2008 Woodie Awards
USG hopes to improve image, increase participation
Tina Lamb
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: College News
One week after President Trevor Fulk's controversial resignation, the Undergraduate Student Government gathered in the Campus Center on Friday to polish its image and clarify its goals.
"This is our chance to start off fresh," said Sharée Myricks, who replaced Fulk as USG president Jan. 18.
The USG's executive board confronted Fulk on Jan. 17 after learning he was being investigated in a conflict-of-interest case, and offered him the choice of resigning immediately or having the matter brought before the USG Senate.
Discussion of upcoming elections and the Senate's overall goals dominated the meeting, with Myricks sounding a call to action.
"We really need to work on our image," she said. "The USG wasn't always like this. From what I hear, it was very big on campus. We need to make sure our students know who we are. And we need to know our students."
Senator Stephanie Cunningham of the School of Social Work suggested organizing a "get-out-and-vote event" that would include registering student voters for state and national elections.
"The biggest thing last year that tarnished our reputation was the school didn't know we were voting," Cunningham explained. "We could merge our elections with national politics. It's a huge movement now in schools across the nation. Students are getting involved in elections. Why don't we use that momentum for our school, too?"
Curtis Peters, a senator from the School of Liberal Arts, discussed difficulty in motivating students to attend student council meetings.
"We need to make more efficient channels for students to voice concerns on campus. The student body doesn't come to our student council meetings."
Senators nominated two candidates for Myricks' vacated vice president seat and one candidate to fill an opening for president pro tempore. But because only 15 of the USG's 30 senators attended the meeting, the lack of a quorum delayed voting.
"Truthfully, I do not know why there were only 15 senators in attendance," Myricks said in an e-mail interview on Sunday. "Last meeting, we had 20 Senators, which is a good turnout, in my opinion."
"This is our chance to start off fresh," said Sharée Myricks, who replaced Fulk as USG president Jan. 18.
The USG's executive board confronted Fulk on Jan. 17 after learning he was being investigated in a conflict-of-interest case, and offered him the choice of resigning immediately or having the matter brought before the USG Senate.
Discussion of upcoming elections and the Senate's overall goals dominated the meeting, with Myricks sounding a call to action.
"We really need to work on our image," she said. "The USG wasn't always like this. From what I hear, it was very big on campus. We need to make sure our students know who we are. And we need to know our students."
Senator Stephanie Cunningham of the School of Social Work suggested organizing a "get-out-and-vote event" that would include registering student voters for state and national elections.
"The biggest thing last year that tarnished our reputation was the school didn't know we were voting," Cunningham explained. "We could merge our elections with national politics. It's a huge movement now in schools across the nation. Students are getting involved in elections. Why don't we use that momentum for our school, too?"
Curtis Peters, a senator from the School of Liberal Arts, discussed difficulty in motivating students to attend student council meetings.
"We need to make more efficient channels for students to voice concerns on campus. The student body doesn't come to our student council meetings."
Senators nominated two candidates for Myricks' vacated vice president seat and one candidate to fill an opening for president pro tempore. But because only 15 of the USG's 30 senators attended the meeting, the lack of a quorum delayed voting.
"Truthfully, I do not know why there were only 15 senators in attendance," Myricks said in an e-mail interview on Sunday. "Last meeting, we had 20 Senators, which is a good turnout, in my opinion."
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