ASG puts policy over programs
Whitney Haynes, Senior Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: News
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The Associated Student Government president announced a new direction for student government during a meeting Tuesday night.
President Phil Brick, presenting his regular report to the Senate, raised concerns that the Senate was spending too much time on programs, and not enough time addressing issues that affect student life.
After raising concerns with Dr. Daniel Pugh, the new dean of students, in a meeting last week about the time ASG invests in programming, Brick said Pugh believed the role of student government should be to affect positive change through policymaking.
"We're shifting directions," Brick said. "Student government has become more of a programmatic body, but we're not elected to put on programs."
Brick said that he hopes to continue to help groups in organizing their own events. However, ASG's goal should be to build stronger connections with the students, faculty and administration, he said.
Discussing the issue after the meeting with senators, Brick said he plans to organize a preliminary internal student government task force made up of ASG senators, executives and cabinet members to examine how other student governments operate at other universities to find new ways to enhance the effectiveness of student government at the UA.
But he said he knows the change in student government won't take place over-night.
"I hope to take small steps to get there this year," he said. "We're trying to plant the seeds for bigger change later."
During the meeting, an election was held to fill ASG's seat on the Student Fee Review Board. The board, which reviews requests to increase student fees, is composed of members of the administration, faculty representatives and one representative of ASG Senate, along with the ASG president and treasurer.
Adam Ward, a student of Fulbright College who served as chair of ASG Senate last year, won the election by a vote of 18-16 against Senator Andrew Endicott of Walton College.
President Phil Brick, presenting his regular report to the Senate, raised concerns that the Senate was spending too much time on programs, and not enough time addressing issues that affect student life.
After raising concerns with Dr. Daniel Pugh, the new dean of students, in a meeting last week about the time ASG invests in programming, Brick said Pugh believed the role of student government should be to affect positive change through policymaking.
"We're shifting directions," Brick said. "Student government has become more of a programmatic body, but we're not elected to put on programs."
Brick said that he hopes to continue to help groups in organizing their own events. However, ASG's goal should be to build stronger connections with the students, faculty and administration, he said.
Discussing the issue after the meeting with senators, Brick said he plans to organize a preliminary internal student government task force made up of ASG senators, executives and cabinet members to examine how other student governments operate at other universities to find new ways to enhance the effectiveness of student government at the UA.
But he said he knows the change in student government won't take place over-night.
"I hope to take small steps to get there this year," he said. "We're trying to plant the seeds for bigger change later."
During the meeting, an election was held to fill ASG's seat on the Student Fee Review Board. The board, which reviews requests to increase student fees, is composed of members of the administration, faculty representatives and one representative of ASG Senate, along with the ASG president and treasurer.
Adam Ward, a student of Fulbright College who served as chair of ASG Senate last year, won the election by a vote of 18-16 against Senator Andrew Endicott of Walton College.
