ASPSU
After much debate, Caine Lowery was officially appointed to the student senate at Wednesday’s Associated Students of Portland State University (ASPSU) meeting. When Michael-Sean Kelly, Evaluation and Constitution Review Committee (E&CR) chair, stood before the senate and made the announcement the audience broke into applause and Lowery could not help but smile.
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Lowery’s brother Jason said to the senate, “And all that hate ya was throwing up there, it didn’t work. ” He was referring to the heated senate meeting January 21, when Caine’s position on the senate was still under debate.
Michael-Sean Kelly read aloud a ruling to the student senate from a committee report handout:
“To submit an appointment is to let the appropriate people know about it. To present an appointment an official meeting has to take place where the president, or a designated person, can present the appointment with a signed document.”
According to the committee report, the E&CR made the decision to uphold Lowery since his appointment was submitted through the senate list-serv by the vice president and not voted on within 30 days of its submittal.
Who gets the last seat?
After Sen. Lowery’s appointment, the question remained, “Who will take the last seat as senator, Jenny Sevilla or Eric Kamwetti?”
Kamwetti spoke before the senators about why he should be considered for the remaining seat.
“When I look around, I don’t see international students … I feel we need an international view,” he said. He also stated that he was glad Caine was finally appointed as a senator.
The senate was in conflict over the selection.
Sen. Lindsey Craven said, “I think it would be great if we could have both of them on the senate … but Jenny’s been waiting a long time.”
Sen. Caine Lowery asked if Amara Marino, ASPSU president, could appoint two people to the senate instead of just one.
The answer was yes. One at-large seat remained. Jenny Sevilla could be an at-large senator and Kamwetti could be introduced as a representative of a group, representing the School of Social Work.
Sen. Christy Harper said that she believed that both candidates should be appointed at the same time.
A motion was made to approve them to the senate, and was passed almost unanimously, 19-0-1. After a burst of applause Sevilla and Kamwetti were asked to take their seats with the senate. “Thank God,” said Sevilla, as she rose to take a seat as senator.
Finances in order
Tracy Earll, the Student Fee Committee chair, presented a financial document to the student senate which stated that the SFC had “completed its initial allocations on incidental fee funding for the 2004-2005 year.”
The allocations will be referred to the student finance committee, who will present a report of concerns to the student senate next week before a vote.
Support the faculty
Sen. Morgan Stimson and Sen. Lindsey Craven submitted a resolution to the senate Wednesday in support of the Adjunct (part-time) Faculty at PSU.
The Portland State University Faculty Association will soon vote on a new contract, and both Stimson and Craven would like the student senate, on behalf of the student body, to support the faculty.
“It’s completely our place to support our faculty,” Craven said.
In opposition, Sen. Shahriyar Smith said, “Their lack of job security can affect students? … There’s a tenuous link and it’s a poor argument.”
Sen. Caine Lowry said, “I think we’re playing with people’s livelihood … we should support them.”
Sen. Aaron O’Donnell suggested the student senate have a meeting with someone from the administration “so the student senate can talk to them about the negotiation process.”
He continued, “Before we commit to anything I think we should wait and see.”
The senators decided to “wait and see” about the adjunct faculty issue until next week’s student senate meeting.
