ASUSU replenishes diversity funds
Money used for last month’s affirmative action debate is being restored to the budget of Diversity Vice President Angie Hammond.
Hammond made the request to the Associated Students of Utah State University last month to have $300 restored to her budget from the Capital and Support fund.
“This was an unplanned event,” Hammond said. “I’m just asking for the money that was spent on the bill to be put back into my account.”
ASUSU voted 14-0 in favor of the request for funds; two council members abstained.
Last week Hammond argued that since the Diversity VP position is new, it is difficult to know where funds will be needed for events that pop up.
“I’m sure there are going to be activities, because this is a new office, I’m still trying to figure out what falls underneath me,” Hammond said.
Engineering senator Adam Jones said he understands Hammond’s position is new, but asked what would happen if there were other activities that came up which Hammond would need funding for.
“Is there any way that you can get maybe a cost estimate for these things before the cost is actually made, make a [Capital and Support] request and at that point, if any of the funds aren’t being used, return it back to C&S?” Jones asked Hammond last week.
Hammond said she put the debate together in a month, with half of that time being during Winter Break. In the future, she said, it may be possible to request the funds earlier, if needed.
In other council business, Provost Stan Albrecht presented plans for Tier II Tuition to the council. During past weeks, a committee has met to discuss how $1.8 million in Tier II Tuition monies would be spent in the coming year.
According to the presentation, $1 million of Tier II dollars would go to enhance university libraries and $200,000 would help with student initiatives such as service learning, supplemental instruction and increasing the number of sections in bottleneck courses. The remaining money would be used for faculty compensation and to aid the fuel and energy deficit, depending on the amount of money appropriated to the university by the Legislature.
ASUSU voted in favor of a resolution supporting the plan for Tier II dollars.
Academic Vice President Karla Petty announced the book of the semester is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Students can participate in a discussion about the book on March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Skyroom on the fourth floor of the Taggart Student Center.
-str@cc.usu.edu