The Associated Students’ Government meeting on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 began with executive reports and President David Fresquez addressing ASG.
Fresquez stated that he and ASG Vice President of Finance and Administration Allan Chacon met with Provost Russ Meyer last Monday and that they will be meeting with President Joseph Garcia about the Board of Governors in the future.
While this is Fresquez’s and Chacon’s first time in a student government position, both say that they were greeted with open arms by students, faculty and athletics. They said they feel that they can bring a competitive role to each of their respective positions because of their background in athletics, as both are on the soccer team.
“We’re brand new, we don’t have the cancer, we have the cure,” Fresquez said.
Chacon said that the budget remained the same since the last report on August 26. Chacon also said that because of a previous appeal, Senators would be paid for a full month rather than for a week and a half of work.
Vice President for Legislative Affairs Leighann Hardwick mentioned Chief of Staff Steve Titus’ work over the summer, including meeting with the vice president of academic affairs, building the new ASG Web site, attending the Board of Governor’s meetings, recording the minutes for ASG and more. Hardwick also mentioned that since Julio Martinez resigned, the CHASS Senator position is now available.
In the Legislative reports, Senator Gabriela Barcenas said she met with Roy Sonnema, the CHASS dean, about an honor roll for spring they’d like to create for those with a 3.5 GPA and above.
Senator Larissa Bryson-Swope is trying to meet with Geraldine Trujillo, purchasing director, about a sober ride program for the first football game. She also mentioned a student-athlete meet and greet, she spoke to Nikki Whittaker about that.
Senator Justin Menu said that Kappa Sigma was planning on hosting a build-your-own-bikini function on campus. Menu stated that the Greek community was outraged at this “degrading” activity.
Senator Nathan Duncan said that he spoke to Chris Kielman of Kappa Sigma and that he said they were not planning on using humans as models, but instead, manikins.
Dean of Student Life Zav Dadabhoy said that if the event does occur, the fraternity will be breaking the Student Code of Conduct, including sexual misconduct.
Senator Pro-Tem Jenna Rossow said that as president of Greek Council she will talk to Kielman about the unauthorized nature of the event.
Nicky Damania from the Office of Student Activities said that he spoke to the president of the fraternity and that they have agreed to cancel the event on campus and that they were very cooperative.
Senator of Student Empowerment Shahil Karki mentioned that students are concerned about only getting paid on the 15th of the month. Titus said that because of state fiscal policy and state law, all employees can only be paid on the 15th of the month.
Chief Justice Steven Trujillo mentioned that the Student Court still has two openings available.
In the new business portion of the meeting, Fresquez handed out the proposed committee assignments. Hardwick said that if there was a scheduling conflict, they should contact the leader of that committee and see if that committee time is flexible.
Rossow asked what the ad-hoc committee was. Fresquez explained that the ad-hoc committee was to solicit student concerns. Dadabhoy asked how these ad-hoc committees came about and Fresquez said that all of the ideas in mentioned in the assignments came from the ASG retreat.
There are two ad-hoc committees. One is a housing committee, designed to help students with housing, on-campus dining and meal plan issues and to work with Auxiliary services and Chartwells. The other is a technology improvement committee, designed to help students with technology issues, Wi-Fi access, student e-mail accounts and to work on the campus Web site.
Fresquez and Chacon said that these committees are designed to help Senators address student issues. The committees are headed by an ASG Senator and are made up of faculty, students and other ASG members and are a place for students to go when they have problems.
Fresquez and Chacon said they would like to invite students to come to weekly ASG meetings, held Tuesdays at 4 p.m., to voice their concerns. They said they want students to know that they are sensitive to student issues.
Dadabhoy mentioned that he had to go to a meeting with the Library Committee. He said that they are thinking about moving the First Year Center to the Underground. He is concerned that the students will no longer have a hang-out place in the OUC. He also mentioned that it is just speculation right now and that there is other room available on campus. He also said that there would be no permanent walls put up in the Underground, just cubicles.
