ASUSU Proposes Structure Changes
By Brooke Nelson
Published: Wednesday, February 9, 2005, in the Utah Statesman
The first piece of legislation addressing the restructure of the Associated Students of Utah State University Executive Council came before ASUSUEC Tuesday [Feb. 8] night, and despite extending normal discussion time twice, the group will continue discussion about the restructure throughout the week.
The bill combines, removes and adds new offices and will be put to a vote next Tuesday [Feb. 15].
Renaming the new positions continues to be a concern for many council members, especially in the case of the new organizations vice president, who will be in charge of all campus clubs and traditions and replaces several other offices, including the campus diversity vice president.
The bill originally titled the position "diverse organizations vice president" but several committee members, including Activities Vice President Kathy Leslie, were concerned the name was not what had been decided on in previous meetings, "organizations vice president."
Current Campus Diversity Vice President Gabe Carter, also disagreed with the new name.
"Diversity should be more than just a tag word as far as its importance on this campus. This boils down to a name-game," he said. "Diversity, whether cultural or otherwise is accentuated through our clubs and organizations."
Carter said he supported keeping the name "campus diversity vice president" and said "I feel anything in between is patronizing."
"Organizations vice president shows secondary value for cultural diversity on our campus," he said.
Essig said the issue was a sensitive one and that two hours of discussion in previous meetings had been dedicated to it, and the group at those meetings had decided on "organizations vice president." Essig said he felt the change had been suggested by those who had not attended the meeting.
A motion to amend the bill to "organizations vice president" passed 13-4.
Graduate Studies Vice President, A.J. Rounds said he was concerned the possibility of the graduate studies senate phasing out of ASUSUEC was not addressed in the bill.
"It's what they want," Rounds said of graduate students and a proposed addition to the bill. "They're going to be looking at this bill very closely."
The bill combines, removes and adds new offices and will be put to a vote next Tuesday [Feb. 15].
Renaming the new positions continues to be a concern for many council members, especially in the case of the new organizations vice president, who will be in charge of all campus clubs and traditions and replaces several other offices, including the campus diversity vice president.
The bill originally titled the position "diverse organizations vice president" but several committee members, including Activities Vice President Kathy Leslie, were concerned the name was not what had been decided on in previous meetings, "organizations vice president."
Current Campus Diversity Vice President Gabe Carter, also disagreed with the new name.
"Diversity should be more than just a tag word as far as its importance on this campus. This boils down to a name-game," he said. "Diversity, whether cultural or otherwise is accentuated through our clubs and organizations."
Carter said he supported keeping the name "campus diversity vice president" and said "I feel anything in between is patronizing."
"Organizations vice president shows secondary value for cultural diversity on our campus," he said.
Essig said the issue was a sensitive one and that two hours of discussion in previous meetings had been dedicated to it, and the group at those meetings had decided on "organizations vice president." Essig said he felt the change had been suggested by those who had not attended the meeting.
A motion to amend the bill to "organizations vice president" passed 13-4.
Graduate Studies Vice President, A.J. Rounds said he was concerned the possibility of the graduate studies senate phasing out of ASUSUEC was not addressed in the bill.
"It's what they want," Rounds said of graduate students and a proposed addition to the bill. "They're going to be looking at this bill very closely."
Many universities have a council to represent graduate students, Essig said and is a definite possibility for USU down the road.
No amendment was added but a motion passed unanimously allowing a policy paper to be attached to the final version of the bill explaining the history of the bill, research that went into it and further recommendations to future ASUSECs.
Other pieces of legislation were brought to the council including a resolution to create "Half Light Days" on campus.
ECR 05-07 proposes that once a month teachers turn off half their lights during class. In the face of a $12 million fuel and power deficit the bill aims to save energy, help offset student tuition and make a point to members of the state Legislature, said sponsor Joe Barnum.
Essig said 33 percent of the tuition increase will be used to pay off the fuel and power deficit.
Concerns over faculty response and if the proposal would interfere with classes were raised, but Essig said the proposal would just be a recommendation and faculty would not feel pressured to compromise their teaching.
"If we're really trying to save the money why don't we do it every day than just once a month?" Agricultural Senator Chad Warnick asked. "Why don't we go towards a solution. Let's not order the Big Mac and diet coke and then hope to lose weight."
The resolution will be discussed next week, and if passed, sent as a recommendation to administration and faculty.
A bill sponsored by Executive Vice President Tagg Archibald would push back the inauguration date of ASUSUEC members. Currently ASUSUEC is inaugurated the second week of April and leads to "confusion and abandonment" of duties.
Archibald said the current inauguration date can harm students as some committees on campus wait to hold their meetings until this time of certainty.
Archibald said last year when the parking committee discussed leaving the bar on the parking terrace until midnight, there was no student voice or vote because the committee did not consider the new officers to be educate and old officers were not present.
No amendment was added but a motion passed unanimously allowing a policy paper to be attached to the final version of the bill explaining the history of the bill, research that went into it and further recommendations to future ASUSECs.
Other pieces of legislation were brought to the council including a resolution to create "Half Light Days" on campus.
ECR 05-07 proposes that once a month teachers turn off half their lights during class. In the face of a $12 million fuel and power deficit the bill aims to save energy, help offset student tuition and make a point to members of the state Legislature, said sponsor Joe Barnum.
Essig said 33 percent of the tuition increase will be used to pay off the fuel and power deficit.
Concerns over faculty response and if the proposal would interfere with classes were raised, but Essig said the proposal would just be a recommendation and faculty would not feel pressured to compromise their teaching.
"If we're really trying to save the money why don't we do it every day than just once a month?" Agricultural Senator Chad Warnick asked. "Why don't we go towards a solution. Let's not order the Big Mac and diet coke and then hope to lose weight."
The resolution will be discussed next week, and if passed, sent as a recommendation to administration and faculty.
A bill sponsored by Executive Vice President Tagg Archibald would push back the inauguration date of ASUSUEC members. Currently ASUSUEC is inaugurated the second week of April and leads to "confusion and abandonment" of duties.
Archibald said the current inauguration date can harm students as some committees on campus wait to hold their meetings until this time of certainty.
Archibald said last year when the parking committee discussed leaving the bar on the parking terrace until midnight, there was no student voice or vote because the committee did not consider the new officers to be educate and old officers were not present.
A resolution supporting the closure of the graduation window in the Registrar's Office during the first and last weeks of the semester was also discussed.
"Anything we can do to alleviate the long lines during those peak times will be well worth our effort," said Heidi Evans, academic vice president.
Leslie said she was concerned the resolution was merely a formality as the proposal to the administration would be made to administration by the Registrar's Office regardless of whether ASUSUEC approved it.
"I wonder why is this is an ASUSU issue, because it sounds like the Registrar's Office has already made up its mind," Leslie said.
The resolution will be voted on next week.
--bnelson@cc.usu.edusal
"Anything we can do to alleviate the long lines during those peak times will be well worth our effort," said Heidi Evans, academic vice president.
Leslie said she was concerned the resolution was merely a formality as the proposal to the administration would be made to administration by the Registrar's Office regardless of whether ASUSUEC approved it.
"I wonder why is this is an ASUSU issue, because it sounds like the Registrar's Office has already made up its mind," Leslie said.
The resolution will be voted on next week.
--bnelson@cc.usu.edusal
Media Credit: Photo by John Zsiray. Natural Resource senator Jake Bonham asks questions during the ASUSU meeting Tuesday night.
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