ASUO President Maddy Melton, Vice President Eddy Morales and spokeswoman Taraneh Foster were unavailable during their scheduled office hours nearly 75 percent of the time, according to a seven-day analysis conducted by the Emerald.
In the survey, Emerald reporters made phone calls or went to the ASUO office to check once per day for a period of five days whether the individual was available. If officials were not in the office or were unavailable, they were considered “out.”
Inquiries were made at random times during each of the listed office hours, which are set by each individual. The analysis was conduced during business days between Nov. 11 and Nov. 19.
As elected officials, Melton and Morales are accountable to their student constituents, Foster said. Accordingly, they try to make themselves readily available, but because their schedules are “packed” with meetings, they occasionally fail to be accessible.
Of the three, Melton was available most often. She was in her office during three out of five phone calls. Morales was unavailable during four of five phone calls to the ASUO office. Foster, who was appointed by Melton and Morales, was not available during each of five consecutive business days.
“You’ll see that a lot of people aren’t able to meet their office hours,” Foster said, adding that in certain situations the hours “bend a little bit.”

Office hours for Foster were revised and made official on Nov. 10, one day before the survey began.
Foster said Melton holds the ASUO Executive staff responsible to be in the office between 10 and 15 hours per week and getting paid depends on meeting those expectations.
“We’re held accountable to (the hours),” Foster said, adding that only Melton and Morales are accountable to their constituents. “We expect people to stick to their office hours. But, at the same time, it’s recognized that we’re students. We’re students first and we’re student-leaders second.”
Foster said when classes or school responsibilities conflict with their office hours, it’s understood the hours are “going to get tromped,” adding that Melton and Morales would rather have officials miss office hours than fail classes.
“You can’t be failing classes just because you’re on the ASUO Executive,” Foster said.
Foster said office hours were established to make officers available to constituents and other staff members, but she said meetings — both with fellow staff and with constituents — often make them unavailable during those hours. Foster estimated she spends about 70 percent of her hours in meetings.
When that happens, other ASUO staff members pass on the student’s contact information and message, or they schedule a future appointment for them during office hours, she said.
“Any student that walks into the office is going to be served,” Foster said, adding that people tend to stick to their office hours more often than not.
On Oct. 23, the ASUO Executive installed a suggestion box outside the office to make them more accessible to students, Foster said.
“We understand that it’s not necessarily going to be an instant contact if you have a question,” Foster said. “Then, you’re not necessarily going to be able to come in and get the answer you need right at that moment. We also recognized that there might be times when you have questions and the office is closed.”
Foster said the suggestion box is not meant to put a wall between ASUO officials and their constituents.
“It’s not that we’re rejecting students from coming into the office at all,” she said. “It’s that we’re providing them another way of being able to provide feedback. No one that gives a suggestion will not be answered.”
Student groups on campus have mixed opinions on the availability of ASUO officials.
ASUO Women’s Center Director Lisa Foisy said Melton and Morales are “usually pretty busy,” but added that they’re always “trackdownable.”
Kit Douglas, campus organizer for the University chapter of the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, said she felt that officials have always been available to students.
“They’ve always been there for OSPIRG and student groups,” she said.
College Republicans Chairman Jarrett White said his group has a “hate-hate” relationship with the ASUO Executive, and added he’s “never once seen the president and vice president in (the ASUO office) — not once.”
Tyler Graf, a reporter with the Oregon Commentator, said that while the publication has had serious problems accessing the current ASUO administration, Melton and Morales are always in the office when he stops by.