Event of the day
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 66
The "Effective Change Agent" Capstone is holding a bake sale today to raise relief funds for Ecuador, which was devastated by a volcanic eruption last February. When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Parkway North (near Park Blocks in SMSU)
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INSIDE NEWS Bike boxes found effective PSU reasearchers found bike boxes may contribute to less traffic incidents PAGE 2 No green zone Students unable to use medical marijuana on campus PAGE 3
Arts
ASPSU impeachment proceedings SFC member facing impeachment charges, counter impeachment filed Vinh Tran Vanguard staff
Several months after Student Fee Committee member Ron Lee accused the Pre-Law Society of financial mismanagement and its adviser of making threats against him, he finds himself up against impeachment charges.
Wam, BAM, thank you ma'am Portland hosts its first beer and movie festival PAGE 4
Ron Lee
Behind the scenes with breweries Zwickelmania hosts free tours and tastings this Saturday PAGE 4
Protein run Wiiware's Muscle March is absurd homoeroticism at its finest PAGE 5
Sports
Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard
IMPEACH continued on page two
Students lobby for aid tomorrow
Position filled within two weeks after Chitsaz’s resignation Virginia Vickery Vanguard staff
At Tuesday night’s Student Senate meeting, it was announced that ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford appointed administrative director Ed Hallman vice president. Azadeh Chitsaz vacated the elected position on Jan. 26, citing a need to spend more time with an ill family member. Hallman served as the ASPSU administrative director under last year’s administration and retained the position into this school year. “Eddie has been one of the hardest working members on staff and speaks openly and frankly about his views of PSU, and how students should be best served,” Sanford said in a written statement to the Senate. “I trust his opinion, and look forward to his leadership throughout the campus.” At the meeting, Hallman said, “I want to be more engaged in policy.” As vice president, Hallman will preside over the Senate. “I have known Eddie Hallman since he started in ASPSU during the [2008– 09] academic year and he has worked hard on making sure to keep ASPSU running as smooth as possible,” said
Charlie Fowlkes/Portland State Vanguard
Ed Hallman: Senior majoring in philosophy
and biology.
Daniel Lyons, Senate pro tempore. “I believe that as vice president, he will bring a fresh perspective to what has been plaguing ASPSU, specifically with the Student Senate in running the meetings and making sure that Senators are doing their duties in an effective manner.” Lyons said he believes he and Hallman will work well together on issues soon facing the Senate, such as the Student Fee Committee’s final budget and ASPSU’s upcoming elections. "I'm really excited to work with the Senate," Hallman said. "I know all the members and have been to every meeting."
Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard
Student lobbyists: ASPSU Vice President Ed Hallman, volunteer Matt Fleskes, Chief of Staff Zaki Bucharest,
Senator Amaya Taina, Deregulation Intern Rowen Griffith.
ASPSU and OSA will lobby for Oregon Opportunity Grant funding Corie Charnley Vanguard staff
Long and winding road Viks earn mixed results over the weekend, but chalk first Big Sky win PAGE 6
He has since filed his own impeachment request against ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford. In a letter submitted to the Judicial Board on Jan. 25, ASPSU Senator P.V. Jantz claims that Lee’s actions warrant impeachment. According to Jantz’s letter, Lee used his position on the SFC to carry out a personal agenda, made false accusations that damaged a student group and acted outside his position in an unethical manner, among other concerns. In response to Jantz’s impeachment request, Lee said that any accusations made against him that he used his position as an SFC member to further his own agenda are false. “I have not done anything unethical and it’s disconcerting that a student leader would take action without doing some of the investigation first,” Lee said. Lee said Jantz erred in using two articles on the Pre-Law Society incident published by the Spectator and the Vanguard, as evidence for his claims. The Vanguard reported that, in late 2009, Lee publicly accused PLS President Ashley McClain of
Hallman named Vice President
As state legislators convene in Salem tomorrow, members of ASPSU and the Oregon Student Association will lobby for an increase in funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant. The Oregon Student Association’s (OSA) lobby day message is “students are paying more and getting less,” which reflects Oregon’s higher education budget cuts, increased tuition, overflowing classrooms and dwindling financial aid. The OSA, a statewide nonprofit advocacy group for higher education, will propose a $19.7 million increase in funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG), the largest state-funded, need-based financial aid program in Oregon. Additional
funding would help maintain the level of aid students receive and make more aid available for those hoping to move on to higher education. “We registered over 14,000 students [to vote] across the state, and that shows that these students care that they have a voice. The best way to show that we have a voice is to actually talk to representatives to let them know that tuition, funding and the OOG are extremely important to us,” said Katie Markey, ASPSU interim legislative affairs director. ASPSU expects to bring a group of 24 Portland State students to Salem, where they will join another 200 students from public universities across the state. According to Markey, OSA staff members have been at the capitol for the past two weeks scheduling meetings with Oregon representatives. Although the schedule has not been finalized, OSA is trying to arrange meetings between students and their own district representatives. “We're trying to get
representatives from [the students’] districts so that they can talk to them, and say, ‘Look, I’m your constituent and I really care about this, so you should support the OOG,’” Markey said. Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Speaker of the House Dave Hunt are also expected to address the students on Friday, said Markey. ASPSU and eight other schools that participate with OSA are collecting written testimonies from students affected by growing tuition costs and financial aid. According to Markey, ASPSU is compiling the testimonies onto CDs to be distributed to state representatives. As Oregon faced an economic crisis last year, large numbers of people decided to pursue higher education, leading to a shortfall in the OOG, explained Ed Hallman, ASPSU vice president. “That wasn’t something we could have predicted, but it doesn’t change the mission, the intention, and the reason behind the OOG. I think that’s something we know as students and as activists, and I think
that the Legislature knows that they need to adjust it in order to keep Oregon viable,” Hallman said. According to Markey, last year’s unexpected demand for the grant resulted in overspending. Consequently, payouts were reduced for students who were already receiving it. The proposed $19.7 million increase in funding would compensate these students, as well as sustain the grant for the upcoming academic year. Aside from lobbying, members of the OSA will present “Golden Clipboard” awards to honor Oregon’s representatives and senators for their student voter registration work. Among the recipients will be Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, House Majority Leader Mary Nolan and Reps. Sara Gelser, Brent Barton and Michael Dembrow. For more information about OSA's lobby day, visit ASPSU’s Web site at aspsu.pdx.edu or stop by their office at Smith Memorial Student Union, room 117.