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THE UCSD GUARDIAN | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 | www.Ucsdguardian.org
Council Discusses Election Bylaws, Sun God for a Cause
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our members of the public addressed A.S. Council the public regarding the Division-I referendum at We d n e s d a y ’s meeting. These students spoke both in favor of and against the referendum. Natalie Covate AVP of ncovate@ucsd.edu College Affairs Leonard Bobbitt was excited to announce that every week a new college council will be visiting, starting with Muir College this week. “Please be nice to them and show them that we can be nice people when we like to be,” he said. AVP of Academic Affairs Mac Zilber announced that there is a new policy stating that if a student is accused of academic misconduct, the student can now drop the class before the professor takes actions against you. However, this blessing in disguise will not prevent administrative actions from being taken against the accused student. Engineering Senator Parminder Sandhu reminded council that his Engineering-on-a-stick event is scheduled for Thursday of Week 10. As if anyone has had an opportunity to forget. Councilmember of the Week is AVP of Student Organizations Pauline Nuth. She was unaware that a celebratory strut is expected, but VP of Student Life Meredith Madnick was able to catch her and send her down the runway. President Alyssa Wing announced her Diversity Dinner event. However, at $17 per plate and expected attendance around 40
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students, council debated whether or not to fund the event. “I understand that the event should be more formal [than other events], but we’ve had c o nv e r s at i o n s about saving money and allowing more projects to reach more students,” Sandhu said. The event’s funding was ultimately passed with the condition that Wing and her office will look into less expensive catering options. A.S. Judicial Board members criticized new election bylaws implemented this year in a special presentation showing the unconstitutionality of Section 5.5. “It worries me that this is coming out on the eve of an election,” Bobbitt said. “It puts A.S. in an uncomfortable situation and it puts [the Judicial] Board in an uncomfortable situation.” However, since the candidatefiling period has officially begun, no changes can be made to bylaws. “I want to ask us to table [these changes] until after the election since nothing can be done right now, and also to tone down the hostility, particularly on the side of A.S. Council,” VP of External Affairs Samer Naji said. Madnick and VP of Finance and Resources Kevin Hoang announced the creation of Sun God for a Cause. When students pick up their Sun God wristbands, they can opt to donate a dollar to VH1’s Save the Music foundation. Local educational music programs will thrive on UCSD’s intoxicated festivities.
Student Health Fees May be Adjusted Due to New Coverage ▶ SHIP, from page 1 both the student and SHS staff representatives, providing further input for the UC SHIP Executive Committee, which makes final decisions about the plan. If the measure passes, students will not have to pay a co-pay. The brands covered by the formulary are still being decided, according to Fleming. The cost increase to enroll in SHIP for students is expected to be less than 1 percent. UC Regents have made health insurance a mandatory
non-academic requirement to be enrolled in the UC system since September 2001, due to increasing health care costs and a rising number of students without health coverage. Currently, the enrollment cost for UCSD’s SHIP is $310 per quarter for undergraduates and $549 per quarter for graduates and professionals. The fee is automatically charged upon enrolling in classes. Students are allowed to waive the fee if they are already have comparable coverage by another
plan and do not wish to pay for SHIP. UCSD has not yet determined whether the change in coverage plan will have an impact on the cost of SHIP. All students are able to use the on-campus SHS whether they are enrolled in the plan or not. According to Fleming, 20 to 25 percent of prescriptions currently filled at SHS are for birth control pills. Readers can contact Michael Chang at mechang@ucsd.edu.
Cost of Renovating CLICS Would Be More Than $6.7 Million
▶ CLICS, from page 1
began due to the growing need for more lecture halls. “[The committee] researched where we could feasibly put a lecture hall, and renovating a building that is already there makes more sense than to try to build one somewhere else,” Wing said. Approximately 30 students, three tenured professors and a union representative attended the Town Hall meeting in defense of the building as a study space. “It was astounding how many students were outraged at the plan,” Eleanor Roosevelt College senior and author of the ballot question Sophia Lawson said. “A lot of the rage came from the lecture hall that was going to be [built] there.” According to Lawson, one of the students in attendance said that the lecture hall construction plan should be scrapped altogether. Wing recommended creating a ballot question that could be added to the special election ballot in order to get a clear idea of what students want to see happen to the space. “[Wing told me that] someone needs to pen a question and bring
it to [her] at the A.S. meeting and try to get it passed,” Lawson said. The question originally read, “In 2011, UCSD closed CLICS library to save $450,000 annually. There are plans to renovate the space to include a 420-seat lecture hall and limit study space to three side rooms, which will cost more than $6,700,000. Do you agree that this is the best use of these funds to help you achieve your educational goals?” During the Feb. 8 meeting, A.S. Council decided that the question needed to be reworded to make it sound more neutral and to clarify that students are voting on what they want A.S. Council to advocate. The question now reads: “What would you like to see A.S. [Council] advocate for with regards to the CLICS space (Galbraith Hall)?” This question will have four options for students to select from, including an “other” option where students can describe their position. No one, including Lawson, challenged the rewording of the ballot question. “I think [changing the question] was a fair process,” Lawson said. “Obviously, I have very strong
feelings for CLICS, [but] the whole point was to get a response that reflects what the student body wants.” Results of the student survey may impact the actions council will take in the renovation of CLICS. “Let’s say the majority [of students] say they want A.S. [Council] to advocate the lectur de hall with limited study space, then A.S. [Council] will continue what it’s doing,” Naji said. “However, if the majority say they want a student-run building, then A.S. [Council] will have to seriously reevaluate their plans.” According to Wing, the Building Advisory Committee for Galbraith Hall is already responding to students. On Feb. 29, there will be a presentation at the A.S. Council meeting regarding the need for lecture halls. “[The Committee] wants to provide information to students that wasn’t available at the Town Hall,” Wing said. “[They] want to answer questions like why CLICS is closed and why they want to put in a lecture hall.” Readers can contact Natalie Covate at ncovate@ucsd.edu