This week’s ASUO Senate meeting included only three special requests and appointments for two positions, and was concluded in one hour and 17 minutes.
Senate President Rebecca Rhodes was absent, so VP Miles Sisk led the meeting. Senator Andrew Lubash announced that the ASUO Senate has been invited to hear Governor Kitzhaber speak at the Law School on Thursday.
Elle Mallon, gender and sexuality diversity advocate for the ASUO, also came forward during the public forum to announce that the LGBTQA3’s Drag to the Future event is happening this Sunday in the EMU.
The first special request was made by the UO Financial Management Association, requesting $800 to send 20 students on a site visit to Seattle where they would have the opportunity to liaise with representatives from Microsoft and Amazon. Senate passed the request in a vote of acclimation.
Next up was the Jewish Student Union, who requested $10,000 to fund students from various groups around campus, all of who wish to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference in Washington D.C. The event brings pro-Israel Americans and leaders from around the world together to discuss and strategize about American policy pertaining to Israel and the Middle East. The students would also get the chance to lobby members of Congress about their agendas.
Several presenters of the request have been to the conference before, as well as a few members of Senate. Attendance at the conference is aimed at more people than just those who support or are invested in Israel.
“What’s really important about this conference is that it’s open to anyone,” said Taylor Allison, a member of Quack PAC and former Senator who was one of the presenters of the request.
Senate voted to fund the request with no “nays” and the only abstentions from Senators Lasken, Lubash and Klosno.
The last request was made by the Black Student Union, their third of the year. They asked for $4,854 to put on a Divine Nine Step Show event, which will review the history of Black Greek Letter Organizations and the Divine Nine, the combined organization of nine African-American fraternities and sororities. The UO BSU is taking over this event from Oregon State University, and it plans to add a line item for the event to its budget during this year’s budget negotiations. Senate passed the request with a unanimous vote.
After the conclusion of special requests, Senate turned to the appointment of two new senators to attend and represent the ASUO at University Senate. Lubash nominated Freshman Representative Hao Tan and William Iversen nominated himself. Because there were no further nominations, the two senators were appointed without the need for a vote.
During finance committee updates, ACFC Chair Lubash announced what he described as “high-drama hearings” with the athletics department and LTD regarding their contracts. Senator Megan Williams announcemed that DFC is finished with budget hearings, and PFC Chair Yelin Oh reported that the PFC had finished about 160 budgets, but has more in front of them.
The meeting adjourned at 8:17.
For more information on the ASUO, visit their website. ASUO Senate meetings are 7 p.m. on Wednesday nights in the EMU Walnut room.