Biweekly pay for student workers, the remodel of the Occhiato University Center and an update on the hiring process for a new dean of student life were among the issues discussed at the weekly Colorado State University-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government meeting on Oct. 10.
ASG President Vanessa Emerson attended the Board of Governors meeting last week and will have more information in the coming weeks about the enrollment and retention issues discussed there. CSU’s Pueblo and Fort Collins campuses have both seen a drop in enrollment and the problem will be addressed soon.
This drop in enrollment will be a focal point for the new vice president of Student Services and Enrollment Management, Paul Orscheln. President Emerson introduced Orscheln, and he spoke briefly about his plans for CSU-Pueblo.
Orscheln said that his job will be to maximize the strengths of the university, to make CSU-Pueblo more competitive and to attract the right students that will drive the institution to be more successful.
Orscheln is involved in the hiring of the new dean of Student Life. The process is ongoing, with Skype interviews taking place from Oct. 16-18. After three finalists are selected, campus visits will be planned.
Emerson recognized Jeanne Stewart of Student Life for all her hard work and dedication to the ASG, and said her involvement has been crucial to the success of the organization.
Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Patty Witkowsky is forming an advisory board to assist with programming for the 2014-15 school year. The board of students will meet once a week during the spring semester, and Witkowsky is looking for a diverse group to represent various demographics and viewpoints. Interested students can fill out an application in the office of Student Engagement and Leadership in the OUC. The deadline for applications is Nov. 15.
Vice President Michael Weiner is conducting research on changing student workers’ pay from monthly to biweekly. Weiner has called payroll offices at colleges around Colorado and found that CSU-Pueblo is one of only four schools that pay their student employees only once a month. Changing to the biweekly pay period would happen next school year at the earliest.
At this time, paydays do not coincide with school billing dates, which can make it difficult to remain current on tuition payments.
A survey is being discussed regarding the use of the facility fees. It will give students a voice about where their money is used and what programs they want to fund with their facility fees. More information will follow.
U.S. Bank contributes $15,000 to the university each year, and some suggestions were discussed for its use in the new OUC renovations. Possibilities include ceiling banners, a smart room with projectors and other equipment and a game room and pub.
Recharging stations are expected to be installed across campus in the near future. These will be available for students to plug in phones, tablets and laptops. There will be two of the stations in the OUC. Adjacent to each charging station, a map will show the locations of the other stations on campus. Students will be responsible for their own equipment while using the charger and should not leave their property unattended.
The Parking Advisory Committee discussed new signs for parking lots and the need for new paint stripping. It was suggested that each lot be named something unique to the university in order to differentiate between parking areas. This suggestion will be brought before the committee at the next meeting.
The Student Affairs Committee organized a safety walk for Oct. 24. The safety walk is designed to identify areas of concern on campus where the safety of students and property may be at risk. The committee will follow up on these concerns with campus police.
There have been some issues in the engineering building with software licenses expiring, but the director of information technology, Chalin Fernando, will work to get those licenses renewed.
Sen. Anthony Herrera announced a gaming tournament on Oct. 22 from 5-10 p.m. in the OUC Ballroom. The $10 entry fee will include food, drinks, prizes and gaming. Those entering the tournament are eligible to win a laptop computer among other prizes. For more information, students can email [email protected].
Speaker Henry Willauer announced that CSU-Pueblo is one of six schools competing for Best Under-the Radar NCAA Football Atmosphere. The video entry entered by CSU-Pueblo athletics can be viewed and fans can vote once a day for the Thunderwolves at https://www.facebook.com/bestofcollegefootball?sk=app_584415948288618.
The winner is determined by votes on the Facebook, and the deadline for voting is Oct. 21. The winner will be announced Nov. 29 on CBS.
The meeting concluded with the swearing in of two new senators at large. Francisco Cervantes is a transfer student from Pueblo Community College, where he served as president and secretary of his student government. Andrea Casados is a freshman that has been active in the Hispanic community in Pueblo for several years. She hopes to encourage more first-year students to take an active interest in their student government.
The next meeting of the ASG will be Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. in Room 201 of the OUC. As always, it is an open meeting. All students and staff are free to attend.
