OCR Text |
Show Page 3 Statesman Campus News Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 Election rules may see change By JESSICA SWEAT staff writer Those planning to run for an ASUSU position this year may need to abide by election legislation changes, said Lacey Nagao, USU public relations director. Nagao has been working on changing election legislation with the addition of a few new bylaws, she said. The changes may involve a grade point average increase, mandatory meetings, an ethical concern and grievances. Nagao said that she is recommending a change from the required 2.5 GPA to a 3.0 cumulative GPA because other student leaders, including USU ambassadors and A-Team members, require that standard of academics. She also proposed the use of mandatory meetings to eliminate confusion and only take serious candidates. Ethical concerns will address the popular use of handing out coupons as part of a campaign. Nagao said she received complaints from students claiming that local campaigners had the advantage due to better connections with businesses and implied this was favoritism. Nagao is proposing that coupons be allowed but now must be allocated in the campaigner's total allowed budget. Tolson asked the council how many handed out coupons during elections and how many council members were from the local area. When less than half said they were from the Logan area, Tolson said, "I don't believe locals have an advantage." Nagao said ideas for the changes came from last year's student advocate vice president, Tyler Haws, along with complaints and comments she has received from students. ASUSU President Tyler Tolson opened a discussion to allow council members to give Nagao feedback regarding the bylaws. Council members asked about current rules and regulations including the allowance of social media to promote a campaign. Nagao said social media use will continue to be a part of campaigning because it would be hard to regulate and said eliminating the use of social networking would only set elections back. Also during the discussion section, Nagao said she would like to create a judicial board to deal with grievances for elections. Currently a grievance board is created by the public relations director, who also promotes elections. Nagao said this posed a possible conflict of interest. She said she has been working with the USU judicial board along with adviser Krystin Deschamps to create the new board. Deschamps will oversee the new board and appoint three students to serve along with the ASUSU student advocate, executive vice president, and academic senate vice president. Executive Assistant Keenan Nuehring said proposed concerns and ideas should be e-mailed to Nagao so she could address all of them in a more efficient manner and at a following meeting. Nagao said elections are scheduled to take place Feb. 22-25. AT THIS YEAR'S HOWL, one student bit a police officer and was arrested for assault. STERLING BOIN photo HOWL: Police arrest six males, five females continuedfrom page 3 In total, there were 11 arrests throughout the HOWL. Of those arrests, six were male, five were female; three were students at USU and eight were not, Milne said. Three of the arrests were conducted by the Logan City Police Department. Milne said most of the crimes that have occurred at the Howl this year and in previous years were not by students of USU. The other arrests the nigh of the HOWL were all alcohol-related, Milne said. Milne said people shouldn't drink alcohol before attending the HOWL and they shouldn't bring alcohol with them. "Don't drink if you come to this event," Milne said. "We just draw zero tolerance to that." Utah State Police Chief Steven Mecham officers called the fire department when a person needed medical attention. "I think that helped tremendously because the response time was much quicker," Milne said. Milne said most of the medical assists were because of heat exhaustion or people feeling faint while dancing in the Ballroom. The crime level at Saturday's HOWL was about the same as in years past, Milne said. Officers from the USUPD, LCPD and North Park Police Department worked the event, along with three USU Fire Marshalls, Mecham said. —blaze.bullock@aggiemagusu.edu To I ET'S ON resents Z CA N 86 2 — jessie.a.sweat@aggiemaiLusu.edu SALE 431(..i oNi_ WE' 71 PpoecHAza IN PE2SIONA l' 8ox oPpice Scholarship: Freshman rake in -49 NBC university funds with high grades 10 first 1000 students 15 after 1000 continuedfrom page 1 direct recommendations, the patience of scholarship. but decided to meet in the Putnam said this still has some middle. We are reducing next validity despite the higher test year's budget for scholarships scores. slightly, but I think it's still "This generation is very extremely competitive." optimistic and self confident Albrecht's letter also stated in a good way," she said, "but the increase in minority enroll- the one thing I have noticed in ment follows a trend of growth the past few years is that their among minority representacoping skills don't seem to be tion in academic institutions as finely tuned or developed as all across the state. Putnam groups I may have worked with said a study released two years four to five years ago." ago projected most of the Putnam said this might growth in high school gradube in part because so many ates would take place among students live close to home and ethnic minorities. find it easy to rely on parents "Given that knowledge more than is necessary. She that we got a couple of years was optimistic, however, and ago," Putnam said, " the state said students need to give itself took particular note of themselves a little more credit that and have really tried to and realize they really can do this. increase participation rates in The jump in enrollment is higher education amongst high school (minorities.)" mostly due to a more concerted effort in recruitment. Comparatively, the demographics of USU fare favorably "The university made a significant investment in recruitwith other institutions across the state. ing about four years ago," she "Compared to our two said. "We've seen a steady major competitors, the increase every year since then." University of Utah and BYU, The result, she said, was a our minority demographics more streamlined recruiting are slightly lower than theirs," process that reaches out to the rising generation through Putnam said, "but as far as other state institutions, like social media, videos, online Weber State, UVU, and SUU, requests and an increase in we're comparable if not higher events both on and off camthan some of those." pus. Much of this marketing While the university seems strategy comes directly from to be making significant students. strides academically and "We use current students demographically, it may not a lot in marketing decision," be bucking other trends comPutnam said. "We try to use mon throughout the nation. A their talent and glean why they recent broadcast by Rob Nief came to USU in order to help and Tom McBride of Beloit other students understand why College noted that incoming this might be the best fit for freshman are increasingly out them." of touch and unprepared for the demands of university life. — mike.burnham@aggiemail. They may have trouble distinusu.edu guishing information from knowledge, and need to learn echoed Milne's words about alcohol at the HOWL. "Just don't drink," Mecham said. "Generally we have no problems unless it's alcohol-related." In addition to the 11 arrests, officers responded to five medical assists and one controlled substance call that did not result in an arrest, according to USUPD records. Milne said the USUPD had medical staff at the HOWL. The reason for this was to get people the medical attention they needed faster. Milne said ASUSU paid to have two Emergency Medical Technicians at the howl at the request of the USUPD. In previous years at the Howl, police tudent advance 20 student day of *public advance $ 25day of * public DUNDEE MIFFLIN • c ncert hall stan.d-up comedy doors: k en- 7:00pM show: 8:00pM 11 A . 1 0 reserve d seatingArkL UtahState Un iversity ASUSU ARTS & LECTURES |