Associated Students of Boise State University

Senate Meeting

March 30th, 2022 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Zoom Link

1. Call to Order 4:41
2. Welcome
3. Attendance
4. Officer Updates

1. Eric Kline:

1. Looking for applications for paid positions that are open
2. Spring 2022 Job Fair, April 6, 11:00am-2:00pm

2. Taite Griffin:

1. If anyone is looking into applying for Ethics Officer, applications are open until Apr 3, 2022

3. Grace Burgert:

1. Sexual Assault Awareness Apr 18, 2022- Apr 22, 2022
2. If you would like to help the IESC out and have any availability to table from 11:00am-1:30pm, let Grace know
3. Data Walk - going to talk about any data that’s collected under the Clery Act for sexual assault and  domestic violence on campus and where it happens. You will be going on a tour around campus during this presentation. 3:00-5:00pm on Apr 21, 2022
4. This week is Farm Worker Appreciation Week, if you have any long sleeved shirts that you are not using, consider donating them to the boxes in front of the Gender Equity Center
5. IESC applications close Apr 3, 2022
6. OLEA (Organizacion de Estudiantes Latino-Americanos) and MEPA (Movimiento Estudiantil Progressive Action) are holding events throughout April; check out their Instagrams @oelabsu @boisestatemepa for more information!

4. Graf Kirk:

1. Last hearing is April 15, so if you plan on applying for anything through the Funding Board, be sure to get on it by then, any questions about Funding Board are directed to Kayla
2. Faculty evaluation forms
3. Co-authored a resolution on academic freedom
4. Golden Apples have just finished

5. Kenny Huston:

1. VP of Student Affairs interviews happening this week

5. Attendance
6. New Business

1. Resolution #06

1. Adam Jones asked if the Constitutional Convention can change more than one thing in the constitution at a time. Taite Griffin answered that they will hear all proposals to change the constitution, but if they change more than one article they have to submit it for revision; once they have agreed a revision is needed, they will send it back to the Assembly and Senate for final approval
2. Ethan LaHaug asked if there were any ideas already about articles they want to change. Taite Griffin said absolutely and said they want to codify what they expect when receiving funds from the Student Funding Board; if a student does not pay the $4, they should not benefit from the $4 someone else received.
3. - BREAK INTO SENATE BRANCH -
4. Aidan McConnehey added that the Constitution Convention gives us leeway to pursue other things; it’s a good thing in general because he has heard about things that have been floating around the past few years and it’s just a good opportunity to push things forward. Graf Kirk responded absolutely, that you could call a Constitutional Convention for one thing but address another thing that is absolutely different.
5. David Stolworthy motioned to end discussion and move to a vote, Kelsie Zak seconded the motion.

1. 7 Approve, 0 Deny, 0 Abstain

6. Official Vote Count on Resolution #06

Approve:  6 Deny:  0 Abstain: 0

2. Code Change #03

1. David Stolworthy motioned to fasttrack the reading of Code Change #3, David Lund seconded

1. 15 Approve, 0 Deny, 0 Abstain

2. Graf Kirk asked if Taite Griffin had a chance to reach out to anyone involved in the Arbiter about the code change. Taite Griffin said he had reached out to the Arbiter but he has not heard back, but that is only because they are hiring a new Editorial Staff.
3. Ethan LaHaug asked how we are defining the term “supermajority.” Taite Griffin responded that the Constitution states that the supermajority is 75% of the body. Right now, there is not a standard definition for supermajority, and he thinks the next Ethics Officer can infer that the supermajority is ⅔ since ⅔ is needed for anything consequential. He said they can add the definition if they would like, but he thinks it is easy to infer.
4. Kalista Barkley asked how ASBSU affects the Arbiter elections. Taite Griffin answered that the Student Media Publication Board oversees the production of the Arbiter and the Student Pulse Radio to ensure that they are running independently and efficiently.
5. - BREAK INTO SENATE BRANCH -
6. Kelsie Zak motioned to end discussion and move to a vote, David Stolworthy seconded the motion.

1. 7 Approve, 0 Deny, 0 Abstain

7. Official Vote Count on Code Change #03

Approve:  5 Deny:  0 Abstain: 0

3. Code Change #04

1. Adam LaHaug asked about “or their delegate” usage in the Code Change. Taite Griffin explained that the Ethics Officer
2. Kelsie Zak asked about the unofficial results being sent out and how the recount plays into that, since the student body might be confused about the results. Taite Griffin said they recount votes multiple times but her question about official vs unofficial results being released is a good point.
3. David Lund asked, “Why do you feel that the amount of signatures on the ballot should be so high?” and made the point that in Coeur D’Alene they only need ten to run for city positions. Taite Griffin explained that SILC runs the elections; they determine if petitions and signatures are valid, run election portion of the website, it would place an unnecessary burn on them if they had a bunch of candidates who were not serious and had more than their local friend group to run for President, vice President, or AVP. Ten signatures, according to Taite Griffin, would be much too easy to get and they don’t have the framework to support it.
4. Ethan Lund asked if there had ever been any complaints in lowering the number or if this is a theoretical thing and they want to lower it. Taite Griffin responded that there have been many people that have expressed that the signature count is too high. They have been reconciling with this issue for about two years and are suggesting to lower it in hopes to increase student involvement.
5. Adam Jones asked if SILC’s job would be easier if we fully eliminated the signature requirement. Taite Griffin responded that this would result in an abundance of “not-serious” candidates (those doing it as a dare or as a joke) but they would have to treat them the same way as everyone who is serious. Taite Griffin concluded it would result in more work overall.
6. David Lund is pushing against the idea that “we are just a bunch of immature kids running around the campus”; he thinks we can trust students that they are legitimate when they want to run for office and the signature requirement hinders students who want to express their opinion. Taite Griffin responded that they have seen processes get derailed or misused, even a small population can even derail the whole process.
7. Kalista Barkley asked if this was a discussion or if this was time for questions. Sarah Smith responded that this was time for general questions.
8. - BREAK INTO SENATE BRANCH -
9. Kelsie Zak, speaking from experience of just having run for elections, said she was in support of this change; she could definitely see someone who would want to be on the ballot or as a joke or dare; she thinks candidates who take it more seriously would be hurt by students who would not take this seriously.
10. Aidan McConnehey completely agreed; mentioned people asking to be written in on ballots, etc. He thinks having these signatures and petitions is a good wall against it. He thinks lowering the signatures and keeping the petitions is a good boundary to have, to allow serious students to run and keep out students who are not serious about the process.
11. Kelsie Zak added that she thinks the number being proposed is good; large enough to where you have to make that effort and reach out to people you do not always speak to on a regular basis.
12. Kelsie Zak motioned to end discussion and move to a vote, Aidan McConnehey seconded the motion.

1. 5 Approve, 0 Deny, 0 Abstain

13. Official Vote Count on Code Change #04

Approve:  5 Deny:  0 Abstain: 0

4. Code Change #05

1. Ethan LaHaug asked to bypass debate and pass with unanimous consent. Taite Griffin explained that the legislative code says no.
2. - BREAK INTO SENATE BRANCH -
3. Maren Long motioned to end discussion and move to a vote, Aidan McConnehey seconded the motion.

1. 5 Approve, 0 Deny, 0 Abstain

4. Official Vote Count on Bill #10

Approve:  5 Deny:  0 Abstain: 0

5. Committees

7. Old Business
8. Announcements
9. Meeting Adjourned 5:56pm