Student Government of Seattle University

Representative Assembly Meeting

Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2015 STCN 130 at 6:01 p.m.
I.

Call to Order
Raquel calls the meeting to order at 6:01 PM

II.

Roll Call (initial on the line)

Eric Sype, President _________
Raquel Davalos, Executive Vice President _________
Matthew Kelly, Vice President of Finance _________
Meggie Green, Vice President of University Affairs absent
Luke Larsen, Senior Representative _________
Manuel Siguenza, Junior Representative _________
Palmyra Jackson, Sophomore Representative_________
Owen Goetze, At-Large Representative _________
Mark Vargas, At-Large Representative _________
Sarah Coluccio, Athletic Representative
absent
Monica Chan, Multicultural Representative _________
Lynn Doan, Commuter Representative _________
Jordan Murakami, Transfer Representative _________
Jaden Phan, International Representative _________
Braden Wild, Students with Disabilities Representative _________
Jarrod Gallagher, Nontraditional Representative _________
Isheeta Tewari, Freshman Representative _________
Tanish Bhojwani, Freshman Representative _________

III.

Approval of the Minutes

Motion passes unanimously with abstention from Sarah Coluccio and Braden Wild.

IV.

Public Comment Many Concerned Constituents

Amanda: Some of us are here from OMA and part of why we came today is to discuss the logistics of some of the changes
taking place. Many of us feel blindsided by the changes being made.
Rich: I am representing UGL, the undergraduate leadership program. We established a yearly roll-over meal-plan program.
Im here today because were having a problem with club recognition on campus. We have 150ish clubs on campus and we
want students to diversify their interests. The solution my friends and I have come up with is to establish an online platform for
clubs. Were designing a survey to assess student interest. Wed like SGSU and Student Activities in general to assist with
this program.
Gabriel: Were not a complete representation of OMA but we are concerned with what will happen to the OMA Lounge and
STCN 380.
Nguyen: I am representing the ISC and I want to ensure that quality experiences will be had by students in the future.
Person: I am concerned with the cut of positions once the mergers happen.
Person: I am concerned with our involvement in the transition. How will everyone be involved?
Gabriel: What will happen to the Multicultural Programming Fund?
Jaden: How is the merger going to impact the student populations?
Nguyen: I am concerned that the merger will alienate students. This has kind of become a minority lounge and I am
concerned that this will invite white and domestic students into our space and this kind of goes against to what OMA stands
for.
Lesly: I have a question about the data used. You said that 30% of something was used and I am confused about where that
number came from?
Michele: That information comes from a collection of surveys.
Daniel: What does the number (30%) actually mean? How do you decide to cap that number?
Michele: Generally speaking, 30% is the target you have to hit for your data to be considered robust. When we are looking at
data in terms of informing our decision making, we only look at robust data. Thank you for your question.

V.
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Monica: What are the detriments of moving forward with the merger when the data of the campus climate survey hasnt been
fully considered?
Michele: We have a lot of data from multiple sources and can reasonably surmise what the results from the campus climate
survey will be.
Monica: So with regard to the data, the merger is being made in anticipation of the results.
Michele: The changes in Student Development are bigger than the OMA-ISC merger and the process has been in place for
quite a while.
Monica: My concern is that the smaller picture within the bigger picture is being swept away.
Braden: Would you make changes if the survey data represents an alternative to what youre anticipating?
Michele: Yes, we have room to do that if we need to.
Person: When will we be having the larger conversation youve references about inclusivity and diversity? We havent been
included previously.
Michele: Last Thursday, during the open hour, people in student development met with people from OMA and ISC and I felt
like there were two or three meetings taking place. One was about the information about changes with OMA and ISC. The
second was about the student experience at Seattle U. We need to continue to have these conversations on a monthly basis.
We never really got a chance to talk about the change because the student experience was so prevalently discussed.
Person: Can we request some transparency surrounding the merger?
Michele: Yes, I can give you this years exact numbers.
Person: Can we see the difference between last years funding and this years?
Michele: Yes, I believe so.
Daniel: How will the merger not be limited if there is going to be a 4% budget cut?
Michele: I can answer that.
Amanda: If were cutting our budget, then why are more positions being added?
Michele: We arent adding any new positions
Monica: Okay, so Sabina is leaving and her position is not being filled. How will that change be played out in the coming
merger?
Michele: Let me answer that in my presentation
Guest Speakers Dr. Michele Murray, VP of Student Development.
Michele: I am very appreciative of you being here for public comment! For folks who dont know, this is a divisional status
report for SGSU and this is Monica Nixon. Weve been involved in updating the Division and now its time to bring it to you.
Student development is responsible for fulfilling the promise of the Redhawk experience. Were focused on an understanding
of an integrated Jesuit education for leadership, encouraging SU price and community, and a holistic student well-being. We
focus on retention and on-time graduation related initiatives, setting data informed priorities, and pursuing organizational
objectives rather than personal preferences. We seek to solve the problem of the Golden 200. This is some of our data
concerning involvement in co-curricular organizational participation and service, learning communities, satisfaction, first-year
retention, engagement with diversity, and graduation rates. *Explains statistical breakdown of data* In Student Affairs there are
many programs that aid in student graduation rates. The most effective of these programs is the learning community model.
Satisfaction with regard to the student experience is super important to us. Were ranked 18 th among 28 Jesuit institutions. If
college students dont get comfortable living and working in a diverse environment in college, then they never will. Studies
show that students tend to replicate their experiences. Our graduation rates and our first-year retention rates really drew our
attention to the need to reorganize things. I would urge SGSU to be concerned about these rates as well. It would be a great
partnership for us to be on the same page with regard to these data points. Okay, these are the summary points of things
were looking to prioritize: student success and engagement, operations, student services, and innovation. We want to create
a comprehensive transition experiences for all students and build a culture of student empowerment and leadership formation.
We need to develop the necessary but absent capacities such as family engagement, fundraising, etc. We will be
implementing a no wrong door policy for student success and engagement, following a comprehensive health and wellness
strategy, and developing a comprehensive housing strategy. Additionally, creating an innovation culture focused on innovation
domains, reimagining learning communities, and developing and implementing new Redhawk Experience programs.
Innovation domains include a variety of things: understanding our students, preparing students for change, integrating
effective and adaptive technologies, creating high-value student experience, and operationalizing the search for meaning and
purpose. All of this brought us to a restructure of our organization! We are merging New Student and Family Programs and
Commuter and Transfer Student Life to create a Center for Transitions and Family Engagement. Student Activities and
Leadership Development will merge to create Student Involvement and there are two more changes as well. This is the
division of Student Developments new structure. I do want advice from SGSU, but let me get to some of your questions first.
Starting with money in the big picture. So, a 4% cut in Student Development this year equated to roughly $318,000 which is on

top of a $400,000 budget cut we received a few years ago. All told, weve endured about a 9% budget cut. With the first cut we
trimmed all operational expenses. We preserved SGSUs funding. Decreasing staff didnt make sense because we have the
same number of students. With this years cut, there was no way to cut operational spending without creating a detrimental
dent in the student experience. In making cuts this second round, we had to cut staff. I made the decision to cut open
positions instead of firing existing employees. It was the more humane thing to do. It meant that there was an open position in
OMA that didnt get filled. There were two positions open in UREC and they only got one. There were two in CAPS and they
only got one. There was an open position in the Student Health Center and that could not be filled. In the interest of full
disclosure, if I was faced with the same problem again I would do the exact same thing. To put things in perspective: a 1%
change in first year retention is 9 students and a quarter of a million dollars. Thats a baseline reason to be concerned about
retention but beyond that we need to take into consideration the student experience. This is why I want to partner with SGSU.
Myra: I dont see how I can boost retention. There are other factors at play. In order to make changes a lot of other things
need to change.
Michele: I dont intend to place this pressure of SGSU. I intend to partner with SGSU. There are a lot of underlying reasons as
to why students leave SU aside from the affordability of the institution.
Luke: Is the retention problem nationwide?
Michele: Yes. Technically speaking a 77% six-year graduation rate is terrific. We do pretty well with our six-year graduation
rate, considering the stats of our incoming students. The point of comparison that is important is the type of institution we are
along with the will and intent of all of the people who work here would indicate that we should have better results.
Mark: I am a freshman here at SU and I really like it here, but its been really unfortunate to know that Im not sure that Im
coming back next year and for me its largely due to the financial component. I feel like its been digging your staff into a bigger
hole being in your position and having to make the kinds of decisions you have to make. I know you have a lot going on, but
its hard to ask the students who arent necessarily involved in the full conversation to be asked to bring up the retention rate.
Michele: Thank you for sharing your story. I believe there are many students in your position. If it is a financial thing, the
person you need to speak to is Josh Krawzyck and if there is someone you need to talk to, its him. Hes the director of
retention initiatives. We need to keep you on campus and we need to incorporate the student voice into the conversation
about merit and need based aid. Marilyn Crone is pulling together a task force on the topic of financial aid and this task force
is one in which your voice needs to be heard. Youre all asking really good questions and if you want to know more, please,
ask me and I would be more than happy to talk with you more. Okay, more money questions. So, about the 4% cuts. Where
you saw a merger of departments, you will see that they bring their budgets together. There will not be two offices operating
with one budget, there will be two budgets combined.
Gabriel: My concern is that OMA keeps being cut. If were focusing on the wellness of students, then why are we leaving
students who are systemically oppressed and institutionally marginalized left out of the conversation? A great many first year
students are not even aware of OMA which plays an important role in the open door policy you mentioned. If were going to
talk about improving student wellness then we need to look into/address the needs of minority populations.
Michele: I understand the feeling of having the OMA space taken away and that taking is not the intention of the change. By
moving into the new PAVL 180 space we want to give students of color and our LGBTQ students into a place where a lot of
living happens on campus. This is a change in space but it is not a shrinking of space. Ultimately there will be two lounges in
the new space. This brings me to the question someone asked earlier concerning student involvement. The question were
asking to students is what are your hopes for this space? What should we name the office? How do we lay out the office?
Both lounges upstairs will remain student lounges. How theyre used will be left up to students.
Eric: So, Michele, what are going to be the tangible processes and ways by which these changes will take place in which
students can communicate their preferences to you?
Michele: Last Thursdays meeting was supposed to address the student engagement part. We have two meetings. One with
transfer and commuter students and the other with the same group we met with last week to continue that conversation and I
imagine that those meetings will take place every Thursday in the coming month or so. SGSUs funding was preserved
because theyve been asking for a budget increase for many, many years and we were already behind in their ability to serve
as many student organizations as possible. Regarding the MPF, remember what I said about what budget cuts look like? Well,
this year the MPF was a part of the old budget cuts model. The new, cautious model weve incorporated this year is very
different. The decision regarding the cutting of the MPF last spring was never actually made. We began talking about it, but
never made a decision. So, the OMA lounges. The lounges themselves will stay, but the office space will be inhabited by
Laurie Prince, Nichole Hoyes-Wilson, and Michelle Etchart. Because of the poor design of this building, it seems to make
more sense to move the offices upstairs and then move the student space to the more prime location. Raquel, I will leave you
with these questions and I look forward to discussing them with you in the future. As you think about the reorg, there are some
exciting partnerships that can evolve from the different mergers. Some of the offices on campus have asked to sponsor
different learning communities.

VI.

Old Business None

VII.

New Business
REPA 20150408 SGSU Project Chart Update (Steering Committee)
Raquel: I seek a motion to table this item.
Jordan: So moved.
Braden: Seconded.
Raquel: Motion passes unanimously.
Jordan: I move to add a new business item.
Jarrod: I second
Raquel: Motion passes unanimously.

VIII.

REPA 20150408 Tek Backyard BBQ Party Budget (Jordan Murakami)

Jordan: With regard to the retention rate problems Michele mentioned, I am looking to form an event for transfer students so
as to build community. You will find in front of you a budget for this event.
Eric: In this budget you have a line item for additional food, what is that?
Jordan: Thats to prepare for any last minute changes.
Jarrod: Youre going to need to review the food policy.
Monica: You can fill out a Bakery Sale form.
Braden: Could you explain the SU Gear piece?
Jordan: SU Apparel. Cups, lanyards, shirts, etc.
Eric: Is the hope to have something for every student?
Jordan: No. Were looking to do something like a raffle.
Owen: Is the weight of the funding for this event resting on SGSU?
Jordan: Yes, because the other organizations I am working with do not have the funding.
Luke: We have the money, so we should use it.
Matthew: We have the money.
Eric: I seek a motion to approve the budget.
Luke: So moved.
Tannish: Seconded.
Raquel: Motion passes unanimously.
Officer Reports:
A) Eric Sype-President:
a. Tyler and I are looking for a graphic designer for Elections.
B) Raquel Davalos- Executive Vice President:
a. Bylaw changes.
C) Matthew Kelly- Vice President of Finance:
a. Nothing to report.
D) Meg Green- Vice President of University Affairs
a. Absent.
E) Representatives
a. Luke Larsen, Senior Representative:
i. Senior soiree.
b. Manuel Siguenza, Junior Representative:
i. Rally for WA state minimum wage on April 15th at 2pm.
c. Palmyra Jackson, Sophomore Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
d. Owen Goetze, At-Large Representative:
i. Nothing to report.
e. Mark Vargas, At-Large Representative:
i. Email.
f. Monica Chan, Multicultural Representative:
i. Continued advocacy.
g. Lynn Doan, Commuter Representative:
i. Meetings.

h. Jordan Murakami, Transfer Representative:

i. In the CITI meeting, we passed a symbol for gender neutral bathrooms.
i. Jarrod Gallagher, Non-traditional Rep:
i. Conversation about raising student wages.
ii. Film festival.
j. Jaden Phan, International Representative:
i. Planning meetings.
k. Braden Wild, Students with Disabilities Representative:
i. Events!
l. Sarah Coluccio, Athletic Representative:
i. Absent.
m. Isheeta Tewari, Freshman Representative:
i. Freshman event.
n. Tanish Bojwani, Freshman Representative:
i. Freshman event.
o. Kristen Wieliczka, Civic Engagement Director:
i. Absent.
p. Izzy Gardon, External Chief of Staff:
i. Absent.
q. Margaret Quartararo, Internal Chief of Staff:
i. Nothing to report.
F) Advisors
a. Kayla Zobel:
i. I have answers about the reorg.
IX.

Committee Reports
A. PAB:
a. First-ish Friday donuts!
b. Weekly meetings are Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm
B. Steering:
a. Retreat on April 25th!
b. Transition retreat on May 17th
c. June 3rd is the last Rep. Assembly and it will be a banquet
d. Meg and I are going to a breakfast at SPU with SPU and UW on Friday
C. Finance:
a. April 18th is appropriations
D. University Affairs:
a. Nothing to report.
X.
Announcements
- Raquel: I have drag show tickets and Myra will be the point person for that event
- Manuel: Please go to tomorrows meeting.
- Luke: I need Nikkis old office tomorrow at 10am.
XI.

Adjournment at 7:57 PM