The Utah Statesman, March 2, 2012

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·Friday, March 2, 2012

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"Campus Voice Since 1902" • Utah State University• Logan, Utah•

Thrapp new president, ARC fee passes BY ARIANNA REES

staff writer Christian Thrapp was announced as the new ASUSU executive president for the 20122013 year at Thursday's results assembly. "This has just been an incredible experierice, and now it almost feels surreal," Thrapp said of his victory. After a week of debates, Thrapp claimed the title with 2,396 votes to fellow candidate Hannah Blackburn's 2,080 votes. Ben Wilson was elected executive vice president, winning with 2,386 votes versus Abigail Kingsford's 1,717. 'Tm just most excited to get to work and do ·my best to serve the students at Utah State University," Wilson said. The proposed Aggie Recreation Center and respective student fee increase passed by 134 votes with 2,586 votes in favor of it and 2,452 against. Beginning fall semester 2012, students will be required to pay an additional $25 in student fees every semester until 2015 to fund artificial turf that will replace the grass on the HPER Field. At the recreation center's expected opening fall of 2015, students can expect a $75 per-semester fee to pay for the building. Also passed last evening was the USU constitutional amendment dissolving the Graduate Student

Senate and providing more representation for students on regional campuses and students involved in distance education. Kellen Hansen, campaigning for the programming vice president position, was beaten by Chaise Warr with a 140-vote difference between the two. Jordan Hunt was elected next year's Academic Senate vice president and Karson Kalian is the new Athletics vice president. Mariana Ochoa was elected Diversity and Organizations vice president over Tasi Taylor, and Christian Orr was elected as student advocate over Anthony Pratt. Jeremy Nef claimed the title of Service vice president over Kyle Niedrich. Sophomore Emily Esplin said she was excited to hear the results of the campaign and the success of the ARC plan. 'Tm really excited about it," she said. "I think there are great things to come for next year out of these new elected officers." "What's great about this is that we have the opportunity now to move forward, that we have this opportunity as a student body to unite, to reach out to those who feel disconnected from ASUSU and from the university, bring them in and make this university an even CHRISTIAN THRAPP WAS ELECTED 2012-13 ASUSU president greater place. We're going to work Thursday. He beat his opponent Hannah Blackburn by 316 votes in the final election. Thrapp expressed his appreciation to family and other supporters our hardest for you," she said. who helped him achieve his goal to be student body president. MICHAEL

- ariwrees@gmail.com JOHNSON photo

Issues surface in USU debate BY CAITLIN MOFFITT

staff writer

The two remaining ASUSU presidential candidates - Hannah Blackburn and Christian Thrapp - participated in a final debate Wednesday. Held in The Hub in the Taggart Student Center, the debate was moderated by Erik Mikkelsen, the current student body president. The debate format differed from previous debates, allowing Blackburn and Thrapp time to respond to each other's responses. "The debate will follow what they do for the presidential debates," Mikkelsen said. Mikkelsen said after the first question was asked, the first candidate had 90 sec· onds to respond. Then, the other candidate had 60 seconds to respond to the posed question, and then each candidate was given 30 seconds to comment on the other candidate's response. Mikkelsen began the debate by asking Thrapp, a USU lobbyist and recruitment ambassador, about his plan to revamp ASUSU and unify the student body. Thrapp said he would like to get more input from groups on campus. "One thing I want to talk about is the executive face time. It's the executive council going around to each college, the

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USU celebrates opening of new Ag Building BY CATHERINE BENNITT

editor in chief

Supporters and contributors of USU's new Agricultural Science Building stood shoulder to shoulder in the building's atrium Wednesday and watched as USU President Stan Albrecht and College of Agriculture Dean Noelle Cockett performed the ribbon cutting ceremony, signifying the building's completion. "I am confident that USU will continue to honor the spirit of agriculture and all it represents in the coming decades," Cockett said while addressing the crowd. "It's certainly noteworthy that this ribbon-cutting event is held in the same year as the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act that created the land-grant system for the United States." After eight years of planning and waiting, the College of Agriculture has a new $43.1 million home on the Quad. Faculty and staff whose offices will be in the building were allowed to begin moving in Thursday, Cockett said, but classes will not COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE DEAN NOELLE COCKETT, right, USU President Stan ►) See VISITORS, Page 3

Albrecht, middle, and Utah Commissioner of Agriculture Leonard Blackham, left, cut a ribbon signifying the completion of the new 1gricultural Science Building. MELODY SANcw·i photo


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