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Volume 44. NumberS
Aikins wins ASG vice presidency seat By Laura Woolfrey Campus Beat Editor . Senator Rob Aikins of the Associated Student Government was elected ASG vice president during Wednesday's ASG meeting. "I feel good,'' said Aikins. "I'm glad that we finally gotitoverwith so we can carry on with business." The position of vice president was vacant after vice president Jason Van Foeken resigned on Oct. 10 due to conflict of his studies and his ASG duties. Presently there i~ one senatorial position open as a result of Aikins' appointment. Massimo Bordi and Garrett Whitehead were nominated during Wednesday's ASG meeting. ASG officers will elect one of these students to fill the position. Aikins and his opponent, Senator Timothy Platt, tied for the position three times last week and again Wednesday because of a bylaw in the ASG constitution which states that a vice president must be elected by a two-thirds vote. Because of the four consecutive ties Michael Bagstad/Staff PlwU>graphLr for the position, this by-law was Associated.Student Government Senator Rob Aikins was elected vice president on Wednesday.
Student government makes 'mistake' in closed session By Fred Tracey News Editor "We did make a mistake," newly appointed Associated Student Government Vice President Rob Aikills said about how the ASG handled a closed session of the student senate Oct. 31. During the ASG's meeting Wednesday, the ASG went in to closed session to discuss personnel matters, according to the student government's agenda. The room was cleared of visitors and the door to the room closed. The officers discussed the salary and the working hours of Dawn Lyles, the ASG's secretary. At the conclusion of the closed session, the ASG failed to re-convene the meeting and the door to the room remained closed. As required by state law, governmental agencies are required to reconvene their meetings following closed sessions and to report of any action taken during the closed meeting. "When we went out of closed
session we failed to tell anyone,'' Aikins said. "We didn't open the door, and therein would be the fineline where we made the mistake,'' Aikens said. The closed session was adjourned with a motion from Senator Angela Snedeker and seconded by Senator Timothy Platt. "We messed up in not opening the door after the closed session. According to the Brown Act (the State's Open Meeting Law), we · should have. I'm not so familiar as to know all the little bits about it." According to Aikens, the ASG went on to discuss internal communication problems. "He (ASG President Sean Nix) basically gave a pep talk concerning communication and achieving our vision and achieving our goals. We talked about that for about five minutes,'' Aikens said. Jim Bowen, student activities director and the ASG's adviser, agreed that the student government failed to meet the state's law
(see MISTAKE - page 4)
temporarily changed to majority vote. Senator Angela Snedeker, who was also eyeing the position, was voted out of the race in a preliminary vote last week. Both candidates were allowed five minutes to give a speech and were asked three questions. In Aikins' speech he rebutted Snedeker's accusations that he lacked maturity. "If anyone here can define maturity clearly then I will vote for you,'' said Aikins. "But if maturity is losing your sense of fun and your sense of humor, then I don't want to be mature." Aikins also responded to Platt's claim of better leadership qualities. "Leadership ability is inherent but leadership skills and traits are not, they must be learned and developed,'' said Aikins. "No one can just be born and say 'I am the leader.' " Aikins said that he was disappointed that personal feelings were brought into a professional situation. "I was shocked that two fellow senators would make comments
about me since I don't really know anyone (senators) very well,'' said Aikins, "and certainly not well enough to make subjective value judgements." Despite the negativity expressed by Snedeker and Platt concerning Aikins' ability to fill the position of vice president, other ASG officers say that they are confident that Aikins will do a good job. "Because of Rob's excellent speech I feel very positive towards his leadership abilities,'' said Senator Christopher Tritchka. ASG President Sean Nix said that he also feels very confident that Aikins will do a good job. "He's confirmed in my mind that he can do the job and that I can rely on him,'' said Nix. "My aspirations are to free Sean (Nix) up so he can do more of the administration process and I can do the personnel,'' said Aikins. "That way we can achieve a group unity for the students."