Andy Parker ’10, newly-appointed ASSU vice president, will maintain his position as executive chief of staff while juggling his new appointment as right-hand man for President David Gobaud ’08, M.S. ‘10.
That was the announcement at last night’s Undergraduate Senate meeting, where Senator Shelley Gao ’11 returned after a quarter in Washington, D.C. and Daniel Limón ’12 from a fall quarter leave of absence.
Parker announced that he and Gobaud made the decision during winter break based on the time constraints of the term and a need to move quickly this quarter. At the end of fall quarter, Gobaud was still trying to get an earlier nominee, Farah Abuzeid ’10, approved by the Senate.
“It’s not an ideal situation, but right now we don’t feel that we have the time to get someone new up to speed,” Parker said Tuesday.
Gobaud will now shoulder much of the executive team’s spring sustainability event as the pair continue to adjust to the sudden resignation of former Vice President Jay de la Torre ’10 in November.
Gobaud’s handling of de la Torre’s resignation drew fire in December. Last night, senators pushed forward talks on ASSU ethics reforms.
Gao suggested forming a task force to address ASSU integrity as well as the potential for a conflict of interest or bias for officials who serve on judicial panels, as Gobaud was at the time of de la Torre’s case. (Gobaud was involved in hearing other students’ cases, not de la Torre’s.)
Senator Lee Jackson ’12 announced that he and Adam Creasman ’11 may co-author a conflict of interest bill that would prohibit dual service on the ASSU and Judicial Affairs panels or the Constitutional Council.
A similar plan to ease potential biases was considered by the 10th Undergraduate Senate last year, Gao reported, but was ultimately shot down.
“Some senators felt very strongly about how ASSU senators are in very good positions to make a very substantial contribution to those committees,” she said.
Gao suggested the formation of a task force or a brainstorming session, at the very least.
“I think that we need to take some steps into investigating and constructing positive measures in terms of the ethical conduct of ASSU officials,” she said.
With winter quarter’s start, Elections Commissioner Quinn Slack ’11 is in the midst of setting up the elections Web site for this spring. With three months until elections, Slack on Tuesday announced a trial version.
“The main change is that it will show candidate profiles on the ballot,” he said.
Two bills to confirm funding for publications Vox Clara and The Claw were unanimously passed at last night’s meeting. A bill to confirm co-chairs of marketing and chair of health and wellness will be put to vote next week.