Student Senate Meeting Minutes
4/7/26
President Garrett Rotzien called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Garrett Rotzien, Lizzie Pike, Zoe Fink, JJ Garcia, Taryn Dornseif, Reese Heitzman, Javier Rodriguez, Jaedyn Fellenz, Scott Walker, Nozomi Osada (Fareedah Oyesola), Maggie Albers, Grace Leis, Caroline Paulson, Bella Norris, Alexa March (Celia Midtbo), Destinee Hoffman, Mollie Koch, Kylie Faerber (Gabbie Grover), Peyton Berg, Rylee O’Konek, Karli Zetah, Angel Garcia, Bobby Skemp, Noelle Buckley, Kylee Paul, Amanda Siemienas, Libby Dellessio, Kathy Tran
Members Absent:
Tracy Lehnerts Guest Speaker: AVP for Institutional Effectiveness Reaccreditation
- What is HLC?
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- Our institutional accreditor- Higher Learning Commission
- This is important because HLC works with the federal and state governments to give Saint Mary’s federal aid assistance to students.
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- Open Pathway 10 Year Cycle
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- Quality Initiative: Submitted in June 2025 and approved
- Assurance Agreement and Federal Compliance Report due by September 25th, 2026
- ALC Team On Site Visit- October 26-27, 2026
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- Criteria for Accreditation
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- Criteria 1: Mission
- Criteria 2: Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct
- Criteria 3: Teaching and Learning for Student Success
- Criteria 4: Sustainability: Institutional Effectiveness, Resources and Planning
- Self-Review Confirmation
- A review often provides affirmation that we’re doing things that are good practice in higher education and that we are doing what we say we are doing.
- Overall, we are putting processes in place for academic success, mission-focused, planful, leadership, and adapting. However, improvement is still needed, such as documentation in leadership structures, gaps in implementation, tracking in important data with fewer support staff, director of assessment, changes in direction from changing academic leadership, COVID-19 stall, web pages not up to date, and inconsistency across different platforms and documents.
- Key Dates and Reports
- Editing of drafting documents occurring now through summer.
- April 13th-22nd: Student Survey opening next week.
- September 2026- Assurance Document and Federal Compliance Report due to HLC.
- Early October 2026- Preparations for JLC Team Visit
- October 26-27, 2026- HLC Team Visit
- What does the HLC Team Visit Entail?
- 4-5 Team Members
- Meetings for 2 days on campus
- Speak to the administration and board of trustees.
Education Club Special Request: $330
- Education Club is looking for money for their Ronald McDonald event at the end of April in Rochester. They are planning on making a meal for 80 families and commuting there for the event.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Kylee Paul
For: 20
Against: 0
Abstain: 0
Motion Passes
Criminal Justice Club Budget for 26-27 School Year: $317
- This club is looking for money for their fingerprint activities, cold case file event, blanket making supplies for donation, refreshments for guest speakers and students who attend, and gifts for 2-3 guest speakers who are attending to speak for the club for next school year.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Maggie Albers
For: 20
Against: 0
Abstain: 0
Motion Passes
Zeta Delta Club Budget for 26-27 School Year: $540
- This club is looking for money for their graduation chords, volunteering costs, induction event, trivia night, and a networking event for next school year.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Maggie Albers
For: 20
Against: 0
Abstain: 0
Motion Passes
Fashion Club Budget for 26-27 School Year: $720
- This club is looking for money for their henna event, Valentine’s event, scavenger hunt around campus, and a fashion fest for next school year.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Kylee Paul
For: 19
Against: 0
Abstain: 1
Motion Passes
Psychology Club Budget for 26-27 School Year: $20
- This club is looking for money for their mental health softball game, hot cocoa and supplies for next school year.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Grace Leis
For: 19
Against: 0
Abstain: 1
Motion Passes
Pickleball Club Budget for 26-27 School Year: $600
- This club is looking for money for club t-shirts, pickleball nets, snacks and drinks for their tournaments, and pickleballs for next school year.
Motion to adopt Request: Angel Garcia
Seconded: Grace Leis
For: 19
Against: 0
Abstain: 1
Motion Passes
Executive Board Reports
Garrett Rotzien, President
- Banquet will be next Tuesday!
Noah Lahner, Vice President of Financial Affairs
- Nothing to report.
Javier Rodriguez, Vice President of Campus Affairs
- Nothing to report.
Zoe Fink, Vice President of Academic Affairs
- Nothing to report.
Reese Heitzman, Vice President of Public Affairs
- Nothing to report.
Jaedyn Fellenz, Vice President of Student Affairs
- Athletes of the week
- Megan McGinnis – Softball
- Drew Rothenberger – Baseball
- Tuesday
- Baseball at Bethel
- Wednesday
- Baseball vs. Hamline 2PM and 3:30PM
- Softball at UW La Crosse
- Thursday
- Softball at Carleton
- Friday
- Track @ UW Platteville
- Saturday
- Track at Arden Hills then Northfield
- Softball vs Gustavus 1PM and 3PM
- Baseball vs Augsburg 1PM and 3:30PM
- Sunday
- Softball @ Concordia
- Men’s tennis vs. St. Johns
- Women’s tennis vs. St. Benedict
Taryn Dornseif, Vice President of Media and Communications
- The results of the Eboard election will be counted after our meeting tonight. If you were elected, you will receive communication from the current Eboard member.
Lizzie Pike, Vice President of Administrative Affairs
- Go buy hotdogs and chips from the freshmen class officers on Saturday under the Gazebo during the softball and baseball games.
JJ Garcia, Vice President of Multicultural Affairs
- I have sent a Google invite for the banquet next Tuesday. Please make sure you RSVP to Garrett so we can get an accurate headcount of who is attending.
- If studying abroad in Fall 2026 has been on your mind, this is your moment. The application deadline for both the London semester program and the Catholic Studies in Rome program has been extended to Monday, April 20 at 4:00 p.m
Scott Walker, Advisor
- Nothing to report.
Class Officer Reports
Freshmen
- We will be selling hotdogs and chips in the Gazebo for the softball and baseball games on April 11th! Card/tap pay only!
Sophomores
- Nothing to report.
Juniors
- We will be selling alcohol at Plazapoolza from 6-9pm on April 24th! Card/tap pay only. 21+ only.
Seniors
- We are working on planning Gaslight for the Spring right now!
Senator Concerns: IHM Open House is this Thursday from 4:30-6pm! There will be grilling out and yard games!
Adjournment
Motion made to Adjourn- Angel Garcia
Seconded- Rylee O’Konek
Adjourned at 7:49pm.
