Bill passes to eliminate vice president
Utah State University’s Student Executive Council passed a bill to eliminate the Extension vice president position in Tuesday’s meeting.
Tad Thornton, the current Extensions vice president, said it is necessary “to eliminate the student representative in Logan cannot do what they need to do for their students” in such distant areas.
Thornton said in a recent survey administered to 750 Extension students in five areas, such as Wasatch and Uintah Basin, students were asked 35 questions about issues such as student representation, school tradition and administration.
There were 389 student responses to the survey with an overall conclusion that Extension students do not recognize their representative on campus, Thornton said.
However, he said, students gave a very positive response to the Extension administration and faculty which concluded the students go directly to the administration instead of their campus representative.
“I think we need to strengthen student government in their specific regions,” Thornton said.
He said by eliminating his position, effective next school year, “this will empower the students in each area to do what’s best for them instead of some guy in Logan trying to tailor to the needs of all the areas.”
Yet, in debate on the issue, Kristen Stokes, the family life senator, said Extension students “don’t know who we are because we haven’t made an effort.”
Mark Ure, the agricultural senator, said, “I am against the position. It simply transfers the title” to the new liaison, created by the bill, between the students and the campus senate.
Thornton said Extension students are different from on-campus students because the majority are parents or older students who have different needs, therefore a local advisor and liaison to the students would prove more effective in addressing specific issues.
Tara Carter, a member of the student senate for the Brigham City Extension campus, said she was concerned eliminating the student vice president would take away their vote on campus.
Thornton responded by saying the liaison would serve area advisors by being a part of the student president’s staff and bringing issues to the council.
The bill passed with three Executive Council members objecting.
In other business, Preston Frischknecht, the natural resource senator, proposed a student investment and return act.
Frischknecht said this would establish an endowment fund which would put funds not being used by the council at the end of each year into an interest gaining account.
He said The endowment fund would be used for capitol improvements or one-time allocations for Associated Students of Utah State University. The issue was moved to be further discussed in next week’s meeting on Jan. 15.