The AUSA Senate is considering changes in the way students will vote in the upcoming May elections.
Senior Senator and Election Committee Chair Nick Sauer presented the committee’s ideas in reviewing the voting process at DU.
Sauer presented four options to the Senate on how to conduct the elections, including keeping the same Internet voting process that has been utilized for the past three years and installing actual polling stations around campus.
President Max Goldberg and Senator Lauren Goldman expressed concern that the computer voting keeps voting participation high, and having specified polling places on campus might lower voter turnout.
Chair of Records Mary Keller insisted that if the Senate puts in the effort to make this a real election with many opportunities to vote, students will participate, and many senators agreed that this type of election would bring integrity to the voting process at DU.
Also in the meeting, students presented requests involving a variety of issues.
Jenna Brown, an Ombuds representative, announced that there will be a Renter’s Forum April 5 for students living off-campus next year.
Students can get information on renting in Colorado and have any of their questions answered.
“As enrollment increases at DU, more students will be living off-campus,” Brown said. “This is important information to know what options are available.”
The Forum will be in the Driscoll Gallery from 5-6 p.m. Information is currently available at DU’s off-campus website.
Several PLP students also came before the Senate to present plans for school improvement.
Phil Onetto and Adrienne Alterman, sophomores, want to start an organization on campus that will provide transportation to the mountain ski resorts for students.
“This service will be a safer and affordable alternative to students that want to go to the mountains after a long night out,” said Onetto.
Students would travel by charter bus and pay a smaller fee if the group becomes an organization and receives funding.
However, liability with the University of Denver needs to be researched and Risk Management services will be contacted to assess the viability of this project, which would be started next year.
Also, students Jamie Grim and Tracey Vlnicka presented an initiative to bring DU clean energy. According to their research, wind power is an effective alternative that is already a part of many other college campuses including CU Boulder and Colorado College.
The group stated that they hope to put the issue of increasing student fees by as little as $10 to a student vote to support clean energy at DU. They hope to get the issue on the upcoming election ballot in May.
Election ballots usually only contain candidate voting, so students voting on an issue such as the clean energy bill and an increased fee would set a precedent.
In other Senate news, Aaron Schwarzberg and Vice President Yusef Malik will be looking to improve the university’s intramurals program for the nearly 2000 students that participate in them.
Other Senate announcements included the Senior Mentor Program Reception to be held April 20, where participating seniors will find out with which alum they have been paired, and DUPB’s sponsorship of a trip to see the Harlem Globetrotters on April 9.
