The Oregon Commentator, as well as all other student programs with space in the EMU, just received this memo from new ASUO Programs Administrator Sinjin Carey [Friday, June 4]:

Date: June 4, 2010
To: ASUO Programs, EMU Board, Ticket Office
Re: ASUO Key Requests

In an effort to increase safety and security within Erb Memorial Union (EMU), the key check out process has changed.

Effective June 4, 2010 at 5:00PM ASUO student groups/programs will no longer have the ability to check out or renew personal keys for student offices for the upcoming year. I personally apologize for the late notice, but this was decided by the EMU Administration before my appointment to the ASUO Programs Administrator.

Alternatively, keys to offices can be checked out at the EMU Information Office located in the EMU Concourse. In order to do this, each program must submit a list of students who wish to have access to their program space, preferably in Excel format, to the ASUO Programs Administrator. This list will be located in the Information Office where students will be able to check out keys for the day by use of card swipe. Unfortunately, this system will not be available until early next week. There is no process identified for key check out in the mean time.

Exceptions may be made for groups that articulate a need for round the clock access (ex. APS and DDS). This key policy change is an ongoing, and is open to constructive feedback. I am committed to advocating for ASUO programs in this process.

Best Regards,

Sinjin Carey
ASUO Programs Administrator
Programs Recognition Review Committee Chair
[email protected]

Safety is an oft-cited reason for changes in policy that limit student freedoms or compromise students’ ability to access student space. For those who use the EMU quite a bit, you know how much of a bitch it is to get anything done at night or on weekends. Since my time at the University of Oregon, the building has been open for less and less hours and the revenue-generating services that the EMU provides have also been open for less and less time each day. I wonder how this concern is going to be mitigated with the building of a new EMU.

Also, there is one person who decides whether or not students can have keys to their space — EMU Director, Dusty Miller. The EMU Board House Committee will have no say on anything having to do with keys, even though they’re supposed to be the ones in charge of student space in the building. I’ve been told that this policy is in response to a number of instances of students being in the building after hours or on days when the building is closed, most recently the Oregon Commentator. We got in a bit of trouble last Monday for being in the building when it was locked. We weren’t doing anything illicit. We were trying to get our issue out so you guys could have a copy of the Oregon Commentator magazine to take home over the summer.

Granted, being in the building when it is locked does present a nominal safety concern, but there are other ways to go about mitigating those concerns than to remove access for all students for every program. How about actually having DPS officers, you know, do their job? I’ve never ever seen a DPS officer in the EMU, except to check to see that doors are locked at night. They respond to calls, but that’s about it. Maybe having one entrance at night where students can enter to do work?

This is a bad sign. More and more processes within the EMU administration have circumvented students and left decision-making up to the administrators. I’ve been hearing about this from EMU Board members for years, saying that students have no voice or power when it comes to this building that so many of us love and use every day. According to today’s ODE, the decision was made by Dusty Miller alone with no consultation with the EMU Board. I implore the EMU Administration to reconsider this slapdash decision and give students access to the places that they work, socialize, and build greater university community.

Apparently there will be a meeting with ASUO higher-ups and EMU higher-ups today to talk about the decision. When I receive updates on that, I will let you know.

P.S. The ODE article makes it look like I let some random person into the building. The “man” mentioned was a member of the OC staff, and we were in the building trying to work on getting the issue out, like I mentioned above.

P.P.S. Kudos to ASUO President Amélie Rousseau for this quote:

“The fact that we’re restricted access to the building is not acceptable,” Rousseau said of the new decision.

UPDATE:

Just received this email from Sinjin Carey:

Hello,
Please disregard the new EMU key policy.
Due to a multitude of student complaints, the EMU Administration has agreed to suspend its policy until it can be reviewed. The new policy is set to take effect Sept. 1st. The ASUO is asking for an extension on the time beyond Sept. 1st so the the EMU Board can review and approve the policy.
Please continue checking out keys as normal with the yellow forms that do not require the EMU Director signature.
Thanks for your patience in this process.
—
Sinjin Carey
ASUO Programs Administrator
Programs Recognition Review Committee Chair
[email protected]

This entry was posted on Monday, June 7th, 2010 at 08:08 by Lyzi Diamond and is filed under ASUO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.