer we moved them off [state budget lines], and when we are richer again we’ll move them back. … You’re not the only ones that are pissed off…the problem is the state is cutting across the board.”
Chancellor Gora said that petitions are fine, but that people need to write to their legislator and express their anger. “Tell them where you live, what your zip code is. Tell them you are a student or faculty member.”
Chancellor Gora also mentioned the opening of the exterior stairs at the Healey Library, saying that eventually the steps would have to be torn down though.
Asked about Gora’s appearance at the Student Senate, Director of Student Life Joyce Morgan said she had called up a couple of days earlier and made arrangements.
Student Senate President Dawood later said, “I look forward to her next visit-I think it’s healthy.”
Chancellor Gora left immediately after speaking and a normal Student Senate meeting resumed, though abreviated.
A proposal was presented by Senators Tuan Pham and Jesse Solomon to investigate the dumping of drinkable water by the university. It was decided an ad hoc committee would investigate the dumping.
The senate approved a request by MassPirg to publicly support their current referendum question. $40,000 in funds were transferred from the senate contingency fund to SEOC, $24,000 of which was earmarked to be transferred to SAEC.
Two items, a funding request from MassPIRG and a funding request for women in politics were not addressed because senate members began leaving and the senate no longer had a quorum.