Associated Students of the University of Utah President Adrian Johnson and members of his staff outlined the future of the administration and accomplishments to date at a Wednesday night General Assembly meeting in the Saltair room.
“I make it my personal goal to see that everyone gets the most out of their college experience, and that’s what I’ve done,” ASUU Vice President Anthony White said.
White also answered critics of the 17 fraternities and sororities that comprise Greek Row.
“A lot of people think bad things about our fraternities and sororities, and it’s just not true. Get out there and see for yourself…assumptions come from ignorance,” he said.
White also took time to react to comments made by U President Bernie Machen at the Aug. 25 State of the U address, when he referred to the U as a “fallback school.”
“I don’t want the U to be a fallback school anymore. I want this to be a premiere place…we have so much potential to do good things,” he said.
White said that in the first days and months of the new administration, he and other members have upheld campaign promises made last spring.
“We’ve stepped up to the plate in everything we’ve done,” he said.
Johnson, who spoke for about 20 minutes, outlined several programs in the works-among them, a new student recreation center and the free distribution of newspapers for every student on campus.
“We’ve experienced a very high level of energy and excitement this year,” Johnson said, referring to the nearly 4,100 students who attended the first Crimson Nights celebration of the year.
The crux of Johnson’s speech focused on the construction of a new $20 million student recreation center, to be built in the annex adjacent to the Legacy Bridge.
“It would be a huge asset for the U if we could get it built,” he said.
Though students would have to foot half the bill and the student recreation fee would jump from $12.60 per semester to $38, Johnson said that wouldn’t happen “until the doors open.”
In a push to increase awareness and create a more informed campus, Johnson also introduced plans for a readership program, which would make available copies of USA Today, The Salt Lake Tribune, The New York Times and The Deseret Morning News at kiosks around the U.
“That is the way we’re going to increase awareness on campus,” Johnson said, though implementing that program would also result in an increase in student fees.
Like his vice president, Johnson also spoke about several issues from Machen’s State of the U address, ranging from the enrollment cap to fund-raising efforts.
“Last year, the U raised $134 million in fund raising, and we were one of only 16 schools to raise that much…that’s something to be proud of,” he said.
With an enrollment of almost 14,000 students during the Summer Semester, Johnson called the Sept. 5 tuition deadline both “a blessing and a curse.”
“Students have been brutally treated by registration guidelines because some of them register for classes and don’t always attend, then receive a bill for it. In that way, it’ll be a blessing that won’t be happening anymore,” he said.
In the July meeting of the Student Senate, a bill was passed that would increase compensation for ASUU student leaders.
The controversial bill was another focus of Johnson’s speech.
“I think ASUU leaders have been underpaid for a long, long time,” he said.
Currently, some ASUU cabinet members can receive up to $450 a semester.
The new bill would raise that amount to $600 a semester.
The bill also proposes that the president and vice president’s compensation would go up to $900 per month from the current total of $750.
Though stipends are paid for out of money ASUU receives from student fees, Johnson said it wouldn’t be a blind increase across the board.
“We’re not giving that full amount to those who don’t perform,” he said.