The UA is pleased to announce the results of our Internal Elections, which took place on April 11th, 2010:
Speaker: G.J. Melendez-Torres, Nursing & Wharton ‘11
The Speaker chairs UA meetings and facilitates all internal business, including serving as a link between the executive and the body and managing the associate member process.
Treasurer: Ryan Houston, Wharton ‘11
The Treasurer is responsible for the UA’s own operational funds, the Student Government Budget that appropriates over $1.9 million for all undergraduate government branches at Penn, as well as the UA’s $20,000 Contingency Fund.
Secretary: Cynthia Ip, College ‘12
The Secretary is responsible for record-keeping, communicating to the student body on the UA’s progress through the website and the press, as well as other administration necessary for our operation.
Melendez-Torres, Houston, and Ip will join President Matt Amalfitano and Vice President Mark Pan to form the UA Executive Board.
At today’s weekly GBM, the UA funded $951 of Penn’s sole undergraduate Lunar New Year celebration, led by a team of dedicated individuals, including UA member Amanda Young. The organization that has traditionally hosted the event pulled out at the last minute, and upon learning of this, an ad-hoc group of students immediately met to ensure that the most important celebration in many countries makes a strong presence at Penn.
Authored by Vinay Rao, Sakina Zaidi, and G.J. Melendez-Torres, the UA also resolved to improve the academic environment for students within testing situations by making a few changes such as ensuring left-handed desks, increased invigilators, adequate desk space, and clear time displays.
Finally, Associate Member Colin Kavanaugh and the Student Life committee is working with the University to prevent identity fraud by promoting the opportunity for students to change their PIN numbers away from the current Social Security Number-based PIN.
Please tell us your thoughts, and check out the full meeting minutes.
Categories: Academic Affairs, Finance and Budget, New Business, News, Student Life Tags: Amanda Young, Budget Committee, Colin Kavanaugh, GJ Melendez-Torres, Lunar New Year, Ryan Houston, Sakina Zaidi, Security, Testing Environments, Vinay Rao, Zac Byer
At yesterday’s Sunday General Body Meeting, the UA passed three documents. You can find the full meeting minutes here!
Through the Omnibus Recycling Resolution, the UA:
Supports efforts to fortify the student infrastructure for recycling,
Supports efforts to standardize recycling systems as well as material regarding on- and off-campus recycling,
Encourages University departments and centers to purchase recycled and recyclable plastics and paper,
Encourages the University to make use of its scale,
Encourages implementation and improved usage of Greek-recycling programs,
Encourages the University community to consider the true cost of products in their decision-making process.
Directs collaboration with other groups on ongoing recycling efforts.
In the ASL resolution, the UA
Affirms that American Sign Language is equivalent to spoken languages in complexity, cultural richness and educational value, and
Calls on the Wharton Undergraduate division to allow all foreign languages, including American Sign Language, to fulfill the language requirement.
Finally, the Bylaws Amendment:
shifted the duties of allocating certain seats amongst the NEC, SCUE, and the UA.
Categories: Academic Affairs, Housing, Sustainability, and Facilities, New Business, News Tags: Alec Webley, Andrew Roberts, Becca Elman, Dan Sanchez, GJ Melendez-Torres, Matt Amalfitano, Mike Chen, NEC
The agenda for the UA meeting on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 9PM can be accessed here: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcdm2fpq_293cvgxzjg8
Highlights include:
- PennCard Pin Resolution, authored by Colin Kavanaugh
- MERT Housing Resolution, authored by Andrew Lum and Marshall Bright
- Letter to Faculty RE: Textbooks authored by GJ Melendez-Torres and Faye Cheng
The meeting will be in the Ben Franklin Room of Houston Hall.
Please note: The following meeting on Sunday, November 15, 2009 is dedicated to discussion constitutional reform of the UA.
