Loud applause, high-fives and hugs characterized a 2002-2003
undergraduate student government meeting for the first time this
year ““ it was also the last meeting this year.
A sense of celebration filled the small Kerckhoff conference
room Tuesday night as Undergraduate Students Association Council
President David Dahle pounded the gavel for the last time and
adjourned the 2002-2003 council forever.
A few minutes later, the incoming USAC President Anica McKesey
called to order the freshly sworn-in 2003-2004 council to conduct
the first meeting of the term.
Outgoing councilmembers spent their last couple of hours in
office approving their final contingency fund allocations and
approving the USAC election results. The USAC Judicial Board also
presented some rule changes they made to their guiding documents to
make it easier for students to understand them.
Despite apparent relief that their term is over, this
year’s councilmembers said they gained valuable experience
from their time in office.
“I gained a lot of life skills that could be used in
employment and I learned a lot about myself,” said outgoing
Internal Vice President T.J. Cordero.
During a sometimes turbulent term, Cordero learned how to
compromise with councilmembers who had opposing views.
The incoming councilmembers said they would learn from the
mistakes and accomplishments of their predecessors and work
together as a council to serve students.
But first they needed to get a hang of what to do once they sat
on the table.
Some incoming council members had not yet mastered the use of
the gavel or the use of official meeting terminology. But they were
confident that they would soon learn all the technicalities of the
meetings.
“It was a new experience. … It is important to find my
comfort zone in the first couple of meetings,” said Campus
Events Commissioner Jason Gaulton, adding that soon he would be
branching out and interacting with all of council.
New councilmembers also jokingly said they were a little
concerned with the amount of celebration that went on with the
outgoing council’s exit, but added that they were excited for
the new term.
“It makes me a little nervous that (the outgoing
councilmembers) are all happy to be gone, but no one goes to USAC
thinking it’s going to be easy,” said Financial
Supports Commissioner Erica Husse.
Still, Husse and her fellow newly elected councilmembers said
the meeting was a good start to their term.
“It was a great opening to the year. … I was glad to see
everyone wants to work together and have a positive outlook,”
said General Representative Josh Lawson.
Most councilmembers also said they were impressed by
McKesey’s initial leadership ““ specifically, her demand
of a meeting with each councilmember individually to discuss their
goals and expectations.
“It is a positive step in the right direction … as long
as it isn’t just a gesture but actually carries out into
policy,” Lawson said.
Despite the new council’s unfamiliarity with the formal
meeting procedures, members were not hesitant to jump right into
official business.
Council unanimously approved the presidential appointments to
the Appointments Review Committee. Members of committee review all
presidential appointment recommendations before they are presented
to council for approval.
As a newly appointed member of ARC, External Vice President Matt
Kaczmarek said he plans to quickly get an understanding of all the
USAC committees to be able to ask the right questions and obtain
the most qualified students.
Many members of the new council are also ready to begin their
work outside the table.
Lawson said he has already begun contacting administrators about
adding a student activism seminar to the curriculum in the
future.
Meanwhile, Kaczmarek is packing his bags to fulfill his EVP
duties and attend a national lobbying board meeting in Wisconsin
this weekend.
More than the honor of holding the gavel, Gaulton said he is
looking forward to the honor of seeing results next year.