Academic Senate tries to define its own voice
ASUSU Academic Senate is pushing to have a clearly defined voice when it comes to academic issues facing Utah State University. Spencer Watts, Academic Senate president presented three resolutions Tuesday that would: • Allow senate members to vote on academic issues • Become involved in the ASUSU budgetary process • Vote on all changes to the structure of ASUSU’s student government and individual officers that affect academics The proposed changes stemmed from last year’s changes, that separated Executive Council and Academic Senate into two different bodies. “Academic Senate has been left without a clear roll within ASUSU,” Watts said. “This will more clearly define the responsibilities of Academic Senate and will give them a vision of what they should do.” In terms of the budget, these resolutions would allow senate members to vote on next year’s budget for ASUSU. Currently, due to over-budgeting during last year’s Student Fee Board session, ASUSU is in a $12,000 deficit, said President Quinn Millet. “Being on fee board when this was presented, it was in a time of plenty,” said Nate Putnam, executive vice president who has spearheaded this year’s budgeting process. “This year is unique in that we have to evaluate everything that we spend money on.” In other business, Executive Council members passed a resolution in support of installing bike lanes on all main walkways running from north to south and east to west. The resolution received some opposition, particularly that there is not a great enough need for the lanes in the first place. “I’m not convinced that it’s necessary on campus,” said Josh Wood, campus diversity and organization vice president. “I don’t view it as a problem.” However Justin Atkinson, student advocate, disagreed saying that bike lanes have never been installed on campus and the council does not have any legitimate argument that it would fail. “I cannot fathom why this would be a bad thing on our campus,” said Laurel Even, programming vice president. The lanes will be four feet wide and contain lanes in both directions. Bike lane rules will be enforced by the campus police which students will be educated on through pamphlets and other means, said Adam Christensen who sponsored the bill and is director of Aggie Blue Bikes on campus. -mmackay@cc.usu.edu