Tonight, there is a Summer Senate meeting:

This is an official notice that the ASUO Student Senate will have a special meeting on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held in GER 246.

The Agenda is as follows:
1. Call to order
2. Approval of the agenda
3. Special requests
a. APS
4. New Business
a. Updates
b. Finance Retreat
5. Announcements
6. Adjourn

Hope to see you there,
–
Kaitlyn Lange
ASUO Summer Senate Chair

I’ll post a recap after, so you really don’t have to show up. CoverItLive will also not likely resume until the fall.

The ASUO is seeking to hire a new Con Court Justice [emphasis added]:

ASUO
Student Body Government

Now Hiring Con Court Appointment

Constitution Court Associate Justice
Hear student grievances, govern elections, issue rulings and maintain constitutional order. One position available, no law student requirement for the current opening

All student job eligibility requirements apply to all ASUO Openings. Position is open until filled. More information, applications and position descriptions are available in the ASUO Office (EMU Suite #4) or online at http://asuo.uoregon.edu/getinvolved.php.

For full consideration, applications are due no later than 5p.m. on Wednesday, September 29, 2010.

AA/EOE/ADA.

I am totally enamored with the idea of the ASUO Con Court being heralded with the task of maintaining constitutional order in the student government. Not historically a political body, the Con Court wields as much power as it is given. Expect a lot more this year, now that former Senator Nick Schultz is a member of the body, as he is attending law school at the UO. I’m just trying to say, maintaining constitutional order, if it was ever even attempted, would probably backfire and create a lot more problems for everyone involved.

Either way, it’s entertaining for the rest of us, assuming that the Con Court has the opportunity to actually do something this year. I know they will have to sort out the problem of academic senate seat re-apportionment, so we will see how political that gets.

Also: I’m making it my mission to apply for every open position in the ASUO, starting with this one. I’m going to guess that I’m not going to get a single interview. In fact, I’m willing to put money on it. Any takers?

Developers attempting to build an Islamic cultural center two blocks from ground zero in New York City are facing resistance from a number of individuals and politicians in the area and around the country, even catching the attention of President Obama himself.

Here’s how I’m looking at it.

A Baptist man moved to Springfield, Illinois and killed a bunch of four-year-old redheads. Nine years later, when individuals wanted to build a new Baptist church in Springfield a couple blocks from the elementary school, the developers received a considerable amount of backlash from not only the citizens of Springfield, but the mayor of the city and governor of Illinois. They all requested that the church not be located in Springfield, but instead in a neighboring town, so as to protect their redheaded children from all . . . the . . . Baptists . . .

wait, what? What’s going on, America?

I understand that by attempting to develop in such close proximity to ground zero, these developers were willingly entering into a conversation and opening themselves up to scrutiny and conflict. But this whole conflict seeks to demonize a religion for the acts of certain followers of that faith, which seems a bit absurd to me.

The good folks over at the Oregon Politico have a story about the successful petition for Initiative 28 to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to operate and provide services to those with medical marijuana prescriptions in Oregon. From the post:

Klahr, the co-chief petitioner of Initiative 28, said the regulated medical marijuana supply system would allow patients instant access to their medicine from a qualified and reliable source.

The Coalition for Patients’ Rights 2010 collected 130,000 signatures to ensure that the requirement of 82,769 valid signatures would be met to put the initiative on the ballot.

Dispensaries would be able to grow marijuana or purchase it from licensed producers and other dispensaries as long as they fell within Oregon’s state lines.

Klahr said that the permit process would allow tighter regulations and better monitoring of the quality of the product.

Prior to going back and getting more signatures, the Coalition for Patients’ Rights 2010 ran into some snags in getting the required number, with only 67.86% being valid.

Hey, I know you probably know this by now, but student season tickets will be on sale on August 22nd via GoDucks.com for $200. We received this email from the ASUO a little while ago:

Dear Students,

The Athletic Department will be releasing student season tickets on Sunday, August 22nd. Students should be on the look out for an email to their student accounts from goducks.com for additional details and instructions. Season tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. They will be $200. Any questions can be addressed to the Athletic Department at tickets@uoregon.edu.

Thank you

The Flan’s article in the Ol’ Dirty quoted the price at “around $300″ in the print version [she has since changed the online version to say $200].

I’ve heard that in order to make up the 11% ($160,000) cost difference from the reduction of the contract with the Athletic Department the ASUO will have to sell close to the full amount of available season tickets to break even. I guess I’m not sure if students will pay out of pocket for football games or take their chances with the lottery of online tickets. I’m sure some students will, but we’ll see if it’ll be enough.

The Ol’ Dirty is reporting today that, similar to 2008-09, the UO has let in more freshmen than they have room for in housing. This time, instead of sending them across the river to live in Stadium Park, the UO admin has another plan:

Students are first notified that there isn’t enough room within University Housing. Then, they are invited via Facebook to join a specially created group called “UO Apartment/Roommate Connection.”

“Only the people we’ve identified who have registered for housing can join,” Shang said.

The University is also now affiliated with the new Courtside Apartments through Property Management Concepts, much like how the University entered an affiliation with Stadium Park Apartments in 2008-09 to help house incoming University freshmen.

It is impossible to look at this spike in enrollment outside of the state’s budget woes, and subsequently the University’s budget woes. Although the decisions on how many incoming students to enroll includes a multitude of factors, the bottom line is more students (particularly out of state students) = more money for the UO, and more leverage for further changes of University funding policy. (This includes Lariviere’s white paper, or other proposals.)

The whole Facebook thing is interesting, too. WOO SOCIAL MEDIA, and all that. I guess everyone has a Facebook now, especially young people, so it seems appropriate. And if you’re looking to create a networking community . . . I think the UO could probably set something up independently of Facebook, but there’s no guarantee kids will use it. Anyway, that’s not really the important part. I wonder who on Facebook invites these freshmen to this group. I hope it’s Richard Lariviere.

Finally, Kat includes some interesting facts at the end of her story:

The residence halls have the capacity to hold about 3,700 students, 3,000 of which are freshmen. The University intentionally limited freshmen enrollment to 3,765 in 2009, but in 2008, freshmen enrollment was at a record high of 4,205, which put further stress on University Housing and led to the Stadium Park agreement.

P.S. Where is Amelie’s Housing Advocate Amanda Hilts on this issue? Isn’t this, like, her job?

So I was going to do a post bout the Afghan soldier evacuation and the $500 million in planned aid to Pakistan. Then I saw this, a fan made video turned advertisement on Apple’s website touting another use for their titular iPad.

Ignoring the fact that the iPad is pretty much a glorified, expanded iPhone–a less sophisticated computer with a touch screen–this ad takes the cake in Apple consumer pretentiousness.

Effectively touting how you can use velcro to suspend an iPad anywhere in the home/car/work, the ad re-makes the wheel when you remember that it’s just as easy to prop the damn thing up without needing to place velcro all over the house.

The highlight of the video comes as a user places the gizmo on velcro placed on the wall. Not only would two black bars look fucking ugly on the wall when it’s not covered, but this idiot is using the iPad as a picture frame.

Let us compare:

Here’s the rundown of a picture frame

K-Mart 8×10 Picture Frame: $3.90

Photo Print: $2.50 (your milage may vary)

Hammer: $4

A goddamn nail: 10¢

Total: $10.50 and a little elbow grease.

And now iPad and Velcro

Adhesive Velcro: $3.90

Apple iPad: $300

Total: $304 and some ugly ass black stripe on the wall

I enjoy new technology, I really do. But the way this fucking trinket is hyped is goddamn deplorable. There’s nothing new or interesting to see, folks. Move along, move along.

So those of you not aware, I’m currently in South Africa during the World Cup. A few days ago during the Germany-Argentina game, I went to watch the game on the beach, where they have Fan Parks set up. Basically, there are a bunch of beer tents and food vendors so you get wasted and watch the game with thousands of strangers. Anyway…

I was in line for the port-a-potties. There’s a German guy in front of me, and an Argentinian behind me. We’re standing there watching the shitters when a guy stumbles out and stops. He’s standing there trying to pull his pants up, but the port-a-potty door keeps smacking him in the face, therefore preventing him from rectifying his pantaloons. This goes on for about a minute when the German guy turns to me and says, “braucht er wischte sich die esel?” and I respond, “I think he’s got shit in his head.” and immediately after the Argentinian laughs. The German and I turn to hear him say, “¡Qué culo!” and all three of us laugh and point at the man, who quickly walks away.

Let’s just say none of us spoke the others language, but when it comes to mocking others…

Insults need no translation.

Magic everywhere in this bitch.

I was interrupted the other day as I sorted my belongings out in my new room by a knock on the door. I was expecting a friend but was instead greeted by a cheery, rotund face at the door.

“Hello sir!” he boomed in a slightly over enthusiastic voice, smiling with an all-too-mechanical demeanor. I was a little weirded out, until I noticed his polo embroidered with an OSPIRG logo. I promptly ordered him off the property.

Can we put a neighborhood watch out for OSPIRG going door to door?

There’s no telling when OSPIRG will get the message. It’s not that we don’t want to help fight major environmental issues, it’s that we don’t want to waste cash on dinners and gifts. This idea that shoveling money to lobbyists in Salem, and then paying the staff of an organization dedicated to getting that money, sounds far less efficient than any environmental policy, green building, or book buyback program.

And the worst part of it is that I’m not rigidly opposed to the ideas OSPIRG promotes, but it’s not a responsible way to achieve those ends. There must be a way to tell these drones that it’s possible to be environmentally conscious without being a money grubbing douche.

Last night’s ASUO Summer Senate meeting was bogged down in procedural hiccups. For those of you who don’t know, the ASUO operates on a 12 month fiscal cycle, starting on July 1 (today), and thus ending on June 30 (last night). ASUO Accountant Lynn Giordano was there to navigate the mostly-freshman senate on the intricacies of this process, but each agenda item had its fair share of bumps in the road. Add to that a Summer Senate Chair who has never chaired a meeting before, and you’d think the meeting would end in explosion. I have to say, that for being unprepared, all parties did fairly well.

There were six “special requests,” the most interesting of which being from the Men’s Center. This past year, the Men’s Center conducted a series of focus groups surrounding healthy relationships. These conversations and interviews are on an audio recording in their office. Incidentally, the Men’s Center had a portion of left-over money from an unused “Stipend” line item (they couldn’t get anyone to fill a stipend position). Thus, they wanted to move that unused stipend money into a new line item to pay someone to transcribe the interview. This would have been all fine and well, if the budget cycle hadn’t ended last night. Even if Senate had moved the money into another line item, that money would have transferred into the 2010-2011 surplus at midnight last night (it’s confusing, I know). Brian Jacoby (Men’s Center Director) and Senate decided that they would use the 2010-2011 stipend money for the transcription project, and he would come back to surplus to get money for a stipend position next year, should they fill it.

This is most interesting considering the only other consequential special request on the agenda. ASUO President Amélie Rousseau and ASUO Accountant Lynn Giordano came in to request that Senate earmark funds from the ASUO Executive budget previously allocated for a Sustainability Coordinator position. Essentially, former-ASUO President Kallaway and Rousseau tried to evade the previously stated budget constraints by funneling 2009-10 money through a department so it could be spent in 2010-11. When that didn’t work, Rousseau came to Summer Senate to ask them to earmark the funds for use in 2010-11. This is largely unprecedented, with the only earmarking in recent history being used to fund the 24-hour library.

Obviously, this raises concerns about the ASUO’s abuse of process. As Sen. Bocchicchio mentioned at last night’s meeting, “We’re making an exception for ourselves, when it’s something no other student groups are allowed to do.” In fact, the Men’s Center request could have been solved by earmarking the stipend money and allowing them to use 2009-10 money in the 2010-11 budget cycle. When this was brought up, Sen. Stark-MacMillan responded by pointing out the differences in the requests, saying, “We found a solution that worked with them, now we need to find a solution that works with us.” Ultimately, Senate voted to approve the earmarking for $10,000 of the Sustainability Coordinator position’s potential future salary.

Other notable moments of the night:
- Summer Senate Chair Kaitlyn Lange cracked the whip on Robert’s Rules of Order, announcing that senators will only be able to speak twice on a debatable motion and will be limited to ten minutes. The latter is fairly reasonable, and the former exists to prevent back-and-forth and other repetitive discussion. She also called out Sen. Bocchicchio for being redundant, to which he challenged the ruling of the chair. It was pretty epic.
- There are now three Summer Senate internal committees: Rules, Outreach and Projects. They’re pretty self-explanatory. I’d like to see how much Summer Senate actually gets done before September.
- The body chose not to allocate themselves summer stipends. The money that was allocated for June stipends rolled into surplus today, and they are not going to give themselves funds for the rest of the summer. Because the Green Tape Notebook (governing document / constitution of the ASUO) says they can’t.

I think if Senate can do the work necessary to prepare for meetings this year, they might actually do a good job. I suppose we’ll have to see. During the next meeting the body will have $5000 to play with, plus some time before the meeting doing office hours to get some work done. And they’ve set themselves up for it. I hope they’re ready.

Summer Senate!!!

The Oregon State Legislature’s Emergency Board Committee voted on Tuesday to allow the seven OUS universities to use $65 million in tuition reserves to offset the state budget cuts to higher education in the wake of a $577 million hole in the state budget as well as a projected 15% reduction in OUS funding in the 2011-2013 budget cycle. From The Oregonian:

The move helps put the university system on more solid financial footing than most state agencies — so solid that higher education should be able to make it through the next five years with healthy reserves, quality services and single-digit annual tuition increases, said Jay Kenton, the Oregon University System’s vice chancellor for finance and administration.

…

The university system will sink about $30 million of the $65 million increase to hire staff and gear up for more students. It will spend another $11.7 million to improve research laboratories and equipment. The rest, along with $3.6 million in internal spending shifts, will replace a loss of about $26.7 million in state funding this biennium.

This will also serve to soften the blow of the massive budget deficit, taking the OUS cuts out of the equation. What it doesn’t solve is the problem of ever-increasing tuition costs, larger classroom sizes and the long term fiscal sustainability of the seven OUS schools. I’m also curious to see how these projected cuts and greater dependence on tuition reserves factor into the conversation about Lariviere’s white paper and his proposed new partnership with the state. In the short term, however, the Oregon University System seems to be staying at least partly afloat.

Some things have been going on during the last couple of months.

1. University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere released a white paper outlining his idea for a restructure of University funding and management. The proposal includes a $1.6 billion endowment for the university, a portion of which would be financed by state bonds. The legislature is not pleased, but it certainly has folks talking.

2. The UO got grilled hard by the Oregon Senate Business and Transportation Committee about the $227 million arena project, the process for which did not involve an open bidding process, as would most large scale university projects. The committee also tapped into the Bellotti Buyout. The essence of the Willamette Week article linked to above:

“The university does not inspire confidence,” says committee chairman Sen. Rick Metsger (D-Welches). “What you get from this project is either they don’t know what they’re doing or they don’t want the public to know. Neither is good.”

The process for building the arena is actually pretty convoluted and complicated, and many people are displeased with the progress.

3. The State of Oregon has a pretty unsustainable budget, to the tune of $563 million that will come in across the board cuts to all state entities. Including a $4.7 million cut to the University of Oregon.

4. The University Senate confirmed large-scale campus speech policy changes, with the addition of a Freedom of Inquiry Policy and Facilities Use Policy. This is a real victory for administrators, who wanted to deal with the Pacifica Forum issue but not be seen as only promoting certain kinds of speech or, y’know, violating the First Amendment. The new facilities use policy dictates that only university recognized groups — not individuals — can access space for free. “Non-university entities” can still have space, but they have to pay for it. You can read the Register-Guard’s opinion here.

5. The UO created an Office of Public Records to deal with public records requests as Lariviere tries to deal with the aftermath of the Mike Bellotti deal and an athletic program on the fringes of his reach. They’re hiring a public records officer, if you’re looking for a job.

6. Tuition is going up again. No, seriously.

7. Phil Knight’s private company, Phit LLC, wants to construct additional football facilities to the Len Casanova Athletic Center. But they want to do it in a way that sidesteps the public bidding process by having this private company lease the land from the university, construct on it, and then donate the finished project back to the University of Oregon. The state approves.

8. Jeremiah Masoli got kicked off the UO football team for getting pulled over with a suspended license and marijuana in his car after rolling a stop sign. Masoli was a good quarterback. He just keeps getting himself into trouble.

9. Colorado joined the Pac-10. Texas said no. People are concerned with the implications of where the university’s priorities lay. I just like the math and the excitement of it all. GO DUCKS!

And that brings us to today. Those were some things that happened.

ASUO Student Senate June 1, 2010 — SPECIAL MEETING TO DETERMINE SUMMER SENATE CHAIR plus some special requests.