The Meeting
The ASUO Senate confirmed three appointments to its body Wednesday night: Senate Seats 3 and 10, as well as the seat for a freshman senator created by a ballot initiative in the 2010 elections. Senators also approved two special requests.
The Decisions
With a unanimous vote, Senate approved the Korean Student Association’s request to send $336 from KSA’s “International Club Night” line item to its “New Years” line item. Other than from Sen. Evan Thomas, there was no discussion on the transfer.
Service Learning Program made a request for $14,607 from surplus to fund a portion of the group’s upcoming Alternative Spring Break trips.
“Alternative Breaks are substance-free, community service learning trips that take place during the University’s traditional break periods,” read the Service Learning Program’s description of the program attached to the surplus request form.
Most senators were in agreement that the trips were positive for University students. Sen. Grace Hochstatter prefaced the discussion period by telling the student presenters this, before senators got into the work of parsing out the large request.
“Sounds like this opportunity is life-changing, it also gives the University of Oregon an opportunity in an international setting,” Hochstatter said, before informing the presenters that senators may have trouble with the size of the request.
SLP said the request was 18 percent of what the group would need for the trip, because it already fundraised 82 percent of what the group needed.
“When they’re asking just a little over $14,000, that’s the gap we need to fill for them so they can go,” Sen. Brian Powell said.
This request was approved with 13 votes in favor and two senators abstaining from voting.
The New Members
Kerry Snodgrass, former member of the Associated Students Presidential Advisory Committee, was appointed to Senate Seat 3, which also holds a seat on Programs Finance Committee. Snodgrass ran with Carina Miller and Nick Gower two years ago on the Students First slate.
She was confirmed with 14 votes in favor and one abstention.
Lamar Wise, a member of the freshman internship class, was appointed to Senate Seat 10, holding a seat on Departmental Finance Committee. He was confirmed with 14 votes in favor and two abstentions.
Freshman Christian Erichsen was appointed to the freshman Senate representative spot by the Senate personnel committee. Erichsen is an out-of-state student from Virginia.
“I have my own experiences with being a freshman here. I’d like to touch base with the freshmen here; they don’t know how politics involve them,” Erichsen said.
He was confirmed with 16 votes in favor and one abstention.
Next week
There was just one member of the freshman intern class, Wise, who applied to the freshman seat, although the wording indicated the freshman senator had to be an intern. Senators will consult Constitution Court to make sure they are moving appropriately.
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