After several criticized or mired projects and two successful ones, today the student government’s leaders will sit down with students and go over what they’ve done for the past eight months of its administration.
Although the government leaders are likely to address what the government has planned for the future, Tayler Clough, president of the Associated Students of the University of Utah, and Vice President Rachel Rizzo have received mixed results for the initiatives already under their belt since taking office in May.
Most of their success came through the Internet.
In October, they posted the ASUU budget online. Although it was seen as a good-faith attempt at transparency8212;more than last year’s administration can say8212;its eligibility as a complete success was weighed down by the fact that expenditures were left as vague line items without clarification. Clough has asked students to come to him with any questions they might have about the budget.
Also in the administration’s favor is its creation of a central website for all student groups, which was well-received.
However, other attempts from Clough’s administration haven’t shared the same success.
During their campaign, Clough and Rizzo spoke about rescheduling summer classes to energy-sustainable buildings in order to reduce the U’s carbon footprint. Although it was well-intentioned, they quickly came to terms with the facts that it’s an initiative that will have to wait for another administration as obstacles came up, such as the fact that most older buildings can’t be completely shut down.
Still on the horizon is Clough’s proposal to begin a mentoring program. ASUU legislators criticized the proposal when originally presented as a $15,000 program to have U graduate students go to Granite District high schools to show students how to apply to the U. The most recent version of the proposal describes it as a program of the same cost that would have graduate students visit Granite District junior highs to mentor younger students in basic academics.
Although the proposed senior class gift of an at least $20,000 social center in the Marriott Library plaza passed unanimously in the ASUU Assembly, two senators have criticized it as misguided.