Public Input

Victor Devore addressed the council on behalf of the California Public Interest Research Group. CALPIRG and many other student organizations have begun planning fundraising events in order to help the victims of the tsunami disaster in East Asia, according to Devore. He asked for the council’s help in unifying and organizing events to provide relief to the affected populations. CALPIRG will be meeting on Jan. 10 in the group’s office on the second floor of Student Center to discuss and organize relief efforts.

Reports

President Jenn Pae

Pae reported that she met with Student Safety Awareness and Sexual Assault Resource Center Director Nancy Wahlig and examined the rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment policies at UCSD, comparing them to policies at other universities. According to Pae, UCSD’s policies are inadequate in comparison to the other colleges examined, and should be updated to better serve the students.

Pae also reported that the position of elections manager is still open. Applications for the position can be found at

http://asucsd.ucsd.edu. Applications are due by Jan. 10.

Revelle College Senior Senator Ted McCombs

McCombs reported that there will be a fireworks show following the Spirit Night games on Jan. 28. The event will feature a professional show choreographed by the company hired for the 2004 Summer Olympics.

John Muir College Junior Senator Neil Spears

Spears reported that the Muir Provost Search Committee will be hearing student input on Jan. 13 at 5 p.m.

Council Caucus

The council discussed the possible planning of events to aid tsunami victims. The fundraisers discussed included meal-point drives and events throughout UCSD Cares Week, scheduled from Feb. 7 to Feb. 11.

President Jenn Pae told the council that the negotiations between the university, student co-ops, Associated Students and the Graduate Student Association have been very productive. According to Pae, a new agreement governing the co-op satellite, which will be in Price Center, is in the final stages. Pae asked councilmembers if they supported a GSA recommendation that the council hire a lawyer to review the document before approving it. Among the issues discussed were the legal nuances of diction in the agreement and the cost of hiring a lawyer. After discussion, 17 members of the council supported hiring a lawyer and seven opposed the action, with 10 members expressing no opinion.

Old Business

Item B2

Councilmembers rejected legislation that would have created a “no confidence” option for elected positions when only one candidate runs for an A.S. office. In order to be elected to office, any candidate running unopposed would have been required to receive more votes than the number of “no confidence” votes cast. The legislation failed by a vote of 2-20-0.

— Compiled by Patrick Allen

Senior Staff Writer