Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register please contact Dr. Chiquita Eugene by email at chiquita.eugene@austintexas.gov or by phone at 512- 972-5003. REGULAR MEETING of the COLLEGE STUDENT COMMISSION February 2, 2024, AT 3:00PM AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701 Some members of the commission may be participating by videoconference. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Mariama Mbacke, Austin Community College Andrea Danberg, Austin Community College __________, Austin Community College Chelsea Biggerstaff, University of Texas at Austin Halle Kocian, University of Texas at Austin Mariana Ponce, University of Texas at Austin ______________, Concordia University ______________, Concordia University CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ______________, Concordia University Todd Clayton, Huston-Tillotson University - Chair Miles Diggs, Huston-Tillotson University – Vice Chair Prisca Dhital, Huston-Tillotson University Charlie Mossberger, St. Edward’s University Jake Hamerslough, St. Edward’s University _______________, St. Edward’s University AGENDA The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the College Student Commission Meeting from Nov. 30, 2023. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Recent commission updates from staff liaison, Dr. C. Eugene –status of hiring staff to support Commission. DISCUSSION ITEMS (leftover items from Nov.30, 2024) 3. 4. Disability justice for college students in the city of Austin. (a discussion from April 2023) The mental health of college students in the city of Austin. (a discussion from April 2023) 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Transportation issues relating to Project Connect and the expansion of I-35’s impact on college students in the city of Austin. Potential infrastructure protections for public safety during winter storms and other extreme weather events. Status update on Recommendation 20230324-010 – Continuing College Food Access Grant Program. Discussion regarding the creation of working groups with the possibility of one being public safety. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discussion and possible action regarding approval of the Bylaws of the College Student Commission. WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES 10. 11. Updates from the Housing, Mental Health & Accessibility, Transportation, Civic Engagement & Outreach, …
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 BYLAWS OF THE College Student Commission ARTICLE 1. NAME. The name of the commission is College Student Commission. ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE AND DUTIES. The College Student Commission is established to represent this constituency of the City by serving as an advisory board to the city council concerning issues affecting the quality of life for higher education students in the Austin area. The purpose of the commission is to work with local higher education institutions—Austin Community College, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University and the University of Texas— and representative student bodies to develop a student quality of life initiative to analyze relevant data and feedback, and report back to Council with recommendations for new or enhanced City programs, policies or practices that would improve the quality of life of higher education students in Austin, Texas. ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP. (A) The commission is composed of fifteen commissioners appointed by the city council with three representatives from each college/university within the city of Austin. (B) A commissioner serves at the pleasure of the city council. (C) Each commission member shall be appointed for a term of up to two years beginning March 1st. (D) A commissioner may not act in an official capacity except through the action of the commission. (E) A commissioner who is absent for two consecutive regular meetings or one-third of all regular meetings in a “rolling” twelve month timeframe automatically vacates the commissioner’s position subject to the holdover provisions in Section 2-1-27 of the City Code. This does not apply to an absence due to illness or injury of the commissioner, an illness or injury of a commissioner’s immediate family member, or the birth or adoption of the commissioner’s child for 90 days after the event. The commissioner must notify the staff liaison of the reason for the absence not later than the date of the next regular meeting of the commission. Failure to notify the liaison before the next regular meeting of the commission will result in an unexcused absence. (F) At each meeting, each commissioner shall sign an attendance sheet which indicates that the commissioner does not …
BYLAWS OF THE College Student Commission ARTICLE 1. NAME. The name of the board is the College Student Commission. ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE AND DUTIES. The purpose of the board is to work with local higher education institutions—Austin Community College, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University, and the University of Texas— and representative student bodies to analyze relevant data and feedback, and report back to Council with recommendations for new or enhanced City programs, policies or practices that would improve the quality of life of higher education students in Austin, Texas. ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP. (A) The commission is composed of fifteen commissioners appointed by the city council with three representatives from each college/university within the city of Austin. (B) A commissioner serves as the pleasure of the city council. (C) Commissioners serve for a term of one year beginning August 1 on the year of the appointment. (D) A commissioner may not act in an official capacity except through the action of the board. (E) A commissioner who is absent for two consecutive regular meetings or one-third of all regular meetings in a “rolling” twelve-month timeframe automatically vacates the commissioner’s position subject to the holdover provisions in Section 2-1-27 of the City Code. This does not apply to an absence due to illness or injury of the commissioner, an illness or injury of a commissioner’s immediate family member, or the birth or adoption of the commissioner’s child for 90 days after the event. The commissioner must notify the staff liaison of the reason for the absence not later than the date of the next regular meeting of the commission. Failure to notify the liaison before the next regular meeting of the commission will result in an unexcused absence. (F) At each meeting, a roll call will be taken and/or each commissioner shall sign an attendance sheet which indicates that the commissioner does not have a conflict of interest with any item on that agenda or identifies each agenda item on which the commissioner has a conflict of interest. Failure to sign the sheet, or be present for roll call, results in the member being counted as absent and his/her votes are not counted. (G) A commissioner who seeks to resign from the board shall submit a written resignation to the chair of the commission, the staff liaison, or the city clerk’s office. If possible, the resignation should allow for a …
