The Undergraduate Student Government Downtown Senate appointed a Supreme Court justice, passed a senate bill and had one senator resign during Friday’s senate meeting.
The Senate unanimously confirmed Jasmine Lucas, a transfer student majoring in social work, as a Supreme Court justice overseeing the upcoming elections. According to bylaw requirements, a justice should have been nominated by Oct. 2.
Despite the delay on the appointment, President Frank Smith said it was “not something that slipped my mind.”
Students interested in running for office must attend an informational meeting Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Tempe campus’s Memorial Union in room 248. The meeting will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Public Relations Director Daiyaan Colbert called the fact that there is only one information session, rather than one on each campus, “absolutely unacceptable.” Colbert also criticized the publicity efforts, or lack thereof, for the meeting.
“The information session is next week and that information has just been published … that’s not how it should be,” he said.
Walter Cronkite School Sen. Erika Tuerr resigned Friday, citing a lack in Senate leadership that she said prevented forward progress. Her resignation leaves a vacancy in the Government Operations chair position.
“I need credibility and I don’t feel this organization will give it to me,” Tuerr said.
During the call to the audience, Ryan Boyd presented an open letter to the Senate. It listed problems USGD has had this year, among other criticisms.
“These divisions are detrimental not only to us, not only to student (organizations), but to every single one of the students you see on this campus,” he said. “We have created an environment where some of the best people I know who have worked with this organization have quit.”
Boyd has been vocally critical of USGD in the past, especially after the passage of the athletics fee bill.
Vice President of Services Marcus Dudas announced a series of revisions to the bylaws that he said are aimed at improving transparency and accountability, and putting a “check on the power of the president within USGD.”
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 20, which adds a requirement for senators to attend Senate Caucus meetings to the bylaws. Barrett, the Honors College Sen. Hattie Jean Hayes drafted the bill.
Colbert presented a revised version of his paperless initiative. Senators will now be able to print materials for distribution to their constituents during tabling efforts, or for PR purposes. Colbert will present a final draft to the Senate at the next meeting for consideration.
The Residence Hall Association requested $3,200 to subsidize the cost of a trip to Disneyland. The cost of tickets will be $60 for a single park ticket or $80 for a park-hopper ticket instead of $82 and $102, respectively.
The request was approved with a vote of 8-1.
The USGD Senate approved a total of $12,449.61 in funding requests.
RHA also received $3,000 to offset the cost of Taylor Place T-shirts. RHA will roughly split the cost with USGD. The shirts will be designed by students; design submissions are due on Feb. 27. The vote was unanimous.
Devils in Disguise received $586.80 for T-shirts for their volunteering and community involvement event. The vote was unanimous.
Senators approved $1,554.33 for Health Occupations Students of America to send seven students to compete at a conference in April. The vote was unanimous.
Parks and Recreation Student Association received $600 for the second of their state park partnerships, this one with Kartchner Caverns State Park. The partnerships focus on professional development. The vote was unanimous, with College of Public Programs Sen. Frank Vasquez abstaining because of a conflict of interest.
USGD gave the Walter Cronkite College Council $462.50 for the Cronkite Coffee House event, hosted by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. The event will include two live performances, art displays by local and student artists and cookies and coffee from Jobot Coffee and Dining. The money will pay for the catering. The event is open to the public, but the Jobot food and drink is for students. The request was approved unanimously, with Cronkite Sens. Alexis Kramer and Erika Tuerr abstaining because of a conflict of interest.
Young Life received $3,045.98 for Urban Plunge, a community service immersion project. The funding will provide food for the participants and pay for a trip to Laser Quest for the volunteers. Fifty to 80 students are expected to participate.
Editor’s Note: Hattie Jean Hayes is a former Downtown Devil contributing reporter. She did not contribute to the reporting or editing of this story.
Contact the reporter at Noah.Briggs@asu.edu
