letters
In an attempt to give a varie
ty of opinions on the ASUO
primary election, the editorial
page is dedicated to letters.
Voting ends today for the
1983-84 student body presi
dent and many other offices.
Dedication
I am writing this letter
because I have been touched
by the dedication to this
University of an individual. I
have been moved by his desire
to see the quality of student
life improve. The person is a
candidate for the ASUO
presidency; his name is David
Gibson.
Gibson has served diligently
and unselfishly under enor
mous fiscal pressures. He has
stood firm in his convictions
and not lost sight of his goals.
Gibson thrives on the pressure
and meets his job with energy
and enthusiasm every day.
I truly believe that Gibson’s
motivation for seeking the
presidency is to improve the
quality of student life here at
the University. The means by
which he has chosen to do
this are unique and exciting.
Gibson is committed to
reaching out to the students,
involving them in his ad
ministration's ideas, needs,
and goals. He has pledged to
get out from behind his desk
and meet with any group who
is interested in student
government. Gibson is com
mitted to informing students
ana to being informed by
students on issues pertinent
to them.
I firmly believe that a vote
for David Gibson is a vote for
an active presidency. It is a
vote for an informed con
tingency, and it is a vote for a
strong, dedicated student
government.
Pat Hanlin
vice-president, Mortar Board
Strong skills
As a strong supporter of
Mary Hotchkiss for ASUO ex
ecutive, I was pleased to see
your endorsement of her
candidacy.
Since I have had a chance to
see her strong management
skills that the Emerald editors
have not yet witnessed, accor
ding to yesterday’s endorse
ment, I'o like to share my
views.
I have seen Mary in action in
public service for three years.
As another former director of
Amazon Childcare Center, I
fully appreciate the tremen
dous work load she efficiently
managed in addition to her
responsibilities as a working
student mother.
Mary has an eye for detail
which is essential for good
r
management and is conscien
tious in following through on
all projects. Se has the ability
to oversee a situation and
organize a workload. She has
the ability to motivate people
towards a common goal. She
is a tireless worker.
Another important ability
Hotchkiss has to offer is her
ability to work well with peo
ple, and minimize friction and
strife. This is a refreshing
quality in light of the person
nel squabbles and numerous
resignations of this year’s
administration.
For all of the reasons the
Emerald stated and for her
management and organiza
tional skills, Mary Hotchkiss is
the obvious and excellent
choice for ASUO president.
Jennif0r Soyke
senior, biology
Accused
Last year and again this year
Students for a Progressive
Agenda have run a grass-roots
issue oriented campaign
focusing on the many ways
that student government can
be improved. Last year we
were accused of about a dozen
election violations.
All charges were eventually
thrown out by the Constitution
Committee as substantively
absurd and obviously untrue.
This happened too late. The
implication of wrongdoing
was sufficient to throw a very
close election; we lost the ex
ecutive by 146 votes.
At the time we felt that
responding to such petty
harassment would only lower
us to the level of those who
spent their spare time scribbl
ing complaint forms. We
realize now that we made an
error.
Accusations, no matter how
ridiculous, if allowed to stand
unchallenged only embolden
our accusers while we are
made to appear unethical, in
competent or just plain mean.
That we are later vindicated is
irrelevant to our soiled public
image during the elections.
This year, one hour after I fil
ed to run as ASUO Vice Presi
dent with Mary Hotchkiss, the
SPA presidential candiate, I
was fired from my job as
ASUO Comptroller. I have ap
pealed this dismissal and ex
pect it to end up in the same
trash bin as last year’s flurry of
false accusations. Yet, until
this happens I, and by associa
tion, Students for a Pro
gressive Agenda, must live
under the pall of an accusation
of incompetence.
Like last year, we stand ac
cused and presumably guilty
until the question becomes a
moot point. In the 1960s
Joseph McCarthy perfected
the foul art of unsubstantiated
accusation in order to ruin his
political opponents: It would
be irresponsible to allow our
student government to that
level.
Kevin Kouns
senior, sociology,
and women’s studies
For Mary
Good job on the Emerald
editorial. I too support Mary
Hotchkiss for president. My
way of putting it is less kind.
Elect her to break the
stranglehold of the Interfrater
nity Council. A leader is need
ed, not a follower.
Brain Lewis
political science
Exchange
The Student University Af
fairs Board is not doing its job.
What exactly does SUAB
do? SUAB represents
students in the faculty and
University Senates, as well as
a host of committees and
bodies on and off campus.
SUAB, then, is a represen
tative body of the students.
Students at the University
need the representation of
SUAB. But how can SUAB
reflect the concerns of the
students if there is not a
reciprocal exhange of com
munication? As pointed out by
the Emerald’s series on stu
dent government (April 5), less
than 30 percent of students
are aware of what SUAB does.
And an even fewer number, I
would guess, know who their
SUAB representative is. Do
you?
SUAB cannot do its job
without proper communica
tion between the students and
the board. I would organize
programs for the members of
individual majors (such as
business and economics) in
which students could learn
more about ther major, listen
to speakers, etc. Moreover,
this would give SUAB
members an excellent oppor
tunity to discover what their
constituents really feel. SUAB
members holding office hours
in their respective department
offices is not enough. SUAB
must begin to represent;
SUAB must, in other words,
begin to do its job
Jttfory Brown
butinoss
Insensitive
I am appalled by David Gib
son's naive and insensitive at
titude towrads ASUO organiza
tions. Last week, during a
debate with ASUO presidential
candiate Mary Hotchkiss. Gib
son was asked if he would cut
minority programs at the re
quest of the student majority.
Gibson’s response was ob
viously hesitant. Clearly, he
has no sincere intention of ful
ly supporting minority pro
grams. He seems prepared to
cut anything that moves.
I would like to bring this to
the attention of such pro
grams as MEChA, NASU,
Asian American Student
Union, FSO, JSU, and the
Chinese Student Union.
With this in mind, I call upon
the minority community to
support Mary Hotchkiss for
ASUO president. She has
openly voiced her support and
concern for both ethnic pro
grams and women’s groups. A
vote for Gibson would only put
his fiscal lawnmover into gear
and jeopardize the cultural
diversity of this univeristy.
Steve Pacheco
sociology, and
International studies
Election play
OK, I wasn’t going to say
anything until after the elec
tions, but Kevin Kouns, you
and your SPA friends can only
stretch the truth so far.
Last term my desk was posi
tioned right next to yours in
the ASUO office; your office
hours posted in front of me.
How many times did you say
you were sick? I’m not exag
gerating when I say you were
missing for days at a time with
no notification to the office,
sick or otherwise. Using your
firing as an elections ploy is in
poor taste, and I hope the cam
pus population will see
through it.
As far as Terri Dismuke’s
comments in the April 12
Emerald go, how can one
“... not be aware of how
regularly Kouns kept his office
hours..." as you state, and
yet be so positive about his
reliability?
The two statements seem a
contradiction in terms. And
now, Teri, to the real reason
for your letter — “I do know
that he (Kouns) has been a
great help and support to our
program and women's issues
in yenaral..." - a little lobby
ing by the director of Women's
Referral and Resource.
One more thing to Sherri
Schultz who says, “students’
concerns aren’t being defend
ed at even a minimal level by
the current ASUO president
and company..." get your
nose into it, Sherri, before you
even begin to pop off. You may
have some limited experience
somewnere, but not with the
current ASUO administration,
except for what Kouns tells
you in your meetings at the
Comptroller's desk.
And finally, my reasons for
writing: I’m not going to be in
volved with the ASUO next
year, Kevin, so you don't have
to file another Elections Viola
tion form, and I'm not par
ticularly oriented with the SPA
or the Greeks (although I
belong to a fraternity). The real
reason I’m writing has to do
with people expounding on
issues they know little or
nothing about. I think a lot of
people are tired of it; it might
be something the Greeks and
the SPA should keep in mind.
Jim Richards
director, University Events
for ASUO
Impartial
The Jewish Student Union
would like to endorse the can
didacy of Mary Shrauger for
the Incidental Fee Committee.
Shrauger’s record shows her
commitment to equal interest
and representation of all
students. She has always
shown a major concern for
maintaining the University’s
cultural diversity by support
ing the various groups that
program cultural events.
In our past experiences
working with Mary Shrauger,
she has consistently maintain
ed an honest, open, and
positive attitude. We believe
that if Mary is elected she will
continue to be informed and
impartial in her efforts to sup
port responsible allocation of
student dollars.
A. Emmeli Adler
director,
Jewish Student Union
Experienced
I originally approached the
ASUO presidential elections
with an open mind. I talked
with the candidates on both
sides and have heard them
debate twice. My experience
in student government and the
ASUO system has led me to
support David Gibson.
Both candidates advocate a
“change" from the current
system, stressing more stu
dent input. The diffference is
thai Gibson backs up his plans
with specfic ideas, facts and
figures. Gibson s experience
with the current administra
tion should be seen as an
asset, not a fault. He has seen
what has been effective and
what can be improved upon.
Gibson has the experience
and enthusiasm necessary to
be an effective representative
of the students at the
University.
Lisa Nuss
sophomore.political science
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letters policy
The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair
comment on topics of interest to the University community
Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, signed
and the identification of the writer must be verified when the
letter is turned in to the Emerald office The Emerald reserves
the right to edit any letter for length, style or content
Your turn is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by
members of the University community "Your turns" must be
limited to 500 words and typed This editorial column will not
be edited by the staff, but selection will be based on appro
priateness
Letters to the editor and "Your turns" should be turned into
the Emerald office. Suite 300 EMU
Unsigned editorials appearing in the Emerald are based
upon the majority opinion of the editorial board