Minutes 10/14/08

Absent: Henry Coshnear,Joe Schubert, Oriel Fernandes
Excused Absence: Terence Steinberg, Sarah Dicks, Krista Yank

7:05 - Meeting called to order

• Roll Call and Approval of Minutes
  

Open Forum: Q&A with President Brian Rosenberg

• Discussed the effects of the current economic crisis on the school:
• Tuition increase will be significantly smaller than most years in the recent past. Financial aid budget will go up.
• Endowment lost $125 million dollars in one year.
• Fundraising-obviously a difficult climate in which to raise funds. Annual fund will feel the effects immediately.
• Capital campaign: $24 million for financial aid.
• Three main budget priorities: maintain strength of academic program, taking care of faculty and staff (pay and benefits), maintaining college affordability and increasing financial aid budget.
• Liquidity of the college is not a problem.
• Janet Wallace total project cost approx. 39-40 million: $26 million raised
  
• Tuition increase of approx 5% is considered reasonable.
• Sabbatical policy change on hold for two reasons: financial interests and impact on students.
• Fine Arts Center- most donations will come from alumni, some from foundations and non-alum donors. Now we have a concept for the building that is in line with the budget for the building. Typically academic departments are in charge of getting student input. Schematic design phase should begin in spring 2009.
• Potential idea for more housing would be to take down the cottages and building a bookstore with apartments above.

FAC

Old Business:

• Afrika! Fall dance $363- motion to approve passed
• Mac Media Collective Publication $180-motion to approve passed

New Business:

• Art history club: Movie event. $50 - motion to approve passed
• Mac Martial arts club: Equipment $674.00 (capital) - motion to approve passed
• Ua Ke: Children’s Museum Trip $71.55 - motion to approve passed
• Geology Club: Science Museum Trip $212.00 - motion to approve passed
• Introduced motion to change by-laws to allow the FAC to approve any additional allocation request under $1000 without bringing it before the LB for approval: motion failed
  

SSC

• Active Minds student org charter passed

AAC

• No new business
  

ERC

• MCSG Birthday list

PB

• Bodacious concert movie event.
• Volunteers needed for Surround Sound (battle of the bands)
  

Presidential Commission

• Resolution for increasing student involvement in college decision-making was distributed

Meeting Adjourned at 8:58