Senate Cleared for Restructure
After a trial-year under its belt, the ASUSU Executive Council is working out the bugs of the organization’s restructure, providing Academic Senate a clearly defined voice.
Among a list of several agenda items, the council approved three resolutions – compiled by Spencer Watts, Academic Senate president – Tuesday night to facilitate the change.
“The senate is vital to the academic well-being of the university,” Watts said.
With the approved changes, senate members would be allowed to vote on academic issues, become involved in the ASUSU budgetary process and 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.
“I think the legislation really clarifies the role the two different bodies,” Josh Wood, Organizations and Campus Diversity vice president, said.
Although there was some debate about who should be allowed to vote on budgetary matters including directors and appointed chairs, all three resolutions were passed with minimal discussion.
Among other items discussed during the meeting, Children’s House Director Linda Gilgen presented a request to maintain current funding for the organization. The early care and education program provides services to student parents with young children.
During the past six years, Children’s House has seen more than $10,200 in budget reductions from education and general funds, as well as ASUSU, Gilgen said.
“With another decrease, it will be hard to maintain high-quality care,” Gilgen said. “These children are not only our future generation of parents but our future generation of students at Utah State University.”
Teresa Eller, a non-traditional student at USU has her son enrolled at Children’s House and said it is a very important program.
“Funding is extremely important for parents,” she said. “It’s more than a babysitting environment.”
Currently primary sources of revenue for Children’s House are parent tuition-related costs and fees.
Jeannie Pacheco, a representative from the International Student Council also presented a request to maintain current funding for this organization.
She emphasized that many of the large activities on campus are funded and organization by the International Student Council.
“[The council] does try to make very good use of the money they have,” Pacheco said. “It provides a cross-cultural experience among students at Utah State.”
Members of Executive Council will discuss specifics for next year’s ASUSU budget and a decision will be made in the coming weeks.
Another resolution was also passed during the meeting that clarifies what should be done in the event of a tie during an ASUSU election.
The council also discussed a confusion in the number of votes to pass a resolution that would allow the installation of bike lanes on the main sidewalks on campus. Although the matter is still unresolved, the council will discuss it further during next week’s meeting.
-mmackay@cc.usu.edu