Basketball court funding, a new online consulting project and the attendance policy were all on the agenda of the Undergraduate Assembly's meeting last night. And the 25 voting members in attendance passed an amendment stating that members may not miss more than 25 percent of meetings per semester. Under the new amendment, members absent for more than 25 percent of meetings would have the opportunity to submit a letter to the executive board explaining the circumstances of their absences. The board would then have two weeks to review the letter and to vote on the member's standing. "Attendance is far better than it has been in past years, but it has been getting worse," said UA Chairman Michael Silver, a College senior. "It's acknowledging that it needs to be strengthened." A major undertaking unveiled formally at the meeting was "UA Visions," a project conducted through an online survey to gauge Penn students' feelings on all aspects of life at the University. The committee plans to take the results obtained from the survey and compile them in a bound volume to be presented to University President Judith Rodin. "Across the Ivy League, representative bodies are out of touch with the students," UA Secretary Mo Saraiya said. "Dartmouth did [this type of survey] and their president found it invaluable in understanding students' needs." "What we come up with at the end of the survey is something that each person has contributed to," College sophomore David Burd said. "It's an opportunity to play a part in the continuing role of the UA." The UA also intends to send out letters to all members of the incoming freshmen class describing the UA and requesting student information, specifically e-mail addresses, through included return postcards. In their ongoing effort to create more basketball courts, the members passed a motion to allocate $10,000 of the $32,500 UA discretionary fund to the construction of the courts. The vote, unanimously passed, will accompany a campaign to solicit an additional $180,000 needed for the completion of the project. Also passed was a motion to subsidize the four registered presidential campaigns on campus. SAC does not provide funding for student groups affiliated with a political candidate. With a vote of 24 and one abstention, it was decided that $50 would be given each to the Bush, Bradley, Gore and McCain student campaigns for photocopying expenses, totaling $200. In addition, UA leaders also announced that Engineering junior Krista Pohl will replace Jed Fonner, also an Engineering junior, as Engineering representative to the UA. Yesterday's meeting was moved from its usual location at the Terrace Room in Logan Hall because one member did not have a PennCard and could not enter the building. The UA met instead at Harnwell College House.
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