Board retains elected officials positions
By Daily Bruin Staff
March 31, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Monday, April 1, 1996
Association leaders question presidents’ office’s involvementBy
Patrick Kerkstra
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The students’ association Board of Directors narrowly defeated a
pair of proposals on March 22 designed to purge the board of
political influence and excess members.
A controversial motion aiming to prohibit elected student
officials from serving on the board failed by one vote, while
another proposing a reduction in the number of alternates missed by
two.
Proponents of the failed motions argued that elected student
officials, particularly the undergraduate and graduate student
presidents, are too political and busy for the board.
"Having observed the time commitments the presidents have, I
think they’re taking too much on; I think they’re spread too thin,"
said graduate board member Dave Kopplin.
Kopplin also asserted that nonelected board members can serve
and represent students as well as elected officials.
But Emily Day, an undergraduate representative who voted to
defeat the motions, said there is little difference between an
appointed member and an elected official serving as a board
member.
Day, like the other undergraduate representatives, was appointed
by undergraduate President York Chang.
"What’s the difference between having York sit here, and York
saying, ‘Emily sit there?’" Day asked.
"In the sense of having a student constituency and student
representative on the board, I’m as political as anyone," continued
Day, who does not hold an elected position.
But an additional concern for some board members was the
potential lack of interest shown by students who serve on the board
by virtue of their elected positions. Both the undergraduate and
graduate student presidents sit on the board.
"Even if you’re going to appoint political representatives to
the board for political reasons usually they will be interested in
the board as such and that often the president won’t be," said
graduate representative Tim Beasley. "The president will have other
items higher on his or her agenda than the board."
The board is likely to revisit the issue before the end of the
year.
Although the board chose not to reduce its size or change its
composition, it did extend the terms of its representatives and
also gave itself more authority to censure members for misconduct
or poor attendance.
"The aim is to get a leaner board than can more decisively and
insightfully and address issues," Beasley said.
* * *
Board members anticipated choosing a permanent replacement for
temporary Executive Director Charles Mack by the end of the
schoolyear.
Currently, the executive search firm McCormack and Associates is
interviewing candidates for the job.
The ad-hoc search committee, which is working with McCormack and
Associates to find candidates, expects to present at least three
candidates to the board for review within a month, said graduate
representative Dave Kopplin.
* * *
The students’ association will not begin construction on its
North Campus coffeehouse until this summer, officials said. The
cafe will offer fare similar to the Kerckhoff Coffeehouse and
Jimmy’s, and is scheduled to open in the fall quarter.
* * *
Delays in Ackerman Union construction have raised serious
financial concerns for the association. The expansion will not open
until the beginning of winter quarter 1997, instead of fall quarter
1996 as originally planned.
The delay is expected to dampen the association’s business at
the beginning of the 1996-97 academic year, typically the period of
greatest profits for the organization.Comments to
[email protected]
