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Show !THURSDAY, OCT~BER 16, lOOO UNIVERSITY JOURNAL CAMPUS NEWS PA,E 3 Senate changes proposed BY LEAH HARTMANN JOURNAL STAFF WRITER The SUUSA Senate introduced new bills on Tuesday night. Academic Vice President Steve Nelson opened the meeting by reviewing all the bills the Senate has passed this year. He asked each of the bill's sponsors for updates on their bills. There was no old business and the Senate moved onto the introduction of the new bills. An amendment to the Senate's own bylaws, called Senate Bylaw Amendment 001-00, was introduced by College of Science senators Timette McKenna and Ryan Bell, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Sen. Marilyn Hodson, College of Education Sen. Marcy Gubler and College of Performing & Visual Arts Sen. Jennifer Powell. The new amendment would require each senator to attend at least 10 SU USA sponsored activities and four SUU sponsored activities each semester (i.e. athletic events, musical performances, theatrical performances, cultural performances, etc). Currently the bylaws require senators to attend 75 percent of all SUUSA sponsored activities. McKenna said ·we (the bylaw committee) thought 75 percent was too vague and undefinable; we want to change the requirement so there wouldn't be any guessing about what is required." The bill was circled and posted for next week and an investigating committee was assigned. The second bill introduced is titled "y=mx+B,• also known as Senate Bill #011-00. It is sponsored by Sen. McKenna, Science; Sen. Darren Mower, Business and Technology; and Sen. Dana Esplin, Education. This bill asks for $2,121 .59 to be allocated toward purchasing 20 Tl-83 calculators, Which would be placed in the SUU library. The calculators were chosen, in part, because they contain "FLASH,· an upgradeable BTC Sen. Darren Mower discusses Bill #011-00, also known as 'y=mx+B,' which program allowing .the library to proposes the a/location of funds to purchase 20 Tl-83 calculators to be placed in download information from the the Library for student use and checkout. Internet. • Sponsors of the bill said the calculators can be used financial burden." The bill proposed allowing students to by students for the various math classes everyone is check the calculators out of the library for four hours at a time. required to take as part of their core classes. Esplin pointed out that the calculators can be used by Mower said, "I've talked to many students, especially many freshman, and they say they are not too happy students from every college on campus. The bill was circled and posted for next week and an about buying a $100 calculator they may only use for one class. this bill would help students with that investigating committee was assigned. Appellate court judges to visit SU 'English .only' to be on the election ballot Three_Utah Court of Appeals judges will visit the SUU "We see everything,• said Davis. "Our cases include campus 'in the Starlight Room of the Sharwan Smith criminal and civil disputes, juvenile and family cases and Center Monday, Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. some administrative agency questions. Judges Norman H. Jackson, James Z. Davis and The trial court, sometimes with the help of a jury, William A. Thorne, Jr. will each speak briefly on the role hears the witnesses, sees the evidence and rules on the of the Utah Court'of Appeals in the state judiciary, question of fact and law that arise. If one side of the discuss a few cases, and hold an informal question and dispute is unhappy with the result, they usually have a - ~ - BY ANNE MCCONNELL answer session. All interested students, faculty and staff right to seek review of the proceedings by the Court of OF THE JOURNAL STAFF are invited. Appeals or the Supreme Court.· 2000 . The panel of judges from the Utah Court of Appeals "It is very rewarding work," said Davis. "We have a _• Next month, voters across the will hold a special session in Cedar City that morning chance in advance to review the trial court record and state will be asked to decide · from 10 to 11 :30 a.m, in the 5th District Court. the transcript of the testimony, and time to carefully whether or not to make English the The court usually sits in Salt Lake City, but travels review the law that applies. Then we hear brief official language in Utah. throughout the state each year to provide an opportunity arguments from the attorneys for both sides. The Initiative A calls for English to be the official to enhance public understanding of the court's work and purpose of the arguments is to help us understand what language. Essentially, this means all government of the judiciary in general. All hearings before the court they think is most important, and to let us get our business will be conducted and written in English, are open to the questions with exceptions for tourism, including the Olympics, public. answered from health and safety needs, during judicial proceedings Lamar Jordan, those who have and in teaching foreign languages. assistant professor been most U.S. English, a group centered in Washington, of criminal Justice, intimately D.C., dedicated to the official English movement, will take his Criminal involved in the helped get the idea going in Utah. The group's Law and Procedure case. Sometimes principal goal is to make English the official class to the court it gets pretty language of the United States and to do so it needs h9use to observe lively." the support of the states. , the hearings. The Utah Court "Utah is part of the United States, and we'd like to "This presents a of Appeals was pass official English in all 50 states," said Mauro rare· opportunity for created in 1987 Mujica, chairman of the organization. students to actually James z. Davis A poll by the Oeseret News in September showed William A Thome Norman H. Jackson as a ~eans of hear oral arguments handling the ever 71 percent of Utahns support the initiative and 21 before a panel of appellate court judges," said Jordan. increasing load of appellate cases facing the Utah percent oppose it. Six percent were undecided. "The judges have agreed to visit our campus at 2 p.m. Supreme Court. Since that time, between the two Despite the overwhelming amount of supporters, that afternoon because they are interested in meeting courts, Utah is very current in dealing with cases on many prominent Utahns oppose it, including Gov. and talking with SUU students." appeal. Mike Leavitt. · we certainly hope citizens in the Cedar City area will "Most of the time processing an appeal is used by the Also against the measure are all the Utah College take advantage of the opportunity to attend the parties themselves in getting information prepared to Studentbody Presidents, including SUUSA hearings,· said Davis. "Utah only has two state appellate send to us,• said Davis. "Once a case is ready for the President Mike Wasden. courts, ours and the Supreme Court. Both courts so judges to consider it. we are able to prepare, hear the "Everybody from Governor Leavitt to Bill Orton to most of their business in the state capital. However, we case, and issue a written decision within three to six Senator Hatch oppose this initiative," Wasden said. try to assemble cases from other areas and go there to months. A few take longer, and some are handled more "If you really look at it, it's just bad politics." hear them. This practice gives us the opportunity to quickly. We know that people need to have these The UCSP gave ~n oral presentation to the State meet with people whose paths we might not otherwise questions resolved, and we try to do our best in acting Board of Regents Friday outlining its views. It also cross.· both quickly and correctly.· encourages students to become educated about the The court has seven judges, appointed by the "\/Vhen I spoke with Jackson by telephone recently, he issue. Governor, who serve terms of six years between voter stated that the panel of judges would be willing to stay "Once they are educated about the issue they'll retention elections. By law, the court hears cases by later and answer any questions of any pre-law students realize that it won't do what it says it will," Wasden sitting in panels of three judges at a time. on campus,• said Jordan. "This is an excellent The predominant work of the court is the review of opportunity for students to gain a greater insight of the (continued on page 5) decisions by trial court judges throughout the state. appellate court process, and the judiciary in general.· I' |