DRAC Minutes 1/28/14
8:00 a.m.
Communications Building
Meeting called to order at 8:06.
Motion passes 8:07 to approve the minutes.
Checked that we had a quorum of at least 7 voting students, and we do.
Attendance:
DRAC Voting Members Quy Ton – Theatre Student, Steve Woods – Forensics, Keira Alkema – IAA, Glen Tokola – SPC, Peggy Watt – Student Publications, Jacob Zerby – Forensics, Rachel Wulff- Music student.
Absent: Christopher Bianco – Music
Non-Voting members: Ted Sealey – DRAC Support, Heather Dalberg – Music Department, Erin Emry – Theatre and Dance, Tessa Woods – Occam’s Razor Observer, Alethea Macomber – Student Publications, Marie Brafer – Sci Comm Club
Absent: Jarred Tyson – AS Board of Directors, Steve Vanderstaay – Provost Office, Jenna Fintz – IAA, Suzanne Bair – Jeopardy,
Agenda:
Understand each department shared in a $1,869.00 adjustment to spring quarter that left a deficit on the books. Everyone got a quarter of a percent less because of that reduced amount.
819,713 – DRAC request. Board of Trustees approved 809,413 (a little over 10,000 less) because depending on the enrollment. Each department has to be prepared to make adjustment accordingly.
Questions:
When are they going to reveal their numbers to us and formula?
Steve said, “Students X activities fee plus their magical adjustment? Do we have to do Freedom of Information Act to get the math? Do we actually have to do a state formal request via the state sunshine laws to find out what they are doing? ”
Ted Sealey said that they showed him the process, and it was quite complicated. Steve responded, “Why is it more complicated than the math? ”
Yearend adjustment happened.
Faculty Rep – need new one for Beth Leonard for new faculty representative.
Must be able to meet. Beth’s schedule is in conflict.
Steve Carr from Athletics is good at asking. Steve Woods is in favor of the copyright of music. Why is students paying that?
Glen posed for a question.
A motion is made – Kiera and Quy our faculty representative would request that the University shows transparency by releasing enrollment numbers, S&A fee collection numbers, and any adjustments to fee distributions through a spreadsheet available to S&A Fee Committee constituents.
8:23 a.m. motion is made.
Vote: passes unanimously.
First item of business is to get faculty members representative. Glen will speak to professor Weir.
Next item:
New budget format for presenting the budget this year. Same format for 3 years of numbers being reported.
The spreadsheet carries the details to a summary sheet.
Summarizes the details and makes it quick and easy for everyone to look at.
People can look quickly where there are changes. The bottom shows an estimated reserve and yearend balance. The hope is that it will make it easier, easier for the budgets to get it ready and easier for others to look at.
Details are on a tab and it all ends up on a summary. Ted says hopefully this will make it easier for everyone to understand the budget.
Glen checked that everyone understands the way the budget spreadsheet works, and no one spoke up.
We don’t get the DRAC money until S&A confirms enrollment, and that is why our reserves are so valuable.
The budgets should be prepared toward the end of this quarter, and present it early next quarter. Ted needs time to compile all the information and make sure it looks good.
Final item:
S&A Fee spending guidelines – How are we going to outline our representation of DRAC? Get an introduction to what is expected from us as constituents of S&A to contribute to this process.
Ted Sealey, “Everyone should have received the Revised Killian Guidelines. 2. The spending guidelines at WA State University, which was a model. 3. Outline of S&A activity fee guidelines on spending.”
Kevin put together some seasonal guidelines, and some items came up that needs to be discussed.
Steve asked if there is anything constraining or restricting to how we operate?
Erin Emery has been told that DRAC can fund co-curricular activities. The word co-curricular is not appropriate. This money can’t be used to pay faculty salaries. Some portion may be academic and some portion may not be. Students are willing to pay for things – department related activities (build a set). You can pay a teacher, but if you don’t have the money to build the set, you have no production and the students can’t earn the credit. Athletics uses it to build a team, but doesn’t mean that they can join the basketball team. Athletics get student, state, ticket money, boosters to run their department. Rachel Wulff, was wondering where the share goes. Associated Students, Athletics, DRAC and campus recreation gets the money.
Change the wording on #2 and #3.
Ted emphasized that this wording and budget is important for this year and years to come due to the wording.
The key is to not get class credit.
Ted asks, “How should we word it so S&A money is not used for academic purpose? This money cannot be used to pay faculty salaries, copy expenses, etc.”
We will need to come up with spending guidelines that would work for this committee that represent what they need.
Time line:
S&A meeting on Feb. 5, 2014 is an introduction to/orientation.
Feb. 9, 2014 is S&A meeting.
Ted Sealey will put an email out to each department about the committee business on the Feb 19th, 2014.
Motion to adjourn till February 11, 2014
Professor Watts, so moved.
Passed unanimously, see you in 2 weeks.