Senate Approves Funding Re-Allocation for Pet Projects

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Author: Lilliane Ballesteros

ASOC Senate held their second meeting of the semester in the Cushman Board Room, Wednesday, Feb. 13. At the meeting, the Senate passed a newspaper proposal to allocate a maximum amount of $720 to offer the Los Angeles Times to students for free. The Senate first proposed to bring newspapers back on campus last semester after Residence Life and Housing Services removed newspaper service from campus, citing high costs as a major reason for doing so. During the meeting, ASOC President Ryan Bowen commented on the final outcome, saying, “Six months in, we got it.” Director of Residence Life and Housing Services Kecia Baker stated in September that the Times subscriptions cost $10,000 per year to maintain.

Senate proposed to use leadership funds to underwrite the proposal, putting newspapers in key spots for students and attempting to determine students’ demands for the Times on campus.

At one point in the meeting, Bowen stated that the theme of the night was respect and told senators to keep “the side conversations to a minimum.”

Senate also agreed to allsot $1,000 more toward the Senate Access Fund, which offers senators financial need money for their service on Senate. The issue became contentious when senators disagreed as to where the extra funds should be taken out of. “I’d feel more comfortable taking $1,000 out of the leadership funds,” Junior Class Senator Patrick McCredie said. Senators were hesitant to take the money out of club allocations. “I think that would look bad,” Campus Wide Senator Rozell Hodges (senior) said. Senate advisor Kenna Cottrill suggested that the issue be tabled until the Senate found out if there were any extra funds from another source and turn the decision into an e-mail vote. After more deliberation, a motion was passed to take $1,000 from the leadership funds and put any leftover training funds into the leadership fund later in the semester.

The Senate also approved a $300 request from the club leadership fund for an ASOC club mixer.

The meeting concluded with Senate approval to create a committee and maintain a $300 Renewable Energy and Sustainability Fund. The fund was created by an amendment to the ASOC Constitution which passed on Friday, Nov. 16 during last semester’s Mid-year ASOC elections. Once chosen, the committee will create and maintain short- and long-term environmental projects on and around campus. The committee will consist of two students, an ASOC senator, an administrator and a faculty member.

Newly appointed General Assembly Co-Chairs Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz (junior) and Noel Hollowell (sophomore) also presented their plans for what they hope to accomplish with the GA this semester. Cosulich-Schwartz said that the two Co-Chairs will be “advertising as a new GA, [to] make it feel different.” Hollowell and Cosulich-Schwartz said they plan to hold GA meetings every two weeks, changing it from the usual weekly meetings of last semester. The GA’s first meeting was not officially scheduled as of Feb. 13, but Hollowell and Cosulich-Schwartz hoped to have President Robert Skotheim make an appearance at the first meeting. They said they would also provide students with information about the GA process in regards to passing proposals and forming committees.

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