The Forensics Debate and Speech Team, which is as old as the University itself, is trying to switch its ASUO classification from “program” to “department.” The decision was postponed at last week’s Senate meeting.
Sen. Hailey Sheldon, who represented the team’s request at last week’s Senate meeting, said the current structure of the body fits more into the mold of a department than a program.
“We are attempting to reclassify ourselves, to have the same budget and move it from the ASUO office to the forensics office,” she said. “The forensics program as it is now is not a typical student-run program, we are administrated through a hierarchy.”
The difference between the two classifications is determined by whether the entity is student-run. Programs are student-run and departments are structured, which then determines how their funds are allocated. Programs receive money through the ASUO Controller’s Office, and departments receive a lump sum at the start of each term, which is then allocated by the program’s director.
Sheldon said the change ultimately eliminates the tedious task of going through the Controller’s Office for travel funds. She said either she herself or the two graduate teaching fellows who help run the team retrieve the funds because of their classification as students.
The forensics team is an academic affairs program, which, unlike other programs, offers classes and is partially controlled by the Robert D. Clark Honors College. David Frank, the program’s director, is a rhetoric professor and the dean of the Honors College. GTFs who help run the forensics team also teach speech and debate.
Frank says the change is coming now because the Department Finance Committee has only been in existence for the past two years.
“This is not a response to a problem; we have a national championship team, and this is the best way to maintain that caliber,” Frank said. He added that the change will put the forensics team in the same league of classification as the Oregon Marching Band and the Mills International Center, which each have an academic focus as well as an extracurricular focus.
The reason for the postponement at last week’s Senate meeting, Sheldon said, was
a miscommunication.
“The Senate wanted to look at the request more in depth outside of the Senate meeting,” she said. “And that was their reason for tabling it, to gather information.”
DFC Sen. Jeremy Blanchard was among the senators who were unclear about the request and so met with Sheldon outside of the Senate meeting.
“I wasn’t clear on the structure before and after the change,” Blanchard said. “I was under the impression that it was under student control and essentially it is structured just like a department. I think it basically needs to happen because it’s not run like other programs.”
ASUO President Emma Kallaway’s concern was also a factor in the postponing of the vote.
“I had two main concerns. One, that there was limited information on the change in the Controller’s Office who do the accounting,” she said. “I wanted to make sure that there was a process (the forensics team) is held accountable to.”
Her second concern was that she wanted Senate to make a “real” decision.
“Sometimes senators will abstain, and I wanted Senate to pass (the request) with a two-thirds vote,” Kallaway said. “Changing from a program to a department is a big change, and I wanted them to understand the gravity of the situation.”
Kallaway, after meeting with Sheldon, is unsure about her support of the request.
“Talking with (Sheldon) alleviated some of my concerns, but I haven’t talked to my finance coordinator and would like to do that before I make my final decision,” she said.
Another concern presented by some senators was the lack of representation by forensics leadership.
“I think that it would be really great if David Frank were here,” or at least some of the mentioned GTFs who run the team, Senate Vice President Nick Schultz said.
Sheldon said the two forensics GTFs will be present at the meeting.
Sheldon has submitted the budget for the forensics team as both a department and a program, so that in case the classification change is not approved by Senate, the team will still be able to have a budget as a program.
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