It was a busy night of confirmation Wednesday as the ASUO Student Senate filled five vacant ASUO positions, including two on the senate.
Junior business major Marc-Daniel Domond and Andrew Elliott, a law student, are the two newest members of the senate, which has had three open spots since the end of fall term.
Domond, who has worked with the Black Student Union, said he does not know much about the senate but is willing to learn.
“What we’re really trying to advocate is experience in programs,” ASUO Vice President Holly Magner said, speaking in favor of Domond.
Elliott said he has the ability to work well with student groups.
“I’ve always known him to be a great leader and someone who is not afraid to speak his mind,” Student President Peter Watts said.
There is still one empty position on the senate.
In other confirmations, Arlie Adkins will fill the open spot on the Programs Finance Committee. Adkins worked in the ASUO office last year as both an executive projects coordinator and a state affairs coordinator.
Jeff Oliver, currently the ASUO housing advocate, joined the Athletic Department Finance Committee, and sophomore finance major Ben Buzbee was added to the EMU finance board.
But the most substantial debate arose out of a $900 transfer request from the Returning Students Association, a request that was finally tabled until next week.
RSA has co-director positions that receive stipends and two other positions that do not. One co-director does not want to be paid, so the RSA asked to use that money to pay for the non-stipend positions.
Last year, the senate made an agreement with the PFC that no new stipend positions would be added while they implement a new stipend model.
Some senators viewed the request as a special case, but others argued it would set precedent for other groups to ask for new stipend positions.
In other business, the senate granted Model United Nations $2,898 from surplus for a conference in Berkeley and approved a $300 transfer for the Women in Law Forum.