ASCSU prepares to address academic bill of rights

A bill was introduced Wednesday night to the Associated Students

of CSU Senate voicing opposition to an academic bill of rights

recently introduced in the Colorado General Assembly.

The academic bill of rights, introduced Jan. 30, addresses the

rights of students to feel comfortable to express their opinions,

political and otherwise, in the classroom.

The bill had its first reading Wednesday night and was committed

to the Empowerment Committee.

Ryan Miccio, director of legislative affairs for ASCSU,

requested reports from all colleges Wednesday night about how their

students felt about the topic.

“Many students were concerned how the bill would affect their

classes,” said Maria Bennett, a senator from the College of Liberal

Arts. She said political science majors in particular were

concerned how this would affect class discussions.

There was not consensus among all senators, however.

“There were a few people who liked the idea behind the bill,”

said Michael Crook, associate senator for Intra-university.

Some did not feel their constituents were concerned with the

piece of legislation.

“Students in natural resources do not care about the bill,” said

Britta Schroeder, senator for the College of Natural Resources.

The College of Engineering, the College of Applied Human

Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical

Sciences and the graduate school had no report regarding how their

students felt concerning an academic bill of rights.

Jesse Lauchner, president of ASCSU, warned that if the senate

members begin voting from their own beliefs rather than the

opinions of the students they represent, any such legislation would

be vetoed.

Miccio hopes to have the bill passed by next week’s meeting.

Nathan Steinberg, the newly approved election chair, resigned

his position as senator of the College of Liberal Arts and

presented his appointees to the election committee. They were

Lindsay Higerd, ASCSU director of special events, Andy McDonald, a

former senator for the College of Liberal Arts, Theann Kennebeck, a

junior liberal arts major, and Kylie McCulloch, ASCSU assistant

director of special events.

All are current or former members of ASCSU with the exception of

Kennebeck.

In the time he has known these individuals, Steinberg said he

has developed confidence through the situations in which he has

seen them.

All four appointees were approved by the senate and sworn in

Wednesday night.

Also at the meeting, Ben Goldstein, director of student

services, made a final plea for RamRide volunteers this

weekend.

“RamRide will not run this weekend,” Goldstein said. Only two

slots were filled for this Friday.

Lauchner echoed his disappointment in the lack of

volunteers.

“We’ve reached a really crummy point. We may have to pull the

plug,” Lauchner said.

There will be a RamRide training tomorrow night, which Goldstein

said he hopes will provide the extra volunteers needed.

The senate also debated three new bills introduced Wednesday

concerning the upcoming elections and the ASCSU Executive

Branch.

Bill 3312 would create a student advocate position in the

judicial branch to advise students facing the ASCSU judicial

process.

Bill 3313 would require that any new cabinet position or changes

to current cabinet job descriptions be approved first by the

senate.

Bill 3311, which would change the constitution to require the

president and vice president of ASCSU to each have a 2.25

cumulative GPA, was voted on Wednesday night with a vote of 23 to

one with one abstention. The bill will have to receive a majority

vote next week to be passed.

Bill 3314 would change the job descriptions of president and

vice president to require a 2.25 cumulative grade point average in

order to hold those offices. This bill was given to committee.