Public Input

Student advocate Robert Forouzandeh, who argued on behalf of A.S. presidential candidates Kevin Hsu and Brian Uiga, and vice president internal candidate Steve York in elections grievance hearings, apologized for using the word “”terrorist”” as a “”blanket statement”” in a particular grievance hearing during the public input section of the A.S. meeting. Forouzandeh claimed that he felt the term was justified at the time because he and several peers had received forceful threats intended to terrorize, but wanted to apologize after hearing that people had been offended by the comment. Forouzandeh also responded to claims that the elections committee’s disqualification of all members of the Students First! slate was race-related by contending that racism is a real problem on campus, but had nothing to do with the committee’s ruling.

Transportation Policy Committee A.S. Representative Tom Chapman reported that the TPC discussed several means of remedying the projected loss of “”S”” parking spaces at its last meeting. Options discussed included expanding Lot 705 near Regents Lot, re-striping current lots, eliminating a limited number of bike lanes, adding off-site parking in Mira Mesa, expanding the shuttle system and eliminating freshman resident parking. Chapman said that he expected the TPC to make decisions on the options at its April 25 meeting.

Items of Immediate Consideration

The A.S. Council approved a set of A.S. and Graduate Student Association special elections bylaws, effective for the remainder of the 2002-03 academic year. The bylaws stipulate the “”conduct and control of all joint undergraduate and graduate special elections regarding referenda”” and will specifically apply to the upcoming University Centers Expansion and Renovation Fee Referendum, on which students will vote during seventh week. The council debated extensively on the prospect of undergraduates and graduates petitioning a referendum onto the ballot before deciding to leave the decision to the GSA Council, which will meet for an emergency meeting on April 25. See page 1 for more details.

Reports

Sixth College Chair Chris Sweeten

Sixth College Chair-elect Sweeten resigned from the position. Sweeten, who is the current Sixth College Chair, said that he felt forced to choose between being a Resident Adviser or Sixth College Chair next year, and, due to financial reasons, chose to be an RA. Sweeten is also currently one of three finalists for the position of University of California Student Regent.

Old Business

Item A

The A.S. Council appointed Eleanor Roosevelt College Freshman Senator Max Harrington to the Student Health Center Expansion Advisory Committee, effective through June 6, 2003.

Item B

The A.S. Council postponed an amendment to A.S. Elections Bylaws that would mandate a three-quarters majority vote of the elections committee in disqualifying a candidate or slate. The council will address numerous amendments to elections bylaws at next week’s meeting. The proposed amendments regard the notification of candidates and slates of possible bylaws violations, the use of campaign materials to “”mislead”” voters, the percentage vote required to disqualify a candidate or slate, the number of voters required to petition for an A.S. officer’s recall and definitions of the terms “”poster,”” “”campaign,”” “”classroom campaigning”” and “”preponderance of evidence.””

Item G

The A.S. Council unanimously appointed Commissioner of Programming Gabe Grossman to the position of special elections manager, effective through June 2, 2003. Grossman will oversee seventh-week special elections.

— Compiled by Clayton Worfolk

Senior Staff Writer