ASUSU approved wristbands
The Executive Council of Associated Students of Utah State University approved the use of $4,000 for wristbands intended to increase school unity and spirit, at its meeting Tuesday evening.
There should be no hesitation in approving the bill, Jimi Jorgensen, ASUSU athletics vice president said, because no money will be lost to the project, as the wristbands will be sold to students, almost immediately replacing any funds spent on the project.
“We definitely need to have something to get our teams going,” said ASUSU Executive Vice President Tagg Archibald.
The amount Jorgensen asked for the wristbands was originally $5,500, but the supplier has agreed to lower its price, Jorgensen said, causing the wristband project to only need $4,000 of funding.
Jorgensen said only half of the wristbands will need to be sold to make up for those expenses.
The bill passed with no objections.
The council also approved $750 to go towards funding of the Bioneers Conference coming to USU Oct. 15-17.
USU will be one of the 15 sites receiving the international conference by satellite, said Celia Peterson, a graduate student on the planning committee for the Bioneers Conference.
“This will fit right in with President Hall’s vision of a sustainable university,” Peterson said.
The conference will not just feature presentations made by satellite, but workshops and educational opportunities produced by local community as well, Peterson said.
Of the $750 appropriated to the conference, $500 went to the co-sponsorship of the keynote speaker.
“I would say [the purpose] is education and to foster a sense of community,” Peterson said.
Tickets for the general public will cost between $75 and $100. However, Peterson said, tickets will be available to students for only $15.
A first reading of a bill also took place at the meeting that will provide the College Democrats and College Republicans $500 to go toward expenses providing information and advertising about the upcoming election to students.
Representatives from the two organizations said they are in need of money from ASUSU because there has not been enough time for the clubs to hold fundraisers.
The money is needed now, sponsors of the bill said, because students need the information now in order to make an educated decision in November.
“The month of October is critical to any campaign,” said Jon Canchola, a representative for the College Democrats.
A large amount of the money will be put toward advertising, representatives from the two groups said.
The two groups also hope to sponsor a debate, they said.
Proponents of the bill said it should be supported because it’s important to have a campus that is politically involved and not apathetic to the issues.
The bill will be moved to a second reading by the council next week, in which 20 minutes will be allotted for student discussion.
Also at the meeting, a bill was passed changing the deadline requirements for a proposed bills at ASUSU meetings. The bill was sponsored by Bradon Halford, the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences senator, who said he initiated the bill in an effort to require more research to go into bills before they are presented to the council.
Arichibald said he was concerned it would only create more red tape for students to cut through, but Kathy Leslie, ASUSU activities vice president, said she feels it will make meetings more effective and further enable the council to get things done.
“We’re required to be responsible for students and is important to have done research beforehand,” said Shelly Ryan, education senator.
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu