The University of Idaho Argonaut

Open forum
Activities Board Chair Kirsten Cummings gave wrap up for the year. The last activities board hearing was last night.
The $10,000 delegated to the budget by ASUI was appreciated by board members and the student organizations that will benefit from the money. The Student Organization Awards will be held on Tuesday and various organizations will receive recognition. Cummings also discussed bill S08-35, which changes the term “reimbursement” to “funding” in the bylaws of the ASUI Activities Board. She said the change will allow the board to avoid the implication that funding is automatic to all student organizations.

Policy Adviser Justin Doble reported the state of the request-for-proposal committee concerning the University of Idaho Bookstore. He said the committee made their recommendation to President Tim White but because of confidentiality contracts, cannot reveal their decision. According to Dole the committee had the university and student’s best interests in mind when forming the decision. He said he is happy with the entire process. President White and other members of the senior staff at UI will review the recommendations. Dole said if all goes accordingly, the results will be presented to the public in May, but this is not guaranteed.

Matt Weibler, chair of the commons and union board said the recent Arts Festival was a success. The participation was good and there has been positive student feedback, he said. The board is still working on producing maps of the Idaho Commons and TLC and possibly adding furniture to the buildings as well, he said.
Director of Advancement Jo Seely annouced the 2008 Senator Larry E. Craig Endowment Scholarship recipient is Brooke Anderson, a student from the College of Natural Sciences. Seely said this was the first year for the scholarship and is excited to report the process was a success. Seely also has been working to get ASUI more involved with the Office of Development.

Patrick Bradbury said the student achievement awards will be held at 7 p.m. Friday during Mom’s Weekend. There were a large number of nominees for outstanding student achievement and all of the winners have been picked. Everything is on schedule but the committee needs volunteers to usher and hand out awards. Anyone interested should contact him.

Presidential communications
ASUI President Jon Gaffney said the bookstore RFP process is complete and is now in the hands of the university president. Gaffney said he will be part of the cabinet that reviews the recommendation so a student voice will be included in the final decision. The nonprofit management degree Gaffney and Vice President Amy Huddleston worked on is now moving to the next stage of development. Gaffney said the degree will be reviewed by the university and faculty members and then sent to the State Board of Education.

Unfinished business
Bills
S08-32 a.a., an act transferring $12,000 from the general reserve to alternative service breaks, was amended. According to the amendment relying on the ASUI General Reserve to balance the alternative service breaks budget (NVA106) is “fiscally irresponsible.” It advises continuing the work being done to seek more corporate funding. The amended bill was unanimously passed.

S08-33, an act transferring $10,000 from the general reserve to the ASUI general operating budget, was unanimously passed.

S08-34, an act transferring $30,000 from the general reserve to the ASUI Vandal Entertainment Board, was unanimously passed.

S08-35, an act adopting an amended version of the bylaws of the ASUI Activities Board, was unanimously passed.

S08-36, an act amending section 3100.010 of the ASUI Rules and Regulations to provide greater compensation for multiple term senators, was held in committee for further examination and discussion and will be back on the agenda next week.

S08-37, an act creating the position of ASUI Senate Secretary, amending ASUI bylaws section 3000, was unanimously passed.

S08-40, an act providing funds to the off-campus student council for their awareness event, was unanimously passed.

New business
Bills
S08-39, an act amending the ASUI Rules and Regulations so they reflect current operating procedures, was sent to the rules and regulations committee.
-Liz Virtue