Student Senate questions legality of request
Multicultural Center's request for fund transfer
and two new positions approved but scrutinized
BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF
NEWS REPORTER
The ASUO Student Senate met
Wednesday night to elect a treasurer,
make nominations and hear requests
from several campus organizations.
The Senate nominated and ap
proved senators James George,
Stephanie Erickson, Toby Hill-Meyer,
Sarah Wells and Kevin Day for the
Rules Committee; Rona Yang,
Stephanie Stoll, Austin Shaw-Phillips,
Emily Sousa and Sol Hart for the Fi
nance Committee; and Colin Andries,
Lisa Lam, Jack Crocifisso, Khahn Le
and Rodrigo Moreno-Villamar for the
Personnel Committee. Moreno-Villa
mar, Hart, Wells, Souse and Stoll will
serve on the University Senate.
Finding senators willing to serve on
one of the committees proved difficult.
Shaw-Phillips originally declined his
nomination for a spot on the Finance
Committee citing his disdain for math,
saying that “for the good of the Sen
ate” he shouldn’t be on the committee.
Shaw-Phillips accepted after it became
clear no senators wanted the position.
After the committees were ap
proved, the Senate approved two new
job descriptions from the Multicultural
Center and approved a $1,400 transfer
from the incidental fee surplus fund to
cover the costs of hiring for positions.
The two positions were designed to
serve as an outreach to minority stu
dents in area high schools, which pro
grams adviser Steve Morozumi said
are often unfairly cast as incapable of
succeeding at the University level.
The requests had been postponed
from last week’s meeting because of
concerns over whether the new job de
scriptions were a violation of federal
work-study laws.
“The only concern was that they
might be a violation,” senator Toby
Hill-Meyer said, adding that no one
knew because many hadn’t read them.
Morozumi told the Senate he
thought the request was “subjected to
unfair and disproportionate scrutiny
that other organizations don’t get.”
Delaying the approval of the job de
scriptions and the surplus transfer
would make it difficult to reach current
high school seniors whose college ap
plications are due soon.
Moreno-Villamar supported the
new positions, saying that to delay the
request any further would “(delay) the
hopes and dreams of youth.”
Hart expressed concern over ap
proving job descriptions that Universi
ty lawyers had yet to declare legal.
“What was before us before was not
legal,” he said, referring to the job de
scription presented at the Oct. 6 Senate
meeting and adding that it is crucial for
the Senate to obey the law.
Morozumi said the claim that the
job description was illegal was “outra
geous. You can say these things and
say it loud enough and long enough
but it doesn’t make it true.”
The Senate also unanimously ap
proved requests from the Women’s
Law Forum, the Community Intern
ship Program, the Hawaii Club, the
Black Student Union and the Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and TVansgender Educa
tional and Support Services Program,
totaling approximately $4,000.
meghanncuniff© dailyemerald, com
Edwards: students' reactions to visit range from ecstatic to disappointed
Continued from page 1
DeFranco said it’s crucial for elect
ed officials to recognize mistakes and
learn from them.
“That’s a key to good leadership,”
he said.
Senior Ray Gragg said he turned out
to see Edwards because he has been a
Kerry supporter but did not know
much about the vice presidential can
didate. Gragg said Edwards speaks to
the middle class demographic.
“He really seemed to support Amer
ica and American ideas in a way I
think will better the middle class,”
he said.
Gragg said Edwards covered do
mestic issues that are often neglected.
“1 think one thing lot of people got
from this speech is how important
domestic issues are to this party,”
he said.
Gragg added that Edwards’ visit
was vital for raising support for the
Kerry campaign.
“At the very least, he just strength
ened his supporters,” he said.
Wednesday’s rally did draw some
undecided voters, including sopho
more Mike Maloney. He said seeing
Edwards first hand was necessary to
help him determine the candidate’s
character.
“Personally, I don’t stand for what
Edwards did to make his money,”
Maloney said.
Maloney said he hoped to hear Ed
wards discuss clear plans for how his
ticket will accomplish its goals but Ed
wards did not deliver.
“It was kind of a disappointment on
my part today,” he said.
Bush supporters also attended the
rally to express their views.
Michelle Marini of the College Re
publicans National Committee was
one of the president’s supporters gath
ered near the entrance to the rally and
said she was not impressed with what
she heard of Edwards’ speech.
“It’s just the same old rhetoric you
hear on TV everyday,” Marini said.
She and about 25 other Bush sup
porters came to the rally to support
other conservative students by show
ing them that “they’re not a minority
on campus,” she said.
Michelle Dixon, student outreach
director for the Carry Oregon cam
paign, said the rally was a tremendous
success.
“UO students really got to hear that
Kerry has a plan for our future,” she
said. “The real key is going to be
what this does to get the vote out
on campus.”
parkerhowell@ daily emerald, com
meghannciiniff@ daily emerald, com
Vice presidential hopeful John Edwards is greeted by Congressman Peter Defazio on the
East Lawn of the EMU Wednesday afternoon.
Volunteers Wanted!
Duck Preview is a visitation day for high school seniors who are
interested in the University of Oregon. Its success depends on
volunteer support from you... current UO students!
Duck Preview 2004
November 7
Volunteering at Duck Preview is a great way to:
• get involved on campus: x -
■ meet other students;
• get better acquainted with the university;
• help prospective students;
■ share your Duck experiences with visitors.
There will be two training sessions to choose from:
Tuesday, October 26
at 5:30pm in 360 Oregon Hall
Wednesday, October 27
at 5:30pm in 360 Oregon Hall
Contact the Ambassador Program by phone at 346-1274 or by e-mail at
^ 1 -J
ambass@darkwing.uoregon.edu
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