Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes

The Saint Mary’s community is invited to attend the Student Activities Committee (SAC) special elections meeting Sunday, April 11, at 7 p.m. The executive board for 2021-22 will be selected during this meeting. Available e-board positions include president, vice president, executive assistant, on-campus/virtual events chair, outdoor leadership representative, signature events, PR and social media chair, and off-campus events. See below for meeting information:

SAC elections meeting
Sunday, April 11, at 7 p.m.

Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 819 1119 1855
Password: 127193

Questions can be directed to studentactivities@smumn.edu.

If you have not done so already, log in to eRezLife and select an available room for the 2021-22 academic year. Housing selection closes on Thursday, April 15. If you have questions, contact the Office of Residence at reslife@smumn.edu or Niki Peterson, director of Residence Life, at npeterso@smumn.edu.

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, Mary Furlong, Gabriel Graves, Riley Hall, Jonathon Krull, Abigail Lang, Thomas Magnavite, Allison Moysis, Tara Nikolich, Nicole Noreen, Lyanna Novak, Enitan Onayiga, Angel Sacta Espinoza, Joseph Schauf, Ryan Stoynich, Collin van Waardenburg, Destiny Walker, Elijah Williams

Members absent: Noah Kimel, Megan Kowalis, Sophia O’Neil

Members excused: Kendall Archer

Discussion items

Facilities presentation by James Bedtke, vice president of facilities

• Remodel of Toner Dining Hall
  • Would like Student Senate input on colors
    • Senators will receive images of the options to vote on
  • Using ceramic tile upstairs in the server area (food area)
    • Same grey tile as seen in Cardinal Club for flooring
  • Looking at using laminate for cabinetry and strategic locations around the dining area, laminate for other areas, and carpet for the dining hall portion
    • List first and second choices of each
• Plaza furniture
  • Currently, we have 20 yellow tables with 80 chairs
    • Umbrellas are also used on about half
    • Have wanted to replace these for years
      • Looking for sturdy options that fit what we are looking for
      • Looking for more modern options
        • Products made of recycled plastic options
          • The actual product was not what we were looking for
  • We are going to change the furniture this summer
    • $45-$50,000 investment in the new furniture
    • Seeking senate’s approval and monetary support for this project as a capital improvement request
• Air conditioning in the residence halls
  • We know that it’s warm; the university has policies in place to switch over from heating to air conditioning. This process takes a few days and we want to ensure that we do not have to switch back and forth between heat and air conditioning.
  • An email was sent out to the campus on April 6 in regards to this.

Capital improvement presentation

• Angel Sacta Espinoza, chair of the Capital Improvement Request Committee
  • Student Senate can fund improvements to the university
  • Previous projects include the mural outside the fieldhouse
• Dr. Heukeshoven presenting on her proposal
  • Music professor, her class came up with the capital improvement idea of a painted mural here on campus. There is a long blank wall in Yon’s that would be a good location for this. The Music Department thinks this could symbolize Yon’s as a music building.
  • Create a mural utilizing our school song, with the background of the wall being a wash of warm colors (yellow, orange, red) with the music for our Alma Mater painted over it in black notes. Silhouette figures will also be located on one side, opposite of it in the other corner would be possibly the Saint Mary’s logo
  • The budget would be just for the paint, around $600-$800

Culture of Life budget

• Graham Lorsung present
  • Pro-life in all aspects of life
  • Trying to reach out to a greater population of the students
  • Putting together care packages for the homeless
  • Giving out flowers on campus
  • Making baby blankets for Birthright and homeless shelters
  • Attending the March for Life in Washington, D.C.
• Requested funding at $7,885
  • Fleece for Blankets-$500
  • Flowers-$200
  • Advertising-$24
  • Speaker-$1,150
  • March for Life (hotel, flight, metro passes, rental cars, gas)-$6,000
• Recommended funding at $5,440
• Motion to fund at $5,440 by Joseph Schauf
• Seconded by Collin van Waardenburg
• Motion to fund at $5,440 passes unanimously

Dungeons and Dragons budget

• Elizabeth King present
  • Has been on campus for three years
  • Club gets together to play the Dungeons and Dragons game
    • Helps with team-building and improvisation
• Requested funding at $145
  • Game materials-$135
  • Advertising-$10
• Recommended funding at $150
• Motion to fund at $150 by Riley Hall
• Seconded by Collin van Waardenburg
• Motion to fund at $150 passes unanimously

MIX budget

• Gigi Centeno and Sarah Phipps present
  • Merging Intercultural Experiences
  • Celebrates all types of diversity and cultures
  • Puts on events such as the altar for Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) and language learning opportunities
• Requested funding at $550
  • Day of the Dead-$50
  • Cultural fair-$200
  • Learn a language-$50
  • Lunar New Year-$50
  • Advertising-$10
• Recommended funding at $360
• Motion to fund at $360 by Riley Hall
• Seconded by Joseph Schauf
• Motion to fund at $360 passes unanimously

Club Hockey budget

• Kohl Babcock present
  • The club travels to colleges within the midwest to play 15 games against other universities
  • Looking to be part of the ACHA
• Club looking to increase funding
  • The budget is tabled to next week

Executive board updates

• Jonathon Krull, VP of Media and Communications and executive assistant
  • Class officer elections are postponed until further notice, we are still looking for more individuals to run.
    • If interested, reach out to Kendall Archer for more information.
  • If you cannot attend senate, please reach out to me or Kendall Archer prior to the meeting, we are beginning to see some attendance issues.
• Angel Sacta Espinosa, VP for Campus Affairs
  • More on capital improvements next week
• Nicole Noreen, VP for Financial Affairs
  • Finishing up with budgets in the next few weeks
• Destiny Walker, VP for Multicultural Affairs
  • Cultural Fair on the weekend of April 16
    • Looking for performers still, email Destiny if interested
  • SAGA will be hosting events for Pride Month coming up
• Mary Furlong, VP for Academic Affairs
  • No reports
• Elijah Williams, VP for Student Life
  • Mandatory testing for those who went home for Easter, watch the CommUNITY for more info
  • For concerns surrounding housing, issues have been noted and things will be looked at being fixed for next year
• Sarah Fowler, SAC President
  • Covid Olympics starting Thursday through this weekend
  • SAC e-board this Sunday at their meeting
• Tim Gossen, adviser
  • Thank you for your patience today!
  • Senators, please vote for the options for the Toner remodel by noon on April 7

Class officer reports

• Freshman: No updates
• Sophomore: No updates
• Junior: No updates
• Senior: Continuing to meet with Marisa and putting finishing touches on Senior Day

Motion to adjourn

• Motioned by Lyanna Novak
• Seconded by Ryan Stoynich
• Time 8:11 p.m.

Sunday, April 11, at 3 p.m. in Saint Thomas More Chapel

Come sing the Divine Mercy Chaplet, receive the grace of the sacrament of reconciliation, and adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome to pray together and celebrate the mercy of God.