ISU Bengal

Issue date: 1/31/07 Section: News

Sen. Kelissa Borrowman (Education)
Yes: "We did listen to students … we are sending Option 2 to the budget because I feel that it will better the campus as a whole. The Senate said that we would revisit the issue, and revisiting does not promise another vote. So I don't feel bad for not sending it to a referendum. I feel like we know what the students want. We feel like we have the opportunity right now to get something for the fees that we pay and I want a say in that."


Sen. Manasseh Obi (Engineering)
No: "For those of us who have lived with tyranny, we know when we approach a tyrannical situation … I think this is tyranny in its purist form. The reason governments are created is to protect the interests of its people, and that is what the founding fathers of the United States of America had in mind, and that is what ASISU embodies, or that is what I was made to believe ASISU embodies, before I ran for office. If you want to oppose tyranny, you can never support tyranny. (And now) you come and tell me that you are in favor of the students and support the students and you won't give them a chance to vote their opinion? I can't do that…"



Sen. Ashley Hargraves (Education)
Yes: "I echo the sentiment that we are making an informed decision. We are making a decision as we have been elected to do, and I think that this decision can potentially benefit every student. I really do believe … that fees will go up, as it always does, and it comes down to what we want to get out of this (next fee) increase. Will get better toilet paper or … a better facility….we will get more for our money if we vote for this. I know that I will benefit. I know my college will benefit. I know the campus will benefit, and I know the community will benefit."


Sen. Shawnee Knapp (Technology)
No: "Yes we will have an increase every year. (The State Board of Education) said we will have a cap this year, but that doesn't mean we should (max out) the whole cap. I'm not convinced that students want the gym…though I think there is definitely a benefit. There are many other things on campus that have needs as well, and I'm not sure this is what students want us spending their money on. I also don't feel that in a year with a drop in enrollment and two new buildings we have right now (The Performing Arts Center and the Rendezvous), I don't think we should be spending money on a new building. If student can't voice their opinion on this, they can't support it."

Sen. April Itami
(Health Professions)
Yes: "I just think that a referendum will not, in a way, be fair to the students, in that there has been a lot of rumors and a lot of false information that was given and it is too hard to dispel all the rumors and falsehoods … and I think Option 2 is the best option right now, and I think the (student) Senate feels that way… We know there is going to be a set amount of increase and in a way this increase is good for the students because we have more control of our money."


Sen. Thulani Ngazimbi (Business)
No: "Information isn't false just because you don't like the information. Maybe there is a distinction between my culture and this one because in my culture, you set a precedence and you stick to it and you follow it."







Sen. Christie Stone (Technology)
Yes: "I am a firm believer that fees are going to rise. I have been here way too many years, and every year, my fees have raised. My fees have almost tripled since the first time I enrolled … and with that … I have seen very little. So in the position I am in now, where I can make a difference, if my fees are going to go up I want to see something for it."





Sen. Elizabeth Olsen (Health Professions)
No: "I know we have taken a long time on this issue, as it has taken up almost our whole year. I really would like to have passed Option 3 and want to pass Option 2, but with the obvious opinion of the students and without looking for further resources to take the burden off the back of students, I am going to vote no."







Sen. Erica Fredrickson
(Technology)
No: "I agree that we are the most informed on the project, but we have set a precedence with the referendum. So I feel uncomfortable approving (Option 2) without a referendum."



Sen. Thane Grover
(Pharmacy)
Yes: "I feel good about President Vailas wanting us to control the funds and be accountable and that is a really big factor for me going into this decision."




Sen. Sara Bloom
(Business)
No: "I'm voting no based on the sole fact that we are not putting this towards a student vote and we are not giving the students a say in the project."







Sen. Jeremiah Stoddard
(Arts and Sciences)
Yes: "Yes."




Sen. Mark Bollinger
(Arts and Sciences)
Yes: "I vote yes."



Sen. Shawn Higbee
(Arts and Sciences)
No: "I am going to say no."






Sen. Fabien Emile
(Graduate Studies)
Yes: "By my count the majority vote is yes, and our fees are going to increase anyway, so I vote yes."





Sen. Dawn Young
(Graduate Studies)
Yes: "We just made a huge decision… and I think it was the right one. I vote yes, not that it matters at this point."






Sen. Ratimo Aduke
(Health Professions)
YES: "I think this will be a starting point, and I still think we can save student money in the long run by perusing…






Sen. Joshua Bell
(Arts and Sciences)
Yes: "I do feel that we need to move ahead, and get going. We have all had a long time to think about this. We all know everything we need to know about it; we have talked about it before throughout the semester, and I think that it is time to make a decision."





Sen. Laura Mattern
(Arts and Sciences)
No: "I think that we have been talking a lot about the best interest of the students, and the last referendum … had the highest turnout of students in ISU history. I think students really want to voice their opinion on Reed Gym and if that is where they want their money to go. There may always be a fee increase, but we don't know if the students want a Reed Gym (expansion). We don't, and I can't support an option that won't let the students choose what they want.

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