Saint Mary's Newsroom

The Student Activities Committee (SAC) is looking for their 2021-22 executive board! Use the nomination form to nominate yourself or someone you think would be a great addition to SAC. You can fill out the form as many times as you need to.

The positions executive board positions available are:

• President
• Vice president
• Executive assistant
• Public relations and social media
• Off campus events
• On campus and virtual events
• Outdoor leadership representative
• Signature events

Read the position descriptions

Please have nominations submitted before Sunday, April 4, 2021. If you are nominated for a position, you will be notified via email on Monday, April 5, and will have until Saturday, April 10, to accept or decline the nomination.

The SAC elections meeting will be held via Zoom on Sunday, April 11. Anyone in attendance at that meeting will be able to cast one vote per executive board position.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to studentactivities@smumn.edu.

The Office of Campus Safety has a few friendly reminders as we mingle about campus more and enjoy the spring weather:

• There is safety in numbers. Students are encouraged to walk with friends at night. Campus escorts are also available to our students, faculty, and staff.

• Be aware of your surroundings. If you see something, say something.

Please contact Campus Safety at 507-457-1703 for escorts, reporting, or with any campus safety related questions.

Meeting called to order by Mary Furlong, vice president of Academic Affairs, at 7 p.m.

Prayer by Collin van Waardenburg

Members present: Cece Abel, Samantha Carlson, Larkin Clem, Jake Emeott, Sarah Fowler (proxy Catie Schiltz), Mary Furlong, Gabriel Graves, Riley Hall, Noah Kimel (proxy Breanna Tews), Megan Kowalis, Jonathon Krull, Abigail Lang, Thomas Magnavite, Allison Moysis, Tara Nikolich, Nicole Noreen, Lyanna Novak, Enitan Onayiga, Sophia O’Neil (proxy Luke Pauly), Angel Sacta Espinoza, Joseph Schauf, Ryan Stoynich (proxy Trevor Mikyla), Collin van Waardenburg, Destiny Walker, and Elijah Williams

Members absent: n/a

Members excused: Kendall Archer, Sarah Fowler (proxy Catie Schiltz), Noah Kimel (proxy Breanna Tews), Sophia O’Neil (proxy Luke Pauly), and Ryan Stoynich (proxy Trevor Mikyla)

Discussion items

• Chartwells representative Abel Valencia’s presentation on changes for 2021-22 academic year 
  • Recap of student feedback
    • 495 students replied
    • Meal plan dissatisfaction was a high issue to students
    • Seating and lines were determined to be an issue
  • Enhancements
    • Spring 2020: Outlined goals, created a proposal, got student feedback
    • Summer 2020: Renovated Cardinal Club and opened The Market, offered new meal plans
    • Summer 2021: Renovation of Toner Dining Hall
  • Resident dining enhancement plan
    • Visual graphic enhancements
    • More pop-up menus
    • Upgraded equipment
    • More screens in the dining hall featuring menus/events
    • Implementation of the Rockbox jukebox app upstairs
    • Rebranding as The Eatery at Toner Student Center
      
      • New floor plan and renderings visible in senate meeting recording
        • More open space in the food station area
  • Questions:
    • In regards to the removal of the private dining areas, is it possible to keep at least a few of those spaces?
      • We are looking at making it mainly student use and communal use upstairs
    • Graphics displaying sustainability, will there be any improvements to sustainability? What will be done to speed up the students moving through the lines?
      • We have numerous programs that attribute to our sustainability promise, we do the graphics to try and tell the story of sustainability. They are also located on our website.
      • It is a challenge due to the varied amounts of students going through the lines; we are trying to provide them multiple options and also working to improve the appeal of other items to help alleviate that. 
  • View the presentation in the Student Senate meeting from March 16 in the CommUNITY newsletter
    
• Figure Skating Club budget
  • Bri Raabolle present to tell more about the club
    • Looking to advertise more for events and involving the Saint Mary’s community more
  • Requested funding at $75
  • Recommended funding at $20
  • Motion to fund at $20 by Joseph Schauf
  • Seconded by Collin van Waardenburg
  • Motion to fund at $20 passes unanimously
• Yoga Club budget
  • Elizabeth Kelsey present to tell more about the club
    • Looking to fund yoga instructors twice a week each semester
  • Requested funding at $2,080
  • Recommended funding at $1,670
  • Motion to fund at $1,670 by Jake Emeott
  • Seconded by Riley Hall
  • Motion to fund at $1,670 passes unanimously
• Biology Club budget
  • Abigail Johnson present to tell more about the club
    • Looking to go yurt camping and going to the Science Museum in Minneapolis
    • Purchasing a state park sticker
    • Money to fund their plant fundraiser
    • Purchasing tickets for Winona 7
  • Requested funding at $925
  • Recommended funding at $390
  • Motion to fund at $390 by Joseph Schauf
  • Seconded by Gabriel Graves
  • Motion to fund at $390 passes unanimously
• Zumba Club budget
  • Bridgette Hagerty present to tell more about the club
    • Offers weekly Zumba classes to everyone on campus, looking to get funds to pay for a certified Zumba instructor to lead the classes
  • Requested funding at $1,250
  • Recommended funding at $1,000
  • Motion to fund at $1,000 by Abigail Lang
  • Seconded by Samantha Carlson
  • Motion to fund at $1,000 passes unanimously
• ASCD Club budget
  • Bridgette Hagerty present to tell more about the club
    • Student chapter of National Educators Association, events are open to everyone on campus. Requesting funding for thank-you gifts for community speakers, funding for ice cream socials, advertising for events, and hosting the MN Teacher of the Year (funding for a hotel room), reimbursement of speakers for mileage to travel to Saint Mary’s
  • Requested funding at $648
  • Recommended funding at $190
  • Motion to fund at $190 by Riley Hall
  • Seconded by Joseph Schauf
  • Motion to fund at $190 passes unanimously
• Executive board updates
  • Kendall Archer, president
    • Update given by Marisa Naryka, Student Senate adviser, below
  • Jonathon Krull, VP of Media and Communications and executive assistant
    • Reach out to Kendall Archer if interested in running for executive board
    • Reach out to Jonathon Krull with any questions
  • Angel Sacta Espinosa, VP for Campus Affairs
    • Capital improvements are being reviewed
  • Nicole Noreen, VP for Financial Affairs
    • No updates
  • Destiny Walker, VP for Multicultural Affairs
    • Multicultural Weekend in April is in the works
      • Reach out to Destiny at Dxwalk14@smumn.edu if interested in helping out
  • Mary Furlong, VP for Academic Affairs
    • No updates
  • Elijah Williams, VP for Student Life
    • Sporting events can have 250 attendees outdoors with social distancing and masks
      • Indoor sporting events are still not allowed to have attendance
    • More housing information for next year will be coming out in the coming weeks
    • The guest policy has changed, check out the CommUNITY newsletter for more information
    • The Wellness Center has started a partnership with Catholic Charities in Winona
  • Megan Kowalis, VP for Public Affairs
    • No updates
  • Sarah Fowler, SAC president
    • Tomorrow there will be Saint Patrick’s Day Bingo
    • If interested in running for a position on SAC, reach out to any of their e-board members
  • Marisa Naryka, adviser
    • Updates from Kendall Archer, president
      • Presidential election results will be released later this week
      • E-board petitions are available, reach out to Kendall Archer for the petitions
        • More information will be in Thursday’s CommUNITY
        • Petitions are due Monday, March 22
        • Elections will be Wednesday, March 24
          
    • Easter travel updates will be in Wednesday’s COVID-19 update
    • Please continue following COVID-19 policies

• Class officer reports
  • Freshman: No updates
  • Sophomore: No updates
  • Junior: The senior peer ministers are holding Theology on Tap (free beer for those 21+), link is in the Campus Ministry email or QR codes around campus to sign up
  • Senior: Meeting with Marisa to discuss Senior Day; seniors please fill out the survey we have sent out
• Motion to adjourn
  • Motioned by Cerdane Abel
  • Seconded by Collin van Waardenburg
  • Time 7:50 p.m.

Next week, the housing process continues with assigning a time slot to each returning student who has completed their housing application. Eligible students will receive an email prompting them to check eRezLife once this is complete. Students should sign in to eRezLife during their assigned time to register for 2021-22 housing.

• Seniors are Thursday, April 1, beginning at 4 p.m.
• Juniors are Friday, April 2, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
• Sophomores are Tuesday, April 6, beginning at 4 p.m.
• Freshman and any overflow are Wednesday, April 7, beginning at 4 p.m.

Students should double check their roommate groups and make sure they see a green checkbox next to each member. If there isn’t a green check mark, then that group will not be housed together.

Contact the Office of Residence at reslife@smumn.edu or Niki Peterson, director of Residence Life, at npeterso@smumn.edu with any questions.

The Student Activities Committee (SAC) invites you to the following events:

STEM Trivia

Saturday, March 20, at 7 p.m.

Zoom – sign up

Calling all students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Test your general knowledge and win some epic prizes. Join SAC and the Chemistry Club for a fun and basic knowledge test of all things STEM.

Wing Eating Contest

Monday, March 22, at 8 p.m.

Dining room

Can you take the heat? SAC and Chartwells are partnering to bring you a spicy wing contest that will test your tolerance on the Scoville scale. Think you have what it takes to win? Sign up to participate in the Cardinal Club. Want to just watch the action? Simply come to the dining room to bear witness to the spiciest challenge of the semester!

Coffee and Cocoa

Thursday, March 25, from 8 a.m. to noon

First floor, Saint Mary’s Hall

Want to warm up your morning? Join us for free coffee and cocoa and all the fixings.

Upcoming events: 

Mini golf – Saturday, March 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. in SLC

Soap Making – Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the game room

Easter Egg Dying – Thursday, April 1, at 1 p.m.

Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday, April 3, at noon, outside

Stressed out about your midterm grades? Talk with a peer learning assistant (PLA) who can help you figure out the best way for you to study and manage your time so you can stay on top of your homework. Schedule a meeting or come visit a PLA in HC19 today!

Not happy with with your midterm grades? Sign up for a peer tutor at smumn.joinknack.com. A peer tutor can help you better prepare for the next big exam.

Don’t have the Knack app? Download Knack in the App Store or get it on Google Play.

Improve your writing process by contacting the Saint Mary’s Writing Center.

Feel like you’re wasting time when you sit down to study? Learn five ways to build your focus.