THE MEETING
The ASUO met Wednesday evening to hear Senate surplus requests, hear an ASUO executive update, discuss a resolution in support of the University wrestling team and to confirm an ASUO Executive appointee to the Athletics and Contracts Finance Committee.
THE DECISIONS
The Senate passed all the Senate surplus requests. Senator Kate Jones, who sits on the Athletic Department Finance Committee, requested $1,000 to pay for an administrative assistant, $219 to pay for a phone bill, and $30 in extra operating expenses, all for the ADFC. The requests were all passed.
The Survival Center made a request for $946 dollars to help send two University students to the North American Student Co-op convention, and the Senate passed the request.
The Senate also approved a $1,300 funding request from the Multicultural Center to pay for a student employee to help the MCC operate. The request was originally a part of the emergency over-realized requests passed by the Senate at the beginning of the school year, but was denied by Vice President of Student Affairs Robin Holmes, the General Counsel’s review appointee. Holmes suggested the MCC seek the funds from Senate surplus.
The resolution in support of the University wrestling team was moved onto the Senate Rules Committee, which will refine the bill before re-presenting it to the Senate.
Walid Wahed, a sixth-year exchange student and citizen of Germany, was appointed to the ACFC.
THE TENSION
The ASUO Executive brought a number of issues before the Senate, including proposed cuts to LTD service that would heavily affect students. The changes include cutting Route 79, which is a commonly-used student route to the Kinsrow Avenue area, where Ducks Village and Chase Apartments are located. Many other routes are being considered for deletion in favor of connecting routes. More than $800,000 in incidental fee money is used to pay for free student use of LTD services every year. Senators expressed a desire to lobby on behalf of the students.
The second major component of the ASUO Executive update informed the Senate of an increase in the assessments tax, which helps the University pay for much of its support staff. The Senate was informed of ASUO Executive desire to have the incidental fee exempted from the tax, a change that would need to be written into the Clark document, said Dotters-Katz. The Senate was surprised by the proposed changes and voiced support for removing the incidental fee from the tax.
A heated discussion regarding senator privacy also took place, centered around Senator Lidiana Soto’s letter to the editor, which was published in the Emerald on Oct. 8. The discussion culminated in a motion for the Senate Ethics and Efficiency committee to discuss senator privacy, as well as when senators should be expected to act as private citizens. Senator Sanford Weintraub brought up problems with factual errors in the resolution, which resulted in the ruling being passed onto the Senate rules committee for review.
NEXT WEEK
The Senate will meet next week at its regular time. The resolution in support of the University wrestling team will likely find its way back to the Senate with the rules committee changes, and the Senate will hear a number of surplus requests, including one from the Student Insurgent for funds for a new computer. The International Student Association is requesting funds for a food holding, but the request will put the ISA over the Senate limit of $500 a month in food holding requests. The issue will be discussed by the Senate.
OPINIONS
“I came out to represent my groups, and that was the intent of my letter. I’m open to criticism.” Senator Lidiana Soto
“As a student of the community, she has every right to have her own opinion. We should be provided some form of privacy.” Senator Nick Schultz
“This resolution is a commitment to the need for further administrative transparency, and as student senators we must find a way to support these true tenacious spirits and unwavering UO pride.” Senator Emma Kallaway on the wrestling resolution.
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