UA pushes to finish projects

The agenda was heavy but the mood was light at the Undergraduate Assembly's second-to-last meeting of the year this past Sunday night.

Four new pieces of legislation were passed, including two budget requests for the pre-orientation programs PennGREEN and PennArts.

n After debate stemming primarily from funding food costs for the UA-initiated PennGREEN - authors of the proposal said that buying organic food for the program was "educational" - the body voted to award $4,324 from its contingency fund towards this summer's pilot to train PennGREEN leaders, which is expected to cost $6,564 for 14 students.

Members also voted unanimously to give $2,000 to support PennArts, the arts-based pre-orientation program, of which $1,500 will fund scholarships for financial aid students and $500 will cover general programming expenses.

The body unanimously passed the UA Contingency Reform Proposal to more easily fund "tangible change" for students.

The UA will now "roll over" all money it does not spend from one year's contingency fund into next year's fund, with the restriction that if the leftover money exceeds, $50,000, the budget committee will discuss the possibility of transferring a percentage of the money to the Student Activities Council. The current policy transfers any unused money to SAC's general fund.

The UA also passed the Academic Support Resources Proposal, which was renamed from the Academic Support Services Proposal, in response to student interest in having more information about academic support services.

"While I didn't get a lot of ASS this semester, in all honesty, I really actually could have used help," said College freshman and UA member Grant Dubler.

Through collaborating with administrators, College Houses, the Tutoring Center and individual departments, the UA will seek to increase awareness of such services.

The proposal also encourages the University to develop a study buddy web program and a services guide for students, as well as select graduate students over undergraduates as tutors when possible, all in response to a recent UA survey of students' preferences of academic support services.

Students' facilities rights were the main topic during Open Forum, during which this year's early move-out deadline was discussed. The deadline is currently noon on Wed., May 14, though several classes hold their final exams from 6 to 8 p.m. the night before.

The fairness of Huntsman Hall's computer policy, which limits their use to Wharton students, was also debated and raised as a possible issue for next year's body. Members mentioned current obstacles to be Wharton graduate students who do not want to give up their space and Wharton students' tuitions which fund computer usage.

Members also announced that the Asian American Studies Program received the funding it needs to continue next year.

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