UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT, TEMPE
FIFTEENTH LEGISLATURE ~ FIRST SPECIAL SESSION
SEPTEMBER 12, 2017
MINUTES
1. Opening Ceremonies
a. Pledge
b. Swearing In
● John Gimenez
● Mia Wong
○ Sworn in at 6:15 pm
2. First Roll Call
3. Approval of the Agenda
Senator Bianchi moves to remove items b-i of the agenda. Seconded and passed.
Senator Bianchi moves to add Dean Taylor to Administrative Reports
Senator Briones moves to add SB15 to the Agenda
Senator Spraetz moves to add SB 16 to the Agenda
Dean Taylor is excited to be at our Senate meeting. Want to open up her office hours and
hear from us regarding how things are going with the start of the school year.
Dean Taylor has office hours Friday afternoons from 3:00pm-5:00pm.
4. Call to the Audience
5. Officer and Administrative Reports:
a. Senate President Breonn Peoples
“The point of this meeting is to emulate how funding works in the State and Federal
Government. It is an awesome that students are able to present things they are
passionate about and be able to utilize these skills in the future. This is how we as
USG hold ourselves accountable. If anyone in the audience has something that they
would like to say, please get on the Speaker’s List.”
b. USG President Brittany Benedict
c. VP of Policy Kelsey Wilson
d. VP of Services Lester Nnagbo
e. GPSA Representative
f. University Senate Representative
g. ASASU Coordinator Jaime Ingrisano
h. Director for the Advancement of Student Initiatives Dan Ashlock

 i. Standing Committee Reports
· Appropriations Chairs Alex Butler and Allison Sorgeloos
· Finance Chairs Elyse Kats and Kaycee Hightower
· Government Operations Chair Joseph Bianchi
· University Affairs Chairs Dylan Kerr and Joseph Briones
j. Council of Coalitions
k. Dean of Students Nicole Taylor
6. First Read Legislation
a. SB SB 08: An Act to Approve the Student Program Fee Budget for the 2017-2018
Academic Year
b. SB SB 09: An Act to Appropriate Funds to El Concilio for their Aventura Cultural
Event
Tabled to the next regular session by Senator Sorgeloos.
c. SB 10: An Act to Confirm the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College Council
Budget for the 2017-2018 Funding Cycle
I.
II.
III.

Brought to the floor by Senator Chew.
Moved to second read by Senator Chew.
Seconded by Senator Hightower.

d. SB 11: An Act to Approve the Fulton Student Council Budget for the 2017-2018
Academic Year
I.
II.
III.

Brought to the floor by Senator Esparza
Moved to second read by Senator Esparza
Seconded by Senator Hightower

SB 12: An Act to Approve the Interdisciplinary College Council Coalition Budget for the
2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
II.
III.

Brought to the floor by Senator Bianchi
Moved to second read by Senator Bianchi.
Seconded by Senator Blinkoff.

e. SB 13: An Act to Confirm the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Student

 Council Budget for the 2017-2018 Academic Year
I. Brought to the floor by Senator La
II.
Moved to second read by Senator La
III. Seconded by Senator Hightower
f. SB 14: An Act to Confirm the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Council Budget for
the 2017-2018 Academic Year
I. Brought to the floor by Senator Sorgeloos
II.
Moved to second read by Senator Sorgeloos
III. Seconded by Senator Esparza
g. SB 15: An Act to Approve the Barrett Honors College Council Budget for the
2017-2018 Academic Year
I. Brought to the floor by Senator Briones
II.
Moved to second read by Senator Briones
III. Seconded by Senator Heffner
h. SB 16: An Act to Confirm the W. P. Carey School of Business College Council
Budget for the 2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
II.
III.

Brought to the floor by Senator Hightower
Moved to second read by Senator Hightower
Seconded by Senator Spraetz

Presentations
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts​: Strive to find ways to connect all of the
different schools within Herberger. All do very different things but work towards the same goal.
Questions:
A. Senator Hightower asked why the slush fund is being requested from
Appropriations.
a. Herberger Representative responded that they have random things for
which their clubs need funds and want money to give them when that
happens.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College​: Strive to give back to their students from
the student budget fee.
Questions:
A. Senator Hightower asked why the events are so similar
a. CLASS Representatives said because both events are well liked and well
attended by the students

 B. Senator Blinkoff asked if it was necessary to have a DJ?
a. CLASS Representatives said that they promote their events with their DJ.
C. Senator Wong asked why they were requesting a higher price for food.
a. CLASS Representatives said that they chose a price for dinner that
students would pay anyway.
Barrett Honors College Council​: Senator Briones explained that BHCC had a change in
leadership last fall which was the reason why they only used $400 of the $4000 allocated.
Questions:
A. Senator Hightower asked if it would be possible to have Downtown BHCC come
to Tempe.
a. Senator Briones stated that they don’t have a Downtown BHCC, rather
just Barrett students that live Downtown.
B. Senator Chew asked if BHCC is getting funding from other campuses?
a. Senator Briones stated they do get funding from other campuses but do get
funding from Barrett.
C. Senator Esparza asked if their event was similar to the Barrett Formal.
a. Senator Briones stated that the event would be similar but would be a
smaller scale version.
W. P. Carey School of Business College Council:
None.
Fulton Student Council​: Want to increase student engagement, one of the largest
schools with the least amount of student engagement.
Questions:
A. Senator Bianchi asked why they are purchasing 250 t-shirts.
a. FSC Representatives stated they hope to give away t-shirts at events.
B. Senator Bianchi asked if they can reuse polos since they are getting name tags.
a. FSC Representatives stated that they will be getting new members and
want to get polos that don’t have names stitched on them.

Interdisciplinary College Council Coalition: ​Want to increase their presence on
campus since they are so new.
Questions:
A. Senator Blinkoff wants the movie rights line item to be explained.
a. ICCC representatives stated that it is a possible expense they want to be
prepared for.

 b. Dan Ashlock: Point of Information, University requires that rights were
purchased for any movies played on campus
C. Senator Bascon asked what issues arose with the Study and Chill event in the
past.
a. ICCC Representatives stated that at that event, Graduate students showed
up, took food and left. They want to prevent that in the future.
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Council
Questions:
A. Senator Hightower asked if the fall speaker is open to all ASU students.
a. Fulton Teachers College representative stated that yes it is open to
everyone.
Sun Devil Sport Clubs
Questions:
A. Coordinator Ingrisano asked if they provide money to recreational clubs.
a. Sun Devil Sports Club representative stated that they do not.
Programming and Activities Board
No questions.
Coalitions ​Each coalition plans to split the money evenly amongst the seven of them. Every
coalition will get $12,000 with an extra $12,000 left over to go to any coalition that needs extra
funds.
Questions:
A. VP of Policy Kelsey Wilson asked if this way of dividing the money is better for
the coalitions.
a. Coalitions representative stated that it is much better.
Changemaker Central
No questions.
Overall Budget
Questions:
A. Senator Bianchi asked what the ___ fee goes to.
a. President Benedict stated that it goes to all of USG’s marketing products
including t-shirts, water bottles, posters etc.
B. Senator Kats asked why there was a raise in sports club funds.
a. President Benedict stated that they want to advance a huge department on
campus and help students further their sports careers even if they aren’t
D1.

 b. Senator Kats asked a follow up question on why Sustainability didn’t have
a higher budget.
c. Coordinator Ingrisano stated that the Student Program Fee is for student
resources.
C. Senator Bacson asked why there is a $10,000 increase in the Civic Engagement
Budget
a. Senator Wilson stated that since this is not the year of a Presidential
Election, USG’s Civic Engagement will look different. They will have
more events that require an increase in their budget.
7. Second Read Legislation
a. SB SB 08: An Act to Approve the Student Program Fee Budget for the 2017-2018
Academic Year
I.
President People: “Equality means everyone gets the same things. Equity means
that everyone gets what they need”
II.
Senator Bianchi proposes that we decide where the budgets are to be cut before
they are voted on. Senator Bianchi moves to take a strawpoll to decide if we
should leave the Student Program Fee Budget as is. Strawpoll did not pass, 11-5.
III.
President Benedict Point of Information, College Councils didn’t use all of their
budgets last year so she doesn’t feel comfortable adjusting her budget to give
them more.
IV.
Senator Kieropolous stated that it was important to note that ⅘ of the
Appropriations Committee voted in favor of keeping the Student Program Fee as
is.
V.
Senator Bianchi stated that he doesn’t intend on moving the entire $20,000.
VI.
President Benedict stated that the Office Operations budget is necessary due to
moving into a new building and needing new supplies.
VII.
Senator Chew moved for a 4 minute recess, Senator Bascon seconded.
VIII.
Senator Chew requests a further discussion on what the Student Engagement
Budget would look like if it was cut.
IX.
VP of Policy Wilson states that the Policy department has been nominated for a
Pitchfork Award, has increased Voter Registration by 10%, that the Policy
Department utilized their entire budget last year and that she has large events
planned like Sparking Democracy. Doesn’t think that a penny will be leftover
from budget but believes that change will happen on campus with the allotted
budget.
X.
Senator Bianchi stated that he didn’t mean to specifically target voter registration,
just noticed an ambiguous number of $30,000 and was looking for an explanation
XI.
Senator Chew asked how much was allocated to Civic Engagement for 2015.

 XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.

VP of Services Nnagbo stated that he was elected on the platform of the shuttle
service and that the executive ticket would like to uphold their promises.
VP of Policy stated that International Students were excited about the idea of
shuttles and that we need to include their voices in this matter.
Senator Wong stated that senators were elected to represent the entire student
body and not just their elected officials.
Senator Blinkoff stated that he crunched numbers to cut various items in college
council budgets so that the Student Budget Fee can be approved as is.
Senator Bianchi moves to exhaust the speakers list.
Senator Sorgeloos stated that the college council budgets were all cut last year
and they still didn’t use all of their allocated budgets.
Senator Esparza asked when the shuttles will be implemented. Time yielded to
VP of Policy Wilson who stated that
SB 08 Called to Question- Passed 16-0

c. SB 10: An Act to Confirm the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College Council
Budget for the 2017-2018 Funding Cycle
I.
Senator Chew stated that she doesn’t understand why we would cut the CLAS
budget by the proposed amount since they have utilized their funds well in the
past.
II.
Senator Wong stated that we need to keep consistency among deciding on how
we allocate funds among councils.
III.
President Benedict stated that we are allowed to give this task to the Finance
Committee to create budgets and reconvene next week.
IV.
Senator Esparza straw poll
V.
Senator Esparza motioned to vote to table the bill until 9/19/17/
VI.
Seconded by Senator Bianchi.
d. SB 11: An Act to Approve the Fulton Student Council Budget for the 2017-2018
Academic Year
I.
Senator Chew moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
II.
Seconded by Senator Kats
III.
Motion passed
SB 12: An Act to Approve the Interdisciplinary College Council Coalition Budget for the
2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
Senator Bianchi moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
II.
Senator Kats seconded

 III.

Motion passed

e. SB 13: An Act to Confirm the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Student
Council Budget for the 2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
Senator La moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
II.
Seconded by Senator Wong
III.
Motion passed
f. SB 14: An Act to Confirm the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Council Budget for
the 2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
Senator Sorgeloos moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
II.
Seconded by Senator Bascon
III.
Motion passed
g. SB 15: ​An Act to Approve the Barrett Honors College Council Budget for the
2017-2018 Academic Year
I.
Senator Briones ​moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
II.
Seconded by Senator Chew
III.
Motion passed

Budget

h. SB 16: ​An Act to Confirm the W. P. Carey School of Business College Council
I.
II.
III.

Senator Spraetz moved to table this bill to 9/19/17 and vote by acclamation
Seconded by Senator Chew
Motion passed

8. Open Forum
Coordinator Ingrisano: Note that slush fund requested by Herberger is not permitted by
ASU. So to keep that in mind when allocating their budget.
Senator Sporgeloos did a straw poll regarding fudning the Ambassador Club. No one was
in favor.
President Benedict reminds us that interns are now in the office so be nice to them. Don’t
make them get your coffee.
9. Announcements
Senator Kats: Finance Committee will be having a meeting on Wednesday at 1:00 to
discuss the budget, anyone is welcome.

 10. Second Roll Call
11. Adjournment
Senator La moved to adjourn the meeting
Senator Sorgeloos seconded