The CUSG executives addressed members of the CUSG Legislative Council Thursday to talk about projects that CUSG has been working on in CUSG’s Executive State of the Campus Address.

At 7 p.m. Thursday Oct. 18, CUSG’s Executive State of the Campus Address was held at the UMC in room 247. The address was given to inform the CUSG Legislative Council about what the executives have been working on, the state of student government and several upcoming events. President Brittni Hernandez, Vice President of Internal Affairs Logan Schlutz and Vice President of External Affairs Tyler Quick delivered the address.

Tyler Quick, vice president of External Affairs, has been working with the Rec Center, Volunteer Resource Center, Distinguished Speakers Board and the GLBTQ Resource Center. He said CUSG planned to implement progress and improvement within several of CU’s programs.

“I am pleased to say that the [GLBTQ] Resource Center is still providing standout services to GLBTQIA students and that we are really working forward to incorporating new allies and students who may not be as familiar with the community into our program,” Quick said.

The Buff up the Rec construction has been a topic of interest to the students at CU. According to Quick, several misconceptions needed to be cleared up with local media regarding the Recreation Center budget and the construction project itself.

“I’ve spent many many hours working with the Rec Center to address the communications of logistical issues we’ve been facing with the new Buff Up the Rec project,” Quick said.

The executive’s address also revealed CUSG’s new plan to work with state legislators in new ways.

“I can promise you that CUSG will have a cabinet level position at the Golden Dome Capitol in Denver at least once a week every single week that legislature is in session next semester,” Quick said.

Logan Schlutz, vice president of internal affairs, has been working on several reforms that include the Student Group Accountability Bill, the Disabilities Act and the Student Group Funding Board Reform.

According to Schlutz, the Student Group Funding Board Reform, which was passed by the Legislative Council, will make funding more accessible to student groups in an effort to increase student involvement and productivity at CU.

Hernandez has been working vigorously with several CU cost centers.

“The cost centers that I work with are the University Memorial Center, the Environmental Center, the Women’s Resource Center and SORCE, the Student Outreach Retention Center for Equity,” Hernandez said.

According to Hernandez, UMC’s Glenn Miler Ballroom is beginning the process of renovation. The UMC is working to gather input from staff, students and members of the outside community to create a plan for a feasible and appealing new ballroom.

Hernandez sees her biggest role as president of CUSG as making the students top priority.

“I think that we are here to represent the students and we are here to make sure that we are passing legislation and working diligently to serve our students,” Hernandez said.

In light of last semester’s events such as the “Take Back our Campus” protest, CUSG has made an effort to expand CU’s diversity.

“As a student government, we need to have a commitment to diversity,” Hernandez said. “I’m talking about all facets of student life.”

CUSG hopes to involve more students in the judicial branch in an effort to maintain transparency with the student body.

“[The judicial branch] holds a key role,” Quick said. ‘The role of the judicial branch is to be completely neutral, to be the voice of the students when no one else can.”

According to Hernandez, CUSG executives will be making budget suggestions to the Finance Board on Nov. 1 to give costs centers sufficient time to work with their boards.

With elections next week, CUSG expressed the hope that all of the students on campus will vote.

“I encourage you to make sure that all of our students vote, because that really is the most important aspect of this campus – getting students involved and letting them know what we do,” Schlutz said.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Alyx Saupe at Alyx.saupe@colorado.edu.

Tags:  budget Buff up the rec Construction cost center CU student government CUSG Diversity funding board reform Legislative Council renovation UMC