1 Meeting Agenda April 7, 2009 1. Call to Order → SBA Board of ...

1. Call to Order SBA Board of Governors
Meeting Agenda
April 7, 2009
2. Attendance Diane
Meeting Attendance, Determination of Quorum, & Thank You Notes Requests
3. Presidential Report Payal
Welcome, Reminder of Duties (voting & office hours), & Address to any Visitors
o New Board Tasks and Elections this week
o She will give us a to-do list for next semester.
Secret Binder
o Almost ready for us.
Dates for next year
-Softball: 9/19/09
o Invite teams early and also reserve the softball field early.
Auction: 2/27/10
o For sure
-Boat Cruise: 10/3/09
o hmmmm
Bball: 3/6/10
o Must be March 6 th because the dates won’t work otherwise.
o ABA conference- 7/30 through 8/4 in Chicago.
4. Budget Requests
MCLSA—reallocation for end of the year stuff
o Bancroft- reallocation and reapportionment
o Reallocation
o The budget for spring was $870 and they have spent $230 so far,
and the balance is $640.77.
o They want to reallocate those funds for an end of the year MCLSA
reception.
o Reapportionment
o They want $334.23 to total $975 for the end of the year event.
o The event will be Thursday, April 23 rd - $20 a head for food,
decorations, venue, etc.
No alcohol included in the cost.
Includes cost for DJ $75 an hr.
o Questions:
o They expect 45 people- to introduce the new board, send of grads,
etc.
o Reegy asks if they can fundraise, and Bancroft said it was only to
fund the Hurricane Network.
o JP asks:
They want $334 in addition to the $640.
o Payal asks what the $640 was for:
A speaker that never took place, they spent less money than
expected on a potluck, they used some money for a BLSA
meeting with was 1/3 reimbursed.
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o Regina asks what the BLSA panel was:
Bancroft said they spent no funds on that event.
o Ernie asks how much it was last year:
He said $880.
o Lauren E asks who can go:
Bancroft said it is an end of the year party for everyone but
thrown by the MCLSA.
It will be around 45 tops.
o Reegy asks who will be invited:
Certain faculty who are advisors to groups.
Bancroft isn’t sure who exactly was invited last year.
o Emmet asks what they would do if more than 45 people RSVP:
The area can hold more than 45 people, but they might
have to just cap the event at 45 people.
It will be a buffet.
o Kyle says:
Finance committee said they allocated the money for
education and they don’t want to just clear the money out
on a party if they haven’t spent it.
Regina says that we have done it last year and we need to
make a bright line rule maybe.
Payal says they asked last year to do the same thing at the
end of the year with extra funds.
o Bancroft says they included a request for this event in the budget,
and they were told to come back with more details.
o Lauren E asks how many members are in MCLSA that are active
Bancroft said about 30-38 people consistently come to
meetings.
They are looking for 45 people to include faculty.
Lauren E wants to know if 30-35 people would be willing
to pay $20 to come to this, or at the end of the year be
willing to come if it is so close to exams.
o Bancroft said last year they had a good turnout and Ernie said they
always have this event at the end of the semester.
o Reegy asks how essential is the DJ if the party is at 5 pm
Bancroft said the event will last 2 hrs at $75 an hr. It will
be $150 an hr.
They haven’t booked him yet.
o Lauren E asks if he asked any of the departments around the school
to pitch in Lydia sometimes pitches in or the Dean will.
Bancroft says they haven’t asked for funds from them.
o Arthur- if there are less people, is it a flat fee ($975) or is it paid
per head
B said it will be per head.
o Arthur said MCLSA has successful events and always helps other
groups.
o Payal asks if $20 per person includes a full dinner or just apps
B said it is a full dinner covered, including the venue,
service, decoration, drinks, tips, etc.
o Emmet asks if a certain amount of funds is given, would some
members be willing to pitch in a bit of money
B said probably not.
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o Tony asks if we can reallocate for now, and just wait until they get
a head count
They might be too close to the event.
o JP said MCLSA is extremely successful and well-attended and
there is a potential for next year. The concern is what if there are
more people than the expected headcount
Bancroft said the people would likely have to just contend
with the amount of food that is there, even if it is only made
for 45 people.
Arthur said the head count is more like the amount of food
count.
• Arthur said the people would also RSVP in
advance.
o Reegy thinks we should worry more about food than $150 on a DJ.
Reegy thinks that we should consider the food rather than
the DJ, which isn’t essential.
o JP asks what the agenda for the event is:
Bancroft said it is just a social gathering. Maybe some
speeches.
o JP asks if maybe there is a sound system instead of a DJ.
o Kyle: His concern is with the reallocation- we have already given
them the money ($600+) but in the beginning of the year we plan
to give them money for education things, not really end of the year
event. The spirit of the money we allocate is for more educational
things.
Bancroft said most of the events have occurred, so the
money was intended to be used, but they were able to save
the money.
o Ernie said they do this every year, so it isn’t like out of the blue.
And they did request it and we told them to come back with more
info.
Kyle would give them some money, but not all of it.
o Kyle would give them the $640 as would Emmet.
o Lauren E asks: The event might be too much money, though
MCLSA is a very strong organization. We have been strict with
organizations and would agree with Kyle’s concerns.
o JP: We have been really stringent, but from the last meetings we
know we do have some money.
o Ernie asks if they consider other food options that would lower the
price or maybe less expensive food:
The $20 a head came first from talking with the woman at
Backroad Grille. The food is what you get for that price.
The variety of the food doesn’t affect the price because of
the quantity.
o I ask if to ask for a small bit for each head, but he said the
members have already paid for fundraisers and this would be a
celebratory free event.
o Kyle asks what they can do if we allocate $640.
o Regina says that if they had originally requested this amount, is it
really a new cost to add the $190 or whatever it would be.
o Lauren E says we have asked people to tighten up funds, and
Lauren says just because we have the money, we don’t need to
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spend it. There is a fear we are just gonna throw money at them if
they haven’t spent it.
Ernie said it isn’t unexpected though because they already
budgeted for it and asked for it earlier.
o Amendment- they need $900 for the event without the DJ for 1 hr.
o JP would like to move to reallocate the $640.77.
All in favor 9, all opposed 1, abstention- 1.
o The difference of $259.23 is what they need.
We don’t have to give them the whole amount.
o JP motions to table the vote pending the report on negotiations
with Backroad Grille on additional costs. Let’s see if we can get
away with the $640.
The motion was tabled with 1 abstention, 2 opposed and 8
in favor.
OWLS—just reallocate to new event by name
o Wants to approve $70 moved to something. All in favor.
ILS
o They are preparing for the Jessup competition. They bought tapes of last
years competitions. They cost $40 each (it was 2 tapes) plus overnight
shipping (worth $54).
o Rish paid for the tapes out of pocket, plus the ILS budget is $1000 over
budget.
o The tapes helped them rank 7 th and they will use it for future
competitions.
o He needs $134 to recompensate.
o JP asks if we give ILS money for Jessup:
o Payal said we give them money for a send off but not for the actual
competition.
o Arthur thinks this was a valuable cost.
o Motion to approve the $134:
o All in favor except 1 abstained.
4. Representative Reports
Arthur
o Photos from BB are on the website. Payal will send the email.
o Also, a 2l parked in the lots next to the mud lot and she didn’t know why.
The next day she got another ticket parking in the regular lot. The third
day a parking guy approached her saying why she got the parking tickets.
A few days later she got another ticket for something stupid. She has
reported it to parking.
o Regina said to go directly to John Blessing.
o Arthur said the problem is a public safety officer targeting her.
o The tickets are for really stupid things or are wrong. It was for
having a border around her parking sticker, and then for parking in
a handicapped spot when she wasn’t even parked there.
Jason
o Quahogs made it to the Elite 8- Best in School History.
JP
o Wireless network must be fixed.
o Food report- Food committee meeting this week on Thursday at 1 pm.
o Holocaust event:
o Filled 283 and on the teleprompter.
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Emmet
Lauren R.
Ernie
Tony
o It was an undergrad event and they used our space. We should
have been told because we were welcome to go.
o Internet needs to be fixed.
o Phyllis is trying to help us with IT. And she has been calling them. There
is no solution.
o Attending Lalli’s alcohol awareness focus group.
o We should talk to her about alcohol as well as parking. We should explain
BB open bar and have an official SBA statement.
o Lalli had half 1ls and half 2l-3l combo.
o It is confidential.
o They didn’t talk about what RWU undergrad is doing: An undergrad rep
was neutral.
o Reegy thinks it is important to have an SBA stance/policy in case they do
a formal report.
o Random 2l came into SBA office creeping.
o No.
5. Secretary Reports
Regina
o The Senate advisor asked if we would be interested in parking ticket
appeals for law students, instead of student Senate who now hears the
appeals.
o You submit a letter and read it, and if you ask them questions you can.
o Arthur would prefer that if they offer for us to decide about law student
concerns, we should take that opportunity.
o Lauren R thinks we would have to have strict guidelines so it isn’t
arbitrary or nepotistic.
o Lauren E said maybe honor board can take care of it.
Diane
o No.
6. Vice President Reports
Ben
Absent
Lauren E.
o No.
7. Treasurers Report
Kyle
o We are doing OK on money, but we need to maintain uniformity of how
we are spending.
8. Old Business
Charity Event calendar and reminders to sign up/help out
o Friday the 17 th at the veterans home.
o Friday the 24 th as well.
o They will figure out a project for us to do.
o There is also a 5k run on April 22 nd .
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Project Proposals Updates
-Parking: Regina, Arthur, Lauren R.
-Food: JP, Tony
o Friday meeting:
o JP:
o Not adding a 3 rd microwave.
o Ketchup pumps might be added if it is a standard for Bon Appetit cafes, if the
cafeteria qualifies as a café.
o Coffee:
We might want to have a tasting and then people can vote to switch coffee
brands.
Barrister’s Ball Update from Chelsie
o Chelsie got a bill and then she talked to Chris and the report is:
o No room disturbances- 74 rooms.
o But there was more than 1 table with
o They observed people who were not drunk giving drinks to
the drunk people who were cut off. They shut the bar down
out of their own discretion.
o Apologetic about the problems with the food.
o Next year there has to be a better idea about drinks. Payal
suggested maybe scaling down the food and giving open
bar. Dinner was a waste because people are never happy
with it.
o Use the summer to think about it.
o The remedy is they want us there in the future. She asks if we
would consider booking 2010. Payal said we probably don’t have a
choice because the Westin is the best located and nicest venue.
o He would take money off this years event or next years
event for the errors.
o Also, we can lock in the room rates now, as well as food
prices.
o The decision is take the money off this year.
9. New Business
New Organization Leader Meeting 4/15/09 at noon in Room 279!!
Next Meeting April 21 @ 9:00pm—with new board!!
10. Open Forum
11. Meeting Adjourned
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