Download 2014 02 - 24 AM.pdf

OSA Assembly Minutes
February 24, 2014 at 4:00 PM
Reeve Memorial Union, Theatre Room 307
I.
Call to Order – Pledge of Allegiance at 4:01 PM
II.
Roll Call - 91
Organizations with Voting Rights:
Present: 75
Excused: University Honors Student Association
Absent: A Cappella Group, Community Garden Club Fletcher Hall Government, Golden
Key International Honor Society, Graduate Student Association, Inter-Tribal Student
Organization, International Business Club, Pokémon Fight Club, Psychology Club,
Religious Studies Club, Russian Cultures Club, Sociology Club, Student Wisconsin
Education Association, Taylor Hall Government, UWO French Club, Zeta Tau Alpha
III.
Open Forum – Jolie, United Council rep, MRF was removed from United Council,
create coalition, two lobbyists in the state capitol help student prepare for elections.
They can develop training and she is only here once a month because she oversees 26
campuses, she did talk about campaigns early in the year, however the campaigns are on
hold due to employee changes. Sarah Kargas from Wausau is working on Students
against Sexual Assault campaign.
IV.
Approval of the Agenda - approved
V.
Approval of the Minutes – approved
VI.
Guest Speakers –
a. Randy Hedge, Director of Reeve Memorial Union two years since referendum
passed, will completely renovate the 1958 section of the building quick rundown
of schedule, 2002 part of project renovation, and 2007-2008 we had to make some
cuts. Have a 20 year bond and are years into that now, 2011 the budget for the
renovation was outlined, architects brought in not a complete design, we identify
a budget and that is how referendum question was put together, now selecting an
architect, just had an all campus exec meeting this morning and discussed how the
building committee will work with the architect. We have a need for storage;
desire to do more with that. Student leadership and involvement staff to be
adjacent with the club/orgs that they advise. Chelsea and Mike that are across the
hall in the Reeve Admin will be near the organization that they advise. Some
students do not find the entrance to the SLIC approachable and we would like to
have it more noticeable and presentable. Move UW credit union to CopyThis
location in the beginning of the renovation process. There are many items in the
1958 section of the building that need to be address, elevator in front of the
building, welcoming entrance, new windows for the entire original building,
sprinklers have to be installed on the second floor in room 220, 221, and 219.
March 7 four finalist as architects and they will present in Madison, architect
appointed by the middle of April and we need to activate building committee the
end of April. July begin discussing and designing for about a year, spring 2015
move everyone out while we are under construction, will check the needs of OSA
and other organizations that are in the SLIC looking for alternative spaces may
not have everyone in one space during that year of construction. Social Justice
Club: take a year to design how long will it take for construction. Answer: hope
we are be in the space fall 2016 but with construction you do not know, depends
on architect that they pick as well. Wildlife conservation club: will it be lead
certified? Answer: any buildings that we build are with lead certification in mind,
All four architects are presenting in Madison is it open to students? Answer: it is
a complicated process bottom line we have one vote and the state has eight or
nine, no students that would go down for that selection but students will be very
involved in the process through the building committee and RAC. Social Justice
Club: Where is the money taken from? Answer: Seg fees
VII.
Officer Reports –
a. OSA Directors – Director Sebtsead, Director Parson Graduate course working to
improve parking, passed assembly 236 to protect student ID numbers during the
voting process, also director Parson working on election fact sheet
b. OSA Office Manager – (Rae Ann - [email protected] ) – Titan Tip of the Day
Re-registration opens July 1 – Sept 19, 2014 every club/org must go through the
re-registration process annually – pass this on during transition of exec board
c. OSA Advisor – (Petra – [email protected]) – Reminder of Budget Forums on
Wednesday in SAGE at 11:30 am and 4:00 pm in SAGE
d. Speaker Pro-Tempore –(Nicole Lehto – [email protected]) – new process
sign in on the sheet two copies on the table if organization highlighted come and
see Nicole. Will keep on two sides of tables. Pagan Student Alliance, could we
have three sheets? Answer: Yes
e. Speaker of the Assembly – (Sarah Speigle– [email protected]) – mixer at 3
went well. President Hackbarth did bring pizza and soda up from the mixer. One
thing Irks and Perks a perk not enough vegetarian options in Blawkhawk. Fried
Peanut butter and jelly
f. Vice President Pro-Tempore – (Hallie Turnbull– [email protected]) – Need
student on the Search and Screen Director of USP .
g. Vice President – (Jordan Schettle – [email protected]) – official committees, ad
hoc committees there is potential for student chamber of commerce on campus
with the CEO club. Marketing ad hoc committee is meeting tomorrow. Senator
will be discussing resolution for same sex marriage on Thursday. If you are going
to be returning the deadline for financial aid is March 15. Complete FAFSA.
h. President – (Ryan Hackbarth- [email protected]) – All campus exec meeting
today, discussed the building committee members and decided on the numbers
from each Exec Board. Usually the president and VP will be selected for this
committee. Search and Screen Committee for the Chancellor being created. Send
email to [email protected] if you are interested. Ryan will ask those interested in
serving on the committee for a Bio and he will narrow it down to four names and
send to President Ray Cross, they will then pick two names from the four given.
Contact Ryan if you want to be on the elections commission, USP surveys results
should be given shortly either Ryan or the USP Director will give an update.
VIII.
Presidential Appointments –
OSA 13-019
BE IT RESOLVED: That the OSA Senate and Assembly approved the following Presidential
Appointments and/or recommendations:
1.
Reginald Parson, Search and Screen Committee for the Associate Vice
Chancellor for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
Sponsored by: Ryan Hackbarth, OSA president
Dispense
Motion to College Republicans, 2nd by College Democrats
Vote (passed voice vote) no objections 02/24/14
IX.
X.
Unfinished Business – none
New Business –
OSA 12-020
IN SUPPORT OF THE OSHKOSH STUDENT ASSOCIATION URGING THAT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN OSHKOSH FOUNDATION PURSUE A PLAN TO
REMOVE FUNDS INVESTED IN FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES AND INVEST IN MORE
SOCIALLY JUST INDUSTRIES
WHEREAS Wisconsin State Statute empowers university student associations with the
“primary responsibility for the formulation and review of policies concerning student life,
services and interests”;
WHEREAS the leaders of 167 countries (including the United States) have agreed that
any warming of the planet above 2°C (3.6°F) would be unsafe, and we have already (as
of 2012) raised the average surface temperature 0.8°C, causing far more damage than
most scientists expected;
WHEREAS according to the Carbon Tracker Institute, the proven coal, oil, and gas
reserves of the top 200 fossil-fuel companies, and countries (e.g. Venezuela or Kuwait)
which act like fossil-fuel companies, equals about 2,795 gigatons of CO2, or five times
the amount we can release to maintain a 2°C limit of planetary warming;
WHEREAS research sponsored by 20 governments around the world suggests that
climate change is already causing 400,000 deaths per year;
WHEREAS the conditions resulting from climate change disproportionately affect
communities of color and low-income communities, and these are the communities who
have done the least to cause it, and as a University we must ensure social and racial
justice by doing all we can to mitigate climate change;
WHEREAS several other colleges have already divested from fossil fuels, such as Unity
College, Sterling College, and Hampshire College, and others such as Middlebury,
Swarthmore College, and twenty other Universities have entered into formal processes to
consider divestment, and Harvard passed a student resolution where 72% of students
voted in favor of divestment;
WHEREAS Madison, WI and Bayfield, WI, in addition to numerous other cities and
counties, have committed to fossil fuel divestment;
WHEREAS Carbon Tracker observes that there is a valid and strong risk of stranded
assets in the fossil fuel industry, since only 20% of the world’s fossil fuel reserves can be
burned if we were to stay below 2°C; we are living in an age of a carbon bubble, where
fossil fuel markets are overcapitalized;
WHEREAS numerous financial experts have concluded that it is possible to divest from
fossil fuels and still earn strong returns and an industry study by Aperio Investment
Management found that the theoretical risk to return from fossil fuel divestment is
.0044%;
dispense, seac
WHEREAS investment experts have acknowledged that divestment is possible for large
institutions, even ones using commingled funds;
WHEREAS, UW-Oshkosh and Chancellor Wells signed on to the American University
and College President’s Climate Commitment in 2008, which says “We further believe
that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will
stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs, attract excellent students and faculty,
attract new sources of funding, and increase the support of alumni and local communities.
Accordingly, we commit our institutions to taking the following steps in pursuit of
climate neutrality.”
WHEREAS UW-Oshkosh, in 2002, endorsed the Earth Charter Initiative, which states as
its mission “to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society
founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community
of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic
justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.”
WHEREAS former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, stated “climate
change...is the greatest emerging humanitarian crisis of our time”;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA) calls upon the
University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh Foundation (The Foundation) to immediately stop any
new investment in fossil fuel companies; and to ensure that within five years none of its
directly held or commingled assets include holdings of either public equities or corporate
bonds in fossil fuel companies as determined by the Carbon Tracker list;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that OSA requests the President and Board of Trustees of
The Foundation to prepare a report and options for investing the endowment in a way that
further maximizes the positive impact of the fund by seeking out investments in
opportunities to limit the effects of burning fossil fuels or help to mitigate its effects
including, but not limited to, clean technology, renewable energy, sustainable companies
or projects, and sustainable communities;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OSA requests the President and Board of
Trustees of the Foundation to release bi-annual updates, available to the public, detailing
progress made towards full divestment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the OSA revisits this resolution in two years to
ensure compliance and follow-through from all involved parties.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be delivered to Chancellor
Richard Wells; Vice-Chancellor Thomas Sonnleitner; President Rathjen, Foundation; and
to all sitting Board Members and Directors of The Foundation.
Author: UW-Oshkosh Change the Climate Campaign
Sponsors: Student Environmental Action Coalition; College Democrats; Political Science
Student Association
Dispense
Scott and Emily from UW-Oshkosh Change the Climate Campaign
Divest in fossil foil and invest in climate changes, fossil fuel change and change in
the atmosphere, how we can stop putting carbon in the air. Ended in the 80s in
South Africa and pressured their universities to invest in their companies will get
out of carbon bubble that the fossil fuel companies. OSA Exec will meet with
administration to discuss this upcoming week. CARE know this is priority are we
going to be given to Wisconsin companies? Answer: once that is opened up hope to
have more involvement in the decision more social just companies but the
foundation will have financial manager if you have suggestions or anything we want
in the future.
XI.
Committee Reports – none
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
Discussion – none
Announcements –
a. Director Hopper working on same sex marriage and United Council resolution on
Thursday in the OSA office
Adjourn – Motion to adjourn PSSA, 2nd by Pagan Student Alliances at 5:00 pm