It looks like the ASUO elections season is starting to heat up, and Cpt. Lesiak hasn’t even made anyone walk the plank yet (his proposed Executive punishment for waste of student dollars). The Students for Responsible Government, a group that has existed for some time, seems rather angry about Tomcat’s article. Here’s what they had to say in an e-mail.

Just received an email from the UO Senate President (not to be confused with the ASUO Senate, which is comprised of students) announcing the passing of an anti-Pacifica Forum resolution. In essence, here’s what it was all about.

The University Senate denounces in the strongest possible terms the hateful speech that is frequently expressed at the Pacifica Forum and deplores the pseudo-debates that Pacifica Forum portrays as serious intellectual inquiry, and the University Senate will publicize this stand widely throughout the University community.

Now that that’s out of the way, does anyone want to talk about how water bottles are bad? Or maybe about Duck athletes getting into trouble? I’m bored.

In a recent press release to the Elections Committee and general student body, Tony Mecum announced the creation of the Students for Responsible Government. SRG, according to Mecum, is “a watchdog group to monitor campaign promises and rules by creating awareness about this year’s student government elections.”

Mecum, who resigned today from the EMU board, declares that he is tired of the elections being a “giant circus show” and that “for too long have special interest groups poisoned the democratic free allocation process.” He plans to wage this ASUO war with “every constitutional power granted to free paying members of this association.” The group is “nothing short of excited” and has received support from leaders across campus, according to Mecum. SRG is looking forward to the coming weeks, and is already analyzing wire tips.

Well all I can say is that it’s hight time that the UO finally has a group to keep an eye on the ASUO. Despite their stunning effectiveness as a governing body, you never know when the ASUO might misallocate hundreds of thousands of dollars to some kind of shady lobbyist group, or potentially break constitutional law. It’s great that we have upstanding men people in our student body willing to speak out against these abuses. I can rest easy tonight knowing that though ASUO elections loom on the horizon, Mecum and his group “are committed to this cause. Justice will be served.”

May the ASUO fear this face.

According to a Tomcat article published in the Emerald on Friday, the ASUO Elections board — the same that threatened the Commentator with punishment for Cpt. Peter Freedom Lesiak’s poster – decided against doing so late last Thursday night “unless a student formally files a complaint against him.”

Of course, any student filing a complaint against Lesiak would have to take into consideration that all of the other presidential candidates have had posters on this website as well. Twice. Since Lesiak did not post his flyers under his own volition, filing a complaint against Lesiak would require filing a complaint against all the other candidates as well.

Of course, the real lesson here is that the ASUO Elections Rules have some pretty asinine provisions. Coupled with vague language, the rules that punish candidates for separate entities actions is fucking stupid. Glad to hear the ASUO Elections Board came to their senses.

(We apologize for the delay for the posters. Proper Facebook clearance was needed.)

Looks like the ASUO Elections season is underway! Here’s some sweet posters!

Apparently there has been “multiple complaints” about our post “supporting” Cpt. Peter Freedom Lesiak. Good thing the ASUO Elections Board doesn’t understand the scope of their organization. Here it goes:

Regarding your recent post promoting Peter Lesiak for ASUO President-

While we as the elections board are glad that your publication wants to be involved with the ASUO Elections by supporting your candidate, we have had multiple complaints regarding your recent post endorsing Peter Lesiak for ASUO President. In order to prevent further actions being taken against Peter, it is in his best interest that the “poster” portion of your recent post be taken down by tomorrow morning. Please look at section 6 of the Elections Rules, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have regarding this issue.

Thank you, and we appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

–
ASUO Elections Board
EMU Suite 4
1228 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403

The Oregon Commentator decided to respond. Here’s what we had to say.

Regarding your complaints about the post on our website. We assume you are calling to question with regards to ASUO Elections Rules, section 6.7 A (vii) “Publications produced with University and/or student funds; But does not include publications where student funds are used for a subscription of a given publication which include, but are not limited to, the Oregon Daily Emerald” as well as ASUO Executive Rule 82.4 “No incidental fees may be spent to support the campaign of any individual, or party, for public office. Fees may be used to promote appearances and discussions between several candidates for public office, in order to increase student knowledge of the issues of candidates.”

You may also recall a situation two years ago in which Con Court decided that campaigns cannot pay for ad space. We then decided to donate an ad, which is not against the rules, to a campaign. You can read all about it in our editorial from that issue, titled “Con Court can lick our collective nuts”. You can find it here.

In any case, you’re in luck because the Oregon Commentator website — the place in which Cpt. Lesiak’s poster is hosted — is a privately-run website, free of Incidental Fee money. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about the website because it is not paid for by any student funding.

Thanks for playing along. Maybe next time.

Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator

Glad we could start this off on the right foot. As a show of solidarity, here’s yet another one of Cpt. Peter Freedom Lesiak’s posters.

Okay, just got another e-mail from the ASUO Elections Board, this time more pretentious than the last:

Dear Oregon Commentator,

We understand that your online publication is a privately run website, and while we understand that the Oregon Commentator can not be held accountable  for this post, Peter himself CAN be. Please read section 1.2 and 1.3 to  better understand the definition of campaigning. Also, we recommend you  look over sections 6 and 7 of the Elections Rules again, focusing on  section 6.12 and section 7.2. Part of our job is to make sure that every  candidate has a fair opportunity in this election, and by posting the  campaign poster on your website, we believe you are giving an unfair  advantage to Peter, which is unacceptable. Again, while the Oregon  Commentator can not be held accountable, the individual candidate can.  Furthermore, your article of the Con Court ruling holds absolutely no merit  in this situation, because the issue we are concerned about is the fact  that the candidate is campaigning before the time designated for  campaigning. Which is in direct violation of the current Elections Rules.

Again, we ask that you remove the poster portion of your post by tomorrow morning. If this is not done, the individual candidate will be contacted to  discuss the issue.

Thanks for your cooperation.

And of course, our response:

ASUO Elections Board,
We would like to point out that Mr. Lesiak is not doing any campaigning, nor is the website a campaign in itself. From a technical standpoint, announcing your candidacy on our website is no different than other candidates announcing their candidacy in the Daily Emerald.

Of course, you can use your rules however you want. We don’t really care. The elections board is out of its mind and its jurisdiction. The posters will not come down from the website, for reasons previously stated.

In the words of Cpt. Lesiak, “Yarrr! We must first battle the squalls to find the calmer seas, littered with the treasure chests of a thousand plunders!”

Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator

It looks like the ASUO Elections board is challenging Cpt. Lesiak to a duel with that ultimatim at the end. Swords at dawn!

OK got another response form the Elections Board. Here it is:

Oregon Commentator,

Because you refuse to comply with our request, we will be notifying the candidate of the potential violation and consequences of your actions. Our only goal is to make sure the upcoming elections run as smoothly as possible, and that the elections are run fairly. Again, feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the Elections.

Your professionalism has been greatly appreciated.

Man they got us with a real zinger there at the end! Golly! Here’s our response:

Avast!
You’ll never make me walk the plank, you scalywags! I’ll surely join the depths of Davy Jones’ locker by plunging myself into the blue before I let you dogs push me end on end! Full about, broad side sweeps o’er their bow before we prepare to board, men! Their elections rules are no match for our 50lb. grapeshot! Aim for their masts! They’ll never take us alive!

Sincerely,
The Oregon Commentator

Oh, here’s Cpt. Lesiak’s response to the Elections Board as well:

Dear ASUO elections board,

It has been brought to my attention that the Oregon Daily Emerald recently printed a front page article of candidates running and intending to run, with photos depicting their likeness and describing the basis of their campaign. I am merely advertising my intention to run and describing the basis of my campaign, exactly like the other candidates. But unlike the other candidates, my outlet is not run on the basis of student funds, where as the Oregon Daily Emerald is.

In all fairness I will comply with your demands to remove my “Intention To Run” image from the Oregon Commentator Website as soon as you remove all issues of the Oregon Daily Emerald featuring the other candidates from campus or arrange for my own front cover photo and interview in the Oregon Daily Emerald. Their names are already out there in a student funded publication, and students were able to read their names and what they are all about. Highly unfair to those students who were not included, don’t you think? Or have I been misinformed about what the ASUO elections board is supposed to be doing.

Maintaining A Fair Election.

Swashbuckling yours,

Captain Pete Freedom Lesiak

The Oregon Commentator is formally announcing it’s candidate for ASUO Presidency — Senior Editor Captain Peter Freedom Lesiak. Avast!

I read a really terrible letter to the editor this morning from a pro-OSPIRG supporter. Anne Ward is the author of the letter, and tries to refute the claims that “saving the world” isn’t a good use of student tax money.

“Why can’t $1.90 go to “saving the world,” if that’s what a significant portion of students desire?”

Of course, no one has shown any proof that paying that $1.90 is something that a majority of students desire. You could even argue (although methodologically it may be subject to questioning) that the majority of students are against OSPIRG based on the votes of their elected representatives in the ASUO.

In the “significant portion of students” I am sure that Ward is referencing the petition signatures that OSPIRG has gathered in the last few months. Of course, such signatures are subject to scrutiny, as Sen. Demic Tipitino remarked at the last ACFC meeting for OSPIRG, “I watched one of your petition gatherers one day. I saw her fill up an entire side of a sheet of signatures without once turning it over to the other side so that the people signing it could read what they were signing.”

Ward goes on to “inform” students of the changes OSPIRG has made in their lives.

The accomplishments OSPIRG has been able to achieve for students are incredible. They’ve signed over 2,000 faculty across the country to commit to open source textbooks, and have been lauded by congressmen as leaders in reforming the textbook market.

What Ward didn’t tell the dear students is that only one UO professor has signed up for open source textbooks. But the number “1″ looks pretty shitty compared to “2000 across the country.” Here’s where OSPIRG’s arguments get difficult. With all the of the factors, nationally, that go into making textbook prices rise or fall, it’s impossible for OSPIRG to say that they directly influenced it in a manner that is an efficient return on student money. The statement is overly broad and does not take into account the hundreds upon thousands of factors nationally and worldwide that effect such things.

Ward ends her argument saying she’d gladly pay the extra $1.90 for such “good” things to happen. Of course, Ward isn’t pledging her money, but asking 20,000 students to pledge theirs. And here’s where I see the color of many OSPIRG supporters. They want your money. And they want a lot of it. They can’t work with some smaller amount and alter their model at all — they just want the whole thing. That’s the kind of inflexibility — really, the inflexibility of vision — that made it possible for the ACFC to tell OSPIRG “No.” So why not an attitude of “anything can help” or “we will work with what we’ve got”? For that, I only have one answer in the form of an example.

At the first ACFC meeting for OSPIRG back in February, a fiery CJ Ciaramella asked a rather pointed question to the all-OSPIRG crowd, “So OSPIRG does all these great things right? They’re saving the world? And they don’t have any funding, right? So how many of you here today have donated, privately, to OSPIRG?” With a crowd of about 35 pro-OSPIRG people, only 3 people raised their hand–two OSPIRG employees and a Lane student.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” said Ciaramella.

Received one of your basic public meeting notices today from the ASUO. I took a gander at the agenda, and realized that one of them was not like the other.

Hello folks,

The Programs Recognition Review Committee meeting will having a meeting on Monday March 1st at 6pm in the EMU’s Rogue River Room.

Agenda:

I. Call to Order
II. Introductions
III. Review Process Outreach
a. Discussion
b. Sections of Programs (OS Numbers)
c. Plan of action

IV. Plan next term (Scheduling)
V. Possible upcoming organizations
VI. Announcements
VII. Smile Time
VIII. Adjourn

Conrad Hulen
ASUO Programs Administrator
Programs Recognition Review Committee Chair
asuoprog@uoregon.edu

I don’t know what Smile Time is, but it sounds bitchin’. Sign me up!

In what was a meeting that could have put any insomniac to sleep, the ASUO was able to get through more actual business than they have in recent weeks. 

• UO Forensics received funding for their end of the year tournaments. 
• HKSA received funding for their upcoming Hong Kong Appreciation night event. The menu looks fantastic by the way, I will be attending based on that fact alone. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the ASUO ticketing office. 
• The Take Back The Tap resolution was passed and will be voted on by the rules committee next senate meeting. 
• The EMU board came in to to have it’s budget passed. It will cost 4.8 million dollars next year of the ASUO’s budget to maintain the EMU this is up $225,000 from last year’s budget. 
• Included in the EMU’s budget will be the Bike Loan Program which will receive permanent funding for the first time ever. If you are unfamiliar with the Bike Loan Program it is a program that allows students to rent bikes for a small fee, I believe it is a $60 deposit. Pretty much it’s a free bike for the term if you do not break it or lose it. Great program overall, if you don’t have bike next year I strongly urge you to take part in this program. 
• PFC came in to present their spending model which was approved. The ASUO lowered the total budgets of the 110 programs by .81%. Fiscal conservatives rejoice! That means they will not have to have repeat PFC sessions to reevaluate budgets, AKA we still have a stripper pole line item. Which will be used in our eventual long term goal of sending a OC member to the Olympics. 

Overall it was a tame meeting. No out bursts, one silly hat, and a great job the PFC.

There was a letter to the editor in Monday’s Emerald signed by members of the Climate Justice League (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Heart!) denouncing the ACFC’s recent decision not to fund OSPIRG. In part, the letter said:

“Although OSPIRG provided all of the materials and information the committee asked for, ACFC never clearly articulated a reason to not fund OSPIRG, except a vague sense of uncertainty.”

Of course, those who have read anything about the ACFC’s decision understand that the ACFC clearly outlined why they decided not to fund OSPIRG. Even more surprising is that many of the signers of the letter — including Sen. Jeremy Blanchard — attended the meeting and heard the ACFC’s reasons in person. A response was printed yesterday, signed by ASUO Senate President Nick Gower and Sen. Demic Tipitino (in addition to many others, including myself) that said:

“The problems with OSPIRG were clearly articulated, and they have been for years. OSPIRG sends student money off campus to pay non-students to lobby for issues that have little relation to the University of Oregon campus. Additionally, OSPIRG’s system is structured in a manner that partial funding would make the organization ineffective and an even greater waste of student dollars.”

Do the Planeteers need this outlined again? Let’s go “bulletpoints” on this one, shall we?

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Ryan McCarrell shows the ACFC just what a complete, condescending prick he is.

Last night’s ACFC meeting was another long, boring 3 hour affair in which an all pro-OSPIRG attendance–save for myself and Sen. Demic Tipitino–tried once again to get the ACFC to fund OSPIRG as a contracted group.

The night began with a slip-up by OSPIRG member Tara Celentano. Celentano was trying to answer a question regarding student involvement with OSPIRG when she said, “I joined a month ago and I’ve already met 30 people. When I’m down in the Survival Center, I meet new people from OSPIRG every day.”

ACFC Chair Alexander McCafferty responded with, “I don’t want to be nit picky, but it was my understanding that OSPIRG no longer was allowed to do business in the Survival Center.” Celentano stuttered that she still hung out there, obviously recognizing her mistake. At that point in time, Sen. Tipitino choked on his Fire n’ Spice from laughing.

Things got sticky during public testimony, as Ryan McCarrell (above) got all fireside chatty with the ACFC and pulled his chair right up to the ACFC’s table. The meeting was held in Fenton 110, a classroom that seats probably about 100 people. McCarrell made a complete ass of himself, and in my opinion, was incredibly condescending to the ACFC. McCarrell was eventually told to move back from the table by ACFC Chair McCafferty.

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Coveritlive.com decided to shit-out on me ten minutes before the meeting, sorry to the fans of the Robert Greene Watch (he had Subway for Dinner). . It took 10 minutes after the meeting was scheduled to start before there was a quorum. The meeting barely held a quorum with Sen. Tiptino and Sen. Blanchard moving to and from the senate meeting and OSPIRG.

The AMA came back after being tabled last week, they were given $5,292 for the AMA national conference after a 10-1-1 vote.

D&B Consulting visited the ASUO. They are a national planning firm with a speciality in college facilities who are looking into the renovation of the EMU. There is strong support from the administration and student groups for renovation. The consult process does not ensure a that the EMU will be renovated soon. It is not determined yet whether or not the EMU will be gutted or completely rebuilt.

D&B wants to send out a survey to everyone that has a uoregon.edu email address to fill it out. They said they expect “thousands upon thousands” of surveys filled out. D&B put a lot of emphasis on the survey, calling it “one of the most important parts of the process.”   They will present their concepts to the students in the fall of next year.

ASUO presented their feelings towards the upcoming renovations to the EMU, Sen. Bocchicchio stated that he wants the size of the student unions to become larger so that they can have room to grow. If you haven’t seen the state of the student unions, the are crammed in a small hallway in the basement of the EMU, some barely have natural lighting. Sen. Weintraub stated that the ASUO office was “vastly under-spaced,” after complaining about rooms with no amount of natural light.

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