April 22, 2004
Filed under Campus News
Usually, the Blugold card is used for identification or paying for food, but student senators now use their cards to prove they are fulfilling their duties.
About two weeks ago, Senate treasurer junior Adam Pettke had a Blugold card reader installed in the Senate office so senators have to “clock in” for their required weekly office hour.
There have been some technical problems so far, but after the kinks get ironed out, Pettke said he will review attendance records on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to monitor absences.
“The times I have to get worried is when I see a reoccurring pattern,” he said.
Each senator is required to attend one office hour a week and Senate meetings. Missing more than five required appointments could result in a senator’s dismissal.
“When we say five absences, we mean five total absences,” Pettke said.
Getting people to work on Senate matters during their office hour can be a bit of a problem at times, Pettke said.
During office hours, he said senators are supposed to stuff envelopes, make calls, speak to students or do other Senate work.
On-campus senator freshman Laura Cavil said she spent recent office hours organizing a celebration with neighborhoods around campus and writing a letter to President George Bush to see if he could visit campus.
Pettke said he hopes senators choose to act like adults and fulfill their duties as elected officials.
Office hours are important because they are a concrete way to show that senators are working on student issues, Pettke said.
“We can always say they do hold an office hour,” he said.
Students don’t normally come into the Senate office to speak about their concerns, but the Public Relations Commission wants to make students feel welcome when they visit Davies Center 132.
Cavil said she usually sees a student come into the Senate office to ask for information every day or so.
Before the card reader, senators put a sticker on a grid to show that they went to their office hour. Pettke said some senators felt the sticker board was somewhat juvenile.
“I had fun with the stickers,” Cavil said. “I’m going for elementary ed. – I love that stuff.”
Also at Monday’s 40-minute meeting, Senate’s Student Services Director Aaron Olson announced the second annual Students with Disabilities Day will be held May 6, and there will be a corresponding Students with Disabilities Week next semester.
Senate didn’t vote on any legislation at the meeting.
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