Items of Immediate Consideration

Item C

The A.S. Council approved the allocation of $50 from the general unallocated fund to the Voting Systems Task Force for a mock election.

Reports

Vice President of Finance Dave Beza

Beza reported that he approved an emergency funding allocation to the DJs and Vinylphiles Club “”to cover [an] unanticipated increase in security expenses.”” The total amount allocated from the Student Organization funds was $72.26. Beza also reported that the speech and debate team is unhappy with the amount of money recently allocated to it and would like to challenge the amount of the allocation.

Acting Commissioner of Athletics Bryce Warwick

Warwick announced that Commissioner of Athletics Robin Shelton will be returning to his office Feb. 12 after two weeks off. Warwick also announced that there will be no Triton Tide event this week due to the Valentine’s holiday.

Eleanor Roosevelt College Freshman Senator Max Harrington

Harrington reported that the Voting Systems Task Force should make a decision on which voting system to recommend to the A.S. Council by Feb. 21. The task force has narrowed down its list of alternative voting systems to instant runoff voting, the Condorcet method and approval voting, according to Harrington. The task force will hold a mock election next week on favorite ice cream flavors and “”will ask students to vote using the three systems [the task force] is looking at [in order to] get feedback from students on the proposed systems and to demonstrate how election results might differ using the three systems.”” The task force will entice potential voters with Moo Time certificates and possibly real ice cream.

Harrington also announced that he is drafting resolutions “”opposing violations of civil liberties, including portions of the USA Patriot Act, and opposing the war in Iraq.””

ERC Senior Senator Wendy Ho

Ho reported that the ERC Senior Committee is “”going strong”” and will hold a happy hour at TGI Fridays on Feb. 20 at 10 p.m.

University Centers Expansion Task Force Chair Garo Bournoutian

Bournoutian reported that UCETF is in the final stages of finalizing a report on the University Centers expansion. The report will take into account results from “”focus groups, user group interviews, phone and Internet survey results, demand-based programming, a ranking of programs and services, the recommended program, and a financial analysis.””

Vice President Internal Kevin Hsu

Hsu announced that the Higher Education Act reauthorization efforts, “”H.E.A.R. Students! Access Now!”” campaign, is starting its postcard drive. A.S. Council members will be distributing campaign postcards to be filled out and sent to the offices of Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Diane Feinstein and Representative Susan Davis.

Old Business

Item K

The Finance Committee approved the allocation of $6,000 from the College Level All-Campus Programming fund to John Muir College for Muirstock 2003 on April 25. Commissioner of Programming Gabe Grossman objected to the amount of the allocation, saying that Muir had been funded $6,600 last year for Muirstock and should receive at least that much this year. A vote to pull the item from committee to allow the A.S. Council to vote on the item failed 8-9-2.

— Compiled by Clayton Worfolk

Senior Staff Writer