UCSU representatives-at-large sworn in
UCSU held the last meeting of their 67th session and the first meeting of their 68th session back-to-back on Thursday night.
In the last meeting of the 67th session, Legislative Council voted to reject a bill that would send Representative Mark Udall a thank-you letter for his recent support of the College Cost Reduction Act. This act will cut interest rates of the Pell Grant scholarship from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over the next five years.
Some members of Legislative Council said they felt nervous sending a U.S. congressman a thank-you letter because it might be perceived in a sense that they are trying to endorse one party. They feel it is important for UCSU to remain neutral as a whole.
“I don’t think this is a good idea to vote and congratulate Congressman Udall,” said Journalism School Senator Veronica Lingo. “The fact that he’s running for a senate seat (means) this could be (seen) as an endorsement.”
The bill was not passed in a 2 to 15 vote.
Also at the last meeting of the 67th session, UMC director Carlos Garcia announced that for the first time in at least ten years, Baby Doe’s has shown a drop in sales, potentially due to competition with Jamba Juice.
At the beginning of the first meeting of the 68th session of Legislative Council Chance Heath, Ryan Weiss, Molly Manweiler, Lauren Swisher and Blaine Pellicore took an oath of allegiance and were thus sworn in as new Representatives-at-large.
Also, Boyce Postma, a senior architecture major, was unanimously re-elected as President of Legislative Council.
Due to a bill recently passed into second reading, the positions of first vice president and second vice president have been combined for the entire 68th session. Dustin Farivar, a junior political science major, and Daniel Ramos, also a junior political science major, were both nominated for the newly single position of vice president. Farivar eventually won in a vote that was cast through secret ballots.
“One of the biggest things I think people target with the UCSU is how well we’re out there in the university, and I don’t think (Legislative) Council has as much of a presence as I would like to see,” Farivar said in his nomination speech. “Our biggest focus should be on growth as an organization.”
Arts and Sciences Senator Obi Onyeali, a sophomore psychology major, urged Legislative Council to vote for Farivar.
“I know he’s worked with UCSU since he’s been here as a freshman and works in many different facets in the university,” said Onyeali. “He’s really dedicated to everything he does, (and he’s) really proactive in making sure that students are representative in some fashion.”
School of Music Senator Kathryn Skrobacz, a senior music education major, was unanimously elected to be Treasurer of Legislative Council for the 68th session.
Contact Campus Press Staff writer Julie Ryan at ryanja@thecampuspress.com.
