Student Government of Seattle University Representative Assembly Meeting Meeting Minutes October 30, 2013 ADAL Community Room

at 6:00 p.m. I. Call to Order Mallory calls the meeting to order at 6:00 PM Roll Call (initial on the line) Eric Chalmers, President _________ Mallory Barnes, Executive Vice President _________ Bharat Bhojwani, Vice President of Finance _________ Brady Carlson, Vice President of University Affairs _________ Dominic Ortiz, Senior Representative _________ Raquel Davalos, Junior Representative _________ Samantha Marshall, Sophomore Representative_________ Austin Kawano, At-Large Representative _________ Haley Bayuga Graff, At-Large Representative _________ Clark Huey, Multicultural Representative _________ Tanary Gomez, Commuter Representative _________ Phat Nguyen, Transfer Representative _________ Nora Almunif, International Representative _________ Brandon Moak, Students with Disabilities Representative _________ Kristen James, Athletic Representative _________ Meggie Green, Freshman Representative _________ Owen Goetze, Freshman Representative _________ Nicole Robison, Advisor _________ Approval of the Minutes Motion passes to approve the minutes unanimously with exception of Haley who was not yet present Public Comment - None Guest Speakers Michael Leon-Guerrero, Public Health Educator, King County Public Health A. Tobacco Free Campus Overview and Framing - Currently there are tobacco areas where students can go to where they can smoke tobacco products - National trend for universities and colleges to remove those smoking areas including several well known ones - Clark College: enrollment increases and strong demand from the community to use facilities, largely positive experience - Argument 1: Flights used to be this way, airlines fought against it, the status quo changed and the impacts never appeared

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Involvement in student government, Seattle U: gaining experience, becoming leaders for society tobacco free living in accord with the mission - Facts: smoking worsens academic achievement, smoking cigarettes is drug taking behavior, ashtrays contain no safe level of exposure, Class A Carcinogens, and levels of chemicals to qualify as an EPA clean-up site - Tobacco industries are responsible for irreparable harms to the environment - Theres no constitutional right to smoke and smokers are not a represented class - Difference between alcohol and cigarettes: second-hand smoke - 1130 campuses nationally are smoke-free, 766 tobacco free - Six campuses are 100% tobacco-free - Educational campaign starts months before the policy change - Finally: tobacco policy implementation will happen at some point and we will not look back. The SGSU has a vested interest in the well being of students. Arguments against Tobacco-free campus - Anti-smoker - Smokers rights - Administration is trying to tell people how to live - Policy not enforceable - Safety issues - Slippery slope Arguments for Tobacco free-campus - Creates a healthy environment - Decreases tobacco use rates - Changes social norms around tobacco use - Protect workers (who have to clean areas, effected by second-hand smoke) - Positive modeling - Cost to maintain smoking areas Keys to Successful Policies - Implementation: develop the plan - Fresh air campus challenge, promote the policy and achieve status - Moving forward fast rather than slow - Campuses have a lot of resources for support especially in the PNW Alternative tobacco - Tobacco dissolvable keep people addicted to cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc. - These products fuel addiction

The King County health officers are always open Austin: Can you talk about how the tobacco industries target certain groups in the public? Response: The tobacco industry is evil, they were targeting homeless folks, people of color, least likely to receive benefits, project SCUM targets people who are not likely to have someone tell them about the negative impacts. They offer reduced pricing as well. Owen: Do you know how many people smoke weekly or monthly? Response: 3% daily and 15% in the last month, 50% have tried or higher.

Kristen: Do electric cigarettes have tobacco in them? Response: They have varying levels of toxins including cancer-causing chemicals. There might not be as many chemicals in them. Meg: What are the reasons a campus would go tobacco free rather than smoke free if it only affects the individuals? Response: We are promoting wellness on campus. Tanary: Would you give us a kit that informs the students as well? Response: Yes, we will give you information. Mallory: We also offer quit-kits in the wellness center. Eric: On some of the campus policy changes, do you know how many of them were voted on by students? Response: It varies. Voting can seem cumbersome but the benefit is that students get the benefit of a voice. Mallory: Is it better to come from student government or the administration? Response: Students dont respond well to a top-down vote. I think it would be best for a joint effort. Nikki: A consistent question that comes up are the social justice and cultural inclusive elements of our campus. We dont know who on our campus smokes (possibly international students or marginalized groups) and how is that addressed in this campaign? Response: The smoking rate is much higher in those groups, but it is a social justice issue to not address it. Brandon: I have an issue that the tobacco company is being framed as the only actor in this situation where we blame groups or corporations when personal responsibility is involved. Response: I think for this group to have the level of advertising, as a knowledge place is good to know. The whole thing about personal choice is not forcing people to quit but supports a tobacco-free campus. Eric: How do we reach out to faculty and staff? Response: We can go the survey route. Frame it as not forcing people to quit smoking. November 21st is the Great American Shutout standing against tobacco. Owen: Are cigarettes more or less dangerous than emissions we inhale everyday Response: It doesnt seem as extensive as cigarette smoke. VI. Old Business REPA 20131002 Events List (Mallory Barnes-Ohlson) Discussion Bharat and Clark wanted to add the Korean Student Thanksgiving Event in order to support the event they are having on November 14th The Taiwanese Student Association is hosting an event

The third event is the Culinary Society of SU is hosting a dinner

Clark moves to add these three items to the events list Austin seconds The motion passes 11 to 1. Clark moves to remove the Mens Basketball Game due to SGSUs previous commitment (Representative Assembly) Haley seconds The motion passes 11 to 1.

REPA 20131023: Memorandum of Support for Gender-Neutral Restrooms in Casey (Eric Chalmers) Action - Not going to seek the memorandum tonight - Based off of a report two years ago from SGSU to form a committee to implement the suggestions in the report to make Seattle University a more welcoming and inclusive environment - One item was a map produced of all the restrooms on campus and the restrooms that could be easily changed Brady: Why can we not put out a letter if it is going to happen? Eric: I thought it would be better to send the memo when it actually happens. Mallory seeks a motion to move table this agenda item. Austin moves Dominic seconds The motion passes unanimously. VII. New Business REPA 20131030 Student Sustainable Action Club Presentation (Eric Chalmers) Discussion Mallory seeks a motion to move this item to the top of the list. Austin moves Dominic seconds The motion passes unanimously. A. SSA and Divestment Introduction - Note: The draft has changed somewhat significantly - Three numbers: 2 degrees c, 565 gigatons and 2795 gigatons (how much gas and oil we have in reserves in the soil right now) - Climate refugees, death and destruction occur the most in developing countries - Drought, extreme weather, extreme fires all on the rise, whole sovereign nations are in jeopardy - We have systems of power maintaining the situation despite our mission as a social justice university

The top five integrated oil and gas companies earned nearly $120 billion in profits last year (2012) - The National Divestment Movement includes the top schools in the country - Over 150 students marching over 600 signatures to the top offices at Seattle University - Meetings with the Academic Assembly and the Presidents Cabinet - Candlelight Vigil (11/18) a time of hope and reflection B. The Resolution - Resolve that SU will freeze any new investments and to divest within three years from direct ownership from commingled funds that include fossil-fuel public equities. C. Q&A Owen: Why is three years the time frame? Response: There were freshman in our group who really wanted to see this happen. They are realistic timelines, divestment from South Africa only took one year. Kristen: What percentage is invested in fossil fuels? Response: We dont know. The public cannot know. In conversation with Fr. Steve I was given numbers but they are off the record. Nationally its between 3-12% Samantha: Who will be responsible for doing this? Response: We want to do it externally. The truth is this club does not have the expertise to do that. It needs to be internal. Mallory: I know last year it was with the stipulation that there is no direct increase in tuition. How have others schools been effected by divestment? Response: We acknowledge that there is an economic problem. There have been multiple universities who have divested and not experienced any economic problems. The case studies are all positive currently. The Sierra Club has an endowment double ours with no impacts. Eric: What other schools have done this? Response: Unity College, Green Mountain School, we are in the leading edge of divestment. Small Christian schools paved the way for divestment in South Africa. Dominic: How will the economics work? In these other schools, how much money were they moving? Response: We are only shifting investments. Two things can hurt you: selling the wrong time in the market and increasing the risk on investments. Brady: Are any peer institutions involved in this? Response: USF and BC have prominent movements about at the same position we are now. UW is also calling for steps forward. Brady: What were the steps they were calling for? Response: I can get those to you. Raquel: Do you know if historically if students have ever had a say in where our money is invested in our school?

Response: I can point towards our divestment movement in South Africa and there is an investment coalition. Eric: Do you know what the timeline looked like for the other schools that did divest? Response: They did it very fast because it was something they wanted to do. Mallory: Have you been in conversation with Alums in support? Response: That is next on the list. Mallory: Have you had any conversations with him this year? Response: He was asked to give a briefing document at a conference of Jesuits so we met to discuss Eric: Because we are so unsure of what will happen, we are asking for an action item right now, why? Response: Selling and buying direct holding is not difficult. Ames: Given the state of the university as a mission-driven university, we should take risk to demonstrate how we should act as an institution of higher education, I dont think that it is hard should be an argument against this. D. Discussion - Direct investments are not easy to undo - At the Board of Trustees meeting, the conversation surrounding how fast they were moving did come up - Dominic: The thing that is making me personally hesitant is that I dont know where this money is going - SGSU last year passed a memo on this, but we did say that we should research this - Bharat and Eric will research the issue Samantha motions to table the item until next week. Seconded by Kristen The motion passes unanimously REPA 20131030 Tobacco-Free Campus Update (Austin Kawano) Discussion - We had speakers today in order to give more information and statistics and to help inform decisions - Student Bar Association: Currently strongly opposed to a smoke free campus because smokers are respectful, its unnecessary, and its an inconvenience to smokers - Committee updates: researching other institutions, forming questions for SUSS, creating a FAQ sheet, test on the petition, doing faculty outreach, and the Great American Smoke Out (1 Day Stand) REPA 20131030 Polos (Mallory Barnes) Discussion Mallory seeks a motion to move this item to next week. Clark moves Austin seconds

The motion passes unanimously.

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Officer Reports: A) Eric Chalmers-President: a. Aiming to have SGSU make a statement on Tobacco Free Campus by the end of the month whether a declarative stance or direction B) Mallory Barnes- Executive Vice President a. Get contracts in tonight or tomorrow b. Email schedules and CC Mallory for office hours c. Be aware of using Point of Clarification/Information C) Bharat Bhojwani- Vice President of Finance a. Thanks everyone for coming out to the US Bank seminar D) Brady Carlson- Vice President of University Affairs a. Meeting with Dr. Crawford, student development review memo and Academic assembly E) Representatives a. Dominic Ortiz, Senior Representative: Budget for Senior Soiree b. Raquel Davalos, Junior Representative LEFT EARLY c. Samantha Marshall, Sophomore Representative: d. Austin Kawano, At-Large Representative: Tobacco Free Campus e. Haley Bayuga Graff, At-Large Representative: Welcome letter with Austin f. Clark Huey, Multicultural Representative: PASS g. Tanary Gomez, Commuter Representative: Meeting with coordinator of commuter/transfer life next Tuesday h. Phat Nguyen, Transfer Representative: PASS i. Nora Almunif, International Representative: PASS j. Brandon Moak, Students with Disabilities Representative: Event how-to for accessibility, petition to test out the initiative for students with disabilities k. Kristen James, Athletic Representative: Hygiene drive, Buzz Red-Fridays l. Meggie Green, Freshman Representative: Welcome letter to freshman m. Owen Goetze, Freshman Representative LEFT EARLY n. Logan McDonald, Internal Chief of Staff: Minutes, petition initiative F) Advisors a. Nichole Robison: everyone should be set up on the listserv Committee Reports A. PAB: First Friday Donuts, SUSS B. Steering: Non-traditional student C. Appropriations: Nov 16 next appropriations meeting D. University Affairs: Committees, Angel-Canvas turnover focus group Announcements Adjournment at 8:08 PM

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