Last month, Banks, a College of Arts & Sciences senior, formally requested the addition of non-voting student guests to university's Board of Trustees. Currently, MUSG's president and executive vice president serve as guests on only the Student Affairs Committee.,”

• MUSG is attempting to increase student input in administrative decisions
• President awaiting decision on addition of "student guests" to Board of Trustees
• MUSG opposes decision to not renew Sweeney's lease
• Work continues on sophomore interliving program, revamp of Student OrgazationAllocation process

Marquette Student Government leadership is stressing student input in the final months of its administration.

Last month, Brock Banks, MUSG president and a College of Arts & Sciences senior, formally requested the addition of non-voting student guests to the university's board of trustees. Currently, MUSG's president and executive vice president serve as guests on only the Student Affairs Committee. The board is expected to make a decision in February, Banks said.

"Everybody benefits when students are a part of university decision-making," Banks said.

Banks noted student representatives from the University of Wisconsin-Madison are serving on the university's chancellor search committee. Last semester, the MUSG Senate's recommendation to add a student to the provost search committee was denied.

MUSG recently expressed disappointment in the university's decision not to extend the lease of Sweeney's College Books, located at 1634 W. Wisconsin Ave. Last semester, the university announced Marquette Apartments at 1622-1634 W. Wisconsin Ave. would be converted into a suite-style residence hall. Monday's university news briefs said the leases on the first floor of the property would not be extended.

A news release from MUSG cited a fall survey that indicated Sweeney's as a popular resource for students. Banks said students benefit from the competition between Sweeney's and BookMarq.

"In the '80s and early '90s there were some serious problems with BookMarq," Banks said. "The competition with Sweeney's provided incentive to eliminate these problems."

Students should soon see the results of student government's effort to improve the process of funding student activities. The Ad-Hoc Committee on Funding of Student Activities was created last October to evaluate patterns of MUSG funding for student activities and to prepare procedural recommendations for the MUSG Senate. The committee is expected to present the recommendations to Legislative Vice President and College of Arts & Sciences senior Jason Rae on Feb. 1, extended from the original date of Jan. 1.

"The committee is right on track," Rae said. "I expect the recommendations will help MUSG fund activities as fairly and efficiently as possible."

The committee is chaired by Giuseppe Pappalardo, a College of Arts & Sciences sophomore and the college's senator. Five other senators also serve on the committee, as well as Financial Vice President and College of Business Administration senior Tim Smith, who serves as an ex-officio member.

Executive Vice President and College of Arts & Sciences junior Sara Soriano is making progress on her platform to create a sophomore inter-living program, similar to the CommUNITY program for freshmen. Soriano is serving on the Learning and Living task group, a panel that is studying the plausibility of such a program. She said the program would have a service theme and should be ready by the fall of 2009.

A challenge remaining for the administration is putting the reserve fund, currently at $190,000, to good use. Banks said possibilities include funding the College of Engineering's project to create an electric LIMO vehicle or providing additional safety signs on Wells Street, though no final decisions have been made.

Banks has backed away from hosting a spring forum for students to present ideas on how to spend the reserve fund, an idea he presented while campaigning last year, citing a lack of demand.

"Students with ideas on the reserve fund should speak directly to their senators," Banks said.

Elections for president, executive vice president and college senate seats are set for this spring. Election packets can be picked up in the MUSG office on the first floor of the Alumni Memorial Union beginning Feb. 1.

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