2024-3-19 Student Government Association Senate Meeting Minutes

March 12, 2024
2:17 pm, Forum 3-130, Downtown Campus Room 200B, Zoom

In Attendance

Student Senators

  • Senator Mohamed Souhail
  • Senator Ashley Wrobeh
  • Senator Loritea Ellis
  • Senator Liam Krieger
  • Senator Tehya Deisenroth
  • Senator Ky’Johnna Jamison

Election Coordinator

  • Naz Barmak

President

  • Joseph Leichtner

Vice President of Governance

  • Angelo Romero

Vice President of Downtown

  • Mandie McGinnis

Treasurer

  • Zeynep Guney

Chief of Staff

  • Ivy Zin

Secretary of Governance

  • Alicia Crimmins

Student Trustee

  • Ana Santos

Office of Student Life

  • Advisor: Jodi Oriel
  • Faculty Advisor: Mark Sample

Visitors

  • Ginny Geer-Mentry – MCC Association
  • Dana Williams – MCC Student
  • Manevver Guler – Turkish Club

Minutes

Call to Order (2:17 pm)

  1. Roll Call (see attendance above)
    Vice President of Governance Romero called for a roll call to start the senate meeting.
  2. Land Acknowledgement
  3. Approval of Minutes
    1. Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion to approve the March 12, 2024 Student Government Association minutes.
    2. Senator Wrobeh so moved, seconded by Senator Krieger
    3. A vote was taken.
    4. Be it resolved, the Monroe Community College Student Government Association approves the March 12, 2024 minutes as written.

Speak to the Senate

  1. Virgina Geer-Mentry – Brick Lounge
    Geer-Mentry discussed replacing the lounge at Deja Brew, located in building 3. She gave a presentation showing three lounge layouts.

Reports

  1. President Leichtner

    On 03/11/24 President Leichtner, Chief of Staff Zin, Secretary of Governance Crimmins, Athletic Senator Souhail, & Vice President of Governance Romero attended the Snack & Chat at the Brighton Campus. This was a great opportunity to meet & connect with students, as well as advertise the Student Government Association. Additionally, SGA handed out eclipse glasses for the eclipse in April and passed out flyers promoting elections. On 03/12/24 Student Government Association met with President Dr. Burt-Nanna and her Executive Leadership Team. SGA shared presentations on the budget proposal, the upcoming Student Government elections, and presented the MCC Champion award to Dr. Margaret Semmer for her incredible contributions to MCC during her tenure. This was a great meeting, and SGA always appreciates the President and her team’s support of shared governance. On 03/12/24 President Leichtner held and ran the monthly Club/Organization Council Meeting. This meeting is always a great way for clubs and organizations to share updates about their contributions to campus, and SGA appreciates their dedication to improving the student experience. On 03/13/24 Student Government Association held a Snack & Chat at Canal Hall. This Snack & Chat functioned as a way to answer student questions and improve the overall visibility of Student Government at Monroe Community College. On 03/16/24 President Leichtner attended the SUNY Student Assembly March Executive Committee meeting in his capacity as a SUNY SA Community College Representative. This was an incredibly productive meeting, and several resolutions were passed pertaining to improving SUNY campuses as a whole. President Leichtner is personally encouraged by the resolution regarding pouring rights and sustainability. Furthermore, President Leichtner was appointed to the Rules committee at this meeting.

  2. Vice President Romero

    On Monday, March 11th, Vice President of Governance Romero attended the Snack & Chat with President Leichtner, Chief of Staff Zin, Secretary of Governance Crimmins, and Athletic Senator Souhail. They promoted SGA Elections and had flyers out for students. They promoted the solar eclipse by handing out the glasses that the solar eclipse day on Monday, April 8th, and becoming a student leader. SGA also held a Snack & Chat on March 13th at Canal Hall, where they will have games out and try to get students involved in the games. Both events would help promote SGA and answer students’ questions about SGA. On Tuesday, March 12th, SGA met with President Dr. Burt Nanna and her team, reporting on what SGA has done this semester. Vice President of Governance Romero reported on SGA events and Club Events this semester, as well as established clubs. This same day, he attended the Club & Orgs Meeting, where he listened to all of the updates and events occurring in the future from the Club
    & Orgs. On Wednesday, March 13th, Vice President of Governance Romero attended the Election Workshop to get an overview of the rules and procedures of the upcoming SGA Elections.

  3. Vice President of Downtown McGinnis

    Good afternoon, On March 12th SGA (Student Government Association) met with President Dr. Burt-Nana and her Executive Leadership Team (ELT) for SGA’s monthly ELT meeting. Topics of discussion included SGA’s monthly report on SUNY (State University of New York) Advocacy Day, SGA Elections, and the presentation of the MCC Champion Award to Dr. Margaret Semmer for her impactful leadership to the MCC community. Following the ELT meeting SGA held our monthly club and organization council meeting. A wonderful job to all the club and orgs for what you do for MCC’s student life and community. Thank you. March 15th the second election workshop was held, supporting Election Coordinator Barmak at the workshop. Later that afternoon, Vice President McGinnis contacted WMCC to give updated election information to share on air. Give a listen for the latest election information, you can also find election information in the student tribune on your MyMCC tile page, stopping by the SGA offices, Brighton 3-127, and Downtown 2nd floor room 200A, or the Office of Student Life and Leadership Development, which can be found on the Brighton campus in building 3-126 and Downtown 2nd floor room 214. Up Coming Downtown Events: SGA Election Workshop, Wednesday March 20th 9:30-10:30 am, 2nd floor room 200B.

  4. Treasurer Guney

    Treasurer Guney has no reports this week.

  5. Secretary of Governance Crimmins

    On March 12th, Secretary of Governance Crimmins attended the ELT meeting with the rest of SGA and listened to the reports that Elections Coordinator Barmak, Vice President of Governance Romero and President Leichtner gave. After the ELT meeting, SGA started the monthly Clubs & Orgs meeting in which Secretary Crimmins listened to all the clubs’ representatives give reports on their club/orgs recent and/or future activities. March 13th, Secretary of Governance Crimmins went to the election workshop from 12-1pm and later that same day, she attended the Snack-n-Chat held at Canal Hall from 6-7pm. She feels all of these events were a success and was more than happy to participate, thank you.

  6. Chief of Staff Zin

    Chief of Staff Zin attended the executive leadership team meeting and the club and organization meeting last week after the senate meeting. Solar eclipse glasses were handed out to the attended club members at the club and organization meeting. Last week, on Monday, March 11, Chief of Staff Zin participated at the Snack-n-Chat with SGA at Brighton Campus from 12pm to 1pm with President Leichtner, Vice President of Governance Romero, Secretary of Governance Crimmins, and Athletics Relations Senator Souhail. On Wednesday, March 13, she also participated at the Snack-n-Chat with SGA at Canal Hall. SGA’s upcoming elections and student trustee’s elections were mainly engaged at the events. The activities were posted on the @monroeccsga Instagram page. Chief of Staff Zin drafted the resolution of
    the fund request from Turkish Club for the Iftar event. The event is for the Ramadan purpose which will combine people from many different backgrounds to share a meal together and it will take place on March 21st at the Brighton Campus from 6:45 pm to 8:00 pm by Turkish Club..

  7. Health & Wellness Senator Wrobeh

    Hello Everyone. This past week senator Wrobeh volunteered to sponsor the funding request for a Wellness Fair at the Downtown Campus. Senator Wrobeh also volunteered to occupy a table for the Wellness Fair at the Brighton Campus. It is Wednesday March 20 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Senator Wrobeh also attended an election workshop hosted by Election Coordinator Barmak and President of Downtown McGinnis. It was very informational and Senator Wrobeh is excited for this election season. Senator will be running for her current position, Health and Wellness Senator.

  8. Election Coordinator Barmak

    On this Tuesday, Naz, the Elections Coordinator, commenced her day with a comprehensive report to the college President regarding the ongoing election progress and the distribution of eclipse glasses to promote student involvement. Following this, Naz embarked on a series of election workshops scheduled throughout the week, aimed at informing and engaging students in the electoral process. Amidst this, Naz convened a crucial meeting with Mandie, the Vice President of Downtown, and Jodi, the SGA advisor, and Melissa from the Office of Student Life and Leadership. Together, they strategized to expand election workshop offerings in Downtown while also planning additional sessions in Brighton, ensuring accessibility for all students through a blend of in-person and online options. Additionally, Naz took the initiative to draft a resolution for the MSA funding request for a Ramadan iftar event scheduled for Friday, March 22, inviting students to RSVP and join in the celebration. As the day progressed, Naz’s continues to commitment to fostering student engagement and facilitating inclusive electoral processes at MCC..

  9. Athletic Senator Souhail

    Last week, Athletic Relations Senator Souhail had the pleasure of tabling alongside some of his colleagues from Student Government on Monday the 11th, and Thursday the 13th. The main objective was to promote the upcoming elections, and they also distributed solar eclipse glasses to those who visited the table. He feels it was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow students.

  10. Virtual Campus Senator Ellis

    Virtual Campus Senator Ellis has no report this week.

  11. Veterans Senator Krieger
    Veterans Senator Krieger has no report for this week.
  12. Clubs and Organizations Senator Deisenroth
    On Wednesday, March 13th, Clubs and Orgs Senator Deisenroth attended the Election Workshop with Elections Coordinator Barmak, who lead the workshop, also with Secretary of Governance Crimmins and Vice President of Governance Romero. We learned the process of elections and campaigning and it was very informative. Clubs and Orgs Senator Deisenroth also attended the Snack and Chat on Wednesday, March 13th at Canal Hall. Informative boards were set up and fun games were played with other students that were in Canal Hall. Thank you.
  13. Public Relations Senator Jamison
    Public Relations Senator Jamison is a first-year student at MCC with a currently undeclared major. As for the future, she aims to study Political Science and Film Studies at a four-year institution after MCC. Her goal is to work in film & television, merging her passions for film and advocacy to improve social issues affecting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Such representation is instrumental in addressing systemic issues of inequality and oppression. During her first semester at Monroe Community College, Public Relations Senator Jamison served as Communications Officer for Global Student Union, a student-led organization committed to celebrating cultural diversity in higher education. In this role, she collaborated with organizations such as APAPA Rochester and New Americans Forum to organize events for cultural holidays including Lunar New Year, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Diwali. Now, Senator Jamison would be remiss in not mentioning her role as a Community College Scholar and Student Ambassador for the LGBTQ+ advocacy group. As part of her artistic journey, Senator Jamison’s been involved in theater, film, and music. This March, her short sci-fi script “Ouroboros” was selected out of hundreds of submissions for the Under the Eclipse: Youth Playwriting Festival. Later this month, it will be performed by working actors at the Rochester Museum & Science Center. In her films, she hopes to create positive media representation depicting black and queer stories.

New Business

  1. Action Items (requires a senate vote)
    1. Resolution for the Funding Request of $240 for Chemistry Club.

      Resolved, the Monroe Community College Student Government Association approved the funding request of $240 to Chemistry Club for Geology Field Day in Syracuse, NY.
      Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion to approve the resolution.
      Senator Souhail so moved, second by Senator Wrobeh.
      Discussion: Chemistry Club completed and met the standards and the requirements of the Student Government Association and Office of Student Life and Leadership.
      A vote was taken. The resolution passed.
      Be it resolved, the senate present and voting that the Student Government Association allocate $240 from their Contingency Account to Chemistry Club at Monroe Community College.

    2. Resolution for the Funding Request of $2700 for Muslim Student Association.
      Resolved, the Monroe Community College Student Government Association approved the funding request of $2,700 to Muslim Student Association for their Ramadan Iftar event that aligns with the MSA Club mission of increasing students’ awareness about the cultural and religious significance of Ramadan through food, fun, and a guest speaker.
      Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion to approve the resolution.
      Senator Souhail moved, second by Senator Wrobeh.
      Discussion: Muslim Student Association completed and met the standards and the requirements of the Student Government Association and Office of Student Life and Leadership.
      A vote was taken. The resolution passed.
      Be it resolved, the senate present and voting that the Student Government Association allocate $2700 from their Contingency Account to Muslim Student Association at Monroe Community College.
    3. Resolution for the Funding Request of $270 for Disability Awareness Club.
      Resolved, the Monroe Community College Student Government Association approved the funding request of $270 to Disability Awareness Club to provide a wellness event to help bring the campus community together by providing mind-body information activities such as yoga, wellness-themed coloring, interactions with therapy dogs, rock painting, and more.
      Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion to approve the resolution.
      Senator Souhail so moved, second by Senator Ellis.
      Discussion: Disability Awareness Club met the standards and the requirements of the Student Government Association and Office of Student Life and Leadership.
      A vote was taken. The resolution passed.
      Be it resolved, the senate present and voting that the Student Government Association allocate $270 from their Contingency Account to Disability Awareness Club at Monroe Community College.
    4. Resolution for the Funding Request of $1100 for Turkish Club.
      Resolved, the Monroe Community College Student Government Association approved the funding request of $1,100 for Turkish Club for the Iftar event for Ramadan purposes to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where students and faculty will develop an understanding of Ramadan, nurture empathy, and build meaningful connections within the campus community.
      Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion to approve the resolution.
      Senator Souhail so moved, second by Senator Ellis.
      Discussion: Turkish Club met the standards and the requirements of the Student Government Association and Office of Student Life and Leadership.
      A vote was taken. The resolution passed.
      Be it resolved, the senate present and voting that the Student Government Association allocate $1,100 from their Contingency Account to Turkish Club at Monroe Community College.

Discussion Items

  1. There were no discussion items.

Old Business

  1. There was no old business.

Questions and Comments

  1. There were no questions or comments.

Adjournment

  1. Vice President of Governance Romero called for a motion for adjournment.

    Senator Souhail so moved, second by Senator Wrobeh
  2. Meeting was adjourned at 3:12 pm.

Executive Session

Respectfully submitted,
Alicia Crimmins
Secretary of Governance