ASI stands strong against Gerth

Elected student body representatives passed legislation Wednesday condemning University President Donald R. Gerth for his refusal to appoint students Associated Students Inc. recommended to the CSUS Foundation Board; however, administrators warn it will have little effect.

Sean South, vice president of university affairs, authored the legislation in response to Gerth’s decision not to appoint students to the board until more names were sent from ASI. South was one of thethree students nominated.

“This board needs to stand up as the student representative of this campus,” South said, rallying the board to vote in favor of the legislation. “We have to live up to our motto ... Students First.”

David Braverman, associate vice president for student affairs, informed ASI that the legislation would have little impact on the president’s decision.

“The president is not going to move on this issue,” Braverman said. “He will not make any appointments until more names are sent forward.”

Gerth rejected a list of students nominated to be student representatives to the Foundation Board earlier his semester, requesting more than three names from which to choose.

At Gerth’s request, Geoff Sakala, president of ASI, attempted to place additional names on the list at the Sept. 15 meeting, but South objected and subsequently led the board in defeating the motion.

The legislation was heavily debated, but passed 6-4 after it was amended to be less confrontational.

ASI voted to strike the line of the legislation that stated “willfully and with malice” and to change the wording to read “requests” instead of “demands.”

Lane Kasselman, director of arts and letters, supported the resolution against the actions of Gerth.

“I believe the students elected the board members to represent them and whoever the board appoints to positions should be approved,” Kasselman said. “The candidates that were sent forward are qualified.”

Jacob Armstrong, vice president of finance, was against ASI passing the resolution condemning the president.

“We’re starting a battle — a battle against the president of the university ... this is not the way to handle the situation,” Armstrong said.

Strati Vourikis, director of undeclared students, said that the legislation is both valid and necessary.

“In the years that ASI has been sending names to the president for approval, he has rejected only one or two, but he has never asked for more names,” Vourikis said. “I think the president is letting his personal feelings against Sean interfere with business decisions.”

Carol Ackerson, executive advisor to ASI, said that the legislation, while valid, does not have the potential to accomplish the board’s needs.

“The underlying issue is that we want to send over appointments and have them approved; this legislation does not state this. You haven’t directly addressed the issue,” Ackerson said.

In other business, ASI passed legislation that allows the executive members to review and itemize the agenda by the assumed support or oppositions to the legislative items.

The legislation also requires all proposed legislation to remain informational the first time it is brought to the board. After the proposal has gone through a first reading it then may be voted into motion status. Otherwise it will be brought back to the board to be acted upon at the following meeting.