A.S. Meeting #13 — Nov. 16
Public Input
California Public Interest Research Group Campus Coordinator Kirsten Schatz, announced that the organization is planning a Gulf region hurricane relief trip over winter break. Volunteers who embark on the trip will be housed and fed through donations, and fundraising for transportation to the region is to begin soon.
Student-Run Television co-Manager Andrew Tess addressed the demands made by acting Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Life Gary R. Ratcliff in order to have the service turned back on.
He urged the council to look at the original SRTV charter passed in 1996 because he believes it best reflects the intent of the station as an organization.
“Significant changes made by the administration [are] tantamount to censorship at this point,” he said.
Eddie Guerrero, from the Student Affirmative Action Committee, spoke out against what he believed to be “an unfair process and selection” of the vice president external. He alleged that several applications were left unguarded in Price Center third floor lobby, and that one person of the two-member selection committee arrived late to his interview. He called for A.S. President Christopher Sweeten to reopen and adapt the application process.
Items of Immediate Consideration
Item A
The council rejected a resolution validating the petitions that called for the A.S. Council to hold a special election regarding council regulations of SRTV content. Sweeten announced that he had certified the petitions and the election would take place. The resolution was deemed unnecessary.
Reports
President Christopher Sweeten
Sweeten said that the special election called by “Koala TV” petitioners will take place the first week of winter quarter. He referenced the administration’s refusal to return SRTV to operational status as “a slap in the face to not only the council, but the student body as a whole.”
Old Business
Item A
Former Interim Vice President External Samantha Peterson was approved for the permanent position despite calls from certain members of the public to reopen applications for her position. Peterson’s appointment was passed by consensus.
Item L
Councilmembers debated whether or not to amend the charter of the A.S. Judicial Board to allow for the council to be notified when a grievance is filed against it. Although A.S. Commissioner of Student Advocacy Travis Silva and his predecessor Denis Shmidt argued that open hearings could inhibit the ability of issues to be settled outside of the Judicial Board, many senators said they believed that the right of the council as an accused party superseded the desire to keep the charges from being leaked to the media.
