FALL 2012
The Senator The official newsletter of the Illinois Student Senate. The Illinois Student Senate serves as the “Official Voice of the Student Body” at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Ninth Assembly holds their weekly General Meetings Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the Illini Union Pine Lounge. Meetings are open to the public.
Student Senate restarts monthly newsletter A long time ago, in a university run by President David Henry and Dean of Students Fred Turner, the Illinois Student Senate’s ancestor organization held power on campus. The old organization was known as the Student Senate and it lasted for more than 30 years. One year, in 1956, the Student Senate decided to create a weekly newsletter known as The Senator. This was one of the many actions to improve communication and transparency to all students on campus. But after 1957, the newsletter disappeared from existence, and for more than 50 years The Senator lay dormant within the memories of those long gone from student government. Until now, that is. About a month ago, with the help of yours truly, the Illinois Student Senate passed legislation to recreate our old newsletter. Now, with advances in technology, we can support a newsletter for much less cost than in the past. Hopefully, The Senator will once again be the organ of Student Government. Shao-Hai Guo Vice President-Internal guo50@illinois.edu
In this issue:
Letter from the President pg. 2
Passed Resolutions pg .3
Social Media Links pg. 5
ACES Town Hall Meeting pg. 2
Financial Report pg. 4
GEO Update pg. 5
ISS Codex pg. 2
Calendar of Events pg. 5
The Exec. Board pg. 6
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About Us The Illinois Student Senate, or ISS, serves as the "Official Voice of the Student Body" at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. It is committed to representing the views and needs of the student body to campus administration, local, state, and federal governments. The Student Senate also focuses on bettering the campus community for all students. The organization is comprised of over 100 members who are dedicated to serving this community and are committed to excellence. The Illinois Student Senate is comprised of four officers, the Student Trustee, a team of executive staff, 54 senators, six standing committees and six subcommittees, and a team of interns. The officers include the President, Vice-President External, Vice-President Internal, and the Treasurer. The Illinois Student Senate hold General Meetings every Wednesday during the semester at 7 p.m. in the Pine Lounge at the Illini Union.
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@ILStudentSenate
Letter from the President As we prepare to complete the fall semester and final exams approach, we can all take care to observe the many changes that have occurred and continue to take place at the University. The restoration of Lincoln Hall was completed and progress is being made on the new home for Electrical and Computer Engineering building on the Beckman Quad. Dr. Easter took the helm as University President this past summer and Dr. Wise returned for her second year as Chancellor. United States President Barack
Obama was reelected and the upcoming budget battle in Congress will have ramifications for both this University and all of us individually. Thus, this year will be one of great change, as we seek to strengthen our University amidst a bleak financial situation. However, I am proud to have leadership willing to make tough decisions to enhance our strategic position as a world-class university. Chancellor Wise has committed herself to promoting institutional excellence and agility in a rapidly changing educational environment. To this end, Dr. Wise envisions Illinois as a leader among our peer institutions by championing sustainability and inclusiveness on our campus. President Easter continues leading efforts to develop Illinois into the
ISS Historian creates Codex
nation's preeminent public research university. Even still, Dr. Easter and Chancellor Wise are committed to hearing the student voice as decisions are made and we must exercise that voice to ensure student interests are represented. This is a shared responsibility and a process in which we can all participate. I encourage you to seek membership on a student senate or campus committee. Apply for vacancies on our website, iss.illinois.edu. I look forward to continued student participation in decision-making as we guide the University of Illinois toward renewed excellence.
Brock Gebhardt Student Body President gebhard4@Illinois.edu
ACES Town Hall Meeting
First Codex since 1966 is created On May 2, the Illinois Student Senate passed Senator Shao Guo’s resolution to create the Codex ISS, a compilation of all the passed legislation by the Illinois Student Senate (ISS) in the previous assembly (2011-2012). This would be the first legislative code created by a student government on campus since 1966. Senator Guo, the student government historian, was tasked with this project and successfully finished it before the beginning of the semester. The legislation code was
examined, edited, and passed by the ISS on September 5, 2012. The Senate once again thanks Historian Guo for the hours and days of labor he put in constructing the Codex ISS. This is an invaluable reference tool towards all senators, constituents, faculty and administration in determining what the past assembly did. It has been posted on the ISS website, at: http://iss.illinois.edu/ publicdocs/9thAssembly/ Codex%20ISS.pdf
The Damani R. Bolden Annual ACES Town Hall Meeting in partnership with the ACES Council was held on November 5. Students were able to meet with their respective senators, the student body president, and the Damani R. Bolden student trustee. Senator, ACES This allowed bolden3@illinois.edu students to voice their concerns and gain greater insight into the work that the Illinois Student Senate has been doing on their behalf.
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#ILStudentSenate
PASSED RESOLUTIONS Below are the resolutions passed during the Senate’s general meetings during the months of September through November. For detailed descriptions of the contents of these resolutions, see the Illinois Student Senate website at iss.uiuc.edu
September GPAC Website Policy GPAC requests $10 in order to maintain their own website.
Statement in Support of ICES Online ISS voices support of full transition to online ICES forms and full release of numerical ICES results.
Co-Sponsorship with Illinois Connection ISS votes to co-sponsor a letter writing and voter registration drive.
Free Speech in the Illinois Student Senate ISS reaffirms its commitment to free speech.
October Collegiate Readership Program Administration ISS calls upon the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs to establish the “Collegiate Readership Advisory Board.”
Hiring of a Webmaster
Protection against Retaliation
ISS approves funds for hiring of webmaster to create new ISS website.
ISS supports fair and timely resolution to contract negotiation and anti-retaliation.
Illinois Student Senate October Activities
Statement Proposing the Creation of a Comprehensive Integrity Statement
ISS approves funds for Illinites Haunted House and associated activities.
ISS recommends creation of universitywide integrity statement.
Sub-Committee on Student Rights and Campus Safety
Recreation of The Senator
Merged the Sub-Committees on Student Rights and Campus Safety.
ISS renews the monthly creation of Senate Newsletter.
Charter of the Graduate and Professional Student Affairs Committee
Endorsement of Academic Integrity Policy Revision
Approval of GPAC Charter.
ISS supports proposed changes to the Student Code.
Creation of the Sub-committee on Freshman Student Affairs
Shared Governance in the University Senate’s Conference
ISS alters bylaws for the formation of new Freshman Sub-Committee.
Co-Sponsorship of Political Debate between College Democrats and College Republicans
ISS asks Campus Senate, sister campus senates and U of I Board of Trustees to add student representation to the University Senate’s Conference.
Update to the Grade Replacement Policy
ISS approves funds for and cosponsorship of said event.
Supports allowing students to replace transferred course credit with a UIUC course.
Epson Scanner
November
Approval of new scanner of ISS Office at Historian’s request.
Appropriation for the Fifth Annual Teaching Excellence Awards ISS approves funds for annual Teaching Excellence Awards.
Bolden Proposal to Increase Campus Visibility of the Illinois Student Senate
Update for Dual Degree Students in Regards to James Scholar Certification
ISS approves business transaction with Illini Sports Properties for PSAs before men’s basketball games.
ISS works to allow Dual Degree students to apply to either degree for the James Scholar Program.
Intern Appreciation Event ISS approves bowling event in Illini Union for Senate interns.
Support of University’s Effort to Foster More Sustainable Energy ISS supports not investing directly in coal mining and coal utility companies.
Illinois Student Senate and IUB Collaboration ISS votes to help sponsor Illinites roller skating event.
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#UIUCSenate
Quarterly Budget and Financial Report Kevin Seymour, Treasurer Issued on November 17, 2012
Our current financial standing is sound and solvent. Contrary to popular belief in the media and among individuals who get their information from unreliable sources, the Senate is not in a financial crisis and is not wasting student money. If you take a quick glance at the budget summary on the next page it is clear that our current !"#$#%&'()*+,$'%"*'-)..,"$'/#"%"0#%&'1$%"*#"+' financial commitments come nowhere close to our " remaining funds. In the Treasurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion, we are right on track for expending money according to #$%&'('()"*+,%"-./"011$%234" 5678796:7;" the timeline laid out at the beginning of the year. " 0<<'.',("*,+"=./"011$%234" 5!=8;;;:;;" " All allocation requests are vetted by the " " "" "" Committee on Financial Affairs, which is " " >.&+.'()"?@<)$."
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comprised both of senators and non-senators. Every request is debated on its merits and ability to accomplish the mission of the ISS. It is important to remember that the ISS is not a programing board. Its purpose is to ensure that student concerns on campus are heard by the university administration, local, state, and national legislators. All of the requests passed out of committee and the Senate meet the mission and goals of the Senate. Please reference the detailed breakdown of " each request. " " " " "
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" " " " " " " " " " " " D@++$(."?&3&(B$" 5AH8!J7:9H" A full copy of the Financial Report, including details " " " for each allocation can be found online at: 0K&'3&23$"?&3&(B$" 5998=JJ:76" " " " " issuu.com/illinoisstudentsenate/docs/quarterly_budget_and_financial_report E?W"I/$"&K&'3&23$"2&3&(B$"+$*3$B.1"./$"&%,@(.",*"*@(<1"./$">$(&.$"V,@3<"/&K$"'*"$&B/"$UC$(<'.@+$"V$+$" @1$<"B,%C3$.$34"XB3,1$<"&33,B&.',(1"(,."'(B3@<$<Y:"I/$"&K&'3&23$"2&3&(B$"V'33"2$"@1$<".,"<$.$+%'($"'*"./$" >$(&.$"/&1"$(,@)/"*@(<1".,"%$$."&(4"($V"*'(&(B'&3"+$Z@$1.1:"I/$"B@++$(."2&3&(B$"3'.$+&334"+$*3$B.1"./$" *@(<1"'("./$">$(&.$[1"&BB,@(.:" "
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Graduate Employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Organization Update The Graduate Employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Organization (GEO), the union representing graduate assistants and teaching assistants at the University, began negotiating with the administration in April for an employment contract for the over 2,400 graduate assistants and teaching assistants on this campus. The background to these negotiations was a strike in 2009 during the last negotiation cycle. In 2009, after two days of the strike, the Administration and the GEO came to an agreement on language which would prevent the University from altering tuition waivers. In the shadow of the history of that strike, the Administration and the GEO took on the task of negotiating a new contract. This negotiation cycle included such important and lofty issues such wages, health care, discrimination and harassment protection, and again, tuition waivers. The goal of the GEO was to secure a fair and just contract, which would keep access to higher education equal and open to all. Last Tuesday, in the eight hour of a negotiation session, the members of the Administration bargaining team and the GEO bargaining team reached agreement on the terms of a new contract. Members of the GEO still must vote on whether or not to ratify this contract. Voting began on Monday, December 3 and will continue until Thursday, December 6. The results of the vote will be announced Friday, December 7. Monte Beaty Student Senator, LAW beaty2@illinois.edu
Want to get involved? Contact the Vice President-Internal, Shao-Hai Guo, at guo50@illinois.edu for more information.
CONNECT WITH US ONLINE Stay up to date with the Student Senate by following us on our social media pages.
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/IL.StudentSenate
twitter.com/ILStudentSenate issuu.com/IllinoisStudentSenate
Visit our website
iss.illinois.edu
Calendar of Events December 7, 2012 Final meeting of the Committee of Financial Affairs December 9, 2012 Final Executive Board meeting December 12, 2012 Last general meeting, final day of classes
December 13, 2012 Reading Day, no classes December 14, 2012 Final exams begin December 21, 2012 Final exams end January 14, 2013 Spring semester begins January 16, 2013 First general meeting of the Spring 2013 semester
Did You Know? Current Illinois Student Senate Advisor and Associate Dean of Students Rhonda Kirts served as Student Government Association President in 1985-86 as pictured in the I!io.
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THE SENATOR
Senate in Print The Illinois Student Senate is a guest columnist for the Daily I!ini and has a column featured online or in print every Friday. In addition, reporters for the Daily I!ini cover the weekly general meetings and publish articles regarding the Senate’s work every Tuesday and Thursday in order to keep the public informed on what to expect at each general meeting and the results thereof.
Senate Communications Center 1401 West Green Street Urbana, Illinois 61801 STAFF
Melissa España . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . main editor Shao-Hai Guo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . editor Clayton Sharp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . contributor Monte Beaty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . contributor Brock Gebhardt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . contributor Kevin Seymour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . contributor The Senator is the official newsletter of the Illinois Student Senate and serves to inform the student body of the Senate’s work. The Senator is published monthly and is overseen by the Vice Presidents, Director of Communications and Chief of Staff.
Executive Officers
Executive Staff
Brock Gebhardt President gebhard4@illinois.edu
Ryan Young Vice President-External young27@illinois.edu
Jenny Baldwin Chief of Staff baldwi10@illinois.edu
Shao-Hai Guo Vice President-Internal Historian guo50@illinois.edu
Kevin Seymour Treasurer kseymou2@illinois.edu
Clayton Sharp Parliamentarian sharp6@illinois.edu
Sabrena Lopez Clerk of the Senate lopez42@illinois.edu
Melissa España Director of Communications espana2@illinois.edu
The Executive Board meets every Sunday night in the Illinois Student Senate Complex (second floor of the Illini Union, past the RSO cubicles) at 5 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend. PAGE 6