The Associated Students of the University of Arizona Senate approved funding yesterday for incentives that will be randomly awarded to participants in a survey concerning off-campus meal plans.
The survey aims to gather information on student habits and preferences for using CatCard meal plans and whether or not cooperation with off-campus dining establishments could be potentially profitable for ASUA and the UA.
Sen. Bryan Hill, an economics junior, requested $100 to give five recipients $20 for completing the survey and said he chose a small amount to help ensure accurate results, rather than receiving feedback from students looking to win a large prize.
“”It’s a struggle to satisfy students, the union and off-campus sites,”” Hill said.
Sen. Samantha Kerr, a pre-health education junior, supported the request and recommended an increase in the amount of the reward, citing her own difficulties with survey participation.
The amount was then raised to $250 to be awarded in $50 gift certificates, and the proposal passed unanimously.
The survey will be randomly distributed to students through e-mail and will also be available on the ASUA Web site.
Adam Schuman, an ASUA Senate aid and political science junior, requested that the senate assist him in gathering donations for a program to place reserve textbooks in the UA Main Library.
He distributed a list of textbooks he has been unable to procure because of their cost or availability.
The books Schuman chose to include were primarily for lower-division classes and were selected only if they were going to be used in courses in the next two semesters.
After acquiring the books that met criteria, he fell $2,000 under budget and chose to include the top 200 textbooks purchased most often.
Schuman received $6,000 from the Parent and Family Association, but he has gone $1,200 over that budget after including those books.
The UofA Bookstore has agreed to sell him used books at wholesale price and waive expenses such as shipping.
The books are expected to be in the Main Library early next semester.
