Spring Break
Fund-raisers to give aid
New campaign coordinator appointed for Katrina's victims
Brian Reisinger
Issue date: 9/22/05 Section: Campus News
Student Senators adopted a new approach to aiding the victims of Hurricane Katrina Monday, creating a campaign coordinator position to direct Senate's fund-raising efforts.
Senators Andrew Wethmann and Brandon Buchanan proposed the initiative in the form of an amendment to their previous bill, which called for the use of students' segregated fees for relief efforts. The original proposal was illegal.
Abandoning efforts to use segregated fees mended divisions within Senate and evoked widespread support for the new measure.
"This is what it really should be about ... instead of bickering and arguing," Treasurer Nomi Nazeer said. "We're trying to raise money here."
Buchanan apologized for his involvement in what he said was an "environment of hostilities," at last week's meeting.
"I'm happy we can move forward now," he said.
The new campaign coordinator, Keira Belisle-Lamoureux, will be responsible for organizing various fund-raisers in the hopes of generating $10,541, one dollar for every UW-Eau Claire student.
The resolution vows to devote 70 percent of that money to OxFam, an agency Organizations Director Emily Ascher said focuses on both rural and urban relief.
The remaining 30 percent will be reserved for students from damaged areas who enroll at Eau Claire.
If no students from the afflicted area come to Eau Claire, that money will go to other UW System schools at the discretion of Student Senate.
Senate also approved the allocation of $3,000 to the music department, lending its support to the marching band's efforts to raise money for traveling costs for an upcoming performance.
Several senators referred to the band's recent growth, saying it has not received proportional funding.
"(The university's) funding for marching band is really small," Sen. John McVoy said.
The $3,000 will go toward busing costs, which McVoy said have climbed with gas prices.
Sen. Justin Greif questioned whether the department could save money by using school buses rather than coach buses and asked why the band taking trips was so imperative.
Several senators said the cost was reasonable, based on their experience with organizing bus trips for various engagements in the past.
Director of Information Technology Brian Shepley said certain regulations mandated the use of coach buses if a trip was more than twenty miles.
In other business, Senate expanded the role of the secretary, making the position responsible for managing committees.
Sen. Ray French later said the move would ensure more centralized control of committees and foster better communication between committees and the Senate.
"There were times when (Senate) didn't know what was going on with these committees," he said.
Senators also voted to oppose state Assembly Bill 578, which aims to establish a "students' bill of rights."
Senators Andrew Wethmann and Brandon Buchanan proposed the initiative in the form of an amendment to their previous bill, which called for the use of students' segregated fees for relief efforts. The original proposal was illegal.
Abandoning efforts to use segregated fees mended divisions within Senate and evoked widespread support for the new measure.
"This is what it really should be about ... instead of bickering and arguing," Treasurer Nomi Nazeer said. "We're trying to raise money here."
Buchanan apologized for his involvement in what he said was an "environment of hostilities," at last week's meeting.
"I'm happy we can move forward now," he said.
The new campaign coordinator, Keira Belisle-Lamoureux, will be responsible for organizing various fund-raisers in the hopes of generating $10,541, one dollar for every UW-Eau Claire student.
The resolution vows to devote 70 percent of that money to OxFam, an agency Organizations Director Emily Ascher said focuses on both rural and urban relief.
The remaining 30 percent will be reserved for students from damaged areas who enroll at Eau Claire.
If no students from the afflicted area come to Eau Claire, that money will go to other UW System schools at the discretion of Student Senate.
Senate also approved the allocation of $3,000 to the music department, lending its support to the marching band's efforts to raise money for traveling costs for an upcoming performance.
Several senators referred to the band's recent growth, saying it has not received proportional funding.
"(The university's) funding for marching band is really small," Sen. John McVoy said.
The $3,000 will go toward busing costs, which McVoy said have climbed with gas prices.
Sen. Justin Greif questioned whether the department could save money by using school buses rather than coach buses and asked why the band taking trips was so imperative.
Several senators said the cost was reasonable, based on their experience with organizing bus trips for various engagements in the past.
Director of Information Technology Brian Shepley said certain regulations mandated the use of coach buses if a trip was more than twenty miles.
In other business, Senate expanded the role of the secretary, making the position responsible for managing committees.
Sen. Ray French later said the move would ensure more centralized control of committees and foster better communication between committees and the Senate.
"There were times when (Senate) didn't know what was going on with these committees," he said.
Senators also voted to oppose state Assembly Bill 578, which aims to establish a "students' bill of rights."