The ASUO Senate left a trail of expenditures in its wake as its last regularly scheduled meeting of fall term came to a dramatic and abrupt finish.
The Senate approved almost $22,000 worth of spending from their surplus funds in this week’s meeting, funding events for the Survival Center, the Clark Honors College Student Association, the Arab Student Union and Dance Oregon.
With their surplus account hovering right around $100,000, the large expenditures accounted for more than a fifth of the remaining balance; however, a fresh infusion of cash is expected early next term with the final approval of the $100,000 Program Contingency Fund allocated from the Over-Realized Fund earlier this term.
Senators discussed using the contingency funds to pay for some of these requests, though not all were clear on what the contingency funds could and could not be used for.
“We might want to table this until that all gets worked out,” Sen. Jeremy Hedlund said of the CHCSA’s request after it was suggested that contingency funds be used to fill it.
Eventually, ASUO President Ben Eckstein was contacted to clarify what the contingency fund could be used for. Eckstein said that the same restrictions that applied to surplus applied to the contingency fund as well.
But some were still concerned about the size of the expenditures.
“We do ultimately have a budget we have to work with,” Sen. Ben Rudin said.
The groups asking for the funds said they understood that, and had tried to minimize their requests.
“He asked us for $5,000 for his performance, and we got him down to $3,000,” an Arab Student Association presenter said of his group’s request to fund a performance by Fadi Hanani for their Winter Hafli event.@@http://international.uoregon.edu/index.php/students/events/details/37-winter-hafli@@
“I guess what I’m saying is: You’re wanting to cut back, but we’ve cut back as much as possible,” a Dance Oregon presenter said of the group’s $11,231 request to help send 35 students to a dance conference.
All four requests were passed, though Dance Oregon’s request came down to a close vote, being passed 9-7.
The Senate then turned its attention to a proposed resolution in support of recently fired University President Richard Lariviere.
“I think this is really important that we recognize there were some discrepancies in the process,” Sen. Laura Hinman said.
Hinman had previously testified to the State Board of Higher Education that she was concerned over the timing of the board’s decision to move against Lariviere, which started just before Thanksgiving and continued through Dead Week.
Some on the Senate were more in favor of a resolution that spoke to the process by which the board’s decision was made, as opposed to an expression of support for Lariviere, who will leave the presidency Dec. 28.
“I just feel like it’s beating a dead horse,” Sen. Ben Bowman said. “I don’t think that’s the right direction. I don’t think that’s the best direction.”
Others simply did not support Lariviere.
“I disagreed with many of President Lariviere’s ideas,” Hedlund said. “I am concerned about the process. That being said, I do not feel comfortable supporting President Lariviere.”
After strident debate, the Senate approved the formation of a working group for a resolution focusing specifically on Lariviere by a vote of 8-1 with seven abstentions.
Following the approval of the resolution, a number of Senators left the meeting, citing exams the next day or studying that needed to be done. Despite only needing 12 members present to make quorum following the resignations of Sens. Christian Erichsen and Matthew Tyner, the Senate was unable to continue, leaving a resolution regarding concealed handguns on campus, a vote to finalize stipend increases for senators and finance committee members and a vote to confirm Michael King to the EMU Board all unaddressed.
Senate President Lamar Wise said that the Senate would attempt to meet next week to address these matters.