The newly elected A.S Council’s inagural meeting was a welcoming and instructional affair.
Shanna Dayan of the Student Health Advocates presented the ‘Sun God Says’ campaign, and brought a box full of T-shirts as a gift to incoming councilmembers. The T-shirts, designed by the A.S. Graphic Studio, bear catchy phrases including ‘Who you gonna call … A.S. Safe Rides.’
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue greeted the new council and offered a presentation chock full of wise words for the new council.
‘My aspiration for every student is that you have a niche, that you have a group of people you bond with ‘mdash; your peeps if you will,’ Rue said. ‘It’d be great if A.S. can be a bonding group for you, but it’s also to reach out to create new alliances, to create partnerships where partnerships didn’t exist before.’
For the council’s benefit, Associate Vice President of Student Advocacy Frank Carroll handed out plastic water bottles that listed the ‘Top 5 things you should know if you are questioned/arrested at Sun God’ before he played a 15-minute instructional DVD on knowing your rights as an individual and how to deal with police.
The information and bottles come at a welcome time, given that a council resolution passed earlier this year decrying the use of disposable water bottles prompted a decision by A.S. Concerts and Events not to distribute free water bottles at this year’s festival.
A.S. Speaker Jordan Taylor added the appointment of his successor to new business and proceeded to pander his current position by listing his various duties.
Campuswide Senator Tobias Haglund and former Revelle College Council Chair James Lintern both graciously accepted their nominations for the job. Then each made his case to be voted on by the council.
Haglund cited his experience in helping to construct the by-laws within Pi Kappa Alpha and his involvement with Judicial Affairs on the InterFraternity Council. He explained that he would increase council efficiency by cutting down on the side chatter in the A.S. Forum.
Lintern listed his own experiences ‘mdash; serving on Revelle College Council, serving on the Standing Rules committee and the Gaza Resolution Committee, and the two times he stepped in for an absent Taylor. Since he is not a member of the council, he would not have a vote if there were a tie.
‘College chairs are very used to not choosing sides,’ Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Lana Blank pointed out in the discussion that followed each nominee’s presentation.
After the council’s brief deliberation, Lintern re-entered the forum to the news and appropriate applause that he had been elected to the position.
During open forum Campuswide Senator Alex Vu encouraged everyone to prepare for the ninth week budget meeting and to stay informed via the e-mail listserv.