As of Friday, Barrett, the Honors College has one less student government representative.
Near the end of ASASUD’s meeting on Friday, Sen. Dustin Volz, the longest-serving senate member, announced his resignation, effective immediately.
Volz read a prepared statement to the rest of the senate, explaining the reasons for his resignation and his hopes for the future of ASASUD.
“My decision weighs heavily on me, and I assure you it was no easy consideration,” Volz said. “But due to commitments both academic and extracurricular I am unable to finish out my term to the fullest capacity that this organization and the students whom I represent deserve.”
Volz was a vocal member of the senate, especially during fund allocation. He would question fund-seekers to the extent of “interrogation” at times, according to some members of ASASUD.
“It’s always important to have a different view, a different perspective,” Freshman Sen. Vivian Padilla said.
With Volz gone, only 10 of the 16 ASASUD senator positions are filled, with four senators resigning in the past two months.
Andrew Schmiedeler, former senator with the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, was ineligible to be an ASASUD senator as of Monday, Jan. 24 due to violations to the constitution.
Two other senators — Michelle Lauer and Stephanie Ortiz — left at the end of the fall 2010 semester. Lauer was a senator for the Cronkite School and Ortiz represented the College of Public Programs.
The other two seats that are currently vacant are those from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and University College.
Thursday is the priority deadline for applications to the senate, but applications are accepted throughout the semester.
Before Volz’s announcement, ASASUD addressed several issues including funding requests, a resolution to oppose guns on campus and a new initiative called ASASUD Against Cuts to Higher Education.
Freshman Sen. Daiyaan Colbert presented the initiative to the senate saying the issue is a great opportunity to show that ASASUD is fighting for the campus.
Sen. Colbert suggested building a website, using social media, holding rallies and talking to local leaders to raise awareness about this issue. After the presentation, the motion unanimously passed.
ASASUD also decided to stand against the bills in the legislature that would allow students and professors to carry guns on campus. Other student governments across the state have already passed similar resolutions.
In addition, ASASUD allocated over $50,000 to six organizations on Friday, adjusting only one request by $186. Campus recreation received the most funds — nearly $40,000 — to pay for second semester events.
Approximately $2,000 of the $46,000 campus recreation acquired last semester rolled over to second semester, according to Alan Hersh, Downtown campus recreation personnel manager.
There is now about one third of the budget remaining of the approximately $140,000 ASASUD budget after only two meetings this semester. However, the two largest and most expensive organizations on campus, the Programming and Activities Board and campus recreation, have already received their funds.
Contact the reporter at connor.radnovich@asu.edu
Editor’s note: Sen. Volz was not interviewed for this story because he recently joined the editorial board of the Downtown Devil. He was in no way involved with the reporting, writing or editing of this story.
