Meeting Minutes
Associated Students | San Diego State University

Monday, August 10, 2015

Monday, August 10, 2015 – 3:00 PM

Council Chambers • Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union

I. CALL TO ORDER

A.S. President, Blaire Ward called the meeting to order at 3:03 PM in the Council Chambers at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

II. ROLL CALL

A. Voting Members Present: Blaire Ward, Leo Carrillo, Tyler Aguilar, Dominic Bilotti, Andrea Byrd, Lorena Acosta, Keagan Casey, Sergio Cisneros, Anthony Lee, Patty Masengale, Trevor Yarnall, Jessica Rentto, Christy Samarkos.

B. Voting Members Absent: None.

C. Non-Voting Members Present: Christina Brown, Clarice Mendoza.

D. Non-Voting Members Absent: None.

E. Visitors: Carlos Careaga, Matt Hoffman, Debbie Richeson.

III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

It was moved and seconded to approve the agenda for today’s meeting.

AGUILAR/MASENGALE 

Tyler Aguilar made a friendly amendment to add Appointments and Review as Action Item I under Items for Consideration. Andrea Byrd made a friendly amendment to remove Item D, a leadership activity by Dr. Randy Timm, under University Reports and Presentations. Anthony Lee made a friendly amendment to change the name of Section IX to Board of Directors Committee Reports.There were no objections to any of the amendments.

The agenda was approved as amended.

IV. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was moved and seconded to approve the Board of Directors meeting minutes of 7/20/15, as attached. YARNALL/CASEY Anthony Lee made a friendly amendment to his report under Reports of Board of Directors, adding that he spoke to the new Women’s Resource Center Coordinator about her goals and vision for the center. The previous minutes were approved as amended.

V. PUBLIC COMMENT:

None.

VI. UNIVERSITY REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS:

A. Business and Financial Affairs Designee: Associate Vice President for Administration Jessica Rentto reported on the following: 

  1. The construction on the engineering building is going well. Buildings have been removed to make room for incoming ones.
  2. The Tippy Paver Project is the renovation of the outside area of the Love Library, replacing the product at the base of the pavers. This project will reduce leakage into the roof of the library below and minimize risk of safety hazards.

B. University President’s Designee: Associate Vice President for Campus Life Christy Samarkos reported on the following:

  1. Changes have been made in the Division for Student Affairs. Christy shared the updated organization chart with the Board of Directors. Dr. Emilio Ulloa has been chosen to fill the vacant Educational Opportunity Programs Coordinator. Jessica Nare has been hired as the new Women’s Resource Center Coordinator.
  2. Last year, the Aztec Mentorship Program paired 831 mentors with junior and senior mentees. These mentorships were formed in hopes of becoming possible internship opportunities.
  3. The student diversity trainings have been renamed Diversity in Conflict Resolution workshops and have been reduced from six hours to four hours.
  4. A new strategic plan has been developed for the Division for Student Affairs. It includes 17 new strategic goals.
  5. Intentional conversations with transgendered students on campus have occurred and helped the Division for Student Affairs identify the need for change on campus to make it more accommodating to all students. Every building has been assessed and plans for the conversation of gender-specific restrooms to non-gender-specific or multi-gender restrooms and signage is in progress. The goal is to make it so there is a non-gender-specific restroom accessible anywhere on campus within 2-3 minutes. In addition to more accessible restrooms, health services is working on including more transgender services and SDSU has introduced the option of a preferred name for students who wish to be recognized by a name other than their birth name while at SDSU. The preferred name option is available to all students.
  6. Resident advisors have already moved into Zura. The building is ready for first year students to move in later this month.
  7. Jessica Nare is working with Anthony Keen on the renovation plans for the Pride Center and Women’s Resource Center.
  8. The co-curricular transcript project, after switching to the company, Portfolium, is on its way to open access by the university. The transcript is to include a students’ experiences on campus and the case skills learned through their involvements on campus.

C. Parking Services Update: Director of Parking and Support Services, Debbie Richeson, reported on the following:

  1. Over 3,000 students answered the survey administered by Parking and Support Services. They found 5 themes from the survey ranging from lack of consistent communication to a need for either more parking built or parking in the right places.
  2. A list of current actions and future actions on these issues are listed in a Parking Assessment Follow Up. Social media and survey results are being used by the Parking Services in accordance with help from the university.

VII. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION:

A. General Consent Agenda (Action):

None.

B. General Consent Report (Information):

The General Consent Report was reviewed via electronic copy. For further reference please request a full agenda copy from the Government Secretary.

C. Travel Requests (Action):

Vice President of Financial Affairs Dominic Bilotti reviewed the attached travel request from Sigma Lambda Beta. It was moved and seconded to approve the travel requests, as attached. MASENGALE/ACOSTA FAILED, (0-13-0)

D. CPF Request (Action):

It was moved and seconded to approve the CPF Request by the Jewelry Co-op, as attached. BYRD/ACOSTA CARRIED

E. KCR Financial Support (Information):

Matt Hoffman, General Manager of KCR Radio, gave a presentation on the purpose of KCR Radio on campus at SDSU and in the current situation they are in, due to outdated equipment and lack of funds.

F. State Held Reserve Transfer (Action):

It was moved and seconded to approve the State Held Reserve Transfer, as attached. CASEY/LEE CARRIED

G. BOD Student-at-Large (Action):

The Board of Directors Student-at-Large members were given the opportunity to choose which council they are appointed to serve on for their term. Lorena Acosta, Anthony Lee, Patty Masengale, and Trevor Yarnall chose to serve on Campus Life Council. Keagan Casey and Sergio chose to serve on University Council. Due to more Board of Directors Student-at-Large choosing to serve on Campus Life Council, the candidates were asked to give a short speech on why they chose Campus Life Council. The Board of Directors were then asked to vote for the Student-at-Large members they want on Campus Life Council, being allowed to vote three times.

Campus Life Council Candidate Nominees:

Lorena Acosta

Anthony Lee

Patty Masengale

Trevor Yarnall

Campus Life Council Candidate Votes:

Lorena Acosta - 11

Anthony Lee - 5 

Patty Masengale - 9

Trevor Yarnall - 6

Lorena Acosta, Patty Masengale, and Trevor Yarnall are the three Student-at-Large representatives selected to serve on Campus Life Council. Keagan Casey, Anthony Lee, and Sergio Cisneros are the three Student-at-Large representatives selected to serve on University Council.

H. Campus Program Funding Update (Information):

Dominic Bilotti informed the Board of Directors on the changes pertaining to the Campus Program Funding Board, as they transition to a subcommittee under the Financial Affairs Committee.

I. Appointments and Review (Action):

It was moved and seconded to approve the Appointments and Review memo, as attached. ACOSTA/BYRD CARRIED

VIII. CLOSED SESSION (Closed to Non-Members):

None.

IX. BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE REPORTS:

None.

X. EXECUTIVE REPORTS:

A. President: Blaire Ward reported on the following:

  1. The executive officers attended CSUnity this past weekend and won third place for Most Spirited!
  2. The Associated Students Survey has been sent out, allowing students to exercise their voice and express their views on student government. The survey can be accessed at http://studentvoice.com/p/?uuid=497ee695faf64fd493dfa1c40e0a74d9. If any A.S. Leaders would like to be a part of the analysis process, join the Research Committee. The Research Committee will conduct in-house research within SDSU’s A.S. and other student bodies in the nation.
  3. Paige and Blaire are developing the Freshmen Leadership Experience program and the First Year Leadership Initiative for this upcoming year.

B. Executive Vice President: Leo Carrillo reported on the following:

  1. Thank you to everyone who has been helping out with orientation these past two weeks! Over 300 incoming students have signed up for boards and committees.
  2. The A.S. Leaders’ Retreat starts this upcoming Sunday. Leo walked through the agenda for the retreat with the Board of Directors.

C. Vice President of External Relations:

None.

D. Vice President of Financial Affairs: Dominic Bilotti reported on the following:

  1. Aztecs Rock Hunger is from October 22 to November 15.
  2. Aztecs in Crisis Support Team has been meeting together to brainstorm ways to help students who are in need of assistance with shelter or food.

E. Vice President of University Affairs: Andrea Byrd reported on the following:

  1. A marketing team comprised of current photography, marketing, and graphic design students will be introduced this year, allowing current students to exercise their passions and help market for other student organizations. This is the first of many initiatives that will help connect students to other students.
  2. This year, the college councils will put their funding towards workshops and speakers that will help their college constituents to gain more understanding of their studies through individuals already working in the field. There are opportunities in October and April to apply for this funding.

F. Executive Director: Christina Brown reported on the following:

  1. Queena Hoang has been hired as the Programs Coordinator for the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union Board.
  2. The conversion of the racquetball courts into a weight training space will be completed in the spring.
  3. Aztec Recreation is working on a catalog that will report on data report collected throughout its operation.

XI. REPORTS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

A. Lorena Acosta reported on the following:

  1. Today is the last day of transfer student orientations!
  2. Please help outreach to your friends in student organizations about registering their organizations with Student Life and Leadership.

B. Sergio Cisneros reported on the following:

  1. Sergio made the suggestion of making the Aztec Mentorship Program required for juniors and seniors.

C. Anthony Lee reported on the following:

  1. The Enterprise Tech Committee is working on an SDSU application for smart phones.
  2. Anthony made the suggestion of a secure process for student organizations to spend their funding through a year-long debit card, opposed the check request system currently in place.
  3. Anthony met with the Educational Opportunity Programs coordinator, Dr. Emilio Ulloa, about the importance of student voice at SDSU.
  4. One initiative MARCOMM should have is to create more involvement with campus residents, through a A.S. specific bulletin boards or other means.

D. Patty Masengale reported on the following:

  1. Patty administered an inclusive language worksheet for the Board of Directors to complete.

XII. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 5:47 PM. ACOSTA/CISNEROS CARRIED