Dennis Bush- I have heard students who are opposed to this policy. It is not about regulating morality or giving you consent to unsavory practices. It is about extending civil rights. Students need to know that it’s not about protecting gay people. It’s about students not being discriminated based on their sexual orientation. Most of the other colleges have passed policies similar to this one, it is time for us to come out of the dark ages and create a policy that won’t
Dr Pillaterri- Microscopes for the biology department. I want to make clear that this isn’t going to sit in a lab. They are a basic teaching tool. The class it’s needed for is a service class. Microscopes have a very short lifespan. They are trying to purchase 24 microscopes. Lack of state funding we have fallen behind on keeping up. There are enough in disrepair so we need to replace the whole batch.
Russ Kennedy- I am wondering can you help me understand what will become of the old microscopes
We’ve tried to rotate microscopes, as they get to the point where they can’t be used anymore. Selling them doesn’t make any money. They are donated to schools and if they can’t accept them then they are recycled
Gabe Chansen- I’ve been doing legal research, Supreme court has already made the decision that minority group is already included in the non discrimination policy
Senator Swadley- Have you done any research on this subject and do you have exact numbers?
I have gotten my information off of Google scholars
Blake Plum- I believe that discrimination is wrong. I believe that the wording already includes sexual orientation. If we do include it in the policy, I think things will get complicated especially when it comes to housing. I think it will be more trouble than it will resolve. I believe that under the current policy that sexual orientation falls under beliefs. In my job I have had students call and complain saying “you are discriminating against me because I’m gay. And that wasn’t the reason; we couldn’t offer them advancement because they had a library fine.
Senator Kennedy- Is it a belief that you are straight or it is a fact
Blake Plum- I choose to be straight, because everyone has the choice
Senator Kennedy- 1. The students who are calling to complain have you yourself had that experience
Blake- It was a person who I worked with
Kennedy- Was it really about library fines
Blake- It was really about library fines
Derek Wolf- You are also protected in the policy for being straight. To vote against it is to say that people can discriminate against you for being heterosexual as well. It’s to protect heterosexuals from not being discriminated against
Benjamin Smith- Sexual orientation can be genetically oriented. It is actually your genetics. There is proof that it is not a choice it is who you are
Ashley Meredith- I would like to clarify that SUU policy does not protect gender. If sexual orientation is already included then why is it such a big deal to add it in again to make sure that we are protected? It’s not about changing people’s belief it’s about stopping discrimination. This has nothing to do with gender conflicts so it will not affect housing.
Ben Booth- I’m here with the student entrepreneurs bill and my job is to conduct a competition here at SUU to get students ready to compete at a national level
Senator Swadley- How many people will be attending.
Ben Booth- We have 7 students that will be attending
Student- I have seen students being discriminated against and I think it should end.
Senator Swadley-would you say that the people who have been discriminated against is student to student
Student- I don’t really know how it’s happening I just know that it is
Guss- The fact that there are transgender students that are living in housing, I feel that you should not have to make arrangements to change housing.
Megan Lloyd- I work for on campus housing and I can attest that that is very true.
Nicole Lee- I have sat on committee after committee for the center for women and families. I was closeted because I was told it would hinder my job performance. Non enumerative policies are in effective. You have to name sexual orientation.
Call to Order 6:31pm
Approval of Minutes
Senator Hyde approves the minutes
Pledge of Allegiance
Treasurer Report
Senate Budget $53,614.51
VP Discretionary Budget $1,000.00
Focus Activities Budget $3,000.00
Old Business
SB 010-09 Student Entrepreneurs Conference Bill
Senator Brown- 7 people will be involved in this conference. It seems very academic in nature.
Proponent Time
Amendment to the bill from 800 dollars to 310 dollars. It will be a great opportunity for the students who are involved
Vote 12-0-0
SR 004-09 The Sexual Orientation Inclusion Protection Resolution
Investigative time
Senator Anderson- There was a lot of support for this resolution; this touches quite close to home for a lot of people. Many of the concerns including housing, public display of affection anything. I think every student needs to feel welcome here
Senator McAllister- I have met with a lot of students in my college and they are in favor of this bill moving forward.
Senator Swadley- I asked people to write down their opinion and I talked to students in the halls
Seantor Foulger- I met with the president and it was very informative
Proponent time-
Senator Kennedy- It looks like we’re headed toward a healthy debate. I wrote the bill and am in favor of the bill. I have heard from students that now isn’t the time to do this, that we needed more time. I am unwilling to give this more time. People who think discrimination doesn’t happen on this campus need to understand that it does happen and history is not on their side. Your time is up to be discriminate. I have heard if it’s not broke don’t fix it. Just because the system protects you doesn’t mean everyone is protected. Will the jokes stop because of this bill, maybe not. But it will get the ball rolling. When we assume, that leads to ignorance.
Opponent time
Senator Argyle- It’s become clear that people are talking about discrimination. I don’t think this bill will end discrimination. We are talking about faculty discrimination. I think we need to be controlled about what we are here to discuss
Senator Hyde- I don’t oppose this bill but I just want to read line 6 of the resolution that reads: “that it is the opinion of the student body that “sexual orientation” be included in the Student Rights and Responsibilities and Conduct Policy” With that in mind I wanted to state that everyone agrees that there shouldn’t be students who are discriminated against. I am in opposition because it doesn’t reflect the entire student body.
Senator Brown-I have found that the majority of students agree that this is a good thing and a step forward for SUU. By far the majority of the students I’ve talked to are in favor.
Senator Anderson- I applaud the students to see diversity. I read an article about homophobia and homo-sexism. Homophobia is an actual fear of homosexual and homo-sexism is discriminating against homosexuals. This bill brings it out in the open.
Senator Swadley- I am not opposed to the resolution, I went to the faculty senate meeting. This policy is not intended to stop discrimination from student to student. If students feel a certain way they will manifest it. I don’t think putting a couple of words in a document that 95% of students don’t see will change anything.
Proponent time
Senator Anderson- The meeting Tina is talking about is a staff only senate meeting. I think this issue is being tackled on different levels
Senator Brown- this protects heterosexuals as much as it does homosexuals. It’s a good environment for SUU since SUU’s slogan is Belong. I work in housing as well and there won’t be a situation where someone is forced to live with someone if they don’t want to
Senator Davis- Everybody needs to understand that being discriminated against. There are ways to fix that even with this policy. There are means to follow to take care of that. No one is going to say that discrimination is ok.
Senator Swadley- Senator Brown, the sense of belonging if someone is that opposed to someone’s sexual orientation will make the person feel like they don’t belong. I think it is important to find another way to resolve this issue
Senator McAllister- I find that in the discrimination policy does protect me. I feel like I am entirely protected by the policy, but not everyone feels that way.
Senator Kennedy- I find the argument that nothing will happen, the idea of safeguarding minorities is just an idea is why discrimination happens. Why did the 19th amendment happen for women’s right to vote, why then did the civil rights movement happen?
Vote to extend time- 12-0-0
Opponent time-
Senator McDonald- This can fall to anyone, but I chose opponent time because I fear that doing things like this it gets more and more detailed. I personally feel that everything should be covered. I feel like getting more and more detailed will cause problems
Vote on moving to previous question 7-5-0
Vote on the resolution Y-8 N-3 A-1
The resolution passes
New Business
Ratification of Danielle Schiller as Chief of Staff
Megan Lloyd- I want everyone to investigate this. She will be given the same questionnaire that everyone was given.
SB 011-09 Keep Biology Alive
Senator Anderson- As a member of the department this is beyond what the department needs. All of the students are required to take certain science classes. The problem is that there is a class that all nursing majors and other important majors need and it is microbiology. They need to have good quality microscopes. I hope you guys investigate this fully.
Senator Foulger- The norm has been to replace 5 new microscopes every year and we are asking for 24. To see the biology department making those great steps great. Regularly they cost more but we are getting them for a discount. It doesn’t look good when we have microscopes that still say SUSC. Assigned to Committee number 4
Adjourn 7:06pm
Gavel Session
Business- Our focus day is going really well. We were going to have McDonalds cater but we can’t and I am mad. We are also looking for stuff to give out. And the bookstore was all for it.
Alumni- My dean has been in China so I’ll talk next week
PVA- Our focus day is still in process
HSS- We met with the dean this week and with our department reps this week. We have good plans. We have 4 of the 6 department representatives. The dean is working on an issue for student evaluations. Cameron and I will have more details next week. I want to say that how impressed I was with Stab’s involvement at the Howl. I was shocked though at the fact that we didn’t check modesty at the door.
Science- Good showing at the majors fair. Our department has undergraduate research symposium. We apologize if it falls on a focus day.
Education- We interviewed department reps and our focus day is next Thursday. It is all but finished. We had fun at the majors fair. I am looking in to getting signs for focus days.
CIET- We talked to department reps today and got them excited about focus day. The student health clinic will be approaching us next week in executive session
SB 011-09
Keeping Biology Alive
Sponsored By: Senator Anderson COS
Co-Sponsored By: Senator Foulger COS
Be it appropriated by a quorum of the Senate of the Southern Utah University Student Association that $3,390.00 be allocated to the Biology Department for the purchase of 6 microscopes to meet the growth levels of the Department ;
Whereas: The Biology Department has continued to grow exponentially, and the budget cuts have restricted additional funds for capital purchases. The Biology Department has budgeted the purchase of 5 new microscopes each year to try and replace their oldest and inadequate microscopes, but the growth of the Department has vastly outgrown their resources.
Whereas: The Biology Department has proposed the purchase of 24 new microscopes to the College of Science to try and meet the immediate and drastic needs of the department.
Whereas: Some of the microscopes are in great disrepair, many still stating SUSC on the body.
Whereas: Certain Biology labs need high quality microscopes to function, and the current microscopes are being transferred between classes and therefore disrupting the delicate focus of the lenses.
Whereas: The College of Science is the second largest college on campus, and the majority of those students are pre-health majors who would all use and need these microscopes for research and for class work.
Whereas: The Biology Department has arranged a great deal with their regular supplier and with the purchase of 24 could receive and upgrade to the objective quality and a discounted price from $988.00 to $565.00.
Therefore let it be enacted that$3,390.00 be allocated toBiology Department for the purchase of 6 microscopes.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
SR -005-09
The Sexual Orientation Inclusion Resolution
Sponsored By: Senator Russ Kennedy, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Co-sponsored By: Senator Nate Anderson, College of Science
Be it resolved by a quorum of the Senate of the Southern Utah University Student Association thatit is the opinion of the student body that “sexual orientation” be included in the Student Rights and Responsibilities and Conduct Policy and any and all other documents which Southern Utah University has adopted or will adopt and utilizes to govern the institution.
Whereas: Article IV, Section 9G of the SUUSA Constitution, as adopted by the SUU President’s Council and Board of Trustees, authorizes the SUUSA Senate the authority of “Issuing official opinions that reasonably represent the sentiments and perspectives of SUUSA.” and
Whereas; Southern Utah University will greatly benefit from the inclusion of sexual orientation in anti discrimination policies; and;
Whereas; SUU and its campus community have long been the beneficiaries of multi-faceted contributions from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals and groups and
Whereas; the SUUSA Senate understands and affirms that a vital key of its institutional value is the openness and affirmation of differences so that any hindrance to the pursuit of knowledge and higher learning is unacceptable;
Whereas; the inclusion of this policy will help SUU to create a safe and healthy environment where students will experience diverse learning opportunities;
Whereas; With the exception of Southern Utah University and Utah Valley University, every other public institution of Higher Education in the State of Utah includes sexual orientation in either their Student Rights and Responsibilities Code and/or their Student Code of Conduct and;
Whereas; Southern Utah University’s peer institutions, including but not limited to many of the nation’s premier institutions of higher education and including, the University of Florida, the University of Washington, the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois, Ohio State University, the University of Kansas, Indiana University, the University of Nebraska, the University of Texas, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Maryland and Rutgers University, each has expanded their respective anti discrimination policies to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation;
Whereas; Additionally the SUUSA Constitution empowers SUUSA to “Voice concerns to SUU Administration” and incorporates all full and part-time, undergraduate and graduate students at Southern Utah University, according to the Preamble and Article I, therefore;
Be it resolved by a quorum of the Senate of the Southern Utah University Student Association that it is the opinion of the student body that “sexual orientation” be included in the Student Rights and Responsibilities and Conduct Policy and any and all other documents which Southern Utah University has adopted or will adopt and utilizes to govern the institution.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution, if adopted, be presented to the SUUSA President, The Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, The Vice President of Student Involvement, the SUU Faculty Senate and the President of Southern Utah University, with a copy intended to be additionally circulated to the SUU President’s Council.
Senate determines the resolution to ________ by a vote of ____ - ____ - ____
