College Republicans and Democrats receive funding
The College Republicans and Democrats jointly presented a bill asking the Associated Students of Utah State University Executive Council for $500 each at Tuesday evenings Executive Council meeting. The bill was passed.
College Republican President Scott Dewey presented the clubs’ needs for the funding stating the neither club has any funds at the present time. The clubs have found dues to be an ineffective way of raising money and have not had time, nor money, to hold any fundraisers. It would be good for ASUSU to support the political clubs, Dewey said, especially considering the elections coming up.
The College Republicans plan to spend their $500 to bring in political speakers, make and hand out Republican information pamphlets, fund transportation to the election in Salt Lake City and fund a few students to go to the Young America’s National Convention in November.
The College Democrats said they plan to use their money to put together a Kerry campaign kit, have a student voter rally, continue to encourage voter registration and voting, and provide students with the opportunity to watch the presidential debates.
The majority of the members of the Executive Council gave their support to the bill saying that both clubs are active and important on campus. Brett Thomas, extension vice president, also said any club encouraging students to vote is good for USU.
A bill was also passed alotting $750 to the Bioneers Conference.
“I feel it’s a really good cause,” Gabe Carter, diversity vice president, said.
“The university is affected by the fact that students aren’t voting. There is an even bigger picture here,” Thomas said.
The bill almost failed, even with a majority vote, when members of the council thought that because of missing council members they had not received a three-fourths majority vote. However, after redoing the numbers and calculating for non-present members the bill passed with a 77 percent majority.
Despite the joint effort things heated up between the two parties momentarily when Dewey referred to the Pride Alliance! group as “the homosexual people.” Leticia Neal, a college democrat attending the meeting, also said although she fully supports the bill she wanted more specifics on how the College Republicans will be spending their money.
-hilaryi@cc.usu.edu