ASUI senators accommodated for a sudden vacant seat Wednesday when it was announced that Sen. James Howard resigned from his position on the senate.
Though Sen. Tanner Beymer said he and Howard did not always see eye-to-eye in the senate, Beymer praised him during the meeting, and said Howard served the student body well during his time at ASUI.
“I’m very sad to see Senator Howard go, but I do look forward to replacing him with someone of equal caliber, though I know that his shoes will be very difficult to fill,” Beymer said.
The resignation leaves the senate with a vacant seat that ASUI President Cruz Botello said he wants to fill before the end of the semester.
Botello said there is a required two-week application window open to fill the seat, but he will provide his own recommendations to the senate, possibly from the pool of candidates who applied for the four seats that were vacant at the beginning of the semester.
In his resignation letter to Botello, Howard said additional time constraints this semester left him little time for the senate, and his stipend did not make up for hours he lost at his job.
“That being said, joining ASUI was not about the stipend, it was about the experience,” Howard wrote.
His resignation came after Botello’s veto of a bill authored by Howard, which would have restricted student organizations to use ASUI allocated funds and resources to support a candidate in an ASUI election.
Last week, Howard said the bill would see the light of day again, and he welcomed input from other senators on how to amend the bill before bringing it the floor once more. Howard said a new version of the bill could have been listed under “New Business” as early as this week. It was not.
The senate covered several issues at the meeting. Besides Howard’s resignation, senators also considered an open space on the second floor of the Idaho Commons next to Einstein Bros. Bagels — a space ASUI and the University of Idaho administration have grappled over how to use for years.
Botello said he invited the senate, as well as Dean of Students Blaine Eckles, professor Brian Johnson and Vice President for Infrastructure Dan Ewart to the ASUI cabinet meeting Wednesday to discuss the space. Botello said Ewart was unable to attend.
Botello said the cabinet wants him to make a decision as soon as possible, while the administration would like to continue discussion. Ultimately, the decision falls to Botello, without legislation or a vote.
Botello said three years of student input was gathered by the previous director of Commons and Union, a currently vacant position. Botello said that input indicates an overwhelming desire by UI students to turn the space into an all-inclusive, interactive student lounge. Botello said he prefers this idea.
Botello said he is currently unable to recover that data, but once recovered, he plans to cite the data to the administration.
“I act in the interest of the student body,” Botello said.
Beymer urged Botello to make a decision on the space quickly. Botello said various floor plans already exist to turn the space into a student lounge, but a final plan has not been decided on since Botello said the administration has requested to repurpose the space to address other student needs.
“I want to make a decision very soon,” Botello said.
ASUI Athletic Director, Ethan McIlhargey, also addressed the senate to inform senators of the low attendance at Vandal sporting events.
McIlhargey said attendance was down by 1,500 students for last week’s football game, when the Vandals beat New Mexico State University 55-23.
“We offer over a couple thousand dollars of money in prizes, and we just had to hand out to people that were there,” McIlhargey said.
Sen. Zachary Spence asked McIlhargey if he could deliver the flyers to the senate earlier. McIlhargey said the last football flyers he handed out to the senate were late, but said he handed out volleyball flyers two weeks in advance, only to have most returned to his box.
Senators have not only been reminded, but pleaded to visit their living groups every week by ASUI Vice President Kelsy Briggs and Pro-Tempore Mattie Cupps.
Cupps said senators are required to visit Greek housing and residence halls with information on upcoming events as part of their job description. Senators then give living group reports at every senate meeting.
Cupps said senators who do not visit their living groups will now start receiving strikes.
Taylor Nadauld can be reached at [email protected]