Monday, Feb. 28, 2011
Utah Statesman The
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ASUSU Election Results President • Erik Mikkelsen • Keenan Nuehring
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By KAYLA HALL and ALLIE JEPPSON staff writers
Executive Vice President • Kirsten Frank 2950 • Kade Hansen 330 Student Advocate • Jason Russell • Rob Jepson
Erik Mikkelsen was named ASUSU president for the 2011-12 school year Friday after a successful campaign that put him more than 400 votes ahead of opponent Keenan Nuehring. The first thing Mikkelsen plans on doing when he is inaugurated April 15 is unite the executive board so together they can accomplish more. He also plans to fulfill his campaign promise to put students first, to ensure the ASUSU council members recognize that they work for the student body and accomplish what the student body wants done. About 5,000 students cast their votes this year, a 60 percent increase in voting from the 2010 ASUSU elections. “More candidates ran for positions than ever before,” Nagao said. “The elections committee has worked hard to promote voting over the last month through social media and through direct contact with students. Elections would not have ran smoothly without the help of the dedicated volunteers. We also had more media coverage on campus which increased the awareness of elections.” “Wow, I don’t know what to say, these last couple of days have been crazy,” Mikkelsen said. “I would really like to thank my election committee, they did a good job getting more people to vote than ever before. They all worked tirelessly on the campaign.” When presidential candidate Ben Williams lost in the primaries, he made the decision to endorse Nuehring; however, this was not enough to win Nuehring enough votes. Nuehring said: “I feel OK. I have been tell-
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Programming Vice President • Zach Larsen 1935 • Jackson Cozzens 1754 Athletics Vice President • Ryan “Ry Bay” Baylis 2684 • Michael Woodfield 1050 Diversity Vice President • Brooke Evans 2018 • Jordan Allred 1642 Service Vice President • Maddie Busteed 2287 • Tasha Jorgensen 1398 Academic Senate President • Tanner Wright 2103 • Carly Vanderhorst 1502 Blue Goes Green fee • Approve • Disapprove
Mikkelsen named next ASUSU pres.
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ing people all week to read the platform statements, read the qualifications and to find out what is right for them and the student body. Whoever is right for the student body should be president. I am completely behind what the students want and I will support them in whatever I am doing.” Mikkelsen’s roommate and member of his campaign, David Peterson, said the week involved drama but not between the candidates themselves. He said one of the main things that made the campaign members and supporters of each candidate emotionally charged was how close the primary election was between Nuehring and Mikkelsen. They then wanted to work harder to ensure their candidate won the most votes. The Blue Goes Green fee, a student fee proposed to support sustainability on campus, passed with a 56 percent approval rating, meaning student fees will now include another $0.25 per credit. Kate Gourley, a member of the sustainability council said, “We’re absolutely thrilled. Its exciting to have something pass that will really benefit the university... it has become the way of the future and will make the university more efficient and will get students involved in going green.” Kirsten Frank was announced as the new ASUSU executive vice president while Kade Hansen, who began a write-in campaign beginning the day before primary elections, managed 330 votes. “The loss was somewhat expected,” Hansen said. “I felt like it (running) was something I had to do. It was something I was completely capable of doing a quality job at.”
ERIK MIKKELSEN HUGS a member of his campaign committee after current ASUSU President Tyler Tolson announced his victory in last week’s presidential race. ARMEN HOVSEPYAN photo
- See FEE, page 4
Winningest senior class ever goes out in style during final home game
BRIAN GREEN, TAI WESLEY AND POOH WILLIAMS, (left to right) three of six seniors on the men’s baksetball team, were recognized before Saturday’s game against Idaho State while family members accompanied them on the court in the Spectrum. Saturday was the final home game for six seniors, four of whom have been a part of the winningest four-year stretch in USU basketball history. TODD JONES photo. See Page 8 for full story.
Sen. Hatch says USU receives most federal dollars per capita By DAN SMITH and KEVIN MCCUTCHEON news senior writer, staff writer
Young people will face a bleak future without Social Security benefits if Democrats continue to “overreach” their constitutional boundaries, said U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, Friday, in the Education Building. “I’m always happy to be at this great university. Utah State University receives more federal dollars per capita than any other university in the nation. I spend a lot of time up here in this area,” Hatch said. “You have one of the best basketball coaches in the whole country. He’s a good friend of mine.”
Inside This Issue
Hatch said he did not prepare a speech because he wanted to answer questions that potential voters had about current state and federal issues. Hatch is up for re-election in 2012. “I agree with the Tea Party people. I think it’s about time we reared up in this country and said ‘Enough, we’re spending way too much, we’re going into debt too far,’” Hatch said. “Should President Obama be re-elected, they’re sending you young people down the river.” One audience member asked about the DREAM Act – specifically why Hatch ultimately voted against it when he was the one who originally drafted it. The DREAM Act would have offered in-state college tuition and citizenship to the children of undocumented workers. Current politi-
2/28/11 Logan Animal Control’s most difficult aspect of the job is capturing stray animals. Page 5
Utah State hockey heading to nationals after wins over Texas A&M and Northern Arizona. Page 8
cal conversation is teeming with debate over several immigration reform bills. “They made it into an amnesty bill. I can’t support amnesty,” Hatch said. “I don’t think we’re ever going to get this problem solved until we secure our borders. I hated to vote against it, because I really believe we should never hold it against the children of people who are undocumented.” He said government needs to give law enforcement the “teeth” to tighten border security. The revised DREAM Act was another “Democrat overreach” that expanded amnesty coverage.
- See OBAMA, page 3
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