This year has been a turbulent one for the ASUO and for the University as a whole.
As campus leaders, we deeply value the work that the ASUO Executive has done for students this year.
They took actions to fight for a stronger student voice on campus by securing the right for students to vote on the EMU/Student Recreation Center renovation projects,@@http://renovation.uoregon.edu/@@ supporting the UO Truth Coalition@@http://uotruth.tumblr.com/@@ and ensuring the highest level of student representation on our University presidential search in state history.
The Executive also successfully expanded our resources on campus by regaining policy advice from the Office of Student Advocacy@@http://pages.uoregon.edu/asuoosa/@@, bringing Zipcar and Zimride to campus@@zipcar.com zimride.com@@, expanding the Inside-Out Program to all students and achieving the best deal for students on football tickets in more than a decade.
Furthermore, they advocated for our interests at every level of government, from defeating the proposed Social Host Ordinance (also known as the “Party Ban”) in the Eugene City Council, to lobbying on a statewide level to protect funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant and prevent further funding cuts to the University, and lobbying the U.S. Congress to increase consumer protections for student loans.@@I recognize all these words.@@
Their work around the EMU/SRC renovation project guaranteed students a say in all building projects on campus from here on out and resulted in a written guarantee to protect the jeopardized student group space in our EMU. Students have now voted twice in support of the Executive’s call for a more affordable EMU project.
The Executive also worked to make our campus safer. President Ben Eckstein prompted discussion on policies to reinstate the campus ban on concealed weapons and Vice President Katie Taylor has fought tirelessly this year on two committees to ensure student procedural rights on campus and a transparent and weapon-free conversion of the Department of Public Safety into a sworn police force.@@checked@@
This past week, the ASUO Executive wrapped up a historically successful voter-registration campaign that registered 2,661 students on campus to vote in Oregon’s primary elections.@@this happened.@@
The work that the ASUO Executive has done this year has proven the critical role of the ASUO in standing up for the student voice on campus while mobilizing and organizing students to address their needs and interests on a statewide and national level. One who looks at the history of student governments and the student movement will see that this unwavering commitment to advocacy work at all levels is the most essential and beneficial function that a student government can fulfill, and Ben Eckstein, Katie Taylor and their team have been exemplary leaders in this mission.
Sam Chapman
Chapter President, Students for Sensible Drug Policy@@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/sam*chapman@@
Rina Sundahl
Multi-Ethnic Student Alliance@@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/sundahl@@
Elise Downing
EMU Steering Chair
Climate Justice League Co-Director@@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/elise*downing@@
Michael King
Co-Director, Multicultural Center@@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Michael%20King/88133@@
Erica Alexia Ledesma
Co-Director, Multicultural Center@@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Erica*Ledesma@@
Jeremy Hedlund
ASUO Senator, EMU Board@@This is spelled correctly.@@
Letter: Campus leaders appreciate ASUO Executive’s work this year
Daily Emerald
May 1, 2012
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