And do you want a position to help make it happen?


With the Fall semester over, I've already gone through all but 2 of my 9 platform items I had when TWW put me in office (the other 2 are currently in committee and will be done in January). So instead of just working on random stuff, I'm writing up a list of things for the Student Senate to do in the Spring -- and I'd like you folks to let me know what you want.

If you have any issues the Student Senate can address -- or if it's stuff you think we can't, but you want us to try anyway -- let me know either via PM or posting here. And if you have any interest at all whatsoever in serving in Student Government, let me know that too. About half of my Cabinet and a dozen of my Senators are straight from TWW, and I'm always willing to add more. 

12/5/2007 11:29:35 AM

damn, I meant to post this in the Lounge -- mods, can you move it?

12/5/2007 11:30:27 AM

Whatever you do, get the goddamn Technician on board. Its seems like there has been some sort of animosity between them and the SG for as long as I can remember.

12/5/2007 11:31:03 AM

Oh... this should make for a great chit-chat thread...

12/5/2007 11:31:06 AM

Here's a hint: the key word is "disband."

12/5/2007 11:31:49 AM

make it snow!

12/5/2007 11:34:11 AM

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD please segregate the bathrooms again

12/5/2007 11:34:16 AM

give the indians their own bus

god they smell

[Edited on December 5, 2007 at 11:35 AM. Reason : ]

12/5/2007 11:34:57 AM

The Student Senate should lobby for increased data storage for unity accounts and email? The 350 MB the allot for each student - only 250 MB of which is allocatable for unity storage and email - is insufficient.

12/5/2007 11:37:23 AM

Any chance you can see if we can have one smoking dorm even with the new smoke ban. I'm not a smoker but some of my friends are complaining that they won't have a smoking dorm anymore.

12/5/2007 11:53:48 AM

Quote :

"I'm not a smoker but some of my friends are complaining that they won't have a smoking dorm anymore. "

POOR BABIES

12/5/2007 11:54:26 AM

Quote :

"Any chance you can see if we can have one smoking dorm even with the new smoke ban. I'm not a smoker but some of my friends are complaining that they won't have a smoking dorm anymore."

That's not going to happen.

12/5/2007 11:55:42 AM

naked mile ?

12/5/2007 12:07:55 PM

Free blowjobs from Delta Zeta girls in the brickyard during dead week to alleviate stress

12/5/2007 12:13:34 PM

make the buses run longer and make sure the drivers do their job till the end.


i missed the bus a couple times because the driver decided to leave at 6:30 instead of 6:38. i waited 30min for a bus and when none showed, i had to call a friend to have him drop me off at Carter Finley.

12/5/2007 12:20:12 PM

Quote :

"Free blowjobs from Delta Zeta girls in the brickyard during dead week to alleviate stress"

wait, this isn't already in effect?

12/5/2007 12:26:59 PM

What about the whole "make the student judicial board need reasonable evidence to convict you of something instead of just their opinion" or something along those lines.

I havent heard much about it but it seems like something the entire student body could get behind.
And Id say its a pretty reasonable demand.

12/5/2007 11:09:22 PM

Eliminate or reduce student fees by any means necessary. They do little to enhance the average student experience and serve as a barrier to low income students.

And ^'s good too.

12/5/2007 11:36:11 PM

Quote :

"Here's a hint: the key word is "disband.""

12/5/2007 11:36:28 PM

The increase in the amount of data storage sounds like a good idea

12/5/2007 11:46:49 PM

get more businesses behind the hillsborough hikes (halloween/spring/fall)

12/5/2007 11:49:59 PM

^^ yea. i always top out my unity space and have to move files around to keep it from being 100% full

12/5/2007 11:58:21 PM

Quote :

"Eliminate or reduce student fees by any means necessary. They do little to enhance the average student experience and serve as a barrier to low income students."

12/6/2007 12:19:50 AM

Quote :

"Eliminate or reduce student fees by any means necessary. They do little to enhance the average student experience and serve as a barrier to low income students."

agreed.

also more on campus activities.

concerts with people who actually matter.

reopen the bragaw bar.

12/6/2007 12:49:13 AM

I'd like to reiterate a favorite statement of mine: "Don't take more of my money. Use the money I already give you more effectively."

12/6/2007 2:18:52 AM

hmm the bus schedule is fine just make them stick to schedule 0.0 annoying when you miss the last bus outta centennial cause the driver left 5 minutes earlier than they should

12/6/2007 8:51:02 AM

http://www.redbox.com

These, on campus, that would be nice. My delegations with them so far are "complete fail".

12/6/2007 10:18:29 AM

I like the ideas, keep them coming

Some responses on what's been posted so far:

Quote :

"Scuba Steve: Whatever you do, get the goddamn Technician on board. Its seems like there has been some sort of animosity between them and the SG for as long as I can remember."

Easier said than done

Technician has been fully supportive of some stuff, like the student fee referenda we had in October. But others, like requiring myself and the other paid SG officials to disclose gifts we receive from the Administration, have earned their typical "omg SG sucks" editorials from their Viewpoint section (which was just weird in that case, since they ran an August editorial saying we should be disclosing those gifts).

We'll definitely try to keep them in the loop though, and hope at some point their editorial board stops having such an inflated sense of its own importance to recognize when something's a good idea

---

Quote :

"darkone: The Student Senate should lobby for increased data storage for unity accounts and email? The 350 MB the allot for each student - only 250 MB of which is allocatable for unity storage and email - is insufficient."

I agree wholeheartedly -- I've talked with some of my folks and we'll start working on this after exams.

---

Quote :

"Cyphr_Sonic: Any chance you can see if we can have one smoking dorm even with the new smoke ban. I'm not a smoker but some of my friends are complaining that they won't have a smoking dorm anymore."

The state legislature has tied the University's hands on this one. The comprehensive smoking ban (which included this new "must be 25 feet from an entrance" rule) was in the General Assembly in June and July -- we tried to get more autonomy for the University system, but all the debate was focused on nursing homes and hospitals.

There may be a push to loosen up the restrictions when the legislature reconvenes in May, but now that it's in the general statutes it's gonna be tough

---

Quote :

"Yoshiemaster: i missed the bus a couple times because the driver decided to leave at 6:30 instead of 6:38. i waited 30min for a bus and when none showed, i had to call a friend to have him drop me off at Carter Finley."

We're trying to figure out a way to fix this, it's a problem that's gotten worse since the University changed bus vendors. There are now financial penalties the University assesses the bus service when they're late at a timed checkpoint, so the unintended consequence is that drivers are leaving early to make sure they make it to the next checkpoint on time or early.

When the Transportation Department was requesting a fee increase back in September, I asked them point-blank if this would happen and they were very emphatic in saying it wouldn't -- so next semester we're going to have to get concrete feedback with students names, dates/times and routes to show them the system isn't working.

---

Quote :

"TerdFerguson: What about the whole "make the student judicial board need reasonable evidence to convict you of something instead of just their opinion" or something along those lines. I havent heard much about it but it seems like something the entire student body could get behind. And Id say its a pretty reasonable demand."

A resolution demanding the burden of proof be raised was filed in the Senate back in October, you can read it here:
http://students.ncsu.edu/senate/bills.php?legid=1031

It's been stuck in committee for a month and a half now, so I scheduled a special Senate meeting on January 9 to force it out of committee and to an up-or-down vote. Assuming it passes the Senate, it's then up to the Student Body Prsident to sign or veto it.

The plan is to have it in front of the Board of Trustees for their February meeting. But if it's something you support, please consider writing a letter to the paper, your Student Senators, and the Student Body President -- it seems like a no-brainer, but sadly there are people who are actively opposing having a reasonable standard of evidence in place.

---

Quote :

"smc: Eliminate or reduce student fees by any means necessary. They do little to enhance the average student experience and serve as a barrier to low income students."

Agreed -- that's another one of those "easier said than done" things though I've discovered there's a disturbingly large number of student politicians who think higher fees are a *good* thing (especially the ones that are on full-ride scholarships or have their parents footing the bill).

We're hoping to start reviewing some of University unit's budgets year-round; the Senate's Tuition & Fees Committee is going to have that on its plate. One other project we're working on the fee front is getting more information in students' hands for the October fee referenda -- I want this to be a permanent thing, and I want the interviews with the groups wanting fee increases videotaped and the videos embedded directly into the ballot so the Administration can't claim students "didn't have all the information".

We need student pressure to make stuff like this happen next semester though -- y'all need to make it clear that pro-fee student politicians aren't going to get re-elected in the Spring, otherwise they'll just keep doing what they want.

---

Quote :

"zorthage: get more businesses behind the hillsborough hikes (halloween/spring/fall)"

Agreed -- I'll add that to the list. (and I'm pumped we can permanently add "Halloween" to your list of 3 )

---

Quote :

"Seotaji: also more on campus activities. concerts with people who actually matter."

Any suggestions re more on-campus activities? UAB and IRC seem to have more talent at these things than the Student Government -- i'm all for doing it, I just don't want the events to suck

---

Quote :

"Nitrocloud: These, on campus, that would be nice. My delegations with them so far are "complete fail"."

I vaguely remember someone talking about those back in September -- I'll ask around and see if that's something in-progress, if not we'll try and work on it

---

Keep the suggestions coming folks, I appreciate it! 

12/6/2007 3:11:04 PM

Shrink SG, reduce reach/authority of both SG and SBP, decrease their budgets by 50%, eliminate gifts/stipends (cash or otherwise).

Eliminate UAB and IRC's gatherings, have an event planner take their place.

Increase the entertainment budget five fold.

The planner would actually be good at what they do and be able to bring in bigger acts/performances. The piss poor reception of on campus activities directly reflects the amount of effort/talent expended.

We need a proper venue (i.e. amphitheater/larger concert hall) to properly host something like that.

Two concerts a year should be plenty (Spring/Fall). I'd like to see a mix of Live, Guster, Ben Harper, G Love, George Clinton, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds. etc...

I don't see why a university as large as NCSU can't find the $ nor the motivation to produce a concert series that would:
1. increase our presence to potential students
2. add to the enjoyment of being a student at this particular institution.
3. bring in much needed revenue thorough sponsorship

Expanding on #3, we could invite or co-develop a relationship with music and video game developers to sponsor 'rock band/guitar hero' competitions, have a demo booth setup, meet and greet with developers and musicians, etc...

Invite up and coming artists to play on campus.

etc...

It's not that hard to come up with ideas. The hard part is not spending money on crap.

[Edited on December 6, 2007 at 5:02 PM. Reason : such as luther college.]

[Edited on December 6, 2007 at 5:02 PM. Reason : f]

12/6/2007 5:01:00 PM

^ Do you want anything other than concerts on campus?

Quote :

"y'all need to make it clear that pro-fee student politicians aren't going to get re-elected in the Spring"

Can we get a list of names? I'd love to have the name and face of someone I can call out in a public forum for trying to raid my wallet to fund stupid idea #36.

12/6/2007 6:07:29 PM

is TGD still an undegrad?

12/6/2007 6:08:20 PM

Quote :

"http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=505174"

agreed. let us know who wants to up fees and i won't vote for them at all.

12/6/2007 7:39:53 PM

^^^
Not from me, at least not officially. There might be someone potentially working on an issue like that over the break though ...

---

Quote :

"ShawnaC123: is TGD still an undegrad?"

yes ma'am I had to drop out in 2000, couldn't afford to come back until August 2005. Still have 2.5 semesters left after this one ends too, I'm gonna be a couple years shy of 30 by the time I graduate  

12/6/2007 10:00:58 PM

^^^^^ You're an idiot.

Shrink SG, reduce reach/authority of both SG and SBP, decrease their budgets by 50%, eliminate gifts/stipends (cash or otherwise).

>>How would you shrink SG? Only a handful of officials are paid and the rest are volunteers. Why keep them from volunteering??? What reach/authority do you think the SG/SBP have, anyway? The SG budgets actually do a lot for students - not sure if it's changed since 2001-2002, but almost all of the student fees that are given to the Senate are given to reallocate to student organizations.

>>As for the stipends, whether you think SG is effective or not members spend a TON of time fighting for you. Paying an SG official, especially SBP or SSP a paltry few thousand dollars for his term works out to WAY less than a dollar an hour. For all they do for you (whether you like it or not) this sum is to compensate them for all the time they spend volunteering to represent you instead of going out and getting a job that actually PAYS.

Eliminate UAB and IRC's gatherings, have an event planner take their place.

If that one event planner sucks, we're all screwed. And who does this even planner report to? Who provides oversight? Who advises him/her as to what we want to see on campus? What can that one person do that a group of students can't?

Increase the entertainment budget five fold.

Okay, seriously - where is this going to come from? Tickets to popular concerts like the ones you mentioned cost like $40-60 even for crappy seats. For that reason I usually prefer watching shows at smaller local venues and really getting close to the band and into the music. If you want a big concert get a cab to the RBC center.

The planner would actually be good at what they do and be able to bring in bigger acts/performances. The piss poor reception of on campus activities directly reflects the amount of effort/talent expended.

>>I dunno, my first weekend at school they had Jump Little Children play behind the student health center and that was pretty awesome. Didn't they also have Rascal Flatts or some other country band play in Reynolds a few years ago, too? And around the same time they had some hip-hop artist come in as well?

We need a proper venue (i.e. amphitheater/larger concert hall) to properly host something like that.

>>Reynolds.

Two concerts a year should be plenty (Spring/Fall). I'd like to see a mix of Live, Guster, Ben Harper, G Love, George Clinton, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds. etc...

>>Not everyone wants to hear neo hippie music - if you want concerts to be well-attended you havev to get more mainstream music. George Clinton and the PF I think would be pretty bad-ass though... Ben Harper, too. DMB, Live, Guster, G Love (unfortunately) aren't famous enough outside their primary audience to draw the crowd you talk about missing. You'd have to have someone big enough it didn't matter what kinda music it was... like Skynrd or Snoop Dogg, or some of the HUGE names in each genre (that doesn't suck... like polka )

I don't see why a university as large as NCSU can't find the $ nor the motivation to produce a concert series that would:
1. increase our presence to potential students
2. add to the enjoyment of being a student at this particular institution.
3. bring in much needed revenue thorough sponsorship

>>We're too busy sponsoring unnecessary minority programs like the BGLA building. I'm still waiting for my white, middle-class, protestant, heterosexual activties center, but I don't think they're moving very quickly on that one. I have no beef with the womens' center, but let the flaming begin... somewhere else. Sponsorship is a good idea.

Expanding on #3, we could invite or co-develop a relationship with music and video game developers to sponsor 'rock band/guitar hero' competitions, have a demo booth setup, meet and greet with developers and musicians, etc...

>>Yes, that would be awesome.

Invite up and coming artists to play on campus.

>>Also awesome.

etc...

It's not that hard to come up with ideas. The hard part is not spending money on crap.

>>No, the hard part is finding events that will attract the most people in the student body since you have to look at EVERYONE's tastes when planning. Also, remember there are people on campus who are fee nazis. I can't blame them because they came from poorer backgrounds, but any fee that doesn't directly benefit them or their education they nix. Good luck.

12/6/2007 10:28:38 PM

Quote :

"Eliminate or reduce student fees by any means necessary. They do little to enhance the average student experience "

Quote :

"also more on campus activities, concerts with people who actually matter, and reopen the bragaw bar"

This does not compute. SG has a voice on student fees to a certain degree, but I'm personally sick of people bitching about fees all the time while in the same breath asking for various things on campus to be improved.

12/7/2007 3:32:07 AM

I've never understood the on-campus concerts either. I guess that's what happens when you give young children control of a slush fund.

12/7/2007 2:15:04 PM

Quote :

"yes ma'am I had to drop out in 2000, couldn't afford to come back until August 2005. Still have 2.5 semesters left after this one ends too, I'm gonna be a couple years shy of 30 by the time I graduate "

Yeah, I'm gonna be 28 by the time I graduate as well.
I just thought you had been a student this whole time I've been on tww, I didn't know you took five years off.

12/7/2007 6:26:43 PM

Quote :

"But others, like requiring myself and the other paid SG officials to disclose gifts we receive from the Administration"

what kinda gifts are we talkin here?



As for what I want done . . .

Do something about the football / basketball ticketing crap. There is no reason that the website should have problems for every other freakin event.

More buses to Centennial

More food on Centennial

Get the University to set up some sort of textbook rental thing or to encourage professors not to change to the new version every year. I've had semesters where it would have cost me over $600 to get all my books from the bookstore.

Field turf for the IM fields . . . it's stupid to have that much space if it's gonna be closed every time it gets a drop of rain (not that we've had enough rain this year for it to be a real issue)

Don't know about pricing for students for the golf course, but maybe something could be worked out so students get a free round a week or something?



[Edited on December 7, 2007 at 9:46 PM. Reason : ]

12/7/2007 9:38:42 PM

ha, what you worried about that shit for? you only got 1 more semester here.

12/7/2007 9:46:26 PM

Quote :

"More buses to Centennial More food on Centennial"

What else would you like to see, in terms of transportation?
New routes, or buses running more often, or something else?

I worked on this last year. The changes you've seen this year (mid-day textiles shuttle, SE loop route change) are the best we (not SG, but the group I worked with) were able to swing with the budget given. There's going to have to be a MASSIVE fee increase to fund additional buses.

And food...where do you propose it be put? They've been trying to get something in the Venture Plaza for a very long time. Nothing's going to be put in Textiles - we're full. IIRC, there's a Port City Java planned for Engineering. I've taken part of every single survey and discussion I can find, with regards to dining options on Centennial (although, since I've started being more frugal, and eating at home more, I am not as inconvenienced like I was before)

[Edited on December 7, 2007 at 11:28 PM. Reason : asd]

12/7/2007 11:27:06 PM

Executions. Public, brutal executions, preferably by hanging or firing squad. Never of students in the general population, but only of students involved in public government, specifically the judiciary or whatever you call it.

12/8/2007 12:21:10 AM

Well the biggest headache time is when the Southeast Loop comes less often (starts around lunch time). I know the Midday Textiles starts around the same time. How much trouble would it really be to add another stop to that route that stops outside of the EB1 and EB2 area?

I know there is no place to put food right now, but maybe help get in the works more food for the future buildings.

12/8/2007 6:15:21 PM

Yeah, cheap food is completely absent from Centennial... the periodic table has wraps and grilled sandwiches, but they seem like they're a bit more expensive for what you get versus, Lil Dino's, Taco Bell, or the Wolves Den.

12/8/2007 6:46:14 PM

Dissolve Student Senate; what a waste of time and $$$ hearing all those fuck bitch while not actually accomplishing anything.

A decent editor on the Technician I do not remember the articles ever be so shitty.

A spring concert

Bring back the pirate captain.

Eliminate IRC and UAB. I do not think I have ever been to one of their sponsored events for more then long enough to get my slice of pizza and even stopped that since Sophmore year. Both tend to be a propaganda tool to provide alcohol free entertainment that uses a lot of $$$ but benefits a very small % of students.

[Edited on December 8, 2007 at 10:20 PM. Reason : l]

12/8/2007 10:18:02 PM

where can i get a list of people who did not vote to raise the burden of proof in the campus trail stuff?

12/9/2007 3:37:59 PM

What's with all the people in this thread who want to pay less money but want more stuff? It takes money to get shit going, so you can't have it both ways. Which is it? Me personally, I'd rather that there be as few things as possible so that fees can stay as low as possible.

12/9/2007 4:04:26 PM

^exactly.

Also, make calculus a core requirement. If you can't pass calculus then you should leave.

hee hee hee...

12/9/2007 4:33:03 PM

The student government and anyone who recieves funds derived from student fees should be subject to 3rd party audits. I know that a lot of money is wasted that shouldn't be.

[Edited on December 9, 2007 at 5:12 PM. Reason : ]

12/9/2007 5:11:32 PM

^
Agreed, and we're actually almost done getting that set for SG. Adam Compton and I, working with Dave Foxx (the current Treasurer), should have SG on the University's regular audit schedule so it's audited annually. That's still in progress though -- hoping to have it finalized by mid-February.

---

Quote :

"ShawnaC123: Yeah, I'm gonna be 28 by the time I graduate as well. I just thought you had been a student this whole time I've been on tww, I didn't know you took five years off."

haha naw, TWW was just my link back to NCSU reminding me I needed to get my ass back in school (although the lousy paychecks were a motivator too )

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: what kinda gifts are we talkin here?"

It depends on the office.

Lower level positions are typically athletics-event oriented -- for example, the Senate's President Pro Tempore (the guy they elect to be my vice president) and a handful of other folks accepted box tickets to one of the Carolina Hurricanes games that the Chancellor's Office had to pass around last month.

For higher offices, all 4 of the campus-wide officers (the Chief Justice, the Treasurer, myself and the Student Body President) are given 10-meal-a-week meal plans from University Dining, and there are a handful of University-related events we're invited through over the year -- for example, when the Library had the official opening of their US Military photo exhibit, I was allowed to go for free instead of paying the $25 price for alumni/donors/etc.

The big cash cow is the Student Body President's position since that person is a member of the Board of Trustees. They get the meal plan, the Trustee-level parking pass, invitations to every event held by the University, box tickets to every athletic event, clothes, etc. That's why a lot of people felt like they got sold out by the Pirate Captain -- he accepted all the perks of his office, then turned right around and voted to increase tuition and fees.

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: As for what I want done . . . Do something about the football / basketball ticketing crap. There is no reason that the website should have problems for every other freakin event."

This is currently in progress, but Athletics doesn't seem particularly willing to recognize the problems or fixing them. Question: what's your opinion on returning to physical ticketing? I know Athletics is heavily opposed to it, but as bad as the tech problems have been maybe some changes could be made...

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: More buses to Centennial"

I've talked with Transportation about this too (since I'm stuck over there for my CSC classes ). Like ambrosia indicated, there *should* be some improvement on this end starting this coming summer or next Fall once they get the new $texas from this year's fee increases -- I'll add it to the list for our University Affairs folks to follow-up on.

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: Get the University to set up some sort of textbook rental thing or to encourage professors not to change to the new version every year. I've had semesters where it would have cost me over $600 to get all my books from the bookstore."

This one was put in place this year, but instead of a textbook rental program the Bookstore is using a guaranteed buyback approach (1 of the 2 options they were given by the UNC Board of Governors). I'm not sure how effective it's going to be, but we'll keep an eye on it and try and make it better.

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: Field turf for the IM fields . . . it's stupid to have that much space if it's gonna be closed every time it gets a drop of rain (not that we've had enough rain this year for it to be a real issue)"

I'll add that one to the list. I think the Student Body President was working on that at one point, I'm not sure what ever happened to it...

---

Quote :

"hondaguy: Don't know about pricing for students for the golf course, but maybe something could be worked out so students get a free round a week or something?"

Sounds do-able, we'll check it out

---

Quote :

"pmcassel: where can i get a list of people who did not vote to raise the burden of proof in the campus trail stuff?"

It hasn't been able to be brought up for a vote yet, the committee it got referred to has been sitting on it -- we're going to force it out of the committee for a special Student Senate meeting on January 9, after that I'll post the roll call vote.

Student pressure on the burden of proof is going to be critical though, b/c the University Administration is in lock-step with their opposition. Write letters to the Technician's campus forum, contact members of the Student Senate, email the Student Body President -- if folks don't speak up, our ability to get things changed at the February Board of Trustees meeting drops dramatically

---

Quote :

"mathman: Also, make calculus a core requirement. If you can't pass calculus then you should leave."

What if you fail Calc II the first time, then fail it a second time, then finally pass it on the 3rd try?

---

Keep the suggestions coming folks  

12/9/2007 9:45:53 PM

Id like to see Bobby living up to his word

12/9/2007 10:31:42 PM