Three bills discussed at meeting

The Associated Students of CSU introduced bills dealing with

using wind power in the residence halls and changing ASCSU election

rules in its senate meeting Wednesday.

ASCSU also approved ASCSU President Jesse Lauchner’s appointment

of Nathan Steinberg, a former Senator of the College of Liberal

Arts as its election chairman.

The first of the bills promoted wind power options in the

residence halls. The bill was introduced Wednesday and will be

voted on at future meeting.

“We are not building a wind turbine on campus,” said Sen. Britta

Schroeder of the College of Natural Resources, who wrote the bill.

She said the question of a wind turbine on campus had been asked of

her numerous times.

Fort Collins currently offers the option of buying electricity

produced with wind turbines.

The bill suggests the university work toward offering the

purchase of wind power to students living in the residence halls.

Wind power does cost slightly more than regular coal- and

gas-provided power.

Schroeder pointed out the environmental benefits of a renewable

energy source, including the lack of air and water pollution it

produces.

Due to the design of the city’s power grid, anyone buying wind

power does not receive 100 percent wind-produced electricity

through his or her outlets, Schroeder said. However, the equivalent

kilowatt-hours the buyer uses replace coal-produced energy in the

power grid.

The second bill dealt with the change of 2004 election rules. It

would further limit the amount of money a candidate could spend on

any campaign to be $2,000. The current limit is $3,500.

Supporters of the bill state this will prevent candidates with

more money from having an advantage over those with less.

“I don’t think we should be voting on who has the most money,

but who has the best campaign platform,” said Sen. Marisa Adelman

of the College of Natural Sciences.

Those opposing the bill argued that student voter turnout will

drop when less money is spent on advertising.

The third bill also addressed election rules, but those set

forth in ASCSU’s constitution. The bill would raise the required

cumulative GPA for executive officers from 2.00 to 2.25.

Both bills were up for their first of two votes Wednesday and

had not yet been voted in time to include in today’s paper. Check

Friday’s Collegian for voting results.

Lauchner also introduced Steinberg as election chair at the

meeting. Steinberg explained why he was the best choice for the

position.

“Since I’ve been on ASCSU since 2001, I’ve worked on the

election rules three times,” he said.

Also at the meeting, Ryan Miccio, the director of legislative

affairs, presented on three state bills that were introduced to the

Colorado General Assembly. These bills covered topics such as

merit-based aid, a fixed, guaranteed tuition to in-state students

and an academic bill of rights.

CSU Police Department Chief Dexter Yarbrough also addressed the

senate on a proposed ticket program that would give officers the

option of issuing traffic violations that applied only to CSU.

Points would not be assessed to a violator’s license and fines

would be less than those of a municipal or county ticket. Fines

would fund a CSU specific traffic education program.

ASCSU would not have to approve the department’s plan for it to

be enacted. Yarbrough did seek the senate’s support, however.