Wednesday, April 28, 2010
As new senators with new platform issues move into office tonight, here’s a look at United Students’ progress on its campaign platforms for its 2009-2010 term.
Student services
Student Body President Mason Heilman said one of the biggest successes was the coalition’s platform to create a financial planning center. The center will open on the third floor of the Kansas Union next school year.
Heilman said students would be able to stop in to get advice on personal finances such as credit cards, loans and bank options.
“There are a lot of students who get out of high school and have never balanced a check book before,” Heilman said.
The center will have a full-time director, student employees and possibly volunteers. He said United Students hadn’t figured out all the employment specifics yet.
Student ticket prices
United Students also proposed to lower the all-sports combo ticket price by eliminating winter break games from the pass because many students couldn’t attend games while out of town. Had the proposal gone through, it would have lowered the overall price of the pass by $15. The coalition also wanted to increase student seats for big games.
The coalition’s plan didn’t make it through, but Heilman said Athletics sold tickets for $10 during winter break to community members and students who didn’t buy the all-sports combo pass.
“That’s a huge part of being in this position, being able to compromise,” Heilman said.
He said there were about three or four games at which there were more student seats available.
Rec center requirements
The Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center put in place the coalition’s proposed three-allowance policy in January. The policy allows students to enter the recreation center if they forget their student ID up to three times, as long as they have some other form of identification.
Heilman said the student recreation advisory board played a major role in implementing the system.
“They were really the impetus for them to start looking into the new system, which they’ve wanted to do, but just needed the student backing,” Heilman said.
Ian McGonigle, chair of the recreation advisory board, said the board had also proposed a biometric finger reader system that will go into effect by fall break 2010. He said that between fall break and winter break students will be able to bring in their KU ID and have their finger scanned. After that scan they will not need to bring an ID and will simply scan their finger to enter.
Textbook negotiations
United Students wanted to extend the full refund date for textbooks at KU Bookstores from 30 days to two months. It also wanted to allow students to return opened prepackaged books for a partial refund.
Heilman said that the plan did not go through, but that he had offered the stores advice on how they promoted themselves, performed refunds and bought back books. He said he didn’t know if his advice was taken into consideration, but said he had the opportunity to give KU Bookstores feedback from a student’s perspective.
Tuition refunds
Another platform United Students proposed was a class “shopping week” in which students would receive a full refund for courses dropped during the first week of classes. After the first week, the refund scale would be gradual.
Vice President May Davis said in an e-mail that she and Heilman offered the Registrar’s Office about five different scenarios to improve the refund policy.
Heilman said the registrar was hesitant to follow through with the plans in a time of budget crunches.
“To me that’s not a concern I share because I think that’s not money they should have anyway,” Heilman said. “But that did provide them with enough justification to not move forward.”
Heilman said that now the registrar had some options and maybe in a better financial climate it would focus on that.
“Overall I think it’s been a successful year,” Heilman said.
— Edited by Katie Blankenau
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Comments
Looking back at United Students’ platform promises
Haha. It's funny that half of the things they wanted didn't go through.
You want to know what's even better? The fact that MWS will basically do the same....which is nothing.
How long has he had an executive position in senate? Oh yeah..two years..
Seriously..stop jumping on the band wagon and start looking at the real issues that are being proposed in the platforms.
Have a nice day. =D
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