Session of September 1, 2022

September 1, 2022

Minutes Recorded by: Sean Koay, Senate Secretary

Visitor(s): Dr. Conn, Chris Wallisky, Nicholas Bercier, Max Keyes, and Nathan Moyes

Call to Order at 11:06 AM

Senator prays

Roll Called

Minutes Approved at 11:10AM

Officer Reports:

PPT Gonzales: Thank you all for coming today, Cameron, can you pull up the file? As some of you may know there is a large vacancy of campus jobs not filled like campus guard, it is likely due to students not being aware that these jobs exist. As senators I hope that this can be share with your floor. I will be working with Senator Ko to get this on the website. 

Senator Bright: Until website is made, where can students view the jobs? 

PPT Gonzalez: It is on the bottom of the myLETU page; second from bottom. 

SGT. Shaughnessy: So, to wrap couple things about dress code, business casual will be okay as expressed. Also point of information and points of inquiry, please don’t hesitate to use them.  

Committee Reports:

Chairman Ko: I am still getting used to PR and R, and will be working to update our website to show how elections work, could senators help check if the list on the website is aligned with the correct persons?  

Special Business:

Chairman Drebot: Good Morning, this is a very serious note. We as the committee chairs have made a mistake, and there is a problem, that I believe all of us senators and citizens should know. We made a mistake on budgeting last semester, and we are currently in debt, we are working with the admin on a plan to fix this. 

SGT Shaughnessy: We just didn’t understand how student life operates certain amount of money. 

VP Crowder: In the constitution it lays out that there is certain payments plans that was in place but we didn’t understand how it works. 

Senator Bright: Does that mean that the funds of LSM or YAC will be cut? 

VP Crowder: You will still get the exact amount up to the 25 % for LSM, YAC, and Executive Cabinet. It is now left on senate to deal with our problem. LSM, YAC will not be affected. 

Senator Bright: Can we know what happened? 

Chairman Fuentes:  Basically, there was a certain amount of money that is used for salary of executive cabinet positions. 

VP Crowder: We don’t know what we have work with, but through this several weeks we will be trying to work this out as soon as possible. 

Senator Bright: When can the senate body expect to understand how it will affect clubs? 

VP Crowder: We will accept all the funding with the clubs, but we won’t say how much we will give the clubs at the meeting. Tt will be shared after the bill is passed, on the 12th day of classes. I encourage clubs to do fundraising events, have club fee, find ways to create your own income to not rely solely on Senate. 

New Business:

PPT Gonzalez: I like to appoint Senator McNeil to Financial Appropriation Committee. 

Senator McNeil: I accept the position. 

Announcements:

VP Crowder: I don’t think there is any as the semester just started, I would suggest about asking your floor about what they would like to change on campus. We are here to represent them and want to funnel their questions to the right people Also another interesting fact, we have the Senate handbook which helps walk you through each of your positions  

Chairman Drebot: Is this handbook new? 

VP Crowder: Please go to the LETU senate website, it is the fourth tab. It is a great run down on the positions.  

Open Forum:

Citizen Max: So, there is miscommunication about the money? 

VP Crowder: It was not clarified where the money was being drawn from. 

Citizen Max: How is the Senate ensuring that they are not going to mess up again? 

PPT Gonzalez: There was miscommunication between the Financial Appropriation Committee, and we will be taking steps to remedy this.  

Citizen Max: You state that the school is helping you with the debt, does that mean you are clear with debt. 

VP Crowder: We are currently in the negative till the 12th day of classes when the money comes in, we will be talking to student life, only then we can issue the money 

Senator Bright: Looking ahead, what should we tell the students? 

PPT Gonzalez: It is best to inform people that there should be no reason that there is panic that they will receive less fund. This would only affect Senate ice cream and floor snacks. This was where the surplus of money was being directed. The clubs should not be affected in any significant way. Even if there were deductions it would not be because of the mistake. 

Citizen Max: What about the changes about the community of LeTourneau, outreach 

VP Crowder: Outreach is not Senate’s responsibility, it is LSM’s responsibility, and they will still get all their funding. 

Citizen Moyes: When is election and what is the steps to become a senator? 

Chairman Drebot: I love the questions, but I need response from the discord to answer it. Senators, PLEASE give me your thoughts. 

VP Crowder: Senators from other committees you are also allowed to help with this project. One of the bills that passed is to make the election process is more standardize. As of now the steps are to go to your RA and talk the people on your floor, if you get their support, you become a Senator, that is still in effect. If you are interested now, please come talk to me after this meeting.  

Citizen Max: What are the upcoming plans made in Senate? 

VP Crowder: One of the largest projects is with club funding, we are trying to listen to everyone who needs funding. The second is to standardize the election. 

Citizen Max:  When splitting the funds is there consideration as to how big a club is? 

PPT Gonzalez: It is up to the appropriation committee 

Senator Bright: Just an update on the Fall Semester, the Senate have sent a letter to Caldwell. 

PPT Gonzalez: On this note, is that someone who would volunteer to be TFO? 

Senator Bright: TFO is someone who once a month with the Teacher Faculty Organization, they will meet with the liaison of senate, and you will have 7 minutes to talk about questions and concerns. In addition, the TFO will tell you what they want the senate to work on. This requires a person with good speaking skills. They are great people, and the commitment is once a month. Dates are different every moth 

VP Crowder: It is wonderful position, and Senate has submitted a letter talking about how the fall semester is hoped to be changed. This is what we do as senate, we channel the voice of the students to the right people. Just think and pray on it.  

Citizen Max: As senate, how are we actively getting to voice of the student? 

Senator Hofer: We have senators that conduct official polls and survey to every single student and it’s not usually just word of mouth. For this example, we have the RAs made a poll to student on their opinion about Fall Semester  

Senator Mcneil: Another method which I use with my floor is emails. I would highly recommend taking notes during Senate meetings and sending it to your floor. 

PPT Gonzalez: We also have a very lovely website. I will work with Chairman Ko so that this website exists and the minutes and legislations that have been passed can be seen on here.  

Citizen Moyes: What living area on campus are represented and unrepresented.  

Senator Rubingh: Underrepresented in election is being tackled by having standardized elections that is being handed out to each floor. 

Chairman Drebot: we have a full sheet of people that wants to become a senator. 

VP Crowder: I have been approached from KZX, south, and students.  

Senator Bright: Did we send out an informational list of how to join to the people interested? 

VP Crowder: I will hopefully be sending an email to them of how they can be engaged in Senate later today. 

Senator Bright: Can you state in addition to talk to their RA? 

PPT Gonzalez: I am working with people on how to fill the vacancy. 

Chairman Ko: For the record, we definitely have large opening it the apartments, quads, gilbert, and south for Senators, so let’s target these areas. 

Senator Bright: Motion to recess 

Meeting recessed at 11:45