Quinn is In
By Ash Schiller and Brooke Nelson
Published: Wednesday, April 6, 2005 in The Utah Statesman
A winning margin of 221 votes for Quinn Millet is giving Utah State University students all of next year to see if “Quinnknows” what they really want.
Announced Tuesday [April 5] at 5 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom, the newly elected officers of the Associated Students of USU Executive Council took their place on stage.
“I think we have a great opportunity next year as far as the restructure of ASUSU goes. The positions are more well-defined and we’ll be able to put legislature through faster. It will be a challenge with new people and a new system to implement, but it is exciting,” Millet said following his first meeting with the former Executive Council.
Taking about 15 seconds to speak following the announcement, Millet thanked all of those who helped him win. While academics should always come first, he said, there were a lot of people who put academics aside for a week to help him in his campaign.
In response to Millet’s election, Mikkal Butterfield, a sophomore majoring in business who helped Millet campaign said, “He’s very charismatic. He’s not just someone that will say they’ll do it — he does it.”
In regards to financial issues for next year, Millet said the university has money set aside for a “rainy day.”
With rising tuition Millet said, “This is the rainy day,” adding the money will need to be spent wisely in order to meet student needs.
”We need to live within our means,” he said.
Although Millet’s running mate Lee Wilson will not be part of the ASUSUEC next year, he will still work to ease the financial burden of the university. Wilson said he has already talked to the internship office about creating five to 10 interns to lobby the state Legislature.
“Lobbying is the only way to get money and nothing will change without money,” he said. “It all comes down to lobbying.”
The effects of lobbying can be seen at the University of Utah, Wilson said, which employs 70 lobbyists and receives about three times more money from the Legislature than USU.
Programming
Laurel Evans, programming vice president-elect, said her biggest hope for next year is that students will have fun.
Announced Tuesday [April 5] at 5 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom, the newly elected officers of the Associated Students of USU Executive Council took their place on stage.
“I think we have a great opportunity next year as far as the restructure of ASUSU goes. The positions are more well-defined and we’ll be able to put legislature through faster. It will be a challenge with new people and a new system to implement, but it is exciting,” Millet said following his first meeting with the former Executive Council.
Taking about 15 seconds to speak following the announcement, Millet thanked all of those who helped him win. While academics should always come first, he said, there were a lot of people who put academics aside for a week to help him in his campaign.
In response to Millet’s election, Mikkal Butterfield, a sophomore majoring in business who helped Millet campaign said, “He’s very charismatic. He’s not just someone that will say they’ll do it — he does it.”
In regards to financial issues for next year, Millet said the university has money set aside for a “rainy day.”
With rising tuition Millet said, “This is the rainy day,” adding the money will need to be spent wisely in order to meet student needs.
”We need to live within our means,” he said.
Although Millet’s running mate Lee Wilson will not be part of the ASUSUEC next year, he will still work to ease the financial burden of the university. Wilson said he has already talked to the internship office about creating five to 10 interns to lobby the state Legislature.
“Lobbying is the only way to get money and nothing will change without money,” he said. “It all comes down to lobbying.”
The effects of lobbying can be seen at the University of Utah, Wilson said, which employs 70 lobbyists and receives about three times more money from the Legislature than USU.
Programming
Laurel Evans, programming vice president-elect, said her biggest hope for next year is that students will have fun.
“We need it,” she said concerning all of the activities ASUSU hosts. “There is more to learning than sitting in a classroom. There is no reason students should sit around and think there is nothing to do in Logan when they’re paying student fees.”
“We can at least give them options,” she said.
Evans said she plans to place a lot of emphasis on activities during Homecoming Week next year, saying new Homecoming traditions like the bonfire were a big success. Evans also said she plans to focus more on USU traditions that are already on place rather than starting new ones.
“I want to get attendance up on the activities we already have,” she said.
Diversity and Organizations
Newly elected Campus Diversity and Organizations Vice President Josh Wood said it is important to encourage diversity at USU because “although the main focus as students is academic advancement, I feel that college life is about people.
“If after four years you have not involved yourself with people you have not achieved the purpose of the university.”
Wood defined diversity as uniqueness.
“I really feel that all too often diversity is limited to race and religion. But the true sense of the word is uniqueness,” he said. “All organizations and clubs are unique or diverse.”
Wood says he feels the combination of the diversity office with that of clubs and organizations is “a perfect fit.”
Academic Senate
“We can at least give them options,” she said.
Evans said she plans to place a lot of emphasis on activities during Homecoming Week next year, saying new Homecoming traditions like the bonfire were a big success. Evans also said she plans to focus more on USU traditions that are already on place rather than starting new ones.
“I want to get attendance up on the activities we already have,” she said.
Diversity and Organizations
Newly elected Campus Diversity and Organizations Vice President Josh Wood said it is important to encourage diversity at USU because “although the main focus as students is academic advancement, I feel that college life is about people.
“If after four years you have not involved yourself with people you have not achieved the purpose of the university.”
Wood defined diversity as uniqueness.
“I really feel that all too often diversity is limited to race and religion. But the true sense of the word is uniqueness,” he said. “All organizations and clubs are unique or diverse.”
Wood says he feels the combination of the diversity office with that of clubs and organizations is “a perfect fit.”
Academic Senate
College senators will not be a part of the ASUSUEC next year, combining to form a separate Academic Senate instead. Spencer Watts was elected as Academic Senate president and will be the group’s representative of ASUSUEC.
Setting up an academic opportunity fund through his office is one Watt’s favorite goals to carry over from this year, he said. The fund will provide money to undergraduates involved with research.
Tim Peterson, College of Science senator-elect, said removing senators from the Executive Council has its benefits, including hastening the legislation process because “six different voices will be combined into one.”
“It will hopefully increase senator involvement in internal college affairs,” he said.
The move will also allow for more action to be taken at the college level, said Andrew Shaw, newly elected College of Natural Resources senator, because legislation can now be passed in the Academic Senate rather than having to receive “permission from the entire Executive Council.”
Student Advocate
Student Advocate Vice President-Elect Justin Atkinson said his role is not to bring issues into the office with him, but to listen to students’ concerns and “relay the message.”
Atkinson said he expects to deal with the same issues that are always of concern to students such as tuition and parking.
Athletics
Athletics Vice President Rosie Strong will serve next year as the athletics vice president and admits the possibility of a new game day t-shirt is a “big issue.” Strong said if new shirts are created, the design will be selected through a contest and a committee of both students and faculty.
Strong said regardless of the decision, she and the last two athletic vice presidents “will stand united.”
The current athletics committee has done an “awesome job,” she said, but has “had a hard time delegating.” Strong will appoint three new chairs: club sports, recreations sports and programming.
Service Vice President
Service Vice President-Elect Belinda Lopez said she hopes to get the Val R. Christensen Service Center more publicity and hopes to get students excited about the Service Center.
“The Service Center has already gone far,” she said. “We’ll make it go farther.”
Lopez said she thinks the “little things,” including a llama, giving students rides to school and being on campus early, helped her win the campaign.
-ashschiller@cc.usu.edu
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu
The move will also allow for more action to be taken at the college level, said Andrew Shaw, newly elected College of Natural Resources senator, because legislation can now be passed in the Academic Senate rather than having to receive “permission from the entire Executive Council.”
Student Advocate
Student Advocate Vice President-Elect Justin Atkinson said his role is not to bring issues into the office with him, but to listen to students’ concerns and “relay the message.”
Atkinson said he expects to deal with the same issues that are always of concern to students such as tuition and parking.
Athletics
Athletics Vice President Rosie Strong will serve next year as the athletics vice president and admits the possibility of a new game day t-shirt is a “big issue.” Strong said if new shirts are created, the design will be selected through a contest and a committee of both students and faculty.
Strong said regardless of the decision, she and the last two athletic vice presidents “will stand united.”
The current athletics committee has done an “awesome job,” she said, but has “had a hard time delegating.” Strong will appoint three new chairs: club sports, recreations sports and programming.
Service Vice President
Service Vice President-Elect Belinda Lopez said she hopes to get the Val R. Christensen Service Center more publicity and hopes to get students excited about the Service Center.
“The Service Center has already gone far,” she said. “We’ll make it go farther.”
Lopez said she thinks the “little things,” including a llama, giving students rides to school and being on campus early, helped her win the campaign.
-ashschiller@cc.usu.edu
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu
Media Credit: Photo by John Zsiray. Newly Elected Student Body President Quinn Millet thanks students who helped him with his campaign following the announcement of his win.
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