Dotters-Katz To Liberate OSA-Run ASUO Intern Program
Since his election, ASUO President Sam Dotter-Katz has hardly been running away from his campaign promises of reform. If anything, one might even wonder where he’s going to find the time to enact the many reforms he has recently committed himself to in a lengthy letter to President Frohnmayer. But Dotter-Katz doesn’t seem to be worried, as his administration is kicking off the usually-sleepy summer term with a reform that didn’t even make his already-epic to-do list: eliminating the OSA Campus Coordinator position.
The OSA Campus Coordinator position is largely responsible for running the ASUO internship program, for which students pay some $30,000 in incidental fees annually. In return, the OSA has groomed past interns to treat the ASUO as little more than a lobbyist fundraising organization. Through the secretive “Fight Club” program, the OSA has organized and supported loyal candidates for ASUO office. Once elected, these students have consistently poured ASUO funds into OSA’s questionable lobbying efforts, and generally opposed greater accountability for student funds. But Dotters-Katz’s proposal is not simply about eliminating a $30k salaried position from the incidental fee. By training newcomers to the ASUO, the OSA-run intern program has contributed greatly to the ASUO’s culture of rampant, unaccountable spending. And with so many students disinterested in ASUO business, it’s important that those who do volunteer their time are not simply funneled into a lobbyist training program.
By creating an independent, GTF-run internship program (through the Holden Leadership Center), Dotters-Katz is proposing a much-needed step to move the ASUO away from its gravy-train mentality. Just as importantly, it will allow idealistic students to work for the change they happen to believe in without being forced into what activists themselves term the “non-profit-industrial complex.” Or fitting themselves into the OSA’s narrow ideological box. It’s impossible not to commend Dotters-Katz for this decision. It saves money, provides more and better leadership opportunities, and frees future generations of ASUO leaders from the OSA’s “money-first” dogma. It also shows that Dotters-Katz is serious about breaking open the culture of soft corruption that has grown around the ASUO money trough.
Coming from an executive that has already committed to demanding accountability from OSPIRG and reforming the overrealized fund, this move proves that real reform in the ASUO actually is possible. If things continue like this, the Dotters-Katz/Delashaw executive could be the most consequential ASUO administration in recent history. Stand by for the inevitable wailing, gnashing of teeth and accusations of racism in three, two, one…
Is this the same position Brett Rowlett had? If so, thank you for cutting it! What a waste of student dollars.
Hey, don’t steal my name “insider.” I am the only real Insider in the ASUO.
Tom got promoted, no new campus organizer will be hired.
This is good news because, in all honesty, the ASUO internship program was a joke. I interned when Axelrod canned one staffer and spent a month plus finding a new one. The interns hung out and pretended to do volunteer hours. Does this mean Tom will no longer be in the office? Or just no longer running the program? That internship had to be the easiest 3 credits I’ve mindlessly acquired since starting here. Hopefully they can liven up the power point presentations and actually get a few students working with ASUO reps.
I wouldn’t be completely unconcerned though about the HLC now picking up the slack. Instead of OSA lobbyists we could now end up with Greek Life enthusiasts which is just the other end of the spectrum. As for interns being brainwashed by the OSA? Nah, not really. If you look at the class I came out of, two of us campaigned with CFC that year and two for Emily and San.
It is unlikely that Kate Jones will run for both Chair of DFC and Senate. She has indicated interest in being Senate President, although she will graduate at the end of next year. Therefore, she won’t run for Executive.
Hahaha…damn.
I heard Kate Jones is gonna chair DFC, Senate, and then run for president…I think there’s even a facebook group she already made, or maybe it was ella barrett, i really am not sure anymore
I never bashed the ASUO for bashings sake. I’ve always believed that with the right changes, the ASUO could be better. Not perfect, but a little better. Criticizing is easy, but taking action like this is tough, and nobody is forcing Sam or Johnny into it. They’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do. Just like using half the overrealized fund to buy down the I-Fee is the right thing to do (if only in half-measure).
And don’t worry, there will always be things to criticize. Like my apparent inability to insert paragraph breaks into this post. And the fact that S & J are only committing half the OR fund to I-Fee buydown. And there’s OSPIRG. And benchmarks. And the new, unproven DFC. Etc, etc.
Then you criticize the idiot progressives that gum up campus.
Make sure to carry goo-gone.
Thanks for breaking precedent on ASUO-bashing, Ted.
What are we going to do next year if we can’t criticize the Executive OR slam Nate Gulley?
Throw OSA down the well !
I heard this was delashaws idea