Fee Transparency Project

Student Fee Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes

October 23, 2017

Present: Suini Torres, Amanda Kazden, Aaron Manzano, Gina Tu, Regina Gomez, Lucy Rojas, John Steele, Lisa Bishop, Alan Christy, Cathy Thomas, Sabina Wildman, Ian Gregorio, Kiryl Karpiuk, Ashley John

Approval of Agenda, Minutes, Announcements

Introductions and check-in question

b. Announcements:

i. OPERS has reconstituted its advisory committee. John is serving on the committee. Topic being discussed right now is the fire alarm system; critical that this be functional to keep the facility open.

ii. Oakes is hosting a Halloween dance on Halloween night. Look for alternative programs

to going downtown.

iii.Kresge Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee: Dia de los Juntos event in Porter/Kresge

Dining hall on Wednesday, November 1st

c. Agenda

i. Kiryl motions to move the photo to 2:15pm. Gina seconds. No objections.

ii. Gina motions to approve the agenda. Amanda seconds the motion. No objections.

Motion carries.

d. Minutes

i. Bryna moves to approve minutes. Aaron seconds the motion. No objections. Motion

carries.

Bay Tree Bookstore Mail Center

a. Bryna explains that she asked people at Cowell Senate about the mail center. Four people contacted her and explained that they use the mail room monthly. Totaling the usages, it comes to over 10,000 per year.

b. Ian says that Kresge constituents said that the mail kiosk is well used at the beginning of each

quarter.

c. Sabina shares that there were mixed reactions about the service. Those who use it would like the system to take larger packages. Question about usage and the amount of student fees going toward the cost.

d. Regina explains that her college was aware of the service. They discussed the need for

greater collaboration with college mail rooms to tell students about the service.

e. Suini mentions the idea of the Amazon locker, where you can receive and send packages from Amazon. Discussion about pros and cons of Amazon locker. Suini suggests that we could recommend that the Amazon locker be researched.

f. Gina says that we have discussed the possibility of reverting back to a system with face to face customer service, to ensure safety of sending packages. This could also offer service to accept larger packages.

g. Discussion regarding how much is staffing cost for an actual US postal service location.

h. Group discusses possibility of creating jobs.

i. Alan asks about whether there are other locations – other than the bookstore – that could

house something like the Amazon locker.

j. Aaron reminds the group that the proposal last week did not mention who the new vendor will

be.

k. Cathy asks are we trying to upgrade the system or replace it? Gina says that many of the items we have discussed would include upgrades. Cathy asks should we ask to be involved in what machine or service is selected? Bryna says that we should say that everyone agrees that we need to keep the mail service.

Sabina suggests that we respond with the asks proactively. Our recommendation could be stronger if we include student opinion. We need to ask for future data collection so we can see who is using the system so students are appropriately changes.

m. Ian says that there are probably systems that can provide better service.

We should

recommend that the replacement system do more.

n. Suini summarizes: recommend that the system be replaced, that the system be upgraded, to research alternate programs such as Amazon Locker, research best practices at other campuses, that advertising be improved, and we ask for a report back on progress before any funding is approved. Suggestion: connect with college mail rooms to improve knowledge about the service.

Funding Call Overview & Process

a. Suini explains that we have updated versions of the funding call letter and funding

application. Documents are accessible through the agenda link.

b. Totals that are available – see funding memo draft

c. Discussion regarding edits the letter and application process.

d. Gina motions to allocate 10 points to funding methodology, and 25 for funding. Motion is

seconded. No objections. Motion carries.

e. Discussion regarding whether we should keep track of partial funding ideas we go through the

process.

f. Cathy asks whether we will use a budget template? Suini responds that we may want to consider providing some sample budgets that worked well as samples. Suggestion that the budget be something that is reviewed during the vetting session with the SFAC member. Discussion of having two budget samples – one for student groups and one for university departments. Discussion on having budget samples that are specific to an event, a staffing request, etc. Cathy offers to create some templates. Suini explains that we will have some templates to look at next week.

Group Photo

5. Prepare for Visit with Vice Provost Jaye Padgett

a. Next week Vice Provost Padgett will be visiting with us. We will review the funding call and

applications questions.

b. Lucy explains that she spoke with Jaye last Friday and he is looking forward to meeting

everyone.

Adjournment

a. Regina motions to adjourn. Kiryl seconds the motion. No objections. Motion carries.