OCR Text |
Show Senators review club line items BY KATHLEEN MIDGLEY ASSUSC Senate discussed line items during its meeting Monday, although few decisions were made. Senators approved the cheerleaders line item for the next academic year. Sen. Peter Johnson reminded senators, They need some help and they need it now. He suggested that the senate draft a letter for Athletic Director Jack Bishop to take to his budget meeting with college administrators next week. The letter would note that the senate is already giving the cheerleaders a line item, which translates to about $4,000 a year, and cant afford any more. Now that the cheerleaders are under the athletic department, Bishop is responsible for providing funding for the squad. He could present the letter, as well as his own budget proposal, so administrators would be aware of the funding needs in the department. line item will Johnson noted that the continue for the 1990-9year as the cheerleaders are depending on the senate funds, but future finding needs of the squad are currently being discussed. Sen. Loni Anderson added that the cheerleaders want to know if students are satisfied with what they are doing and she asked senators to find out students opinions. The squad would also like to hear suggestions, she said. Cathleen Castle, representing the Inter-Gree- k Council, asked that senators give the IGC the line item discontinued from the Challenge Club. Although the club line item was only 14 cents, Castle requested 15 cents to help with the councils needs, namely Greek Week and other inter-Gree-k activities. The senate decided to determine its bylaws before, granting any line items. Senators will determine them during next Mondays meeting, but will probably not vote on IGCs' request until fall. The rodeo line item remains at 50 cents because, according to Anderson, the rodeo uses all the money it is given as well as funds taken in from the concession stands and admission prices. Sen. Holly Bradford said, It all comes down to whether we want a rodeo or not. Rodeo costs include money for livestock, the ambulance, announcer and power. The senators unanimously approved the line item. Senators also discussed the drama fee line item. Johnson said that the $7,800 they receive each year goes to pay for royalties of the plays and advertising. He said there are three things the senate could do raise the line item to $1.50, raise to $1.25, or keep it the same $1. If it were raised the 50 cents, students would not have to pay any admission costs, Johnson said. If the line item were raised 25 cents, students would need to pay $1 per performance. The last solution would be for the funding to remain the same and the cost remain at $2 per show. No final decision was made, but Johnson recommended the final option with the stipulation that a contract be signed with the theatre department stating that if the line item stays as at its set $1, the ticket admission price will remain at $2 for students, for' at least 4 years. A decision to approve the standing line item will be made during the next meeting. The $4 line item for student publications was decided without debate. Academic Vice President Mark Holyoak said that Larry Baker, the newspapers adviser, would like a line item increase in the future so The Thunderbird could be printed three times a week rather than its current two. Senators discussed the merits of having the paper twice a week, and noted that it was worth the current $4 line item. Sen. Paul Speirs noted that the Deans approved the 'creditno credit proposal and that the legislation would be enacted beginning fall quarter pending Faculty Senate approval. 50-ce- 50-ce- 50-ce- 1 50-ce- nt 2-- Dean Rodney Decker, who has been an instructor at SUSC since 1965, enjoys his teaching and administrative duties. SUs politician works double duty BY JAMES SPAINHOWER On first glance, few would ever suspect that Professor Rod Decker leads two lives. Yet, once hes fulfilled his duties as political science professor and Dean of Arts and Letters at SUSC, Decker has been known to set his paperwork aside to enjoy life doing what he loves almost as much as educating hunting, camping with his family, and seeing the world. Of course, there was a time in the life of this Parowan, Utah native when burning the midnight oil was the rule, leaving little time for him to enjoy the finer things in life. After graduating from SUSC when it was still the College of Southern Utah, Decker moved on to earn a masters degree in political science from Utah State University in 1965. It seemed only natural that once he had his teaching certificate in hand hed return to southern Utah. After all, hed learned to love the diversity of the land and what it had to offer the outdoorsman. Decker started teaching at his alma mater the first year it was a four-yea- r institution in 1965. ' Believing, however, that practical experience in field would serve to enhance his "ability to teach the political science in the classroom, Decker .rolled up his sleeves and went to work as a legislative assistant with former Utah Senator Frank Moss, during one of the most tumultuous periods of U.S. history. I was in Washington, D.C. when President Nixon resigned. As a result, I attended the Watergate hearings. As a legislative assistant with Senator Moss personal staff, I was researching executive .priviledge, as well. as labor issues, the HopiNavajo .... land dispute, and drug issues. Of course, Vietnam was still a big issue in 73 and 74, Decker said. As appealing as Capitol Hill was, Decker had to make the decision whether to secure public employment, thus remaining in Washington, D.C., or return to SUSC. After weighing the pros and cons he opted to return to Utah. There are pressures unique to Washington and sometimes those pressures are not as glamorous as they appear on T.V. Of course, Decker would be the first to admit that wearing the academian cap of the professor and the administrators cap of the dean can be tiresome at times, but for the most part, offers diversity that one role couldnt afford by itself. I feel fortunate that I can divide my time between teaching and administration; this can be a priviledge or a burden because at most colleges, deans dont have a teaching responsibility. Here at SUSC, where our institution is oriented in teaching, the staff is overburdened with teaching to the point of not developing an academic curriculum as theyd like, a problem, Decker said, that will only grow worse unless steps are taken. I think that as growth continues, unless we get additional staff and faculty help, a greater burden will be placed upon the faculty for grading and personal contact with students. I think the ones hurt are primarily the students both in quality of education and the opportunities afforded through employment, he said. One look around Deckers office testifies to the fact that the man enjoys hunting. Near the door is mounted a four-poibuck trophy that he bagged in 1985. To the left of his desk, Decker proudly exhibits an antelope trophy he shot near Lund while on a hunt with behavioral and social science professor Leslie Jones, also in 1985. Elsewhere can be seen a mounted ringneck pheasant and another four- - It was in Italy that Rodney Decker, a naive Utah farmboy, learned the meaning of togetherness and embarassment. point rack of antlers. As for the more sedate sports, Decker has little use. I tryed golf a couple of years ago because I believe that .a sport should.be relaxing. Unfortunately, I got, more frustrated trying to knock those little balls in the cup and so, I gave it up, he said. An activity that Decker finds both relaxing and rewarding is officiating college level basketball and football games. However, Decker admits that it, too, can be taxing. Understanding this, he has decided to hand up his referees whistle with the completion of this season after standing on the sidelines and calling the shots as hes seen them for 23 years. However, Decker is of the belief that serving as a sports referee has helped him deal with crises that crop up periodically with both students and faculty. I also officiate between students and faculty. They (CONTINUED ON PAGE 5) |