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The Towson
University College Democrats
Minutes from General Meeting, Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Location: Room 305
Began: 5:00 pm
All 8 E-board members were present
6 People attended
Tracy Miller, our advisor, was present
President, Brian J Ward, announced:
- Moment of Silence of victims, students and faculty at Virginia
Tech
- Ryan Coleman: born in Baltimore, attended Baltimore City
College,
Marine Core, went to UMD and finished at Towson University
- Work for Strayer University, Degree in Marketing
- Running for Baltimore City Council in the 4th District 40,000
residents, 18,000 voters
- Running “Demand More, Vote Better” trying to talk to the
citizens,
demanding more from their elected officials
- Proposes refurbishing dilapidated housing
- Primary is on September 11
- Pillars:
- Education- look at more charter schools, Head Start programs,
after
school programs
- Public Safety- too many murders in Baltimore, more officers on
the
street, neighborhoods and communities important
- Better Government
- SGA elections today and tomorrow: Go vote!
- Earth Day is April 22nd. Events will be held next week
- Conservation Challenge is going on until the 27th. The event is
being held by TEA.
- Showing the End of Suburbia with TEA and other organizations in
the
TPA.
Vice President, Paul Day, announced:
- We have 41 hours for community service. Thank you to al that
helped
us.
Treasurer, Bryon Burzynski, announced
- We made $115 dollars this weekend with concession stands.
- We are doing concessions stands on April 28. We need 10 people.
Director of Media Relations, Sean Lawlor, announced:
- We will be advertising “ The Take” and “The End of Suburbia”
Director of Events, Lauren McDade, announced:
- We will be showing “The Take” on April 25th, we will co-sponsor
with
the Greens
- We will be showing “The End of Suburbia” Monday April 23
- This Saturday we are going to Washington DC. We will be taking a
bus
and leaving from the Union at 10.
Director of Campaigns, Matt Bohle, announced:
- We will be registering people to vote on April 12th
- Kieffer Mitchell for Mayor will come and speak May 1st at 8pm.
We
will be advertising for that also.
Director of Political Organizing, Alicia Schuller, announced:
- Dr. Robert Corell, Global Climate Change Director for Heinz
Center
for Science, Economics, and Environment will be speaking April 30th
- We will be tabling next week
- We are flyering tomorrow for “The Take” from 1-2pm
- We will table next Monday from 10-4 in the Union of the Second
Floor
- Anti War Protest: “Project Flag Brigade” will happen on April
30th.
We will put flags in the middle of campus in honor of the Troops
The Proposed Constitutions:
-Explanation: the current Constitution had the goal of involving the
entirety of the membership
- We have become the most active College Dems chapter in Maryland
- New Constitution says we can do better: accountability was
established in Project Blue Tiger
- Before Project Blue Tiger we were not involved in Political
Activism: We need activism to promote social change
- Idea of full employment has not been fulfilled, we have not been
successful in keeping people coming to our meetings
- Both plans want all members to have a voice in shaping the
organization
- Both plans attempt to establish the same goal
- E-board accountability is extremely high that it is difficult
for
people to get involved
- More involvement amongst general members in political activism,
deciding what we do as an organization
- We have established ourselves as Progressives and wish to put
this
in our Constitution.
- With your consent: we want to change the name of the
organization
because our platform and organization is organized around the
Progressive movement and are often in contrast with the actual
Democratic party
- Paul and Alicia’s proposed Constitution: “ Project Red and Black
Tiger”
- We want the E-board to have no power
- We cannot accomplish the goal of active decisions making without
abolishing the E-board as it is now.
- The eboard would be made up of committees instead of Directors
- Organizing Committee: with Secretary, Treasurer and Organizing
Director
- Organizing Director become a moderator and are there for
guidance
- Committees: 4 Solid Committees would take place or Directors:
Media,
Towson Progressive, Events and Political Organizing
- Committees decide amongst themselves- no more eboard meeting
- Planning meeting: someone different from each week would give
update
of the committee’s actions
- The general membership would decide goals and strategy and plans
for
the semester
- We can create semi permanent committees if needed.
- Committees brainstorm and we will all agree as a group
- People choose a committee and people chose representative and
the
committee will divide the labor
- We will also abolish discussions about current issues and promote
more activist
- Planning meeting: different person each week
- It may add to the amount of things we can do
- Attempts to centralize accountability
Brian’s Proposed Constitution:
- centered around Progressive Democrats
- executive board of 4 members: President, Vice President,
Secretary,
Treasurer
- Committees the same but a general election will be held for the
Chairs of the committees, the power would be delegated to the entire
committee
- We will continue dicussing Brian’s proposal at the next meeting
We will continue to discuss options for the Constitution and the
structure of the organization on April 24. We urge everyone to come
discuss the future of the organization because all of us together will
determine the future of the group.
The meeting adjourned at 6pm. The next time this group will meet is
Tuesday April 24, 2007.
Respectfully submitted,
Heather Kangas
Secretary
P.S. In the minutes, "Project Blue Tiger" simply
refers to our current
Constitution. "Red and Black Tiger" is a proposed Constitution which
is currently being discussed. If you have any other questions
regarding minutes please email me.
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