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.
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