Meeting #11 – Nov 3, 2004

Items of Immediate Consideration

Item D

The council approved the appointment of John Muir College Senior Senator Arman Depanian to the Internal Committee. Depanian was appointed by Muir College Council to fill the position after it became vacant earlier this year with former Muir Senior Senator Jeremy Cogan’s resignation.

Public Input

Lottie Cohen, the attorney representing the co-ops in its discussions with the university, updated the council on the current dealings between the two groups. She said that the university has tried to shut down the co-ops previously by alleging that they had violated health and safety codes. According to Cohen, the co-ops have not had any lawsuits filed against them since they filed to be a nonprofit organization in 1992. She said she urged the Associated Students to find legal representation in order to assert the council’s right to oversee the co-ops and informed councilmembers of a meeting to discuss possible mediation on Nov. 4 that is expected to last the entire day.

Reports

President Jenn Pae

Pae informed the council that the long lines at election polling stations posed a problem for many students on Nov. 2. She said she contacted the San Diego County Registrar of Voters about the problem, but said that the problem was not addressed until local media were contacted. She also praised Revelle College Senior Senator Ted McCombs for staying at the John Muir College polling place until 12:30 a.m. on Nov 3.

Pae also reported that the plans for new A.S. offices in the expanded Price Center are in the process of being finalized. The space allocated for the council will include a conference room with a removable wall in order to accommodate public input, 15 offices for the members of the council and a reception area.

Vice President External Rigo Marquez

Marquez said that he spent approximately 12 hours at the polling places on Nov 2. He reported that he helped run one of the polling places on campus due to the poor performance of the designated poll workers. Marquez praised the student body for taking the time to vote, citing record turnout for student voters.

Council Caucus

According to Vice President of Academic Affairs Caroline Song, there are discussions about the possibility of the state of California funding UCSD for its summer session. If this were to occur, students would have to enroll in 16 units in order for UCSD to receive funding. As a result, the A.S. Council discussed the advantages of assessing a student activities fee for the summer session, as it currently does with regular quarters. Members of the council, including Marquez, supported collecting student fees for programming during the summer sessions. Other members, like Muir Junior Senator Neil Spears, supported the collection of a smaller fee to pay for academic services such as A.S. Soft Reserves. Song and Pae said that these decisions will not be put to the council soon, but that the council wants to hold discussion in order to advise the people who are researching the proposal.

— Compiled by Patrick Allen

Senior Staff Writer