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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1999)
Senators: Student role key By JoshKnaub Staff writer At 6:35 Wednesday night, five minutes after the scheduled start time for the weekly ASUN meeting, Rachelle Winkle called the meeting to order. ( “For roll call this week, answer with your favorite color and the number of times you have worn your gray ASUN sweatshirts on Wednesday,” she instructed the sen ators. After conceding the number of times senators had worn their ASUN polo shirts would also be accepted, Winkle proceeded with roll call. When Arts and Sciences Sen. Heath Mello recorded his presence by saying he had worn an ASUN shirt every Wednesday, Winkle had to quiet the “I’m Heath, and I’m per fect” jeers. “You guys! I’m going to have to bang my little gaVel,” Winkle, the first vice president, exclaimed. With die elected representatives of UNL’s student body quieted to a dull roar, Winkle turned her atten tion to the minutes of last week’s meeting. Before the minutes could be approved, though, it was noted that they had not been properly signed or submitted by whoever was responsible for signing and submit ting them. ASUN President An£y Schuerman started his weekly report by telling die group about a difficult bike ride between East Campus to City Campus. His story prompted Government Liaison chairman Andy Faitin to start work on a map of Schuerman’s trip, which he shared with senators near the end of the meeting. “I have a brand new map for Andy (Schuerman),” Faitin said, “It shows the obstacles he should avoid.” f ' I ft - The obstacles, according to the map’s legend, included a pit of alli gators, a mean old lady’s house, a GOP rally, a missile test range, sev eral trucks and former ASUN presi dential candidate Paul Schreier. The senate did listen attentively when Schuerman askcd them to spend time researching a change to ASUN’s bylaws that would make the organization responsible for the new NU on Wheels program. Schuerman closed his report, saying no students had attended two recent forums on online voting in student government elections. During her report, Second Vice President Trisha Meuret introduced her brother, John. “Hi, John,” the senators respond-" ed... - •;* . Meuret spent thelrest Of the masting away from her seat talking with her brother. Speaker of the Senate Kevin Naujokaitis began his report with a game of Simon Says. “Everybody stand up,*1 he said. I^hen everyone stood up, Naujokaitis announced that he had won the game. “I didn’t say 'Simon Says,”’ he exclaimed. After the game, Faltin asked for input for a meeting with U.S. Sens, Bob Kerrey and Chuck Hagel. “You know; the international-" slate, campuswide-community-city communication thing,"he said Faltin then forecasted the out^ come of six college football games, including one from the “crap-tacular RAC-10.” \ The reports from ASUN’s Advisory Council chairpeopie pro-.< ceeded without incident, and by 7:20 p.m. the senate was ready to dehate its lone agenda item: a bill recogniz-' ing three student organizations. By 1\T2 p.m., the senate had voted unanimously to recognize a climbing club, water polo club and an organization for students from Singapore. Ten minutes of announcements included invitations from senators to a sorority play, a karate class and a University Theatre production. Three senators seconded the motion to adjourn before Naujokaitis could finish making the motioiD^ , After the meeting, Mello had a theory about why the weekly meet ings had become so lackadaisical. “If more (non-ASUN) students came, meetings would be more pro ductive,” he said “Things tend to get lax; they tend to slide when we’re die only ones who are here” - Mello said die weekly meetings were important because they forced the committees to keep up on what the rest of the organisation was dpjng- ¥ ^Jpfceeps us onthfsame page,” v Mello said he wished more stu dents, would show up for meetings. “The image Of ASUN is worth less because we dOn’t have anyone to keep us apcomdahle,” he said. “In a way it’s notour fault. In a way it is.” 'v> He said did majority of ASUN’s activities, including enforcing UNLs Dead Week policy and lobby ing the administration and .Legislature, happened outside of weekly meetings. In an address in March, First c Vice President Winkle challenged senators. “Surprise me, surprise the uni versity, and let’s surprise ourselves with what we ean do,” she said. Winkle Said Wednesday she had .been surprised. »' “I don’tknow if I’ve always been sutprisedin a good way,” she said. Winkle said-one thing encour aged her aboutASUN. “I have been surpriseda by the ^passion of a few people,” she said. i Have You Thought About Tackling Your Investment Strategy? Do you know if your retirement plan is on track? Your Fidelity lavsrtwh* representative will be available by appointment to discuss any questions you may have related to your University of Nebraska Retirement Plan. Tuesday aud Wednesday, November 16 & 17,1999 ^ _m ami 04* Ww HHMPfi 1a9iVlWp>fUl to trhidirii ywf ont-oo-oiHt coniiiltfltiofi toti g We look forwarS to meeting with you. I; • • I fl ' NU on Wheels By Veronica Daehn Staff writer » A program designed to give students a safe ride home may soon see itself under new ownership. NU on Wheels could become a pro gram of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, if ASUN senators vote to amend their bylaws at next week’s meetog. NU on Wheels, which provides a safe ride home for University of Nebraska-Lincoln students Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, began Oct 14. NU on Wheels is now run out of the University Health Center, but ASUN President Andy Schuerman said he wants to make NU on Wheels a student government program. The program came about in March 1998 at a leadership development pro gram called LeaderShape and is now funded by grants. Molly Schmitz, NU on Wheels coordinator, said there is only enough money to run the program until May. If ASUN takes over the program, it would be eligible for fees that ASUN’s Committee for Fees Allocation doles out to university programs. Schuerman said he will meet with the Committee for Fees Allocation on Nov. 16 to go over ASUN’s proposed budget The final budget proposal will not come up until the end of January, but Schuerman said he wants to get students thinking about NU on Wheels now. If ASUN senators vote to change their bylaws next week and add NU on Wheels to their budget, the safe ride home program would most likely under go some changes, Schuerman said. NU cm Wheels now provides rides to UNL students from 11 pjitjto 3 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Schuerman said he would like the program to be open every night so stu dents would feel like it was for everyone, not just for drunken people. “(What’s going on now) is the model for what the program will be after next U '7 want to ensure that students know... the program... will not only be for (drunken students), but for those who feel unsafe walking too ” Andy Schuerman ASUN president May,” Schuerman said Data has been collected after each weekend of operation. Schuerman said he will use that information to educate ASUN senators at next week’s meeting and will also use it at the upcoming CFA meeting. If NU on Wheels becomes an ASUN service, the program will be funded with money in the ASUN budget and have its own coordinator, much like Student Legal Services. There are several things Schuerman said he wants student input on. “I’m looking for what makeup of a program students will want and to what extent students are willing to pay for a service that they might not use,” he said. Another thing Schuerman said he wants students to know is that it is a safe ride for everyone, not just those who are drunk. “That’s not the case at all,” Schuerman said “I want to ensure that students kngw a huge part of the pro gram is that it will not only be for (drunken students), but for those who feel unsafe walking, too.” Schuerman said students wife input can go to the ASUN office, 136 Nebraska Union, or e-mail ASUN at asunl@unl.edu. _ '*■" 1 '■ l|i I1' 'P !l|!l!"lW^^W," MU I'll 'III lHpj!lll^ll!lU: -l1! Hi' * KMalkK^HMSIalkHABSMiafilyllau , , '■■ , ■ ,-■ ; ■ ' v- 5 •: r : ! v ,; 1: ’ r i i, ! ’„Hii 1 '‘'A/'.1 ''’’A i ■ I §IftR?vi !cinema twin! UNCW-N I FRIDAY! I 475-3969 I EXCLUSIVE coupons accepted j