A Tax of a Tax: ASUO Meeting Wrap-up
I’ve got a convenient bullet-point wrap-up of the Senate meeting after the jump, but first The Big News:
The Oregon University System is taxing the Incidental Fee. Yes, they’re taxing a tax – a tax of a tax on students. Apparently this is a regular practice (known as “assessment”), but it was brought up tonight in the Executive announcements because the OUS upped the tax from two to three percent … after EMU and PFC budgeting. This basically screws over student programs, as well as the EMU operating budget. Furthermore, there is no cap on how much the OUS can tax the I-fee.
The ASUO will lobby to set the I-fee off limits to the assessment tax. To be honest, I’m a little bit out of my depth on this; this is all what I gleaned from the Senate meeting. However, Michelle Haley, who is on the EMU Board, will be writing more about the issue.
Moving on …
- LTD will be cutting routes and service. “There are significant problems coming for students who ride the bus,” said Executive Sam Dotters-Katz. The Breeze route, which passes through campus, will be eliminated. LTD received an $850,000 ASUO contract last year.
- The vote drive on campus registered 6,923 people to vote. According to Dotters-Katz, the U of O led state universities in voter registration, both in percentage and total numbers.
- Senate sent a resolution to the Rules Committee supporting the reinstatement of Oregon Wrestling. If you haven’t heard, the Athletic Department axed the wresting program last year in a total dick move. Unfortunately, ASUO resolutions tend to have as much weight as a Zimbabwe dollar.
- Senate approved a $1,300 surplus request by the MCC for a new stipend position. Senator Miller complained that, due to a shrinking pool of work-study positions, “some students have to volunteer at the MCC.” Oh noes! Motion passed 14-0-4. (Voting “nay” is sooo last year. It’s all about abstentions now.)
- Senate approved $940 to send two students from the Survival Center to the “North American Students of Cooperation” national conference. The students promised to come back with a wealth of information on how to live more cooperatively.
- Finally, keep an eye out. Ralph “Malph” Nader, Madeleine Albright and the Clintons all might make appearances at the UO soon. Maybe.
