Minutes from the Emergency Meeting of the Representative Council — 2/12 at Noon held in Rhoads QSR.
Natalie Kato 2014: Amy will be taking minutes because Syona is running
We have allocated 20 minutes (12:32 to be done)
We’re going to do 3 things: timeline of the events, disclose a little bit more information about the situation that was got permission at 11:30 today by the person that raised the concern, and then explain a little as to why we went into this process in this manner, and the discussion and vote- is that clear? Any questions?
Meg Sumner-Moore 2015: do we have quorum
Natalie Kato 2014: think we do but I’m not sure
Syona Arora 2015: we have 15 with 7 absentees
Amani Chowdhury 2014: we have 16
Colin Baumann 2014: but absentees do not count as a presence. does it count for quorum?
Natalie Kato 2014: we don’t know? They will be counted as votes, and not a presence.
Timeline- candidates forum was last Thursday- forum for eboard positions, elections head appointments up for elections. Questions and min were taken down on recording device. a recording was done at the candidates at forum, when transfer the recording was lost, so we do not have access to the words said at the forum. Voting took place Monday and we got a concern from candidate that is Miriam Ahmed who is running for sga president that the notes taken from the forum did not reflex what she said. What she wanted. She emailed elections head and head of honor board with this concern and she asked that the minutes be taken take. They were taken down on Tuesday morning. Then on Tuesday, I met with Miriam. Then I consulted and Amani and Elizabeth to talk about next steps. So recently we were given permission by Miriam to disclose a little bit more information. We got her insights on how the process should be. She filed the complaint and says that she felt she was wronged in this situation. She does not want there to be a revote. She only asked that the minutes be taken down. She sent a complaint email. Elizabeth did that immediately- that is all that she is asking for. We wanted to note that this revote is possibly due to the unfairness of the elections. She expressed that was treated unfairly but it would be really unfair to do this revote because of all the hard work everyone had already put in to the elections- especially since there is no proof. Now Amani will explain why we moved to this emergency meeting and why we would like to have this vote.
Amani Chowdhury 2014: so when we got the first complaint, we agreed that it needed to be resolved immediately. Looking at the actual bylaws it said that if there’s a concern we need bring it to rep co to discuss how to move forward and moving forward could either mean letting the situation stand as it is or decide on the proper action to take. We also have the ability to call emergency meetings which can be done if I request it through Natalie, which was done. We are also able to determine whether a situation is constitutional or not. In consultation with a third member of the sga e-board, amy chen, we did that as well. We decided this is against the spirit of the honor code. Because the honor code def talks about discrimination- discrimination is being un air to a particular persons or peoples. Miriam expressed that what had happened was unfair. What had happened did not allow for people to get a proper representation of her words- and that was something that she should have been allowed as a candidate. And the fact that there was no audio recording to make sure that there were thorough minutes to resolve the situ meant all votes that were cast from Monday morning to tuesday morning when the min were finally taken down could have been skewed- because the minutes did not represent what she had said. Although she had requested that no further action be taken, those votes are potentially bias, because of minutes that were not thoroughly put together because there was a file that was lost.
Natalie Kato 2014: this is why we wanted to call an emergency meeting.- to have a discussion on what to do. The email sent out was vague, but again we only got permission to divulge this additional information 30 minutes ago. This is a very sensitive and time orientated issue bc if we do a revote it should take place thursday – friday and then run-off needs to take place monday and Tuesday- and we can’t really prolong bc of hell wk and we can’t expect votes during hell to be an accurate representation of the student body if we have to have it during hell week. . If we are to take revote, they have to take place Thursday and Friday and then run offs will be on Monday and Tuesday.
Angela Blatz 2016: if we have a revote, how will the candidate’s answers and questions be sent out?
Natalie Kato 2014: in the email sent out, we if there was to be a revote there will be 4 options: the candidate will answer 3 random questions that were asked at the candidates forum will be chosen by the head of the honor board, myself and the elections head to be given to candidates again. They will type up their responses and turn them in 12 hrs and they will be posted on the elections blog. Another option was to have them answer all of the question that were asked at candidates forum – again given 12 hours to be posted on the elections blog. Have no minutes or answers on the elections blog, or abstain. The candidates have the option and don’t have to do this. Questions?
Colin Baumann 2014: have elections used minutes on the past? By other elections head?
Natalie Kato 2014: idk about all the elections head but I do know minutes have been used before. i know they have in general
Lucy Gleysteen 2014: curious about the scope of all this. Did she feel unfair in the entire process or was it a section?
Natalie Kato 2014: after talking it was throughout her candidate’s forum- it was throughout her section
Lucy Gleysteen 2014: in what way/to what extent. Was it one question or section?
Natalie Kato 2014: I just think how she answered and how it was written- she feels some things it was incomplete and could’ve been extended upon
Amani Chowdhury 2014: and some things were included that she was sure she did not say. Also we wanted to make a note that none of the eboard know the results of the elections. We chose not to look at anything before moving forward with all of this
Natalie Kato 2014: anything else?
Angela Blatz 2016- was that the only part of the recording that was lost?
Natalie Kato 2014: the entire recording was lost.
Colin Baumann 2014: now’s not the time, but we should consider restructuring of candidates forum in general. Looking over the older minutes- they’re for the most part really incomplete/ not in complete sentences. Not really professional. If we are raising concern about minutes and how they should be representing people- well this has been and ongoing problem that we are now just talking about and we should have a conversation about minute taking. Taking min for 2.5 hours is difficult’ and we should look at the work of past elections heads, eheld, araeber, and how it’s been done in general?
Amani Chowdhury 2014: are we at quorum?
Syona Arora 2015: we might have enough we’ve 17 positions.
Natalie Kato 2014: could everyone raise their hands who can vote, co-held positions have one?
Amani Chowdhury 2014: we’ve 17. We need 3 ppl. Text all your friends.
Natalie Kato 2014: anyone have suggestions for what we should do if we do not reach quorum?
(this person did not say name or class year)- this has to either be brought up on Sunday or when another emergency meeting is held.
Amani Chowdhury 2014: we had this meeting today bc of the storm and bc the re-vote has to take place this week- Thursday and Friday in order to have a revote next week Monday and Tuesday because hell week is approaching.
Colin Baumann 2014: question about this revote- in considering the storm, we should consider what would happen if we lose power. The revote is not going to work either because we can’t reasonably pull the vote, unless we’re considering on distributing paper ballots.
Natalie Kato 2014: if power went out- voting period will be extended the time that power was lost.
Emily Garcia 2014: if we don’t have quorum now or time, why can’t we take the decision to not have a revote?
Amani Chowdhury 2014: the calling of this meeting is to see what action we should take- even if that action is choosing not to act and letting this elections stand. But we need quorum to make that decision.
(person didn’t say name or class year) were there no emails or absentee ballots?
Amani Chowdhury 2014: we’ve a few, but we are not sure if they do not count as a presence in the room. And regarding why this is being brought to rep co- concerns were raised, and brought to the attention of the elections head and honor board, so a decision of some sort has to be made, and once things are brought to the honor board, we don’t drop it.
Sam Terry 2014- was there a reason we didn’t have this meeting tonight? Snow starts tonight?
Natalie Kato 2014: we thought ppl would be free. Figured ppl would be having lunch and the e-board has hours of meetings tonight
Amani Chowdhury 2014: all the plenary resolutions and special events
Natalie Kato 2014: – right. So it would’ve have been impossible to hold an evening meeting. We were trying to avoid cancelling all of those.
Amani Chowdhury 2014: text rep co friends
Natalie Kato 2014: option to hold another emergency meeting tomorrow or tonight, or wait to discuss this on Sunday.
Elizabeth Vandenberg 2016: as the person holding elections, starting a revote on monday and tuesday, because if there is a run off- which there is a chance of considering there are multiple running for a few positions- would have to be held during hell week or after, which would mean the terms for this year would be different from when they have taken in the past where people get into office before.
Colin Baumann 2014: I understand the concern with lower voter turnout- but we already have a pretty bad turnout as it is. Having more voters turn out is something we strive for every elections round. I can recall that there have been years when we only get 10% of the student body. With that many ppl not voting- although it takes 2 min to vote on moodle- and people just don’t vote. And with thinking about how busy people are will hell week but it takes only 2 minutes to vote
Alexis de la Rosa 2015: I know usually there is a lot of student apathy, but after talking with people while campaigning and taking to my peers who are also campaigning, people who haven’t previously voted are voting. I think there was good turn out
Sam Terry 2014: understanding that the minutes have been taken down completely? So in imagining the revote, we are going back on the candidacy for all the ppl running. By re-voting at that point aren’t compromising candidacy for all by going back
Natalie Kato 2014: that’s’ why we’ve the options for the questions be asked and for candidates to respond
Sam Terry 2014: for all positions?
Natalie Kato 2014: all positions
Rhett Richardson 2015: Are we worried about turnout, we can require frosh to vote during confinement. That might be a good place to get votes
Colin Baumann 2014: if we postpone this to Sunday- run vote mon-tues and run off thurs-fri during hellnweek and but it’ll only be a few positions, which I acknowledge are still important, but for the most part we could still get votes. But that’s only if we vote to have a re-vote, it’s possible that rep co on Sunday may just let the elections stand as is.
Alexis de la Rosa 2015: going over voting in this election, students are excited about voting and they didn’t have much faith in sga and that made me sad. I feel like ppl who are first yr voters, some even serniors, is a big deal. As first time votes who might be seniors even and redoing the revote might change how sga is in the community. Doing a re-vote may make them lose faith in sga. Doing a revote may change how these people look at sga.
Colin Baumann 2014: motion to extend time to 10 min.
Natalie Kato 2014: all those in favor, reason your hand…
**we are extending time.
Amani Chowdhury 2014: people who read the subsection, feels?
Sam Terry 2014: its vague. Read subsection aloud subsection H.
Amani Chowdhury 2014 is that in the case the question is modified? That’s how I’m reading. How’s anyone else reading it?
Sam Terry 2014: you wrote the e-mail
Amani Chowdhury 2014: copied and pasted from the constitution. didn’t write the constitution
Natalie Kato 2014: I forgot to say but it was also e-mailed out to the candidates if they felt anything about the minutes if they felt that they were interpreted..
Colin Baumann 2014: well I don’t think the question has changed but I definitely think we’ve learned a lot more from the new information in this meetings, and when were asked about voting we didn’t know what lines in the minutes were in question, we just knew to look over the minutes. We also didn’t know where the person stood and what they wanted, so I feel like the question has been changed with the provided background information. Personally my feelings towards it have changed. I also talked to other rep co ppl before about voting in an absentee and they weren’t comfortable voting not having information like this.
Anna Kalinsky 2015–> I second that. now that we know the candidate and how she feels, we have changed feelings about how to vote
Natalie Kato 2014: reason why we brought to rep council is, whether we choose to make the decisions to revote or not, we don’t know for sure even tho emailed all the candidates, we don’t know the validity of the other people statements. I think what we should do now is should we have another emergency meeting about a time or wait until Sunday- because we do not have quorum.
Celeste Gambino 2016: when would it be?
Natalie Kato 2014: decide after?
Syona Arora 2015: I don’t think even if we schedule another meeting that we are going to get quorum
Natalie Kato 2014:so all those in favor of redoing this on sunday – just keep in mind we will definitely have to extend time and it will be more than an hour and a half because we need o discuss SAW, special events, plenary resolution, and SGA goodbyes.
Kaeun Bae 2015: does it make a difference if we have another meeting before Sunday
Colin Baumann 2014: can we schedule the emergency meeting for 8:30 or 9 on Sunday night so that we don’t have to?
(person did not say name and class year)- let just vote on the day first and then we’ll consider times
Christine Newville 2016: will this be discussed in the same frankness? Would she still be willing to talk about the situation at the meeting? Will she be there?
Natalie Kato 2014: I think she would be open to it, I think I will ask. So… meeting on Sunday? Ok, all those in favor of voting on Sunday at sga or another emergency meetings?
Sunday meeting vote: jancy lucy Christine jarbon sofia anna k colin Elizabeth Rhett erin celeste dani
Emergency meeting vote: kaeun angela sarak
This will be discussed at SGA on sunday