ASUA Senate Meeting, 9/9/09
Slow meeting, a marked change from the furious debate in the last two meetings.
1. Vets. According to Duan Copeland, who presented this informational item on behalf of the Student Veterans Association, a full 10 percent of incoming students this year (not incoming freshmen) are veterans. This is a fairly sobering statistic, in light of the current administration’s policy when it comes to the war in Afghanistan. At any rate, the new resource center is camped out near CSIL, rather than Old Main.
2. WRC Film Series. Just as last week’s presentation from ASA involved a specific event rather than a broad “what we do” overview, this week the delegration from the Women’s Resource Center did not once mention their 27-page report on their future. Instead, the presenters focused on the Film Series, which is “the biggest program that [the WRC] has.” Thus we received a full preview of the series’ upcoming films; unfortunately, the feature film was ‘Adjournment.’ Among these was “Passion and Power,” a documentary covering the history of the vibrator. This will be followed by a ‘Passion Party’, that will “probably” involve collaboration with the Pride Alliance.
Other notes from the meeting:
-Sen. Atjian II promised that “we’re going to get something done on textbooks.” It’ll be very curious to see what metrics the Senate plans on using, seeing how other “accomplishments” on textbooks have been entirely unsubstantiated.
-Wallace the Younger (Sen. D. Wallace) turned Wallace the Elder’s (Sen. S. Wallace) “disappointment” back on him, expressing his dissatisfaction with the Senate’s approval of his item at an internal meeting before turning on it in public.
– Over 180 freshman applied for the Freshman Class Council. The future, it beckons.
The Arizona Desert Lamp 
Bienvenue to the veterans! I love your paragraph about the WRC, too, haha. Let’s hope Atjian and ASUA can work towards real textbook change, but more than likely, prices will remain the same or increase.
Glad to see that there’s some action being taken to assist vets in their transition from the military to college life. The VA doesn’t exactly have a reputation as the most responsive and efficient of government bureaucracy, and having staff whose job is devoted to processing GI Bill paperwork and assisting transition is key. But 10 percent of the class of 2013!? Wow! That is most impressive. I join Laura in welcoming them to the UA.
Quick clarification, Jimi – according to Copeland, the 10 percent number is a percentage of all incoming students, not just freshman. For example, veterans may have acquired enough credit elsewhere to merit sophomore or junior status, but are finishing their education at the UA.
Regardless, it’s fairly astounding.