Call to order
Agenda of the Senate
Hofstra University Student Government Association (12, March, 2026)
Hofstra University
Meeting Called to order at 7:04 pm EST
A. Quorum Call
a. Quorum set to 25
B. New Business
a. Senator Vira moves to open the gallery
i. Motion Seconded
ii. Motion Passed
b. Welcome Senate Guest
i. Members from The Hofstra University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
1. Chelsea: I am a junior on the softball team, and I am the president of SAC. We are present at every NCAA program. I am the co-chair of ____. SAC acts as a way for student athletes to have their voices heard. A big part of SAC is community service. SAC is a way for student athletes to support each other through attending games and lending a shoulder.
2. Chair Iacobovici: As an RA for student-athletes, I wanted to gauge thoughts on the gap regarding athletes and other students. What are possible solutions on how to bridge this gap and how can SGA help?
a. Chelsea: I agree with that. I think there is a huge gap and a lot of that has to do with scheduling. I have the same schedule as baseball but not lacrosse. Scheduling makes it difficult for student athletes to attend many events on campus. We can find times for many students to attend these events, and opportunities for collaboration. Some athletes have closer relationships with other athletes and naturally spend more time with them.
3. Chair Dzavleuri: You said an hour is not enough for athletes to attend events as they are still busy? Would you benefit from a third common
hour on Friday? If you guys have more information about clubs and meetings, would you guys benefit from having a better connection with SGA?
a. Chelsea: I think it depends on the sport. Practices tend to be the same but it differs for each team/sport. In-season and out-season differ too. Monday at common hour works for my team, but for lacrosse, their off day is sundays. It also depends on which clubs are interesting to student athletes. It would be great to have a talk with SAC about what clubs are out there. I think that could be beneficial if the chair is willing to talk to us. We meet on Tuesday nights.
4. Senator Smook: I was wondering about getting the football team back?
a. Chelsea: The football team got removed so that funding could be put into other aspects of the university. I think they are trying to mimic that football feel with basketball, such as with the tailgate, but bringing that back would be great,
5. Chair Ahmad: How are work opportunities on campus for studentathletes?
a. Chelsea: A lot of the work goes into facilities like cleaning the floors, or tutoring.
6. Senator Ehrlich: Student-athletes have a very busy schedule? How do they exactly balance it between academics and in-between seasons? How do they structure their hours?
a. Chelsea: It can be difficult. Hofstra has a lot of academic advisors and a few of them have teams. Teams have study halls for hours in a week during our first semesters, and later on you get put back into the hall if your GPA drops. You can communicate with teachers and students to keep on top of work. It all goes back to time management.
7. Senator Pierre: I just wanted to know how you have done certain initiatives on campus for student-athletes? How do you manage to bridge the gap between students and athletes and organize events?
a. Chelsea: A lot of the events that we have had are student athlete oriented. The last one we had was with the Headstrong Foundation. It was founded after the death of a lacrosse player at Hofstra who died of cancer. Most of our initiatives are fundraising for something, like our breast cancer event or spikeball competition. It would be cool to have events that collaborate with you guys.
8. Senator Ehrlich: I was looking to do a field day with Headstrong? Would you possibly be interested in doing the event and making it happen?
a. Chelsea: I think that would be awesome. Headstrong loves doing things for Hofstra and they are very easy to work with.
9. VP Young: Can you talk about upcoming plans for SAAC this semester?
a. Chelsea: The next thing we have coming up is a talent show which we do every year. It is a competition between the teams. Fees are usually for funds. Last year, we made students bring perishable items for a food pantry. We also do a pride cup which includes attendance to games and community service, and then we have an award ceremony at the end of the year for athletes. Each year the teams would have a charity they would donate to. These are coming up soon. We want to do another event with headstrong, and other big events and collabing with you guys.
10. Chair Ahmad: What are some of the biggest concerns student-athletes have with general Hofstra policies at SAAC meetings?
a. Chelsea: Most things have to do with facilities and these have gotten better. Some teams get better things than others, but a lot of that has to do with alumni donations. More attendance at games is another concern. Our administrators do a lot to attract attendance. Basketball is easier than other sports like track or field hockey.
11. Senator Mansour: How can we help in getting more honors students to attend these games?
a. Chelsea: I think that the games were more fun this year at the basketball game. I have played at other schools where students got shirts and other things for attending sports games. That could probably help at getting more attendance.
12. Senator Vira: As a big baseball fan, I feel that many students do not know how to get tickets to go to games. I think it would help to advertise how to get tickets.
a. Chelsea: Maybe it’s on the same site you get other tickets from.
13. Senator Vazquez: What do SAAC members discuss at meetings?
a. Chelsea: We get updates from each team. We have had talks with a psychiatrist. A lot of discussion is about community service and talking about events coming up and fundraising. We are also trying to make social media more important this year. Meetings and agenda change based on what is coming up and sometimes we have administrators come talk.
14. Senator Pierre: I just wanted to say what we can do is maybe raffles at games in order to improve attendance. These could be stressbusters or also be raffles for specific teams.
a. Chelsea: I think that would be really cool, thank you.
15. Senator Ehrlich: What type of service events does SAAC hold? Is it difficult to find community service events?
a. Chelsea: Consistent events are shooting stars which happen every Sunday where students with disabilities come and athletes play with them in obstacle courses or sports. We have done ong beach cleanups which fall on Saturdays and Sundays. We also
attend shake a rake, and we do card-making events. Each athlete is supposed to have six hours of community service, and we intend to surpass that each year. Events are dependent on different team coaches.
16. Senator Thani: What is the biggest challenge you have as a studentathlete and how can SGA help with that?
a. Chelsea: I feel my biggest challenge is balancing everything. I think it would be great to be able to collaborate with and attend many SGA events.
17. Senator Pierre: Do you think a stressbuster event could help bridge the gap between students and athletes?
a. Chelsea: I think that would be a really great way to start collabing.
18. Senator Chacon: I am curious about how athletes register for courses, especially for those in rigorous programs?
a. Chelsea: For course scheduling, I think registration opens a little earlier for us because athletes have different schedules. The advisors are great, and being on top of it is important.
19. Senator Kurtz: Are there majors you say that are very predominant in student-athletes? What is there the least of?
a. Chelsea: Education and business. Not nursing as much.
20. VP Young: What opportunities in the future could we see SAAC and the students collaborate on a program that connects with the general student body?
a. Chelsea: I think in the future we could collaborate on a toy for tots or a food drive for thanksgiving. It would be great to do something like that on a bigger scale. Also any community service together would be great.
c. SA.2026.90.27
i. Presented by Chair Dzaveluri and Chair Chauhan
1. Chair Chauhan: We are adding that the vice President be the elections commissioner considering that they are not seeking re-election and are not on the elections ballot. They also must give a weekly report.
2. Chair Ahmad moves for a 15 minute unmoderated caucus
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
3. Senator Pierre: I think the elections commission moderates on its own realm. The VP being assigned to it connects it to the senate too much. They can vote on both legislation and senate commission.
4. Senator Smook: I agree with Jean because the vice president would have their preference and if we rely on many people, the bias will even out.
a. Chair Chauhan: The vice president is the only person in SGA who is trained to not act on their bias. We are not taking power
away from the senate. We are just choosing the election commissioner.
5. Chair Iacobovici: To that point, I disagree with the elections commission operating on its own realm as it is always part of senate. It is integral this position be baked into the VP position due to the events of last year. This is not taking away the elections commission.
a. Chair Dzaveluri: Regarding the commissioner, in fall semester we have the CR chair. We are trying to embed it with the VP’s role to hold people accountable. We do not want senate to choose unqualified people. We still have problems from last year. The commissioner was not held accountable for how they led the process. We are trying to do it in a way that will benefit us. We need to be present and think about the mistakes of last year. I know that people had problems with it and it was just not professionally led and we want a qualified person who will know what to do. If people who did not raise their hand were chosen, they are an unqualified commissioner who would need to learn their role.
6. Comptroller Skeldon: This does not give the vice president the opportunity to opt out. Having an elections commissioner who does not want to be an elections commissioner is dangerous. All presentations etc. are in the drive for someone to prepare to be elections commissioner. It is never going to be someone who is unqualified, they have been senator and are leaving the senate. No one is going to be forced to be elections commissioner.
7. Senator Pierre: It puts the question to the competency of the elections commission. If the VP has to step in and it’s embedded in the role. The people who may not know how it works can be just as impartial as the VP. Senators sometimes never get a chance to win a position. This could be an opportunity for a role for them. I think the commission has a guarantee to have one final say on what they do. It is good to give seniors a chance who may have not had a role in cabinet. In terms of that partiality, the person applying for that position knows if they are biased. If the people we are trying to put in for this position are partial, we question if
8. Secretary Danek: Anybody can be partial or impartial. Senators or chairs can be more partial or impartial than the VP, and we don’t know who is going to want this role. If a current VP wants to run again, this limits their ability to do so. Appointing someone who is not experienced enough, we have gotten to know each other well enough. Since it is by majority vote, I think everyone would pick someone who they thought would be best for the role. A lot of people in senate can be qualified for this role.
9. Chair Orellana: This senatorial action is not set up for future senates. The VP can run unopposed and they can have a bias. The way we had it before, we have great judgment, and I feel like the way we had it before worked. I feel like this is dangerous for future senates and will not serve great for the future. Usually the issues are a friend of the elections commissioner ran for president or VP
10. Chair Ahmad: I think the whole point is to represent the student body. If you have someone as your VP, inherently you voted them in and you believe they are best for that position.
11. Senator Smook moves to extend the unmoderated caucus by 10 minutes
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
12. Chair Ahmad: The whole point of this is to ensure accountability. The VPs role is not to be biased, and if you can’t trust your VP that is a problem. It seems like senate just wants a clause that shapes future elections. For CR, you are not giving them the choice to be the elections commission in the fall, so why can’t you trust the VP in the spring?
13. Chair Iacobovici: The job of SGA is not to give people leadership positions out of wanting to, it is not to anyone’s fault. The elections commissioner is elected by the commission itself, we just vote for the commission. Why should we not choose the commissioner as well? The VP is the most unbiased person in the room. This will have been someone who has been through the process to run it. Everyone else only knows from an outside perspective. If we include an opt-out, senates can operate smoother in the future.
14. Senator Ehrlich: The VP is a very big time commitment. How will it overlap based on time? Would it not be responsible for the VP to act as both VP and elections commissioner? I feel it would be a lot to put on an individual for both of these roles.
15. Senator Thani: That is why there are others on the commission. There are others to keep the VP accountable.
16. Senator Pierre: Wouldn’t it make sense for the commission to determine who the commissioner is. The commission should act as its own body separate from senate. It also takes away from other senators who couldn’t be elected because of a lack of votes.
17. Chair Dzaveluri: To the issue of the wording, we can always change the wording. Please do not be embarrassed to change the wording as long as it does not change the core meaning. It is a big issue that we see elections commissioner as a prized role. It is not about getting a prize, but about having a passion for the position. About the neutrality of the VP, VPs are not voting members of the senate. In our constitution, the VP chairs senates and has to be non-biased as they are between executive and legislative functions. This gives us an unbiased person who has leadership experience. The VP is a big position with lots of
18. Comptroller Skeldon: Language changes aren’t going to change this. Whether the VP is trained to be unbiased, they can still be biased.
19. Chair Peri moves for a straw poll on passing SA.2026.90.027
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
20. Chair Peri moves to strike SA.2026.90.027
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion objected
c. Motion rescinded
21. Chair Iacobovici moves to propose language on SA.2026.90.027 section 214.2 “the Vice President shall serve as the elections commissioner, provided that the Vice President is neither seeking re-election to the senate nor a candidate on the ballot for the election in question (OR DOES NOT ACCEPT THAT ROLE).”
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion objected
c. For:
i. Chair Iacobovici: This motion is just for a language change. Again,this addresses a lot of the concerns that everyone here has been saying including that the vice president can’t opt out of the role.
ii. Senator Smook: Everyone here is advocating that the vice president should be able to opt out. It should be pretty clear that if the vice president doesn't want a position they should not be able to take it.
iii. Senator Ehrlich: We are just revising language, it is not that much of an issue
iv. Chair Iacobovici: This is for the language change not passing the senatorial action itself.
d. Against: responsibilities, but being elections commissioner does not make it harder as the commission makes it much easier. It is not a big issue to have embedded, qualified, knowledgeable positions to lead the journey of elections.
v. Chair Chauhan: You can offer solutions for the language and that is not something that is being done. This is eliminating concerns that many students have and it doesn’t look like you are trying.
vi. Chair Iacobovici: This literally removes the requirement for the VP to accept the role. We still elect the commission. The commissioner is someone who was already elected by a majority of the student body.
vii. Chair Dzaveluri: This motion was to add the language. We can either simply pass or not pass this by not voting.
i. Comptroller Skeldon: The power is being taken away from senate to choose their commission.
ii. Chair Peri: This is just a motion for language. I don’t think the proposed language is good but I do think that language needs to be changed.
iii. Secretary Danek: I still think there is too much pressure on the vice president to accept this role. Everyone here knows each other and knows who will be best for the position, who is less biased and more enthusiastic about the role. The VP could be friends with someone who is running for president or VP. This is a shot in the dark at trying to eliminate bias and we should not force the commissioner into this role if they do not want it.
iv. Senator Vira: There are a lot of problems with the senatorial action itself.
v. Chair Orellana: This does not eliminate concerns and while the elections commission may be selected by the senate, VPs can run unopposed. This sets a concerning precedent for future senates with regards to the bias of the VP.
vi. Senator Pierre: The overarching point is not the language but rather passing this motion. It does not clarify a lot of previous concerns. You can change wording and this is only a band-aid to the meaning of it.
vii. Senator Vira: The issue everyone is having is that people are not choosing who the elections commissioner is. viii. Motion passed 14-11
e. Chair Orellana move to hold a straw poll to pass SA.2026.90.027
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
f. Senator Vira moves to strike SA.2026.90.027
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
ii. SA.2026.90.28
iii. Presented by Chair Ahmad and Chair Iacobovici
1. Chair Ahmad: This adds that all members are required to take the constitutional benchmark and must achieve a minimum 60% or must retake it.
2. Senator Pierre: Are you going to do a review after for students?
3. Chair Ahmad: You are required to retake it if you score under 60% and I will fix the process.
4. Chair Chauhan moves to pass SA.2026.90.28
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
d. SA.2026.90.29
i. Presented by Chair Ahmad and Chair Iacobovici
1. Chair Iacobocivi: The names of committee chairs are updated, and this is changing a ¾ vote to a near unanimous vote only allowing for 2 votes against. This makes it harder to pass senatorial actions because in other SGAs they have similar provisions. I am open to language changes, but the main purpose of the SA is it should be a lot harder to change the constitution because this is the framework of our organization.
2. Senator Pierre: The judicial panel is not listed here, is there a specific reason to this matter?
a. Chair Iacobovici: J-Panel has their own constitution.
3. Senator Ehrlich: You said something about moving about speed and efficiency, what did you mean by this?
a. Chair Iacobovici: There have been a lot of SAs that change the constitution. With most of those we have achieved a near unanimous vote of the senate. We are serving hofstra so there is no reason why it should be as easy as it is. In the US Senate it is ⅔ but we are not bound to the same constraints as they are, so it should not be this easy.
4. Senator Noel: You said this is not political parties, but we represent different clubs and organizations. For the future of SGA and senate, should it be harder to make changes?
a. Chair Iacobovici: No because the constitution is SGA’s framework. It is already harder to pass SAs. We as a senate are always adapting every year. As senate there should not be major differences on major constitutional changes.
5. Senator Kurtz: In special elections, secretary and comptroller elections happen first. Should this be in that order?
a. Chair Iacobovici: We could make a language change for this, sure.
6. Senator Jean-Pierre: Is this the order that we elect chair positions?
a. Chair Iacobovici: Special elections has it written as comptroller and secretary first.
1. Chair Peri: Con-Con is when we are writing a major change. Why are you trying to make them the same?
a. Chair Iacobovici: Con-con is one vote against and this is one vote less. Amendments don’t change the entire American constitution, just like these shouldn’t.
b. VP Young: Con-Con is when the constitution is brought to the CR committee and edited. It hasn’t happened since 2015.
2. Senator Pierre: Do you think if a US Senate had a near unanimous vote regarding this matter, do you believe this would create productivity in this senate itself?
a. Chair Iacobocivi: If the US senate passed a near unanimous vote the world would be safe. But we are not bound by the same restrictions as the US senate. The idea is that too much change is happening too easily. Most of the decisions in senate have been near unanimous.
b. Chair Ahmad: We had all of these things we are putting into practice. Our main target audience should be the students of Hofstra. We need to make it harder to make sure we are targeting everyone.
3. Senator Vira: If ⅔ of the senate voted, how many students would have to be in the nay.
a. Young: seven
4. Chair Peri moved to hold a strawpoll to pass SA.2026.90.029
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
5. Senator Pierre moved to change the language on SA.2026.90.029 section 3 to revert it to the original language.
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion objected
i. For:
1. Senator Pierre: I have no other qualms about the SA except that part. It is iffy because there are 25 senators and this could be taken advantage of. A big or small senate could take advantage both ways and the balance of power could alter. I don't have a problem with section 2. It forces a debate because if 3 people are saying not it creates more discussion about why people say no.
2. Senator Smook: I agree. With the amount of senators, it would be pointless.
3. Comptroller Skeldon: ¾ is good. Personal bias can change the vote. There are some that would not have passed. 6-8 nos can change the vote. No one is changing the wording because it is fine how it is and section two changes are fine.
4. Chair Peri: 2 votes is too little.
5. Senator Pierre: Previous SA were unanimous but even if you do change language, it still provides too much weight. This isn’t easy and that is why we are changing it.
ii. Against:
1. Chair Iacobovici: I reject the idea that anyone agrees with the action if you agree with the part
that is struck out. The entirety of this action is about changing the voting of the constitution. The part above could be another senatorial action. If anyone wants to change language, that is the fault of my own fault as I could have added language as well. I completely reject this part as it defeats the purpose of the action itself.
2. Chair Ahmad: About giving a third person too much power, no. If we are not agreeing, we should not be making decisions for the student body. I am against the ¾ aspect, maybe 5 would be fine. We cannot constantly change the constitution as we are supposed to reflect a consensus.
3. Senator Vira: A constitution change should be hard to make, but we should make a language change that allows 5 or 6 senators to oppose.
4. Chair Dzaveluri: The Constitution is the foundation of the senate and should not be easily changed. If we are taking everything so seriously, we should remember those are 300 students that need voices if 3 object.
5. Chair Chauhan: About the third nay getting too much power, this will happen every single time no matter how many people are allowed to object.
6. Chair Iacobovici: These senatorial actions are for constitutional changes, not senatorial changes. It should not be as easy as it is just because changes are minor
c. Motion passes
d. Chair Ahmad moves to propose language SA.2026.90.029 to section 3 “Amendments to the constitution become effective if approved by a near-unanimous vote of the senate, only allowing for 5 votes against” and to strike “¾”
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion objected
1. For:
a. Chair Ahmad: We can vote on this straw poll and have this debate consistently, 5 is an easy medium between ¾ and 2. The constitution should not be constantly and easily changing. It does not matter what senate year it is, we
cannot just have people making changes unrestricted.
b. Chair Iacobovici: If you cannot handle the power that 2 votes have, then you should not be representing those 150 people you were elected for.
c. Chair Chauhan: 5 people is a lot. It should not be easy to change the constitution. We should reduce the number down as we should agree to what we are governed by.
d. Chair Dzaveluri: It’s been 10 years since the senate had 10 people. 5 is the perfect medium. Right now our population is more than 6000.
2. Against:
a. Comptroller Skeldon: Senate was like 10 people a few years ago. ¾ is broad but realistic, 6-8 people a few years ago was much of the senate. We cannot predict quorum in future senates.
b. Senator Smook: A fraction is good as the number of senators changes, if half of student government dissents it makes it too easy to pass senatorial actions.
c. Senator Gillani: Using an exact figure is not a good idea, let’s go with proportions.
d. Senator Pierre: It really just feels like reverting the SA we just debated over. No matter how many numbers you add, ¾ is still better. We still have to incorporate previous senates.
e. Secretary Danek: There are also scenarios where people are absent or out of the room. If we have a lower quorum then it would be a lot lower bar for senatorial actions to be passed. A fraction is better than a number. It should be proportional to the number of people in the room and not a number.
iii. Motion fails
iv. Chair Ahmad moves to propose language to SA.2026.90.029 “Amendments to the Constitution become effective if approved by ⅘ of the Senate”
1. Motion seconded
2. Motion passed
v. Senator Pierre moves to pass SA.2026.90.029
1. Motion Seconded
a. Roll call vote:
b. Comptroller Skeldon: NAY
c. Secretary Danek: NAY
d. Chair Dzaveluri:YAY
e. Chair Ahmad: YAY
f. Chair Peri: Abstain
g. Chair Denson: NAY
h. Chair Orellana: NAY
i. Chair Iaxobocivi: YAY
j. Chair Chauhan: YAY
k. Senator Mansour: YAY
l. Senator Ruffo: YAY
m. Senator Chacon: Abstain
n. Senator Kurtz: Abstain
o. Senator Erlich: YAY
p. Senator Apostol: NAY
q. Senator Thani: Abstain
r. Senator Ruffo: NAY
s. Senator Smook: YAY
t. Senator Gillani: YAY
u. Senator Noel: NAY
v. Senator Araba: YAY
w. Senator Vazquez: YAY
x. Senator Hoffman: NAY
y. Senator Vira: YAY
2. Motion fails
e. SA.2026.90.30
i. Presented by Chair Ahmad
1. Chair Ahmad: The CR chair conducts investigations and I am currently conducting an investigation. This is saying that if the CR chair is on the e-board of a specific club, they cannot take on the investigation.
2. Chair Ahmad moves to table SA.2026.90.30
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
f. SA.2026.90.31
i. Presented by Chair Chauhan
1. Chair Chauhan: This is just an update to the wellness policies. They chair is responsible for attending monthly check-ins with the Title IX, public safety and wellness education offices. They are also responsible for hosting one campus-wide event.
a. Chair Peri moves to pass SA.2026.90.031
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
g. Club Categories Update
i. Presented by Chair Ahmad
1. Chair Ahmad: I removed inactive clubs and organizations and added newly-recognized clubs and organizations.
2. Chair Ahmad moves to remove Bangladeshi Student Association from blue clubs
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
3. Senator Pierre: Is our only job in senate to approve these and that’s it? Is this for every semester?
a. Chair Ahmad: Every club on campus is put into categories and all we do in senate is confirm what category they are in.
4. Chair Peri moves to recognize the updated club categories as of March 12 2026.
a. Motion seconded
b. Motion passed
h. Chair Peri moves to open nominations for The Elections Commission
i. Motion Seconded
ii. Motion Passed
i. Chair Ahmad moves to nominate Comptroller Skeldon for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Comptroller Skeldon accepts
j. Senator Smook moves to nominate Senator Ehrlich for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Senator Ehrlich respectfully declines
k. Comptroller Skeldon moves to nominate Chair Denson for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Chair Denson accepts
l. Senator Vira moves to nominate President Quail for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. President Quail respectfully declines
m. Senator Pierre moves to nominate Senator Apostol for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Senator Apostol accepts
n. Senator Ehrlich moves to nominate Senator Yepez for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Senator Yepez respectfully declines
o. Senator Pierre moves to nominate VP Young for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. VP Young respectfully declines
p. Senator Pierre moves to nominate Senator Kurtz for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Senator Kurtz accepts
q. Senator Vira moves to nominate Chair Orellana for the elections commission
i. Motion seconded
ii. Chair Orellana respectfully declines
r. Senator Erlich moves to amend the allocations for NAACP to $244.03.
C. Approval of the Minutes
a. Senator Gillani moves to pass the Senate minutes from 3/5
i. Motion Seconded
ii. Motion Passed
b. Senator Noel moves to pass the Cabinet minutes from 3/11
i. Motion Seconded
ii. Motion Passed
D. E-board Reports
a. President
i. WOW! SAW!
ii. Campus access committee
iii. Have a safe and fun break :)
b. Vice President
i. Have a wonderful Spring Break
ii. March 28th (1pm-3pm)
1. SGA/ Turns 90
a. One absence if you miss
i. Please email me as soon as possible if you cannot attend so we can make room for more Alumni.
iii. Great job at SAW!!!!
iv. U-Senate
c. Comptroller
i. Prepping budgets
ii. Have a great break!
d. Secretary
i. Room Request Form and Catering Request Form
ii. Stoles Form
iii. Formal Sign-Up Sheet
iv. Have a great break!
E. Committee Chair Reports
a. Appropriations
i. 3/10/26 Appropriation Committee Minutes
ii. BUDGETS OPEN TOMORROW @ 12!!!
b. Club Resources
i. 03.09.2026 Minutes
ii. MSA Investigation - any information is helpful!
1. Planning to present and meet with J-Panel after Spring Break
iii. Club office applications will be open by the first week of April!
c. Communications
i. Minutes
ii. Shoutout Nate for making the graphic for Narcan Training!
iii. Posted lots this week
1. On the road to 3,000 followers!
iv. Party is the week we come back from Spring Break!
1. This is a mandatory event
d. Programming
i. No minutes this week!
ii. Saw success!!!
1. BAF went so well!!
2. Sex fest went amazing!!
a. Cleanup???
e. Academic Affairs
i. AA minutes from 03/12
ii. Met with Dr. Blue
1. Discussed the attendance policy
a. Meeting next Friday with Dr. Blue and Cornell Craig
iii. Met with CERT
1. Canvas stats
2. Einstein AI
iv. Newsletter
f. Equity & Inclusion
i. Minutes
g. Facilities & Operations
i. Minutes
ii. QR code posters to be placed at all ADA-accessible doors on campus. These posters would provide students with information (hotlines for PSAFE/Plant) on reporting a defective ADA door.
h. Wellness & Campus Safety
i. Minutes for March 12
ii. Nutrition Trivia- March 30, Common Hour in the Stu
iii. One Love Workshop- March 30, 8:50pm
F. Approval of Committee Minutes
a. Chair Ahmad moves to close the gallery
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
b. Senator Pierre moves to pass the committee minutes from 3/9.
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
G. Approval of Allocations
a. Senator Thani moves to pass the allocations from 3/10.
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
H. For the Good of the Order
a. Anything SGA related!
i. Jesse Webster questions
- Update on DUO
- Sign out of eduroam
- Can’t log in to google maps
- Wifi in memorial hall
- Wifi in colonial square
- ID activated but doesn’t let you in
- Problems with canvas
- No staplers near printers
- Web Assign
- Expensive
- Working with them…
- Engineering Students
ii. Senator Ehrlich: Facilities report on ADA accessibility QR codes
iii. Chair Chauhan: Thanks for Sex Fest
I. Announcements
a. Anything non-SGA related!
J. Snap Cup
a. Decorum suspended
K. Adjournment
a. Senator Araba moves to adjourn this meeting
i. Motion seconded
ii. Motion passed
1. Meeting adjourned at 10:02 pm EST
Meeting Commenced: 6:30 pm
Attendance:
Comptroller Maddie Skeldon
Chair Nene Dzaveluri
Senator Pat Bruso
Senator Bianca Yepez
Senator Rebecca Noel
Senator Jake Urban
Associate Jake Tenebruso
Associate Brett Hoerner
Associate Albert Li
Late:
Absent:
Senator Ferheen Bokhari
Guests!
Agenda:
Ice Breaker: Introductions (pt 2)
Announcements:
Appropriations Committee Minutes Spring 2026 Meeting
PPAW Conference Room 260D
March 10th 2026 - 6:30pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUDGETS OPEN THIS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!
Important: You have all been added as reviewers for semesterly budgets
● You will get emails every time a club submits a budget
○ You can ignore emails for now but make sure you save them for budget weekend
Next week we are non operational - Enjoy your break
Allocations Assignments:
○ March 10th
○ NYSBDA - Brett, Jake T
○ ASA - Jake U, Pat
○ Commuter Student Association - Nene, Becky, Bianca
○ NAACP - Nene, Jake U, Pat
○ Creativz - Becky, Bianca, Jake T
Comptrollers Report:
SGA Policy Series- funding policies in section 3C
Allocations:
● 6:35 pm - NYSBDA
○ Associate Tenebruso: They didn’t tell us how far they drove, only a number. The screenshot provided did not show or say where they were going; only that the trip was 280 miles.
○ Appropriations Chair Peri: They have a quote of the location. That makes it a valid quote
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $110.00 for Line Item 1; Seconded by Senator Urban.
○ The motion passes
● 6:40 pm - ASA
○ Senator Bruso: Everything looks great.
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $632.00 for Line Item 1; Seconded by Senator Urban.
○ The motion passes
● 6:45 pm - Commuter Student Association
○ Appropriations Chair Peri: CSA is a big club on campus, and they do not have a Spring 26 semesterly budget.
○ Chair Dzaveluri: The wellness event had some math corrections because discounted prices were used.
○ Senator Yepez: I think some of the items for the care packages seem like
○ personal gifts, and there is not enough quantity for everyone; there are only 10 wheel covers.
○ Senator Noel: I personally would not fund the snacks from the wellness event, as well as certain objects like the wheel covers and air fresheners.
○ Senator Yepez: This is geared more towards commuters so I think the air fresheners are appropriate.
○ Senator Urban: I think we should not fund certain items like the cocktail sandwiches and the cookie buffet because they have the Mr. Softee Truck as the main source of food.
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $2332.72 for Line Item 1; Seconded by Senator Noel.
○ The motion passes.
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $442.48 for Line Item 2; Seconded by Senator Yepez.
○ The motion passes.
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $450.46 for Line Item 3; Seconded by Senator Yepez.
○ The motion passes.
● 6:50 pm - NAACP
○ Comptroller Skeldon: NAACP came to the meeting to reallocate funds for a new event. In regular cases, this would be solely handled by the Comptroller and not reach the committee. However, several items for the reallocation were violations of the policy series so the budget must pass the committee first.
○ Chair Dzaveluri: They used discounted prices so the prices had to be fixed. Trophies, sashes, tiaras, and medals were all violations of the policy series (prizes & personal gifts).
○ Associate Tenebruso: I think we should fund the prizes, because this is more or less a reallocation meeting and we should overturn policy.
○ No motion was made to overturn policy.
○ Chair Dzaveluri moves to allocate $189.07 for Line Item 1; Seconded by Senator Urban.
○ The motion passes
● 6:55 pm - Creativz
○ Associate Tenebruso: There were a few math errors. We are missing a quote for camo pants, and there are extra quotes not included in the budget like the jazz dress. They also used different prices for differently named items; there is general confusion over which items they are asking for. It is hard to discern the quantity just because of the handwriting
○ Senator Yepez: I’m not sure how they might use these costumes for future events so I’m concerned they might be personal items rather than costumes.
○ Comptroller Skeldon: We have funded costumes in the past, including last semester.
○ Associate Hoerner: It also serves for the mission of the club.
○ Appropriations Chair Peri: They have a place to store items.
○ Associate Tenebruso moves to allocate $3222.01 for Line Item 1; Seconded by Chair Dzaveluri.
○ The motion passes
Meeting Adjourned: 7:14 pm
Respectfully Submitted, Appropriations Chair Prahlad Peri
Meeting Agenda
Spring 2026
6:30 pm, Mar 9, 2026
SGA Conference Room
Meeting Commenced 6:30 pm
Attendance
Chair Aarushi Chauhan
Senator Lily Hoffman
Senator Dayanna Rubio-Chacon
Senator Jean Pierre
Senator John Vira
Senator Sophia Apostal
Associate Lily Hiebert
Associate Sai Vignesh Vajinapelly
Associate Balina Singg
Late Arrival Absent
Chair Maisa Ahmad Visitors!
Vice President Young
A. THANK YOU JOHN FOR BEING INTERIM CHAIR ( everyone say “yay John!”)!!
B. What are you most looking forward to during Spring Break? Or as it gets warmer what activities do you look forward to?
1. John - Hanging out with family and friends. Watching baseball, going to the pool, and going to the beach.
2. Aarushi - Good food!
3. Lily Hoffman - Illinois and her dog
4. Dayanna - Grad school visit
5. Jean - Community service
6. Sophia - Outside warmer tanning
7. Lily Hiebert - Arizona
8. Sai - Hanging with friends
9. Balina - Warmer weather
II. Senatorial Action
A. Senatorial Action
S.A.2026.90.027 Constitution Updates
1. Chair Dzaveluri and Chair Chauhan presents S.A.2026.90.027
2. Deliberation:
● It looks good!!
3. Associate Hiebert moves to pass S.A.2026.90.027.
4. Senator Hoffman seconds the motion.
5. Motion passes
B. Senatorial Action
S.A.2026.90.028 Policy Updates
1. Chair Iacobovici presents S.A.2026.90.028
2. Deliberation: Look good
● It looks good!!
3. Chair Chauhan moves to pass S.A.2026.90.028
4. Senator Chacon seconds the motion.
5. Motion passes
C. Senatorial Action
S.A.2026.90.029 Constitution Updates
1. Chair Iacobovici presents S.A.2026.90.029
2. Deliberation:
● Looks good!!
3. Chair Chauhan moves to pass S.A.2026.90.029.
4. Senator Chacon seconds the motion.
5. Motion passes
D. Senatorial Action
S.A.2026.90.030 Policy Updates
1. Chair Iacobovici (on behalf of Chair Ahmad) presents S.A.2026.90.030
2. Deliberation: looks good!!
● Looks good!!
3. Senator Pierre moves to pass S.A.2026.90.030
4. Chair Chauhan seconds the motion.
5. Motion passes
E. Senatorial Action S.A.2026.90.031 Policy Updates
1. Chair Chauhan presents S.A.2026.90.031
2. Deliberation:
● Look goods!!
3. Senator Pierremoves to pass S.A.2026.90.031
4. Associate Hiebert seconds the motion.
5. Motion passes
III. Club Categories Update
A. Here
B. The category requirements– page 8 of PS
1. Pride: Organizations that have not met the requirements of another category, or have not completed the SGA check in process.
2. Blue: Organizations whose primary mission is to provide a space for their members interests.
3. Gold: Organizations whose primary mission is to provide external services or events to the entire Hofstra community.
C. Need to see these at Senate this week. Let’s discuss!
D. Chair Chauhan moves to pass the club categorizations for Spring 2026.
E. Senator Pierre seconds
F. Motion Passes
IV. Chair Updates
A. Undergoing MSA investigation still… ( CONFIDENTIAL!)
1. Their club office space is in the process of being taken away ( I wanted it removed last week, but due to some logistical administration issues, they still have access).
2. I have been conducting interviews and acquiring testimonies.
● Have had 5 meetings (Eboard included)
● Hoping to complete the investigation docs by Thursday.
● Will give a more in-depth review when we meet again!
3. If you see/hear of any MSA activities/events going on or that have happened in the past month or so – please let me know immediately
B. !!!SAW IS THIS WEEK!!!!
1. Tabling etiquette.
● Don’t be late!!!!!!
● Communicate
● DON’T MISS YOUR TABLING/FIND A COVER!
V. Reminders
A. Be sure to take a look at the CR policies. It is definitely long but not a hard read! It will be GREAT if we all have an understanding of the policies.
B. You can reach me at (832) 417 7912 if you have any questions or need anything at all!
C. If you’re going to be absent, email me, sga_secretary@pride.hofstra.edu; sga_ethicsandconduct@pride.hofstra.edu; sga_vicepresident@pride.hofstra.edu!
Meeting Adjourned 6:59 pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Maisa Ahmad
Club Resources Chair
Communications Committee Meeting
Student Center Rm 142 March 9, 2026
Meeting Called to Order: 6:01 pm
Quorum
Present:
Chair Kyle Denson
Chair Ronit Malhotra
Senator Michael Araba
Senator Wasih Gillani
Senator Yoni Smook
Senator Adiba Mansour
Associate Nathan Arscott
Absent:
Senator Harish Subramanian
Agenda:
1. Icebreaker:
a. If you could add a committee of your choice to SGA what would it be and why?
2. Updates
a. Build a Friend promotion in full swing!
i. Reel going up tonight!
ii. Personalities going up tomorrow morning
b. Invites have been sent out to Alumni for our celebration
i. Already about 14 RSVPs!
ii. I’ll update the website as soon as Matteo sends them to me
iii. Sent out last week, RSVPs starting to come in slowly
c. Promoting
i. BAF
ii. Sex Fest
iii. SAW
iv. Win-it-Wednesday
1. This post is doing really well!
3. Graphic Activity
a. Adobe Express Practice!
i. You have 20 minutes to create an Instagram story graphic for Wellness Chair Aari’s “Stop the Bleed and Narcan Training” event. The event will take place on April 15, 2026 in the Student Center Plaza Rooms from 12:45pm-2:30pm. The event is in collaboration with SGA, the Public Safety Office, American Women's Medical Association, American Students Medical Association and Phi Delta Epsilon.
ii. At the end of the timer, each committee member will share their graphic and we will vote on which one is used to promote the real event!
1. I might make small edits to the graphic that is chosen according to feedback from Aari and to ensure it matches our branding
2. Previous Year’s Example
Reminders:
● If you have to miss committee, please email Ethics, VP, Secretary, and me. If you are missing Senate, make sure to email the Ethics, VP, and Secretary.
● If you are interested in my position, feel free to reach out and ask me questions
Meeting Adjourned: 6:33 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Kyle Denson Communications Chair
Attendance:
-Attended:
Chair
Senator
Chair Jacob Iacobovici
Senator Lily Hoffman
Senator John Vira
Senator Dayanna Rubio-Chacon
Senator Joseph Vazquez
Senator Michael Araba
Senator Patrick Bruso
Associate
Associate Isabella Dempsey
Associate Luca Giordano
Guest
Comptroller Maddie Skeldon
- Late: -Absent: Ice Breaker
-Favorite Senate-related quote
Chair Updates
1. Met with Dr. Blue
a. Discussed the attendance policy
03/12/2026 PPAW
Meeting commenced at 6:00 pm EST
i. Meeting on Friday with Dr. Blue and Cornell Craig -9:15 AM
ii. Anyone wanna come?
1. Dayanna
2. Lily
iii. Anything to bring up?
1. Course registration error
2. Professor's office hour information
3. Enforcing Canvas on professors
2. Met with CERT
a. Canvas stats
1. John: Could we talk to someone about requiring Canvas in the policy?
2. Nene: We could talk to the Provost's office about this.
ii. Last semester's initiative
1. Faculty started using the Simple Syllabus
2. Modified for the specific departments
b. Einstein AI
i. An AI program that can be installed in Canvas
ii. IT banned this program
iii. https://calendly.com/hofedtech
c. Survey
i. Survey questions
ii. Add questions about anything tech-related to provide to CERT!
3. Meet with the Library/Dean of students office
4. Newsletter
a. Newsletter VOL.3
5. Link for the speaker event
a. https://news.hofstra.edu/event/chatgpt-is-mid-a-workshop-for-students-andfaculty-learning-and-teaching-in-the-ai-era-featuring-annette-vee/.
6. Meet with the library
a. Everyone should be like Prof Dudek
i. Meaning give a class about research
b. Report on the charger initiative
Upcoming meetings/events/initiatives
-ChatGPT is a mid-speaker event-March 26th, 4:20-5:45 Cultural Theatre
-Are you smarter than ChatGPT? April 21st at 6:30 pm in Monroe Lecture Hall.
Initiative/Goal Tracker
- 2025-2026 Goal Tracker
-Please write down any ideas or initiatives you would like to work on!!! Even if it is something small!!
Open for your questions/comments
1. If you are going to be absent, email the secretary and CC your chair, VP, and ethics
2. Anything else you may want!
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 6:38 pm EST
Respectfully Submitted, Nene Dzaveluri
Academic Affairs Chair
Equity and Inclusion-Meeting Agenda
Spring 2025 6:00 pm, Mar 12, 2026
SGA Conference Room
Meeting Commenced 600:p.m.
Attendance
Chair Orellana
Chair Maisa Ahmad
Senator Sophia Apostol
Senator Rebecca Noel
Senator Jean Pierre
Senator Yoni Smook
Associate Juan Carlos Flor
Associate Spencer Hamilton
Associate Anusha Khan
Late Arrival Absent
`Visitors!
President Quail
I. Icebreaker
A. Favorite self-care activity to decompress?
II. Chair Updates
A. Eats Around the World
1. Sheet
B. Sex Fest
C. Equity
D. Formal
III. Brainstorming
A. Questions for Equity Asks for WHM
1. What items were invented by women?
2. A woman whether it be related to hofstra or not you are related to
3. What’s one way to fight the patriarchy
4. Favorite female artist / public figure / celebrity
5. Destress methods: How have you been kind to yourself this Women’s History Month?
6. Olympics (8/12 winners at Olympics were women)
7. Women’s Hockey Team
8. If they know menstrual products are available on campus
9. First female political leader in the world
B. Questions for SAAC
1. Community Service Initiatives with other student organizations
2. What do they do to make sure students from other backgrounds are supported?
3. Do students have resources to help them navigate that?
4. What ways are they doing to promote events to students?
5. Resources for student athletes who may have disabilities
6. Resource for student athletes who want to report incident of harassment in general in fear of affecting their team
IV. Upcoming!
A. Shabbat Dinner 6:30P Greenhouse 03/20
B. Women’s Business Expo 03/23 1PM Student Atrium
C. Zine Making with Lavender Grove 03/23 7PM SC142
D. Taste the Culture 03/23 Rotterdam House 7PM
E. Title IX Tuesday Tabling 1-4 PM 03/24 Student Atrium
F. Shake it Up Learn Bollywood Stuyvesant Lounge 03/24 7PM with RD Simi
G. First Gen’s Guide to Grad School 03/25 1PM SC219
V. Reminders
A. You can reach me at 347-481-9150 if you have any questions or need anything at all!
B. Email SGA Equitysga_secretary@pride.hofstra.edusga_ethics@pride.hofstra.eduif you're going to be absent from committee and sga_vicepresident@pride.hofstra.eduif you're going to be absent from the senate!
C. SGA Policy Series
D. SGA Constitution
Meeting Adjourned 6:20PM
Respectfully Submitted, Celeste Orellana
Equity and Inclusion Chair
Facilities & Operations Committee Minutes
S25 Meeting, SC219 First Gen Office Meeting Room
Date: 03/12/2026
Meeting Commenced @ 6:20pm Attendance
Chair Malhotra
Chair P. Peri
Senator J. Ehrlich
Senator H. Subramanian
Senator W. Gillani
Senator S. Ruffo
Senator B. Yepez
Senator J. Urban
Late Arrival
Absent
Associate Alyssa Osso
Associate Angelina Gramarossa
Senator J. Urban
A. Spring Break Plans?
II. Facility Updates
A. Campus Access Committee -This committee is given $200,000 yearly (that can roll over) for capital planning projects limited to campus accessibility issues. All discussed proposals will be finalized a week after the committee’s second meeting this May.
1. The committee addressed several ADA accessibility concerns in the fitness center, including the first-floor bathrooms, access to the studio rooms, and the need for an automatic door in the weight room. The
estimated cost for these improvements is $20,000–$30,000. At this time, the committee is especially interested in renovating the bathrooms and improving access to one studio room.
2. There is also concern about the lack of ADA-accessible housing options in residence halls. Currently, Stuyvesant Hall is the only residence hall with wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, making it the only viable housing option for students who use wheelchairs. This lack of variety can negatively affect students’ social experiences, especially for upperclassmen who have limited housing choices. Each bathroom renovation is estimated to cost $30,000. These renovations can only move forward if the building is structurally able to support them. Tim Murray will discuss this issue further with the university contractor.
3. Adams Hall -The committee also discussed accessibility issues in Adams Hall, particularly the lack of access to the second-floor lab. Unlike some other classes that can be relocated when a student has a disability-related access need, engineering labs contain specialized equipment that cannot easily be moved. The committee plans to identify the cost of improving accessibility to the second floor of Adams Hall.
4. Campus Doors and Key Card Access -Another proposal involves making all campus doors key card accessible, at an estimated cost of $3,000 per door, with the long-term goal of adding automatic door access as well. Because this is a large-scale project, it would need to be completed in phases. In addition to improving accessibility, this project would also strengthen campus safety by allowing the university to secure all doors quickly in the event of an emergency.
5. Playhouse accessibility. The committee also raised concerns about accessibility in the Playhouse. Currently, disabled individuals are brought to ceremonies using a maintenance elevator, which is not an appropriate long-term solution. The proposal is to add a second elevator specifically designed to meet ADA accessibility standards.
6. Curb cuts around campus -The committee plans to evaluate curb cuts across campus to determine whether there are enough accessible routes for wheelchair users. This review will help identify areas where additional curb cuts may be needed.
7. *SGA PRIORITY -An important initiative from SGA is the development of QR code posters to be placed at all ADA-accessible doors on campus. These posters would provide students with information about who to contact when a door is not functioning properly, including relevant hotline numbers and other support resources. The goal is to ensure that students are not left stranded for long periods when a door
malfunctions. The committee is waiting for more specific guidance from Tim Murray about what resources should be included. In some cases, these doors stop working simply because they have not been turned back on after being shut off when the campus is closed.
B. Facilities Reporting Form
III. Upcoming Meetings
A. Campus Access Committee - May
B. Tim Murray -After Spring Break
IV. Any Facilities and Operations concerns on campus?
A. One of the elevators in Starr doesn’t work
B. Potholes in the North side of Campus next to the intramural fields
1. Mason Hall road, massive pothole.
V. Ideas related to Facilities and Operations? +*
Meeting Adjourned: 6:40PM
Respectfully submitted, Ronit Malhotra
1. Check-in
a. Attendance
Wellness and Campus Safety Committee Minutes
Weekly Meeting - Student Center Room 218
Thursday- March 12, 2026
Meeting Commenced - 6:00 pm
Attendance
Present:
Chair Aarushi Chauhan
Chair Kyle Denson
Senator Ferheen Bokhari
Senator Adiba Mansour
Senator Kripa Thani
Senator Gabe Kurtz
Associate Milena Aparicio
Associate Trisha Painuli
Late Arrival:
Absent:
Associate Ava DiSanto
Visitor:
b. Icebreaker: Would you rather always be 30 minutes late or 30 minutes early? Why?
c. Questions for Student Athlete Advisory Committee
2. Chair Updates
a. Thank you all for tabling during SAW
b. Could not film Wellness with Aari
c. Sex Fest Feedback
i. Thank you for tabling; we all did amazing
ii. What can we do better
1. Not wait at the table but have it somewhere else
2. Person speaking could not hear
3. Clearer advertising
3. Event Updates
a. Finals Frenzy
i. April 28, 11- 2pm Plaza Rooms
ii. Started planning with Jacob and Nene
iii. Planning document is linked here
iv. Our Table
1. DIY Slime Kits
b. Nutrition Trivia
i. March 30, 11am-3pm, Student Center
ii. Campus Nutritionist, juice sampling or fresh fruit salad sampling
iii. Review questions here
1. Have questions about different types of diet, percentage of water, general body questions
iv. Tabling sheet will be available next committee
c. Stop the Bleed x Narcan training
i. Wednesday, 15 April - Common Hour, Plaza East & Middle
ii. Not a mandatory event but HIGHLY encouraged
d. If you would like to keep up with programming, please refer to this document; it is always updated with everything being done
4. Ideas and Discussion
a. I love listening to your brilliant ideas and would love to make them happen so please feel free to reach out to me anytime
5. Reminders
a. If you have any concerns or questions about anything wellness or campus safety related I would be more than happy to help you address them
i. Please reach out to me via email, group me or text me at 408-495-1786
b. Remember to email Vice President, Secretary and Ethics Chair if you have to miss Senate
i. Please add me on the email if you have to miss committee meeting
c. Policy Series and Constitution
Meeting Adjourned - 6: 18 pm
Respectfully Submitted, Aarushi Chauhan Wellness and Campus Safety Chair