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Grievance filed over EMU referendum

Special Elections are currently open (my apologies for the late post) and the EMU referendum closes this Friday. Students are urged to educate themselves with the propaganda (self-described as unbiased, but is also outdated? WTF…) that has been distributed to the campus community electronically through emails and verbally by “students on 13th Avenue”. There are a lot of nice pictures and compelling arguments for WHY and WHEN the EMU should be renovated, but there has been little discussion about HOW. It makes sense to renovate the EMU (like the unbiased propaganda said), but there is a big rush and neglect of appropriate action in its planning.

The main problem I see with the proposed renovation is that students are expected to start paying for it beginning Fall of 2014, regardless of year in school. The project is EXPECTED to be finished by the start of the 2016 school year. I’d bet anybody who thinks that deadline will be met $20 bucks that it won’t. The “unbiased” information disseminated is ambiguous as to whether or not the EMU will be in service during the renovation (my guess is that, for the most part, no). Granted, the per term fee has been reduced from $100 to $69 per student, a significant reduction. Furthermore, I concede that it really isn’t that much skrilla (really a mere fraction of the formidable amount we already pay in tuition) to sacrifice for a better-functioning building with more study space. It should also be noted that private donations will account for $35 million of the project. However, that leaves $100 million put on students, starting Fall 2014. Those expecting to graduate in spring of 2015 or 2016 will be paying for something that they will not use, while being unable to use the current one that they will probably still be paying for! And who knows when it will be finished.

And the emails regarding RBI Strategies, of which I have requested the digital records, have yet to be made available.

In related news, concerned student Sophie Luthin filed a grievance against ASUO President Laura Hinman Wednesday afternoon. Her grievance cites non-fulfillment and illegal implementation of elections by the ASUO President. Accusing her of failing to appoint Elections Board officials and instead implementing the EMU Referendum herself, Luthin calls for the removal of Hinman from office.

 

  1. The Old Man says:

    Tyler,
    Four grand is pretty typical voter turnout for a special election. Hosting it on Bb instead of through Duckweb might have hurt. But, in all honesty, this election was cleaner than last year’s late-fall term debacle. We know it could be worse, because it’s been worse very recently. Welcome to the UO.

  2. Tyler Millette says:

    4006 votes out of more than 22,000 students is a pretty sad turnout. I don’t know about anyone else, but I think the vote should have been much more publicized, and much more neutrally presented.

  3. Angry Dad says:

    Sophie Luthin, the one who openly flaunted her law-breaking abilities on the Ben and Lamar campaign.

    Can’t we just shoot her full of morphine and leave her lying out in the middle of a busy street somewhere. My god, what a pathetic nazi-frencher she is.

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