Plenary Resolution Preparation Workshop

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Plenary Resolution Preparation Workshop
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What is Plenary?

• Plenary is the opportunity for all members of the
  Bryn Mawr Self-Government Association to gather
  together to
• Make recommendations to faculty, staff and
  administrators
• Make a recommendation to other Association
  members
• Re-affirm the Constitution (Spring Plenary Only)
• Participate in the only meeting of all members of
  Self-Government Association

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Plenary Workshop Schedule

• Overview of the Process
• Schedule and Deadlines
• Examples of Good and Bad Resolutions
• Q A
• Discussion of Resolutions

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How to Create a Resolution

• Start with an Idea!
• Attend a Plenary Workshop
• Get signatures!
• Present Resolution at an SGA Meeting
• Present Resolution at Fall or Spring Plenary

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How to Create a Resolution

• Plenary Workshops will help you write your
  resolution.
• Plenary SGA Meeting is where you will present
  your final rough draft of your resolution to the
  assembly. The Representative Council will help
  you refine your resolution before you present it
  to the whole Association.
• Plenary is the place where you will present your
  resolution.

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Schedule and Deadlines

• In order to write a resolution you must attend
  the following meetings
• Plenary Workshops (one of the following)
• Monday, September 9th at 8PM in Taylor Seminar
  Room
• Wednesday, September 11th at 7PM in Taylor
  Seminar Room
• Thursday, September 12th at 8PM in Taylor Seminar
  Room
• Saturday, September 14th at 2PM in Taylor Seminar
  Room
• Monday, September 16th at 8PM in Taylor Seminar
  Room
• Meet with Executive Board to review Resolution
• TBD (we will meet the week of September 16th)
• SGA Meeting
• Sunday, September 22 at 7 pm in the Campus Center
• Plenary
• Sunday, September 29th at 12 pm (Presenters-1130
  pm)
• You must also email your resolutions to the
  Executive Board (sga_at_brynmawr.ed) for review by
  Friday, September 20th and send your revisions in
  by Tuesday, September 24th at midnight.

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Example Resolution Beginning

• Beginning The beginning of the Plenary
  resolution should always start a general
  statement and/or larger problem.
• Examples
• Whereas, Article I, Section II, Subsection C
  reads that Plenary shall be held once during
  each academic year in accordance with Article VI,
  Section X. Plenary quorum shall be one-third of
  the undergraduate student body. At Plenary, a
  simple majority of those present is required to
  pass all proposals, amendments to the
  Constitution and resolutions 
• Whereas, it is important to maintain the
  integrity and continuity of Traditions in a
  manner that preserves the goals of Traditions and
  the Articles of Self-Governance.  

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Example Resolution Body

• Body The middle of the resolution should have
  all the reasons why this resolution is necessary
  and should be implemented into the Bryn Mawr
  community. As a rule, you should be as detailed
  as possible. You will have unlimited time to read
  to read this part of the resolution.
• Examples
• Whereas, student representation is of great
  concern to the Bryn Mawr Community and a vital
  aspect of Self-Governance,
• Whereas, the divide between the SGA Assembly and
  Residence Council hinders effective
  representation and communication between
  residential representatives and constituents,
• Whereas, the constituencies for SGA Dorm
  Representatives and Residence Council Dorm
  Presidents are one in the same,
• Whereas, Article  II, Section 1 Subsection C
  lists one residential representative from each
  residence hall as a component of the Assembly,
• Whereas, Article IV Section 1 Subsection B lists
  the responsibilities of the Residential
  Representatives,Resolved, Article II Section 1
  Subsection C shall be changed from one
  residential representative to up to two Dorm
  Presidents.

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Example Resolution Ending

• Ending Every plenary resolution should end with
  actual resolution. Common Endings include, but
  are not limited to, It is hereby resolved that
  and Resolved. Note For a particularly
  complicated resolution, which needs definitions,
  charts, etc, Appendices may be added onto the
  Resolution. Please note that the resolved part
  of the resolution can have several parts.
• Examples
• Resolved, the positions of Dorm Representative
  shall be eliminated and Dorm Presidents shall
  assume the responsibilities of that position
  while retaining their position on Residence
  Council and the responsibilities therein. 
• The BMC Greens hereby resolves that the students
  of Bryn Mawr College vote to implement a more
  socially and environmentally responsible take-out
  option.
• With this support from the student body, the
  Greens and Dining Services will move forth in
  selecting and implementing a better take-out
  option.
• If the cost of the implementing the new option
  exceeds the current budget, Dining Services has
  agreed to find a reasonable way to pay for it via
  reallocating money within the budget as opposed
  to charging students directly.

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Good Resolution

• A good resolution regarding a recommendation to
  the faculty regarding no homework on the Monday
  after Plenary (2007-2008 school year)
• Whereas, we the students take pride in our
  community, the Self Governance Association, and
  the ability to make changes and recommendations
  on campus,
• Whereas, attending Plenary is strongly encouraged
  to make our voices heard and hear other voices,
• Whereas, many students do not attend Plenary
  because they claim that they have too much work
  to do that cannot be done at Plenary
• Whereas, a survey was taken regarding the
  attendance at Plenary if there were no long term
  assignments due the Monday after Plenary,
  revealing that 86 of the student body would be
  more inclined to attend Plenary (survey and
  results in Appendix A),
• Whereas, the majority of the faculty has
  expressed support, through a survey (results
  available in Appendix B), of students attendance
  at Plenary and are willing to adjust due dates of
  long term assignments,
• Be it resolved, the student body recommends to
  the faculty that no long term assignments be due
  on the Monday after Plenary in both the fall and
  the spring. 

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Bad Resolution

• A bad example of the same resolution
• Whereas, we the students take pride in our
  community, the Self Governance Association, and
  the ability to make changes and recommendations
  on campus,
• Whereas, many students do not attend Plenary
  because they claim that they have too much work
  to do that cannot be done at Plenary
• Be it resolved, the student body recommends to
  the faculty that no long term assignments be due
  on the Monday after Plenary in both the fall and
  the spring.

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Common Q A

• What if Im not available to present my
  resolution at the SGA meeting and/or at Plenary?
• You can always get a substitute presenter
• When are signatures due?
• signatures are due at the SGA meeting you
  present at

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Common Q A

• Who do I send my resolution to?
• Please send to sga_at_brynmawr.edu
• What happens if my resolution gets passed at
  Plenary?
• You get to follow up with all the necessary
  procedures for instance, if you have a
  resolution to change dorm procedure you need to
  make sure those changes are implemented

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Contacts

• SGA
• Exec Board sga
• President/Natalie nkato_at_brynmawr.edu
• Vice President/ Rebecca rmcook_at_brynmawr.edu
• Secretary/Syona sarora_at_brynmawr.edu
• Treasurer/Amy ychen01_at_brynmawr.edu
• Honor Board Head/Amani achowdhury_at_brynmawr.edu
• Plenary. Committee
• Natalie Zamora nzamora_at_brynmawr.edu
• Jessica Villalta-Santana jvillaltas_at_brynmawr.edu
• Nora Scheland nscheland_at_brynmawr.edu
• The Student Body
• Activities_at_brynmawr.edu