Though a large amount of the senators were returning members from the last year’s ASUO Senate, Wednesday’s meeting was notable for the changes in the Senate body. While senators also heard from special requests and a report from the University Diversity Plan, a major focus of the meeting was dedicated to establishing respectful discourse norms for the Senate to adopt this coming year.
Argentine Tango Club, African Student Association, Child Care Subsidy, Chinese Students and Scholars Association, Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council were all approved to transfer funds to support expenses or one-time events. IFC and PHC each asked to transfer $2,500 from their outreach line item to fund OrgSync for a deficiency that was found.
OrgSync is a recently signed contract that will give the University a system to better organize its clubs and programs. They needed the extra $5,000 because they were not able to get a discount for making it in time for the discount period, former ASUO Programs Administrator Sinjin Carey said. Carey worked on getting the contract with former Programs Liaison Eryn Block.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Sinjin+Carey@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Eryn+Block@@
The Net Impact program’s request was unanimously approved, receiving $213 for a recycling event for off-campus students living in the South University and West University neighborhoods. The original request was for $1,213, but the group found $1,000 of support from a couple groups, including Campus Recycling, which Sen. Ben Bowman said he appreciated.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Ben+Bowman@@
“Thank you for finding that extra $1,000,” Bowman said. “I definitely support the request.”
Former ASUO Vice President Maneesh Arora and former Accessibility Advocate Kylie Kubitz presented a report from the University Diversity Plan. The report detailed the diversity challenges faced this year in the ASUO and the University and what needs to be done in the short- and long-term.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Maneesh+Arora@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kylie+Kubitz@@
Arora, now a member of the Associated Students Presidential Advisory Committee, said a long-term goal of the report was to “to move away from a monocultural organization, and create a culture where all communities feel welcome in the ASUO.”
Sen. Kaitlyn Lange offered some suggestions to increase effectiveness of the mandatory@@-for-all-ASUO-members@@ Cultural Responsiveness training, while Sen. Lindy Mabuya wanted to make sure a conflict resolution service was active for ASUO issues.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kaitlyn+Lange@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lindy+Mabuya@@
“If you have a resource specifically for student groups, make sure they’re especially active,” Mabuya said.
Following the presentation, Mabuya was appointed and accepted to be the Senate’s representative on the Diversity Plan Committee.
Six senators accepted nominations to serve this summer: Katherine DuPont, Emma Newman, Molly Bacon, Harlan Mechling, Brianna Woodside-Gomez and Lange. Mechling, DuPont and Newman all accepted nominations to run to be Summer Senate President. Lange and DuPont accepted nominations to run for Summer Senate vice president.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=du+pont@@ @@http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=825727269@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=du+pont@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Emma+Newman@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Molly+Bacon@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Harlan+Mechling@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Woodside-Gomez@@
At the start of the meeting, after all the senators had initial introductions, Lange wanted to hold a discussion topic, where each senator could give more in depth introductions and the Senate could discuss expectations for mutual respect.
“I am a very strong personality, and I will continue to be that way,” Lange said. “I don’t dislike any of you; I am looking forward to work with all of you … let me know if you want me to tone it down for any of you.”
Many of the senators brought up something of note that they wanted to work on and get better at. Mabuya, who attended several meetings this term, noticed some disrespect between senators and toward groups, and she cautioned senators to be wary of that.
“I felt like we’ve been really disrespectful to presenters and senators … people are watching us,” Mabuya said. “That’s the image they form of the ASUO.”
Two senators resigned this week: Kerry Snodgrass on Monday night, because Snodgrass will become ASUO President Ben Eckstein’s chief of staff, while Alex Coleman resigned on Tuesday for unknown reasons. @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kerry+Snodgrass@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=eckstein@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Alex+Coleman@@
There will be a meeting next week to vote on the summer Senate president and vice president, though a date for that meeting was not specified at the meeting.