1. Policy and Power
Jessica Medearis, MSCSA

2. How NOT to solve a problem

3. Sterling Cooper Community
College Student Senate

4.  Send a memo from the senate outlining the traits the
students feel are important in hiring a new president.
OR
 Ask to participate in the interview and selection
process.
Should Don Draper:

5.  What policy is and why it matters
 Review “must know” policy
 Practice
 Review resources

6.  Power
 Principles
 Problem-solving
 Protection
What is Policy?

7.  Provides students with rights!
 Allows student leaders to help
students
 Provides ideas and support for
developing campus policies
 Creates an avenue for improvement
Why does policy matter?

8.  Policies are the “what”
 Procedures are the “how”
 Reviewed frequently
 Some require campus policies too
Policies v. Procedures

9. Student Senate:
• Constitution
• Bylaws
College/Campus:
• Policies
• Student Handbook
System policies/procedures
State and Federal Law
Sources of Rights

10.  Our association is recognized as
official two-year college
representatives.
 Our funding structure, charging all
students a per credit fee, is
authorized.
 Gives MSCSA control over fee-setting.
MSCSA in Statute
(136F.22)

11.  The institution shall recognize the campus
student association as the official
representative of the students, upon
receipt of evidence that the student body
has approved the constitution.
2.1 Campus Student
Associations

12.  (2.3)- …students shall have the opportunity
for representation in system and college or
university committees involving or
affecting student interests.
 AND, shall have the opportunity to review
or be consulted on issues that have
significant impact on students.
Involvement in
Governance

13.  Opinion, input, recommendations
 Presentation of materials, discussion and
an opportunity for students to ask
questions
 Result in Senate decision, authorized
letter
Consultation:

14.  Information report
 Questions
 Examples
◦ Bonding requests
◦ Statute changes
◦ Changes to programs
Review:

15.  Students serve as full voting members
 Examples:
◦ Academic policy work
◦ Search committees
Representation:

16.  Can be Senate
 No more than 1/3 non-students
 Duties:
 Fee Amount
 Allocation/Expenditures
 Financial Procedures
2.8 Student Life

17.  Student activities
◦ Defined in 136F.01, Subd. 5
 Money rolls over from year to year
 Student money is always student
money!
What does student life money
fund?

18. The CIO comes to a Student Senate meeting.
He reports that the technology fee is being
raised to $9.00/credit to allow for improved
wireless networking and a new server for the
network security degree program. Your
senate doesn’t like the fee increase.
Wacky Wireless

19.  What policies and procedures are in play
here?
 Did the players follow system policy and
procedure?
 What should the senate do?
Consider:

20. President Goodfurstudents is retiring. A search
committee convened by the administration, and
your advisor asks you to serve as the student
representative. The final candidates are: Elaine
Approachable, Hatred Von Monacle, Hoo K. Ayers,
and Robert Angrypants. You like Elaine
Approachable, but the committee want to forward
the other three names to the Chancellor.
Search Party

22.  What policies and procedures are in play
here?
 Did the players follow system policy and
procedure?
 What should the senate do?
Consider:

23. Your bylaws require 2/3 student membership on the student life
committee, for a total of eight student members. Your Senate
advisor is also a voting member of the committee, along with several
faculty members. Your advisor asks five of her Horticulture students
to serve on the committee. As part of a class, these students
propose to travel to Cancun to research the effect of humidity on
plants of Midwestern origin. This is a new trip to be taken by a new
group, the horticulture club. At the the student life committee
meeting, members of the horticulture club make a convincing case
for funding the trip. Although no one has heard of the club before,
the five appointed horticulture students vote in favor of funding.
Little Shop of Horticulture

24.  What policies and procedures are in play
here?
 Did the players follow system policy and
procedure?
 What should the senate do?
Consider:

25. You’re ready to begin your term as President of the Student Senate.
Last year, you served as Treasurer, and were very careful to spend
in a fiscally-responsible manner. As a result, the student life budget
had $10,000 left at the end of the year. This year, as President,
you’re hoping to buy a pool table, new chairs and a TV for the
student lounge. To your dismay, your Treasurer informs you the
student life reserve has only $1,000. You ask the college President,
who explains that since that money wasn’t spent last year, the
college is using it to fund expenses. She goes on to describe
numerous shortfalls the the funds will cover, including a window
replacement, classroom updates, and a debt owed to the school’s
food vendor.
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems

26.  What policies and procedures are in play
here?
 Did the players follow system policy and
procedure?
 What should the senate do?
Consider:

27. Back at Sterling Cooper
CC…
Should Don Draper:
 Schedule another meeting, present policy,
and ask again for participation in the search.
OR
 Call the MSCSA office and ask for assistance.