FRIDAY, THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE JILL HOMER Chronicle News Writer The diversity board of the executive cabinet is a new addition to ASUU this year. Jin Chang, diversity chair, established several programs to help students gain a voice. Chang combined forces with the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs to develop a forum where international students can voice their concerns to ASUU. ASUU also extended its legal services office to offer free legal services to international students. an adviser for CESA, says she Karen believes ASUU has dene more this year to include diverse student groups than it ever did. "ASUU has really done an excellent job building bridges for students," she said. "It really is striving for total inclusion at the U, and that's never happened before." However, Clifton B. Wilkes, also an adviser for CESA, feels ASUU hasn't addressed the issue of diversity on a specific enough level. 'I think diversity within ASUU has increased," he said. "From an outcome basis, I don't know that the increase in diversity has produced anything for al ' t may come as a surprise to many U students that the world of student politics involves mere than campaigning in the spring and adding another mark to a resume. It's been more than nine months since students Ben McAdams and Ryan Oakes were elected as president and vice president to the Associated Students of the University of Utah. In that time, ASUU has tackled issues involving everything from diversity, to parking, to guns on campus. Some projects have been more successful than others. But whatever the outcome, McAdams feels that the ASUU projects which took place this year will establish a legacy at the U for years to come. , PROMISES.- PROMISES During last year's studeni elections, Oakes and McAdams centered their campaign on four general goals: to diversify ASUU, to meet the needs of members of the greek system commuter and resident students alike, to confront parking problems and to take d issues. on "We want to find issues that are important to students," Cakes said during the elections. "The little things are what students need to make their lives easi- Kwan-Smit- h, student-centere- Midterm Report Card The Chronicle Rates ASVU's Performance er." McAdams promised to take on issues such as tuition n increases and funding to the Utah State Legislature. "Win or lose, we are going to continue lobbying in the Legislature on behalf of higher education," he said. Increasing diversity both within ASUU and the U was also a hot topic during the election. McAdams said diversity was crucial to meeting the needs of all students equally. "W need to have ASUU represent the demographics of the U," he said. higher-educatio- B- Diversity: Whera - re specifics? Student A board isn't going to help that much Club Money: Getting etoted D- - to meetings wouid help groups get back mandatory student fees ASUU officials Transportation: A C Huddle's a go, but Utonian was a fiop from the beginning WHAT DIVERSITY? He said that in the seven years he has worked st the U, he hasn't seen any significant increase or decrease in diversity. ASUU has been more visible in diversity programs, he said, but that doesn't necessarily ignite more diversity for the U. "There's not a lot cf culture in Salt Lake City in general," said international student Masashi Kamimura. "There's not a lot ASUU can do about it." "When you deal with the issue of diversity, we still come up short," Wilkes said. "Diversity levels fluctuate. To give anybody credit or blame, you have to be careful." STUDENT GROUPS In an effort to better meet students' needs, ASUU also resolved to increase funding to student groups. "One of the best things we can do with student money is give it back to the students," McAdams said. ASUU receives $1.2 million dollars in funding each year, most of which comes from student fees. In 1998, ASUU returned $133,000 to student organizations. In 1999 it gave $138,000, and it expects to give $144,000 in 2000. The biggest increases have taken place in activity and diversity budgets. ASUU also developed programs to get more students involved in student organizations. It added a club rush to Mayfest this year, and initiated the United Club Council. The UCC meets on a monthly basis to discuss bow students can apply for ASUU funding. "A lot of students get shut out of the process because they don't know about it," McAdams said. "We've worked to open it up." However, recent attendance problems in the ASUU General Assembly and Academic Senate have closed off ASUU funding to the very students it promised to support. In November, submitted a bill to the Assemask to ASUU to reinstate its funding. ASUU decidbly ed last year to end the station's funding in June 2001, declaring that the station didn't meet enough students' needs to justify the funding it receives. Students representing went to the Assembly to plead their case. However, the Assembly was one person short of the attendance needed to debate the bill, and it had to be tabled until next semester. "It's sad when students who get elected into office don't even put forth any effort for their fellow stuassistant manager Beth Frafkin said fol- dents," K-U- MrAdams' work with the Salt Lake City Council salvaged light rail and will help the never-endin- g parking pioblem Legacy Projects: JANUARY 14, 2000 K-U- McAdams promised to structure the executive cabinet around the diverse groups of students on campus, stuincluding ethnic groups, religion, dents and graduate students. "The cabinet this year is really more diverse than it ever has been," he said. "We have greeks and people with different ethnic backgrounds and people of different ages." al non-greek- s, Leadership: D president's and v.p.'s increased visibility meeting attendance leaves pre-la- INC Legislative Lobbying: Here's hoping lor en Overall: C- A but poor students penniless is good, ana a cooperative Legislature - First semester leaves much to be desired -- students should demand more to !J guidelines, a - grade means performance is just below average. NOTE: According ASUU's C- see ASUU, page 4