The new Marquette Student Government financial vice president plans to follow in his predecessor's footsteps starting Thursday at the first MUSG senate session of 2005.
Andrew Doyle, a College of Business Administration junior, is officially the new MUSG financial vice president. He replaced Daniel LaNuez, a College of Business Administration senior.
Doyle said he is most excited to communicate with student organizations.
"This is a position I've been looking forward to for awhile," he said.
LaNuez said although he is sad to be leaving the job, he has confidence in Doyle and hopes he will continue to allot more money to student organizations.
"He really cares about the student body," LaNuez said. "I think he's going to do a great job."
Although Doyle has been training since mid-January, he said he knows the ropes in the financial office from his previous experience there.
In the 2004 spring semester, Doyle was LaNuez's financial office assistant. LaNuez said Doyle was a quick learner and possessed good technical and communication skills.
Doyle helped run a business the summer before his office assistant position. A strawberry farmer asked Doyle to help manage her farm because she had an outside job, he said.
The Iowa native said his experience paralleled his new position with a few differences. When he managed the farm, Doyle said, he only reported to one person. As financial vice president, he reports to more people, including his fellow executive board members, and is responsible for guiding others' budgets.
Doyle's experience may help him tackle next school year's larger budget. The MUSG budget consists of the student activity fees collected from full-time undergraduate students each year. Undergraduates will pay an annual $54 student activity fee starting August 2005. This is a $6 increase from this academic year.
Doyle said he wants to continue in LaNuez's footsteps and allocate the increased funds to more student organizations and the student body.
"We already have an efficient office," Doyle said. "We can present even more programming to students."
The new executive board member applied for his position in November while he was studying in Belgium. He submitted his application before Nov. 22 and was one of six applicants for the job, said MUSG President Timothy Lefeber, a College of Health Sciences senior.
Lefeber said the Financial Vice President Selection Committee evaluated applicants' academic successes, leadership skills and financial experience. The committee interviewed the three most qualified candidates and chose Doyle.
Doyle was informed of the decision a week before winter break and began training with LaNuez as soon as he returned from his studies abroad.
Doyle said the last two weeks have encompassed the technical workings of his position, including fiscal checks and the budget process. Next week, he said LaNuez will pass on some lessons and tips gained from his term.
Doyle is scheduled to attend MUSG's first meeting of second semester Thursday at 7 p.m. in Alumni Memorial Union 227.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Jan. 25 2005.