Friday’s USGD Senate meeting saw the passage of four bills and a leadership change in the Government Operations Committee.
Senate Bills 17, 18 and 19, and President Bill 15, passed the Senate unanimously Friday.
SB17 places control of the interview process under the Government Operations Committee. College of Public Programs Senator and bill author Frank Vasquez said this formalizes what has long been USGD practice.
“We don’t want what we had before with miscommunication on who can be on the interview board,” Vasquez said, referencing previous instances when Senate members of Government Operations were told by executive board members not to sit on the interview board.
Senate President Stephany Caceres showed concern that the president and senate president would no longer be required members of the interview board, but Vasquez assured Caceres that both would be invited to attend as a “professional courtesy.”
SB18 strikes the line item that previously concerned the membership of the interview board, replacing it with SB17.
SB19 mandates that all bylaw revisions and bills be posted online for public viewing two days prior to vote.
President Bill 15 implements a USGD internship program to “allow for more assistance on projects as well as advance the academic experience of the students at ASU,” according to the bill’s legislative language. President Frank Smith drafted and introduced the bill. The bill’s final version opened up internship opportunities under executives, directors and Senate committee chairs. The president will act as “general overseer of all interns.”
Under PB15, interns would be required to maintain a 2.33 minimum GPA, complete three office hours per week including one hour tabling on Taylor Mall, report weekly to the USGD member they’re interning under and complete tasks assigned to them by that person. In order to receive college credit, interns must enroll in their major’s 484 internship course.
The Government Operations Committee saw a leadership change Friday when Vasquez stepped down as committee chair, citing a desire to focus on the new College of Public Programs college council. Walter Cronkite School Sen. Erika Tuerr was nominated and unanimously approved as his replacement.
“I think she could be more effective,” Vasquez said. “She has a passion for policy.”
Vice President of Policy Melber Macainan announced he would be forming a lobbying group to assist the university in obtaining research funding from the state legislature. Currently, the funding would be $27 million, less than ASU’s desired $32 million.
Public Relations Director Daiyaan Colbert announced progress on a USGD newsletter and revamped website, but said that the site wasn’t yet “ready for public consumption.”
“I don’t want to release a website that doesn’t have all the documents on it because we already have a website like that,” Colbert said.
Senators unanimously approved a total of $1,874.84 in funding requests Friday, including a $1,500 USGD expenditure for 100 Suns tickets that will be distributed as prizes at various events in an attempt to increase student event attendance.
The Parks and Recreation Student Association received $300 in funding for a trip to Patagonia State Park. The trip is part of the group’s monthly collaborative with Arizona Parks and Recreation staff at various parks. PRSA membership, and participation in the group’s events, is open to all majors, not restricted to parks and recreation students.
USGD approved Special Events Planner Association for $74.84, which the organization will spend on food for its next two meetings. Representatives for SEPA said they hoped providing food would encourage attendance.
President Frank Smith, Vice President of Services Marcus Dudas, and Chief of Staff Charles Liao were absent from Friday’s meeting.
Contact the reporter at noah.b.briggs@asu.edu
