Despite being four months into their terms, few ASUA senators have fulfilled the platform promises they made last semester.
Associated Students of the University of Arizona Sen. Melodie Schwartz, a pre-business sophomore, ran for senate with the concept of having a homecoming kickoff she called, “”the ultimate street fair … the University Avenue between Old Main and Park will be closed to kick off the event.””
With homecoming in two months, Schwartz said she has yet to
I have not contacted any street vendors or bands, but I have been thinking of what I want.
– Melodie Schwartz,
ASUA senator
plan the event, which was supposed to include live bands, local street vendors and restaurants set up in booths.
“”I have not contacted any street vendors or bands, but I have been thinking of what I want,”” Schwartz said. “”It doesn’t have to be homecoming; it could just be a random weekend where everyone could just chill.””
Sen. Bryan Hill, an economics junior, also had ideas on his platform that have yet to see any light of success.
One platform promise was to create an online system for establishing a WebReg waiting list for classes and another was to standardize departments’ registration policies.
Despite his lack of progress thus far, Hill defended his work.
“”My platform idea of creating a more fluid registration is a huge project that adult administration, staff and senate has tremendous interest in,”” Hill said. “”Whether or not it happens this year, at least I can help get the ball rolling.””
At the end of last semester, Sen. Lauren Conway met with Jim Van Arsdale, the director of Residence Life, to discuss a better roommate selection process.
Together, they are working on new ways of matching potential roommates for the dorms, Conway said.
Van Arsdale will go through the Residence Hall Association to create a student committee to discuss potential questions that would go in the roommate questionnaire.
Conway said she plans to meet again with Van Arsdale and the new RHA president to discuss future plans; however, nothing has been decided yet.
Sens. Jen Dang, Steven Gerner and Samantha Kerr are in the process of working on a textbook initiative that would reduce the textbook costs by 30 percent, better promote a used-book classifieds program online, reduce the adoption of new editions of textbooks and reduce the number of textbook bundles.
However, this isn’t the first time textbook issues have been tackled by ASUA senators. Both Patrick Cook and Mathew Carr, former ASUA senators, aimed to lower the cost of textbooks and educate faculty.
Sens. Mark Adams, Shawn Ingram and Jessica Anderson, who wanted to improve wireless access throughout campus, accomplished t heir goal over the summer with the help of a $4.5 million loan, the student technology fee and CCIT.
Sen. Anderson plans to meet with the Panhellenic council this week to discuss a proposal for Greek Life to join in with the campus network, which will offer them benefits as well as make the wiring of campus a lot easier for CCIT.
Last year’s unfulfilled senate promises include getting a legal music-downloading service at the UA, printing a Spanish version of the Arizona Daily Wildcat and creating a student political party.
However, the former senate was able to implement two programs.
The laptop loan program, which was started by Rhonda Tubbs, allows students to check out laptops from the Manuel T. Pacheco Integrated Learning Center free of charge with their CatCards.
As of last spring, the library had eight PCs and four Macs, but since then, they have added several more for students to check out.
The second program, Cats Realizing the Importance of a Designated Driving Escort, an idea that started in ASUA about five years ago, was implemented last school year.
Although it has not started up again for this semester, CatsRIDDE is a program that provides students rides on Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. for a $5 per-semester fee.
The program is facing budgeting problems right now but hopes to be up and running within the next few weeks, with Dang and Kerr helping the program for the fall.