Internal Affairs Committee Meeting — Minutes (10/11/26)

Welcome

All Present

Resource OverviewConstitution JHU SGA Constitution (Amended September 18th 2026)By-LawsJHU SGA Bylaws (Amended September 18th 2026)Template Bills Template Bills

Closed Session ReviewsProcedural Rules, Bylaws are a little bit unclear on exactly how a closed session is handled, including who can stay, what technology is permitted, etc.What did we find?What do we think?Senate Discussion (Caucuses / Q&A)How do we make sure everything is heard and replied to efficiently and respectfully??Bylaws? Procedural Rules? Informal Process?Rules on recording (none explicitly AFAIK… should there be?)

Committee Chair

The Disciplinary Mark SystemCommittee Initiatives?Update/Modernize Attendance TrackerIt's honestly kind of primitive… there are better ways to do things in the year 2026Action ItemsCan we go through and audit the bill action itemsHow can we track these better?Initiative TrackerLowkey nobody is using this…Can we prescribe a process in the procedural rules?CSAC ProcedureWho, How? Where?Open Forum

All PresentAll Present

“Homework”Read through bylaws… skim! Anything you have a question on. Go in comment mode and leave the suggestion on the main bylaws document (doesn’t have to be specific wording)... then we will come back to it as a committee.Closing

All Present

Welcome - 3:30Shreemann; Newsletter published an article investigating SGA advisor role; they didn't know we had procedural rules, particularly about CCing advisor, I sent them

All Present

Resource OverviewConstitution: JHU SGA Constitution (Amended September 18th 2026)By-Laws: JHU SGA Bylaws (Amended September 18th 2026)ProceduralRules: S.B.26-27.21.04-1 Rules BillTemplate Bills Template BillsVoteTracker: 114th SGA: Bill Voting Records

Closed Session ReviewsProcedural Rules, Bylaws are a little bit unclear on exactly how a closed session is handled, including who can stay, what technology is permitted, etc.What did we find?What do we think?Shreemann: We can pass a bill to amend Procedural Rules.Shreemann: Closed session is underdiscussed in the Bylaws/rules bill, is used forCole: Didn't see anything about technologyShreemann: Informal rule; makes sense not to have phones out, point is not to record, there are many possible ways around this, doesn't seem to make any sense; do we think closed session needs closed laptops?Boyi: helps people pay attentionShreemann: True, also note that only Secretary, Assistant Secretary, etc., can use smartphones, but says nothing about laptops; thinking weCole: I always have my laptop open for the agenda, then open Bylaws, etc.; would rather not be unrequiredShreemann: <looking at rules bill> It looks like I am the author of this bill bust mostly previous IA chair, I sort of just listenedShreemann: let's take until 3:42 to readCole: Once rules bill is passed can it go in guiding documents in folder?Boyi: slightly confused by bylaws vs. rules billShremmann: minor things are for the rules bill,Royce: <joins meeting>Paul: Do we want to empower the POTS to determine technology use?Shreemann: Yeah anything you want to add, feel free to leave a commentShremmann:Demarri: I believe advisor should leave during closed sessionCole: I was thinking about this as well, we could options through the Bylaws, closing to different groups (Programming, Advisor, Exec)Shreemann: I think we have the option to remove Advisor; Charles was helpful last timeCole: Not sure if this has been done informally, but perhaps there are special guests sometimesDemarri: My concern isShreemann: Not sure why we'd go into closed with a guest from public; I think there is a way to do it without closed session, it may not need to be codifiedCole: Do we want an option where Committees can close their meetings to Committee only?Shreemann: I disagree, I think all Senators should be able to attendSumi: So are going to talk about technology permissions during the closed session?Shreemann: I think it makes sense for Presiding Officer to have choice regardingBoyi: I think it makes sense to have laptops for informationSenate Discussion (Caucuses / Q&A)How do we make sure everything is heard and replied to efficiently and respectfully??Bylaws? Procedural Rules? Informal Process?Rules on recording (none explicitly AFAIK… should there be?)Shreemann: I think we noticed Q&A was a yapfest; how to stop this, especially for Presiding Officer, intimidating to moderate administrator;Demarri: The general issue is Admin can keep talking unnecessarily long, words get jumbled, not really answering the question. Because you’ve given such a long response it looks like you’ve given a good answer even though you haven't, so questioner doesn’t want to press. Thinks that 1. Some kind of Moderated Caucus time limit and 2. Recording what’s said are potential ideas.Shreemann: If you have 6 questions in a 5 minute Moderated Caucus, something might automatically kick in?Demarri: “I was thinking of a system where after the total time allotted for a debate divided by the total speakers in the debate (who have spoken and/or are scheduled to speak) is less than 1 minute, we immediately enter timed debate, when the Secretary announces commencement of voice recording, and the Parliamentarian displays a one-minute timer to strictly limit the speaking time of each interlocutor. The debate will still end when the duration determined by the binding motion expires, no motion to end the debate can be made while scheduled interlocutors remain, and debates held which continue with the existing scheduled interlocutors will also be strict debates with the same parameters.The challenge is making it intuitive, clear, non-despotic seeming (ensuring that Senators cannot stop debate which already has an end time), and helpful; voice recording is what ensures responses will be scrutinized, so speakers know their best interest is to answer the question; they cannot "beat around the bush."Shreemann: Does sound like a motion to Q&ADemarri: The problem with Q&A is that we don’t always choose it in favor of the flexibility of the moderated caucusShreemann: We don’t make use of the moderating officer cutting off the speaker during a moderated caucus. We don’t want to overlegislate it and make life difficult for future SGAs, thoughBoyi: Can we have a general response limit on Caucuses? Like maybe twice the amount of time to answer than toPaul: I think they have a separate allocationShreemann: Lowkey doesn't matter what Robert Rules says we can override according to BylawsPaul: people when they ask for moderate caucus or q&a more parametersShreeemann: I feel like it's a single-line modification to the Bylaws/RulesPaul: Jazz has access to board as wellBoyi: I think we should have timer up for everything on the board, for any devate in generalCole: I think for the Q&A this is good, we could also ask presiding officer to speed things upShreemann: I like having another line saying, during discussion, presiding officer will have a timer visible to members of the meetingCole: So then in the moderated caucus, it will be MAY specify a response time,Paul: Sometimes for speaker count as wellBoyi: If the speaker list gets too long, I think the Presiding OfficerCole: What about continuous extension; how does that interplay with time ratio systemPaul: So long as Jazz accepts itShreemann: I think that in having it displayed, could add this to procedural rules and suggest to future, putting in the agenda, this administrator is coming, etc.,Demarri: thought we did asking of questions beforeCole: Are we not able to send questions before?Shreemann: We were supposed toSumi: for last meeting it was not for oie\Shreemann: Would be more effective use of time if visitors knew time; we could also say "that's not an answer" and grillPaul: Srigorui did this last termShreemann: We could have, if we know admin is coming, 3 days before, solicit questions… can figure out exact times, but putting something in procedural rules is very reasonable; let's put this in notes; slightly more urgency here, as more admin come in

Committee Chair

The Disciplinary Mark SystemShreemann: May have seen this in the rules, have heard much distracting chatter of unrelated content during GBMs <reading>Shreemann: there may be hella impeachment trials; though we have seen there are many people willing to take seats, so we don't have to beCole: who keeps trackShreemann: Secretary is supposed to but we haven't used it; idea is if someone is overly disruptive, anyone can bring a request of displinary mark to Secretary, and this will be taken up by Internal AffairsShreemann: Requires us to set an exampleCole: What does that look like, in reportingShreemann: Speak to SecretarySumi: Do you want VP to do itBoyi: Which would make sense since she is Co-Chair of IAShreemann: It's strictly the SecretaryPaul: Yeah the job is for the Secretary to do itCole: Could it be non-integersShreemann: I suppose it could be, should probably updateRoyce: Expanding range could be helpfulShreemann: Numerically same, though I like 3 strikes and you're out; also coheres with 0.5 absencesCommittee Initiatives?Update/Modernize Attendance Tracker - Boyi, Royce*, DemarriIt's honestly kind of primitive… there are better ways to do things in the year 2026Action Items - Cole (+ everyone help)Can we go through and audit the bill action itemsHow can we track these better?Initiative Tracker - ShreemannLowkey nobody is using this…We need to define what even an “initiative” is…Can we prescribe a process in the procedural rules?CSAC Procedure – PaulWho, How? Where?Shreemann: Cole you asked for a silver bullet for this problem, though techyBoyi: Can help with thisDemarri: I'll be assistShreemann: this one is kind of intensive; going back through the bills passed and the action itemsCole: I canShreemann: Okay and everyone assistShreemann: In terms of initiative tracker, does anyone use it?Demarri &Paul: Sean doesCole: there are a million tags, should clarify if it's used for legislationSumi: or do we want a new systemShremmann: If not mentioned in guiding documents, technically doesn't matter; could also add that for any official initiative business, must be in the documentCole: Important; what is an initiative, like what counts as this; personally don't knowBoyi: If we force everyone to put things on it, should we also send it outShreemann: next is CSAC procedures (cross student advisory council) basically representative group composed of representatives from each; veda is currently this person; choppy/convoluted; not mentioned in guiding documentsDemarri: is for the presidentShreemann: Unperscribed, simple example, currently requires people knowing about it, very inaccessibleSumi: Charles also mentioned a Legislative Member would be preferable to an Executive MemberShreemann: was told someone who is Chair, or POTS, etc., we can have that there is a priority, but also give it up to the Presiding officer; anyway, need a bill for this, anyone up for it?Paul: I can with a skeletonShreemann: Ok we can give it to PaulOpen ForumCole: would like to clarify action items with people; if they fail, is that then the disciplinary mark?Shreemann: yes they are technically in effect already, but let's not vote until we make everyone awareCole: Just want to make sure all work is divvied up; i'm bylaws for closed session; who's writing about moderated caucuses?Shreemann: Jazz and IPaul: Thought we were going to ponder until next meetingShreemann: Procedurally what we will change, I will talk to jazz, otherwise will wait to formalizePual: for me, just delegating/assigning a process someone to CSAC

All PresentAll Present

“Homework”Read through bylaws… skim! Anything you have a question on. Go in comment mode and leave the suggestion on the main bylaws document (doesn’t have to be specific wording)... then we will come back to it as a committee.Shreemann go w/ Jazz to figure out how to make things more efficientClosingboyi: demarri can you move theboyi&paul: motion to adjournSecond: Demarri, ColeAye: tout le monde

All Present