WARTblog

Summer Improvements

Hello everyone-

As my last task as Administrative Ombudsperson, I sent John Wuertz and Scott Sharar, head maintenance guys, a list of summer improvements. Below is the response that John sent back to me.

Emily,
   Thank you for your list that you sent us for improvements on campus. It is helpful to know what students see that need attention of improving. In the future it would be even more helpful to have this type of a list by late December or early January as that is when we are working on priorities for the coming summer. It is good to see however that we already planned to do some of the things on this list. I will try and list.
-  Bathroom stalls in Grossmann are on our 2 year list so if not this summer then the following one.
-  Our intent is to replace the entire fountain in a similar style this summer so the lights will be a part of this. The current fountain is way beyond repair.
-  We will put new nets on the outdoor courts.
-  Recalibrating Heating/Cooling. If you could be more specific as to certain problem areas this would help.
-  It is on our list to continue to work on the noisy heat pumps in Lohe hall.
-  As far as the Asian Beetles we do not have much control over that one.
- We will address the light outside the Student Center.
-  Paving D Lot would be in the vicinity of $500,000.00. Right now this does not fall on the top of our short term priority list.
-  We can look into doorbells another year.
-  We have reseeded Clinton Field each year and continue to fertilize. I think it would be helpful it students would spread out to other areas of campus where the grass is thicker.
-  Adding countertops to Lohe common rooms is not likely to occur.
-  Tell me more of where the Student Senate sign is that needs to be hung.
-  Each of the Restrooms in the Residence does have a vent. Last summer we replaced one of the Heat Reclaim units in the Residence that draws from these vents and that improved the air flow in that building by quite a bit. We have the other unit on hand and plan to install it this summer.
-  The carpet in the Manors is not as old as some buildings. We do however try to replace some carpet each year depending on condition.
-  We do have on our list to re-carpet WBC 116 and 217 and replace chairs in both of those rooms.
-  We will address the drinking fountain in Chellevold.
-  Perhaps you would like to put a priority on what buildings you think should be more accessible. Putting an opener on a door where the only way to it is to come up stairs to get in  the building or go anywhere within the building does not seem to me to be spending money wisely.  The college's policy is to house students or employees with disabilities in buildings that are handicap accessible and we have at this point always had plenty of space. Putting a handicap opener per door would be in the neighborhood of $3500.00.
-  We will repaint problem areas.
- We will look at the plantings around Old Main.

I now pass on the torch to Amanda Pullin. Friedo, Out!

2004-05 Annual Report

Check out the Student Senate Annual Report for more information on this year's activities.  Thanks for a great year!

Download 200405_annual_report.doc 

May Term Senate Runoff Election

Thursday, April 14th there will be a runoff election for the eighth and final seat on May Term Senate.  The runoff candidates are Erin Grandgenett and Tina Irvin.  Please take time to vote on E-Vote (http://evote.wartburg.edu).

-Colin

Below are statements from each of the candidates:

Erin Grandgenett, 2^nd year

1.)  Why do you wish to be a part of May Term Senate?

            I have served on Senate for two years.  I am currently the Student Center Council Liaison.  I have held these positions and feel that May Term Senate can benefit from my experience and leadership.

2.)  What qualifications and/or experience can you bring as a Senator?

            As I have mentioned before I have been a Senator for two years.  I have served on Student Relations, APC, and Senate Review committees.  I am also the Student Center Council Liaison.  I have been a dedicated member and this will continue if elected to May Term Senate.

3.)  What issues on campus do you believe need the attention of Student Senate?  Why?

            I feel that the diversity issue is huge on campus and continuing dialog about what can be done is important.  As a May Term Senator, I would continue this dialog so that our progress during May Term can be brought to Senate next year.  I also feel that it is important to deal with issues as they arise.  As a member of May Term Senate, I would like to be able to communicate with the student body and find things that constituents are most concerned about including housing issues, board issues, organizational issues.  It is important to have May Term Senate visible.  A lot can be accomplished in this time, if we only take advantage of it.

Tina Irvin, 1^st year

1.)  Why do you wish to be a part of May Term Senate?

            I would like to be a part of May Term Senate because I feel that I am a great representative for Wartburg students, an ability I have proved over the last few months as a senator for Vollmer Ground.  I would like to continue with my responsibilities of informing and communicating with other students, and I feel that I can bring good insight to this May Term Senate.

2.)  What qualifications and/or experience can you bring as a Senator?

            I have experience as a first-year senator, serving on the Budget Review Committee, International Student Vote Committee, and the Tsunami Relief Committee this past year.  Qualifications most applicable to this position would be my ability and willingness to communicate clearly with others, creativity, and loyalty to my peers.

3.)  What issues on campus do you believe need the attention of Student Senate?  Why?

            The issue that I feel needs to be addressed would be the problems with cell phones ringing in the library.  Although not an ideal solution, I feel that this problem could be solved in part by perhaps invoking a fee for cell phone interruptions in this study area. 

Resolution 55/Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson

Tomorrow, the Student Body will be voting on whether to approve the addition of a Diveristy Affairs Ombudsperson to the Student Senate Constitution.  Below is the resolution exactly how it was presented to the Senate.  Following the resolution are two opinion articles that were submitted to the Wartburg Trumpet for publishing in last Monday's issue. They were not published, but are here for you to view.

In addition, all three items are attached to this post as a word document so that you may download them, if you so desire.

Download editorials.doc 

Download resolution_number_55.doc

_________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION NUMBER 55 

Date Introduced: 

3/17/05

 

By:  Erin Wright

________________________________________________________________________

Proposed below are amendments to the Student Body Constitution which will add the position of Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson to the Student Senate Executive Team.

The Executive Assistant for Diversity was originally proposed in September of 2002 “to make certain that the college and Student Senate (were) consistently moving forward in (their) commitment to improve diversity on the

Wartburg

College

campus.”  In the past three years, the position has seen many ups and downs; some students have given their absolute best, others have hardly done anything at all.

The advancement from the Executive Assistant for Diversity to the Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson will solidify this position within Student Senate.  This position will be a member of the Executive Team and will therefore be given the same benefits, such as having a central office out of which to work, receiving a financial grant each term, and having increased opportunity for collaboration within the Senate.

The diversity affairs ombudsperson will be responsible for working to improve communication between Student Senate and other organizations promoting diversity, to ensure that the needs and concerns of the Student Body are met in an appropriate manner.

By adding a third ombudsperson position, Student Senate will make a commitment to the college that we will continue moving forward in our efforts to improve campus-wide understanding of diversity.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Student Body Constitution be amended to read…

Article V- Executive Committee

Section 1:  The Executive Committee shall consist of the duly elected Student Body Officers, the Administrative Ombudsperson, the Academic Ombudsperson and the Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson.

Article IV- Duties and Powers of Officers

Section 1:  Duties and Responsibilities of the President

a.      to call Senate meetings

b.      to call and chair Executive Committee meetings

c.       to sign requisitions of Student Government funds and to advise the Treasure of the same

d.      to create special student committees with the approval of the Senate

e.      to appoint students to College Committees with the approval of the Senate

f.        to appoint the Academic, Administrative, and Diversity Affairs Ombudspersons with 2/3 approval of the Senate

g.  to act as ex-officio member of all Senate and College Committees

h.  to call and chair Student Body meetings

i.   to communicate between the student body and administration

j.   to perform such other duties as would normally fall within the providence of

     Presidency

…

Section 8:  In the event of a vacancy in the office of Administrative, Academic, or Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson, the President, with 2/3 approval of the Senate, shall appoint a new Administrative, Academic, or Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson.

Section 9:  In the event of a vacancy in the office of a Senator, the Elections Committee shall meet within one week to direct a special election to be held within two weeks to fill the vacancy…

_________________________________________________________________

Why does Student Senate have ombudspeople?  It makes it easier for Senate to do its job-- communicating between the college and students.  It makes sense to advance the Executive Assistant for Diversity (EAD) to a full ombudsperson position.

The positon would be two-fold:  to play the key role in addressing issues as they arise and to enhance the campus community.  This position works directly for the benefit of all students.

Some senators argued that the position is not well enough defined.  However, the EAD was already defined in the Senate By-Laws.  The goal is not to change the position, just to advance it to its full potential.

It took 482 students’ names on a petition to even get Student Senate to allow the Student Body to decide what it wants.   The student body has already voiced that they want to vote on this matter.  It is time to use that vote to promote this position for a positive change at Wartburg.


Colin Buzza, Ben Parks, Todd Stanhope,

Alek Wipperman

, Erin Wright

Diversity is an important component of any productive college campus and it is no different here at Wartburg.  However, including the word diversity in the rhetoric does not automatically create an effective solution to one of the college’s most pertinent issues. The following are reasons why we do not support the creation of a Diversity Affairs Ombudsperson (DAO).

o       There is not enough work for the person in this position to do.  The established ombudsperson positions have designated contacts and timelines to which they adhere.  The DAO would only have two contacts and would most likely struggle to find work to fill their time, not necessitating a stipend funded by the Student Body.

o       The current position of the

Exec

utive Assistant to Diversity (EAD) has shown that it can be used as an effective tool in promoting diversity. 

o       We recommend that the position of EAD continue to grow in the amount of responsibilities it has.  Once it is consistently a viable position, the promotion to ombudsperson can be reconsidered.  However, at this point it is too new to render adjudication on its effectiveness.

o       Until the college administration is ready to recognize the importance of creating effective diversity policies, there is little a student in this position would be able to accomplish.

            The creation of this new position does not serve the best interests of the Student Body. Therefore, Student Senate Resolution 55 should be defeated. We welcome further discussion on this subject.

Ashley Weets; Student Body Vice-President Elect

Jed Riley; Student Body Treasurer

Emily Friedman; Administrative Ombudsperson

Emily Barnd; Academic Ombudsperson

4/10/05 Campus Forum Feedback

SUGGESTIONS:

Drinking fountains in manors (Chellevold)

Doorbells in Knights Village

Alcohol Policy (why can't you have alcohol if you are 21, but roommate is not?)

Parking ticket increasing prices (not a good idea)

Den hours revamped (weekends)

Re-examine layout of bike racks (KV)

Re-carpet manors and figure out temperature controls

Redo chairs in Accounting room WBC 116

Add a 2^nd Register in Mensa and you should be able to eat with out card

Reseed Clinton field

More ETK events (Movies on Clinton field, More movie nights)

Ticket sales (1^st Wartburg, then public) (i.e. Bill Engvall)

Bring back walkway den or vendors

Ice Machine on campus (ex. Complex, KV lounge)

Beer in Den (points)

More points for meal plans (more variety)

Setting up a partnership with local businesses to use points (ex. Subway, McDonalds)

Teams shouldn’t be able to sign up in den as a team, students should sign themselves up (1^st come 1^st serve)

Bookstore should sell envelopes (single envelopes with stamps)

Posted by: Sarah Walters (PAC Committe Chair)

Fall Involvement Fair

Director of Campus Programming Sarah Glascock reminds all organizations that the Fall Involvement Fair will be held on September 8, 2005. This is one week after school begins, so please begin preparations now.  If organizations need to order things in advance but don't have a place to store them over the summer, contact Sarah and she will find you space.  Contact sarah.glascock@wartburg.edu with questions.

Last Call for Summer Improvements

Last call for Summer Improvements! I will be submitting a preliminary list to maintenance on Monday and a final list the week after (April 18).  Please get me any summer improvemetns right away!

Friedo

Candidates for May Term Senate

Hey everyone!  The following are the candidates for May Term Senate's responses to questions they answered in their application.  The question posted here has them list their qualifications.  To view their responses to the questions 1.) Why do you wish to be a part of May Term Senate?  and 2.) What issues on campus do you believe need the attention of the Student Senate, why?, are available by clicking on this Download may_term_senators_application_responses.doc  It will open in Microsoft Word.  Please take a few minutes to look the candidates over and make and informed vote on Tuesday, April 5th on eVote!
Thanks!
-Ashley Weets, SBVP-Elect

Erin Grandgenett, 2^nd year
As I have mentioned before I have been a Senator for two years. I have served on Student Relations, APC, and Senate Review committees. I am also the Student Center Council Liaison. I have been a dedicated member and this will continue if elected to May Term Senate.

Alek Wipperman, 3^rd year
I have two years of experience on Student Senate, which familiarizes me with the system without blinding me to student’s desires. I am outspoken and confident, and possess many leadership qualities that are useful in representing the student body on May Term Senate.

Travis Olson, 4^th year
Next year would be my fourth year on Student Senate, being involved in something all four years during college does get you oriented to the process of that particular organization. My second year at Wartburg I was appointed the Student Body Administrative Ombudsperson. During my second year, I became very oriented with the business of the college and was able to meet many key people that influence the day to day operation of the college as a result of that position. It helped me to understand who to contact about a particular situation students may be having on campus. This past year I have served as the chair of the Student Relations committee. I also have been an RA for two years now which has given me the experience to communicate easily with members of the student body to hear their opinion on pertinent issues regarding their time here at Wartburg.

Melissa Hageman, 2^nd year
I was very involved with the student council throughout my high school career. I was voted in as class treasurer for the Class of 2004 all four years of high school. During these four years I was in charge of helping to organize the homecoming pep rally and parade, Prom, Graduation Ceremony, and numerous fund raisers throughout the years.

I also assumed leadership positions in areas outside the Student Council. I was the first chair flute player in our concert band and the leader of our flag corps for marching band. I was cheerleading captain for football, editor of the school yearbook staff, a varsity boys basketball manager, and Vice President of my high school’s National Honor Society.

Jonathan Palmquist, 1^st year
I can bring one year of Senate experience. In addition I am to listen to people and work to bring resolution to campus issues.

Andrew Eberline, 3^rd year
I was involved in High School Student Senate for two years. Additionally, I have also had the opportunity to be engaged in detailed discussions with my brother and future sister-in-law (Nathan Eberline and Tara Penna) about Student Senate and its role on campus during my freshman year.

Kate Hunt, 3^rd year
My qualifications and experience that I can bring as a Senator are as follows:

-Serving as the Lohe Hall Third Floor Representative – ’04-‘05

-Serving as an active Political Action and Recycling Committee’s

-Being a member of the Student Senate sponsored Diversity Committee

-Member and Editor for the TRUMPET for the past 2 years, helping to increase     awareness of news and events taking place on Wartburg’s campus.

Matthew Ollendick, 1^st year
As a first year, I have nearly completed my first full year of Senate here at Wartburg. During my high-school career, I retain membership with the National Honor Society, Dubuque Area Youth Leadership Council; nomination for student US ambassadors with People to People and the National Youth Leadership Council.

Eric Benson, 1^st year
During high school I was the president of SADD. During my year as president, we raised more money than any other administration in our chapters history. I also revitalized a community dance by adding a live band and having an aggressive advertising campaign, one that is still being used today. My senior year I also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. For my project I designed and built a freedom memorial. During the project I raised over two thousand dollars and was able to build an additional handicap accessible sidewalk. I am currently pursuing a minor in leadership; the pursuit of this minor has given me a greater insight to my strengths and personality.

Lin Brookshire, 2^nd year
Because this was my first year on Student Senate, I felt a bit too shy to speak up. Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, however, I feel more comfortable and confident in what we do. I feel I am qualified because of my prior experience on Senate. I know how meetings are run and what’s expected of Senators. I also must say I’m qualified to be on May Term Senate simply because I’m good at communicating with fellow students, have a sincere positive attitude, and am enthusiastic about taking on this leadership position.

Jodie Pearson, 2^nd year
To be honest, I have not been a part of school government since middle school. I do not believe that this makes me any less qualified, though. I have been a leader in many other activities, both in high school and here at Wartburg.

Since coming to Wartburg, I have become involved in a great variety of activities such as women’s tennis, Phi Eta Sigma, and Peer Ministry to name a few. I was chosen by my coach as captain for the tennis team for next year and this year I served as treasurer for Phi Eta Sigma. I went through Peer Ministry training and led a bible study with two of my roommates for a group of freshman girls. Also, I represent the tennis team in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and serve as a tutor in the Writing/Reading/Speaking Lab.

All of these activities have required me to be a leader in some way and use my knowledge and skills to guide others. Besides requiring leadership skills, my involvement in these activities has allowed me to come into contact with a variety of different people. To be a Student Senator, I feel it is important to be able to connect with all of the students at Wartburg and discover ways to better everyone, not just a select group of people. One of my strongest traits is that I am personable; if students feel comfortable around me then they will not hesitate to approach me with suggestions, ideas, or questions for Senate.

Finally, being involved requires me to be organized and responsible. In order to continue to be in numerous activities and still have sufficient time for homework, I need to be able to use my free time efficiently and keep myself on track. I believe that all of these skills and traits would make me a strong Senator.

Tina Irvin, 1^st year
I have experience as a first-year senator, serving on the Budget Review Committee, International Student Vote Committee, and the Tsunami Relief Committee this past year. Qualifications most applicable to this position would be my ability and willingness to communicate clearly with others, creativity, and loyalty to my peers.

Eva Sersland, 2^nd year
This is my second year as a Senator. As I said above I feel like I contribute to debate appropriately and really understand how Wartburg and Student Senate work. I also think that I am a very approachable person. My constituents have never had a problem talking with me about issues at Wartburg.

Iana Stahov, 1^st year
 Not quite sure this is something crucial for a Senator, but I speak 5 languages: Romanian, Russian, English (no problem with that), some Spanish and Ukrainian.  In high school I was the head of my class for 3 years, which involved regular meetings with the principal, reporting the overall standing and the concerns of the class.  In the 12th grade I was one of the guides in our high school that were showing foreigners the school, also being a translator while they attended lessons.  In Fall term I took the Introduction to American Politics course, so I think now I am quite aware of the political process in U.S.  I am currently a member of Phi Beta Lambda business organization on campus.  At the recent PBL State Leadership Conference I got 2nd place in International Business contest and 5th place in Economics contest Iowa-wide.  I believe I have the required diplomatic skills a Senator should have, such that I would be able to maintain contact with the students on my floor regarding the major decisions made by the Student Senate.  Because of the reasons above, if elected, I would like to join either PAC or the Budget Review committee.

Jordan Alborn, 3^rd year
I see myself as a people person.  I listen well to others and work to find the best solutions to problems.  As an off-campus resident, I believe I will be able to provide important insight into the decision making process.  Here at Wartburg, I am a member of the Ambassadors, a member of Student Center Council, and a member of Phi Beta Lambda.  During high school, I was always part of student senate in one form or another.