Meeting Minutes Nov 7, 2013

STHSA Meeting November 7 – Administrative Meeting

Attendees:


Laura Owens, MDiv ‘15

Kourtni Brown, MDiv ‘15

Yun Jeong Seol, MDiv ‘16

Johnny Gall, MDiv ‘15

Ashley Anderson, MDiv/MSW ‘14

Lauren Hickey, MDiv ‘15

Ian Boley, MDiv ‘16

Tim Snyder, PhD

Peter Johnston

Ky Scott, MDiv ‘16

Maggie Gann, MDiv ‘15

Benjamin Mead, MTS ‘14

Kaneisha Howard, MDiv ‘15

Kristen Redford, MDiv ’15, secretary

Haley Jones, MDiv ’15, treasurer

Jason Blakeburn, MTS ‘14

Desi Sharp, MDiv ’14, vice president

Joseph Kyser, MDiv ’14, president

 

Opening Meditation

BUDGET DISCUSSION

Haley – Fall is an accurate amount of what we received.  Spring and summer projections are based on last year’s numbers.  This fall was about $1000 more than last so there may be more for our spring and summer allocations, but we can’t assume that right now.

There was an explanation of how Community Lunch had been funded by STHSA to date as well as the amount spent on student organizations’ budgets.

Still need to vote on amounts for student travel, the Clayroom outing, Graduation Celebration, Thanksgiving party, and Christmas party.

  • Has been some word about helping with a Thanksgiving Party for students in STH that aren’t going home for Thanksgiving and would be a partnership event.
  • Christmas party would also be a partnership event

Current projections don’t include next semester’s Community Lunch  amount.  Dean Lightsey’s office will be paying for some of the 9 unfilled, but Lightsey’s office has yet to cover any Community Lunches so it’s possible they will be contributing about $10,000 to the Community Lunch Student Group for the spring.  Planning to set aside $5000 for Community Lunch in case it’s needed but likely won’t be needing to cover all lunches.

The $6500 surplus from last year is not figured into our current year’s budget of approximately $32,000 but is rather being saved as a cushion for emergencies.  Joseph explains that some of that cushion will likely wind up going to student interest groups and possibly may need to go to STHSA events like Graduation Celebration because we cannot assume we will receive the same amount of money from Dean Lightsey’s office this year as we did last year.

Student Travel Budget Discussion:

  • To streamline the application process, we transfer a to-be-determined amount to Dean Lightsey’s office who’s now in charge of approving travel reimbursement: $200 if not presenting.  Up to $500 if you are.  Always have more requests than funds.  Dean Lightsey’s office is contributing $2000 to this line item.
  • STHSA proposes $3200 for this line item.
  • Tim wants students to have a say in a general way about how the money is used.  Desi explains we decided last year as a body to turn over this decision making process to Dean Lightsey’s office.  Joseph we should put any stipulations/strings attached to the money we give to Dean Lightsey’s office today when we decide the amount to transfer.
  • Limitations: Students can only use the travel funds once in your time here and priority goes to students for whom conferences are professional development (not fun trips).

Kourtni moves to increase student travel to $4000.  Laura seconds.  Discussion:

  • General acknowledgement that this would limit opportunities to fund lower priority items but that this is the nature of prioritizing budget line items.
  • This is comparable to what we spent last year.
  • VOTE PASSES: 13-1-4

Graduation Celebration Discussion:

Haley asks how to allocate the remaining balance (just over $4200), possibly graduation celebration?  Desi, as the one organizing the event, says last year, about $5000-$6000 was the amount spent and was about $6000 less than the year before.  Would be hard to do it for less than the amount spent last year, and though we will likely charge for non-graduating students again this year, not wanting to charge more than $10/student as we are aware that money is tight for most of us.  Discussion ensued about the necessity to decide this amount now.  It was decided we should at least list an amount for Desi to take to her meeting with Dean Lightsey’s office.  Ky proposes to make the Graduation Celebration budget line item $3000.  Haley 2nds.  Discussion:

  • Because this is a special event for graduating students, it shows STHSA committed to making this special for graduating students.
  • Some concern that anything is going to happen today or a month from now that will help Desi and other planners, though Desi thinks having a baseline amount will be helpful when she talks with Dean Lightsey’s office.
  • VOTE PASSES: 11-2-6

STUDENT INTEREST GROUP REIMBURSEMENT: Maggie for Wesleyan Student Association

  • Group: students interested in the Book Of Discipline, “Book Of Discipline Enthusiasts”, want to purchase thirteen 2012 Book Of Disciplines with $300.  The publisher doesn’t offer discounts for students.  Books Of Disciplines would go to students who have already signed up to receive them.
  • Maggie moves to have the Book of Discipline Enthusiasts receive $300 for thirteen Book of Disciplines. Benjamin 2nds.  Discussion:
    • Question about what happens when students graduate? Plan was for these students to keep the books.  Desi offers the example that if a group of STH runners asked for money to enter a marathon as an STH group in the race, the money would only go to benefit them.  We also already tend to fund stoles for when BSA members’ graduate.
    • The STH Library won’t take one of their books, though Soren is trying to work with the library.  In general, though, the way the library can receive new books isn’t as straightforward as just donating one to them.
    • It’s also suggested this be looked at as members of a denomination being equipped to do their ministry.
    • Could buy an extra book and put it somewhere, even if you can’t get it in the STH library, you could have one somehow available within STH.  AMMENDED MOTION: $300 for 14 Books Of Disciplines. VOTE PASSES: 9-0-8

 

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