ATTENDANCE

Members present: Hesham Badissy, Jasmine Purcell, Stefan Bach, Douglas Ridley, Ryan Morikawa, Drew Hawely, Tyler Langenbrunner, Courtney Kindell, Ryan Bersentes, Donald Gribbons, Alani Akins-Smith, Sebastiano Trinh, Faurest Nelson Wicks

Members absent: Lawrence Novak, Paige Jones, Jonathan Gottlieb Andres Txai Villacorta, Brendan Hale, Natalie Rehberger, Robert Guicheteau

Chair: Courtney

SUMMARY OF BUSINESS

During public comments, Toni (Wash-PIRG) spoke to the GSU as members of the student body about Wash-PIRG’s statewide/national campaign to reverse Citizens United. Representatives encouraged to sign a petition in support of Howard Shultz (Starbucks CEO who pledged never to give money to political campaigns).

During committee updates, Tyler announced the decision from the RFP committee that the apparent successful bidder is Aramark. The other 4 companies that bid were Sodexo, Lancer, Treat America, and TAV-SC. The next step in the process is drawing up a contract with Aramark. Next, Tom Mercado updated the GSU that the CEC had approved the $100,000 grant to keep the bus pass program alive, but pressed the need to merge the two programs to provide a long-term solution. Ridership has increased by 41% in the last year and cost has skyrocketed, $145,000 to $332,000. Tom advocated for getting a representative from the CEC on the board of Intercity Transit in the next contract. Donald talked about the CRC budget and plans to install a community garden on the small hill behind the gym near the Freshman housing smoker’s pit. The garden would be kept up by RAD sustainability, and the athletic program would get plots. The CRC is also looking at funding options for building an outdoor climbing wall on the SE walls facing the 2^nd floor entrance. Donald also spoke for the VP hiring committee that they have interviewed all candidates and expect to narrow down the pool 3 or 4 by the first week of April when on-campus interviews will begin. Stefan (Campus Land-Use Committee) recounted the CLUC’s plan to move the smoker’s pit near A-dorm from its current location closer to E-building. The GSU expressed displeasure and many voiced concern over whether this will be a significant or beneficial change. Final committee update was to consider the position on the Health and Safety Committee that will be vacated with the resignation of Txai Villacorta. Alani was approved to fill the position with no objections.

Mara Ventura (organizing director of WSA) updated the GSU that the legislative session is now cut off but many bills made it through (e.g. student advisory, banning differential tuition, Dream Act, tuition freeze) and are in Rules Committee. Mara also advocated for greater student action in the process (e.g. Phone banks calling legislators, sending letters, student stories) and offered to help facilitate such events. The next WSA meeting will be held at Evergreen (main campus): 9am-4pm in E1107

The GSU discussed the two committees to reform the fee process. The fee committee currently in place looking at setting up a lobbying board for middle and lower class students (new S&A-like regulation, but it’s on what the S&A doesn’t control) and a second Disappearing Task Force (DTF) originally proposed by Art Costantino in 2009 to look at an overview of fees and how the whole process goes down.

The GSU also briefly discussed possibilities for the 4^th floor of the library, plans for making it a lounge, bar, community kitchen space were batted around.