The ASUO Senate filled one of its last vacant seats Wednesday by confirming Andrew Lubash@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Andrew+Lubash@@ as the freshman senator by a unanimous vote. The Senate also began setting the foundations for the allocation of over-realized funds.
Lubash was a member of his high school’s Model UN team and interned this summer with the Democratic Party of Oregon.
“I have training in communicating my thoughts and advocating for a certain group of people,” Lubash said. “I bring a unique perspective and voice to the senate.”
Senators seemed to agree and voted unanimously to confirm him.
“You’ve shown a lot of dedication,” Sen. Molly Bacon@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Molly+Bacon@@ said. “I think you’re qualified.”
The freshman senator position was created last year to provide a voice for otherwise unrepresented students. Other than the freshman senator position, the only way for a first-year student to join the Senate is to be appointed to fill a vacant seat. Although eight resignations last year created plenty of such opportunities,only three have resigned from Senate so far this year, two right after the election.
“I’ve worked with Andrew in the past and have nothing but good things to say about him,” Sen. Ben Bowman@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Ben+Bowman@@ said.
Last year’s freshman senator, Sen. Christian Erichsen@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Christian+Erichsen@@, had some advice for his successor: “Don’t be afraid to think for yourself, but think for your constituency.”
Following the confirmation, ASUO President Ben Eckstein informed the senate of the status of over-realized funds.
Over-realized funds are the result of the University estimating that it will have fewer students than it does. The incidental fee is set based on the amount of the overall ASUO budget divided by the estimated number of students. When more students come, more money is paid in than is budgeted for. According to Eckstein, there is currently $971,000 in over-realized funds. Under the conditions of the revised Clark Document, 10 percent of those funds must be held as an emergency reserve.
Eckstein asked the Senate to add $102,900 to that amount to bring the over-realized reserve amount up to $200,000.
“We don’t want to be in a situation where we have a fiscal emergency on our hands,” Eckstein said.
Senators supported this savings measure as well.
“Our job in general is to be careful how we spend our money,” Sen. President Lamar Wise@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lamar+Wise@@ said. “I think this is being responsible.”
Eckstein also suggested that an addition $100,000 be set aside as reserve funds for student programs. This would be used to provide financial support for programs beyond the capabilities of surplus, which is significantly less than previous years. This section of over-realized funds would be allocated by Senate in a process yet to be determined.
Surplus is the money that is allocated to, but not spent by, student programs during the previous year. It currently contains about $108,000 left after Wednesday’s meeting, during which the Senate spent $9,329 on special requests from the Arab Student Union, the University Mock Trial Team, the Sustainability Center and the Women’s Center. There were no dissenting votes on any of these requests.
After the approval of these earmarks, the senate voted to create a committee to begin the process of allocating the remaining over-realized funds.
In additional business, the Senate elected Sen. Laura Hinman@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Laura+Hinman@@ as its treasurer. The Senate also held a discussion at the beginning of the meeting with University Senate President Robert Kyr@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Robert+Kyr@@, covering topics ranging from concealed carry on campus to administration salaries to bullying of LGBTQ students on campus.
“Sometimes, as a student, you don’t realize the power that you have to influence people,” Kyr said.
Senate sets aside over-realized funds, fills freshman seat
Daily Emerald
October 18, 2011
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