No other choice.

Attendance, or lack-there-of, left ASI Senators with one option at Wednesday's meeting. Postpone discussion of all matters at hand.
With nearly one-third of the senate unable to attend the meeting, the majority opted to wait for higher attendance to vote or further discuss topics on their agenda. This was done in hopes that the senate as a whole would best represent the student population.

Senate finishes up with 2007-2008

The passing of three new amendments at this weeks ASI Senate meeting brought an end to the 2007-2008 business which had spilled over into this academic year. 

The previously debated Clear Majority Act was approved this week by the AS Judiciary, allowing the senate to cast a final vote on the amendment. Using the old Clear Majority Act one last time to vote this amendment into action, the senate unanimously voted in favor of the change. 

The other two amendments overlapping from last years academic year were the Amendment to Senate and the Amendment to Subsidiary Board. Senators explained that passing both of these amendments would help prevent conflicts of interest from arising between ASI, the USU Board of Trustees and the senate. 

Senate again chose to postpone discussion on the Textbook Rental Program, leaving student waiting at least one more week before a decision is reached. 

Is the Clear Majority really representing CSULB's majority?

Wednesday's ASI Senate Meeting focused, in large part, around a potential new bylaw amendment entitled the Clear Majority Act, which could lead to the misrepresentation of the CSULB student body.

The bylaw amendment would redefine what was considered a two-thirds vote in the ASI Senate. In order for an amendment to be put into effect right now it requires a two-thirds vote of the entire, 20 member senate. In other words, a solid 14 votes is required to pass an amendment. If changed, the senate would require a two-thirds vote of the sworn in members of the senate.

This change was proposed weeks ago when senate members were discussing the challenge of receiving all 14 votes required to pass an amendment when there are only 15 sworn in senators. In this particular situation an almost unanimous vote would have to be cast to pass the amendment at hand.

As with every meeting, concerned senators spoke out in order to ensure that the senate had the students best interest in mind. Sen. Amanda Thyden voiced her opinion the fellow senators. She worried that lowering the already low 14 votes required for the senate to pass an amendment could lead to further misrepresentation of the CSULB student body as a whole.

Deciding to give the proposed amendment more thought before coming to a decision, the ASI Senate approved the second reading and passed the amendment along to the ASI Judiciary for further scrutiny.

We Could be Renting Our Textbooks Soon..

ASI continues to debate the proposed Textbook Rental Program which could potentially save CSULB students hundreds of dollars a semester. Last Wednesday's ASI Senate meeting was buzzing with talk of a potential new program where students would rent the textbook for 40 percent of the original cost.
The program is already in effect at CSU campus' across southern California, including Cal State Fullerton and San Diego State University. These campus' charge students between 25 percent and 35 percent for their rental program. Charging 40 percent seemed to pose an issue amongst the senate, claiming 40 percent may be too steep.
Another concern brought forth by ASI Senator Thuy Tran was the possiblity for the rental program to increase to university's deficite which is already between $5 million and $6 million. ASI Vice President Christopher Chavez quickly explained to the senate that the 49er Shops would be behind the funding for the program, leaving the university's funds untouched.
Chavez contacted San Diego State Senate to see if they're program was running smoothly. There had been no complaints from students, staff or faculty thus far. After the senate meeting came to a close I took a minute to ask Chavez why the Senate seems to be taking their time before coming to a decision on the program, Chavez said this was an issue the senate wanted to consider from all angles before coming to a decision.
This Wednesday could hold the long awaited decision.
Full story at:
http://www.daily49er.com/news/textbook_rental_program_still_in_air