Provost Addresses Senate
An address by Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Paul Fonteyn and approval of student clubs’ fund requests were the main items on the agenda for the Undergraduate Student Senate’s Wednesday, October 20, 2004 regular meeting.
The Provost reflected on the $12.5 million grant UMass Boston recently received, applauding the faculty’s enormous effort in getting this award and humbly noting that UMass Boston was one of five recipients of this award out of 135 proposals submitted nationwide. Fonteyn also discussed new hires at the University. Out of 40 new faculty members this year, 30 are on a tenure track, 49 percent are of color, and 51 percent are women. In his final words, the Provost was optimistic about his relationship with the Senate and his continued commitment to involving students in the decision-making process. Following the Provost’s remarks, the Senate addressed a proposal by the Student Events and Organizations Committee to approve $5,880 in fund requests by student clubs. The requests included: $420 for a media rack and magazine subscriptions requested by the Queer Student Union; $1,626 for an event requested by the Talent Show Club; $100 for a Halloween party requested by the Cape Verdean Club; $2,734 for an event requested by the Pakistani Student Association; and $1000 to purchase University Pens and an 80-ft. Flag for the Veterans’ Center Bench Dedication on Veterans’ Day, requested by the Veterans Center. After some deliberation, the Senate voted to approve the funding requests by a margin of 13-5, with one abstention. The full roll call vote is available on the Student Senate website, www.sga.umb.edu.
Officer Reports
President Adnan Usman announced that an ad-hoc Committee has been formed, following an approving vote at the previous full Senate meeting, to update the Senate’s Constitution and Bylaws. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee consists of the President, Vice-President, and representatives from each of the three standing committees.
Vice President Fritz Hyppolite reminded senators who have not yet completed the orientation training for new senators to do so as soon as possible.
Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Tristan Lowe reported that his committee approved a $2500 funding request by the Student Arts and Events Council for a campus-wide membership to the Museum of Fine Arts. The membership allows any UMass Boston student, faculty, or staff member to visit the Museum of Fine Arts free of charge during the academic year. The Committee has also been working on getting updated numbers from Student Life for the 2004/2005 budget, including the latest figures on carryover money from last year.
Student Events and Organizations Committee (SEOC) Chairman Matthey Landry reported that $11,149.80 has been approved by the Senate for Registered Student Organizations so far this semester, not including the money proposed and approved at this Senate meeting. SEOC is also working on updating and expanding the Senate web site in order to make it more useful for student clubs and organizations.
Campus and Community Affairs Committee Chairman Hatim Jean-Louis reported that the CCA Committee met for the first time this semester in order to lay out goals for the coming year, which will be announced as soon as they are finalized. Senator Jean-Louis also urged Senators to attend the UMass Boston Open House on Saturday, October 23 to speak with prospective students and their families.
Faculty Council Representative Jesse Solomon reported that he is working with other members of the Faculty Council to examine and recommend changes to the Writing Proficiency Requirement. The next meeting of the Faculty Council will be held on the first Monday in November.
Open Forum
During the Open Forum, the Senate was addressed by the new Director of Student Life, Jain Ruvidich-Higgins. Ruvidich-Higgins, a UMass Boston alum, said her priority was increasing student participation on campus, getting “more and more UMB students actively engaged.”
The next meeting of the full Student Senate will be held Wednesday, November 3, 2004.