The University of Idaho Argonaut

Open forum
Matthew Weibler, chair of the Idaho Commons and Union Board, spoke about the 2008 Arts Festival that will be held the week of March 24. The festival will include a fashion show, displays of student art and a free drawing class. The board will meet Friday to finalize plans and form a more detailed agenda for the event. Weibler said he will e-mail the senators with more information so they can take the details to their assigned living groups.

Katie Scott, director of academics, said she has been busy with activities with the Teaching and Advising Committee. The Excellence in Advising Award winners have been determined but have not yet been announced. The committee is also working to review the policy for class and teacher evaluations. Scott said the committee wants to make evaluations more beneficial to everyone and hopes to makes some changes to the current status of the evaluations.

They are making recommendations for policy changes, which would include keeping the electronic evaluations open and available to students through finals week, instead of closing during dead week. Another change would make it impossible for students to view their final grades until the period for evaluations is closed. Scott said these should be positive changes to the current system. The ASUI student achievement award nominations are due on Friday and Scott said she needs help delivering packets to the judges on the Monday and Tuesday following Spring Break. Scott asked for volunteers from the Senate because no one else had volunteered.

Jo Seely, director of advancement, announced senior Brooke Anderson as the winner of the Sen.. Larry Craig Leadership Scholarship. Anderson is a chemistry and math major at UI. Seely said there are plans for a luncheon with members of Craig’s staff,

UI officials and representatives and Anderson in the near future.
Presidential communications
ASUI President Jon Gaffney said election petitions are currently available at the front desk of the ASUI Office. There are eight open seats in the Senate and the positions for president and vice president are also open to interested students. The petitions are due at 5 p.m. March 21.

Gaffney said he is also looking for an elections coordinator and encouraged students to contact him if interested in the position. Gaffney thanked the senators for their participation in the pre-session and said the university is currently requesting proposals from businesses concerning the bookstore. The Selection Committee will listen to these proposals and decide if any would benefit UI. Gaffney announced policy advisor Justin Doble was appointed to Selection Committee.

Unfinished business
Bills
S08-20, an act amending the Senate bylaws to provide ways the Senate president pro-tempore additional responsibilities concerning the university communication, was immediately considered and unanimously passed. The bill will establish the pro-tempore as the Senate’s liaison to the university administration and provide the means by which to effectively communicate with UI officials.
Resolutions
S08-04, a resolution expressing the ASUI’s gratitude to Dee Dee Brown, was immediately considered and unanimously passed. The resolution highlights Dee Dee’s dedication to ASUI and summarized the Senate’s appreciation for all that she did while working as the administrative assistant for ASUI.

New business
Bills
S08-21, an act appointing Rob Chalkley to the position of ASUI Commons and Union Board Lounge Committee Coordinator, was sent to the government operations and appointments committee for further examination.
— Liz Virtue