PSSS Genboard Round-Up 2/19

Luke Young

He/Him

Managing Editor

2/23/24

Plymouth State’s Student Senate began this week’s meeting with a greeting to a large audience; the Geo Club and Student Nurses Association came to present CEA requests, and potential candidates for unfilled positions on PSSS came to spectate. 

USSB Representative Jonah Rosenberg reported that he and ‘27 Representative Quinn Hagerty had a successful first meeting for campus affairs, in which Hagerty drafted anti-littering print and electronic flyers. Rosenberg and other members of PSSS praised the flyers. Rosenberg also said the report on Blue Light Phones will be coming out soon, but he must condense his 5,000 data points into a more digestible format. Student Trustee Emily Coutermarsh spoke about attending the 10-year plan meeting, and praised the contractor’s “vision to open up campus.” 

Advisor Melina Baker was pleased to announce that around 1,400 tickets were picked up for ski day, and that the survey she sent out received positive feedback. Some highlights from attendees were, “the staff, free rentals, the music and DJ, and it being not as crowded as expected.” Around 84% of respondents enjoyed ski day a great deal, with 96% enjoying it a moderate amount, a lot, or a great deal. 83% reported that they would attend another ski day. Baker also said there were no medical transports.

Speaker Will Loughlin reminded the room that special elections are underway, with ballots going out on Feb. 20th by noon, and open until the afternoon on Feb. 23rd.  Ballots can be found here. Loughlin also welcomed prospective members and informed them that questions would be answered at the end of the meeting during constituent concerns.

Next up was “guest speaker” Jayden Candee, Parliamentarian of PSSS, who presented on meeting etiquette. Candee spoke on the importance of attending meetings, and reiterated PSSS’s standing policy, which only tolerates three unexcused absences, after which the individual will be eligible for impeachment. Three tardies constitute an unexcused absence, with a missed committee meeting considered the same. PSSS’s dress code is business casual for members, but not observers. If an individual does not have business casual attire, they should contact either of PSSS’s advisors for assistance. Themed meetings may also take place, as the Student Senate room gets warm, and PSSS would prefer “not getting hot and sweaty with [their] peers in professional clothing.” Members of the student senate are expected to be professional both inside and outside of the Student Senate room, with Candee stating that, “we are the change that we want to see in our university and our community.”

The Student Nurses’ Association presented their CEA request for their Eboard to attend the National Student Nurses’ Association conference in Florida, which consists of information sessions, skill building opportunities, and networking among healthcare workers. Attending members intend to bring back educational materials, try new programs, find job opportunities, and review for the board NCLEX exam in order to maintain PSU’s place as the school with the highest pass rate in NH. Their total costs numbered $6,390 for 6 people to attend, and SNA informed PSSS that they had hosted at least 7 fundraising events to raise money. PSSS treasurer Erin Johnston’s recommendation was to give them $2,200 for the trip, as the budget for CEAs are getting thin. SGA Advisor Jess Dutille backed up this sentiment, stating that “our CEA funds are very limited, so I think it’s something to keep in mind as you ought to fund as many of these opportunities as equitably as you can for the remainder of the semester.” This was followed up by the estimate of $26,000 remaining in the CEA budget for the year. PSSS unanimously approved the motion to give SNA $2,200 for their trip.

Geo Club requested $14,718 to attend The Association of American Geographers in Honolulu, Hawaii in order to attend academic sessions on various geography-related topics. SGA Speaker Will Loughlin, who is also treasurer for Geo Club, recused himself and handed off his podium to Vice Speaker Christyan Cimino. The purpose of Geo Club’s trip is for professional development, networking, and gathering resources. Their CEA covered 10 students to attend, with the club volunteering to pay some costs out of their allocation, pockets, and fundraising for the year. Johnston recommended $2,750 for 3 students to attend, which would also provide a bit of wiggle room for attendees. Dutille and Baker increased the recommendation to $4,900, which Johnston protested, reluctant to exceed $3,500. Coutermarsh motioned for the increased sum to be allocated, and was approved by all members of the board except Hagerty and Johnston.

Rosenberg presented Amendment 2324.7, Minimum Publishing Date for Courses Hosted on Learning Management Systems, intending to minimize academic stressors around online class platforms like Canvas. The amendment would allow students to observe class materials and syllabi before courses begin, which would help students know what the course expectations may be, and help them to acquire appropriate textbooks on time. The resolution would also allow students to see their classmates ahead of time, in order to “prevent situations,” ease anxiety, and assist in connecting peers outside of class. PSSS motioned to amend the language on the document to specifically mention syllabi then approve it, which both passed unanimously.