The mostly new members of this week’s A.S. Council meeting sized each other up and settled into their respective roles. One of the few faces leftover from last year’s council, Speaker Michelle Yetter, kept debate regulated by explaining council procedure to inexperienced newcomers.
During public input, former Vice President of Finance Conrad Ohashi advised the new council to meet at Round Table prior to the meeting when tensions run high.
‘I had one by myself today,’ he said. ‘I wish more senators had shown up.’
Ohashi’s statement was followed by comments from students who expressed concern over contention within Thurgood Marshall College’s Dimensions of Culture program. Kent Lee, a Marshall senior, said the writing program has digressed from its original themes of class, gender and race.
Lee also voiced concern over the ‘firing’ of two D.O.C. teaching assistants, whose teaching contracts weren’t renewed due to their criticism of the program.
‘This affects us all because TAs cannot be dismissed because of their critiques,’ Lee said.
In an impassioned final word, Marshall freshman Yuki Murakami told the council, ‘I hope you will be democratically plucked from your seats if you do not believe that students can make a difference.’
Next, in reports, A.S. President Marco Murillo updated the council on his budget proposal. The budget will be on the conservative side, he said, because the council overallocated funds to student organizations this year.
Yetter took center stage during question time, giving advice for the election of the new speaker. Speakers should be familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order, she explained, but one learns how to fill the office gradually.
A special presentation by Jennifer Pae, former UCSD A.S. president and current president of the United States Student Association, followed. Pae outlined the agenda of the USSA, and encouraged councilmembers to join.
Pae warned councilmembers that President George W. Bush is targeting the Cal Grant program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Perkins loans and the Thurgood Marshall Program for elimination.
Finally, an election for the new speaker was held with four nominees, including graduating senior and Associate Vice President of Programming Di Lam, Sixth College Senator John Cressey, Eleanor Roosevelt College Senator Stephanie Usry and Biological Sciences Senator Emma Sandoe.
The nominees were asked questions pertaining to their confidence in coordinating a large group of people and whether they would be strict or flexible in their adherence to parliamentary procedure.
After a debate about the nominees, during which Cressey and Sandoe were preferred (Usry was deemed too inexperienced), the council voted Sandoe as the new speaker.
