This week’s meeting began with an introduction to Milton Lang, one of the candidates for Vice President of Student Affairs. Dr. Lang spoke to the GSU enthusiastically about his background and why he is interested in working at and with Evergreen. Dr. Lang intimated that if he were to be selected he would be a partner to student governance and help it to improve.

Public comments featured Toni Bellante of Wash-PIRG who updated the GSU on their progress starting a petition drive to get a Wash-PIRG fee on the ballot pending the repealing of Amendment 3.6. The GSU later voted to uphold 3.6 until contract negotiations are finalized (resolving to resend the amendment at the next meeting pending the success of those negotiations). Second, Mark Walsh, also of Wash-PIRG, spoke on the pressing issue of student loan interest rates which the national PIRG’s managed to stop from doubling last summer but face a similar challenge in this year’s budget. Mr. Walsh asked the GSU add their voice to hundreds of other colleges around the country against a proposed budget that raised interest rates on Federal Stafford loans.

Donald Gribbons updated the GSU on several relevant events. First for the WSA meeting he requested one or two GSU members to stand in for him, promising “two good meals” as compensation; second, the Conservation Biology lecture by Dr. Randy Kyes tomorrow (Thursday, April 4) and the VP-GSU lunches going on over the next two weeks, encouraging representatives to attend both events; and finally, Donald raised concern over the new state budget proposed by Jay Inslee which creates a 3% annual college tuition hike for the next two years. Donald asked representatives to call house democrats and make it clear to them that raising tuition is a bad plan.

Finally, the GSU briefly discussed the relocation of the smoker’s pit near the Freshman dorms from the “mud pit” close to A-Building to an area closer to E-Building. Many representatives expressed outrage at the move, saying the new location is also in a high traffic area and doesn’t seem to solve any of the problems of the former location with the exception of making it a more comfortable space for smokers. The GSU resolved to inquire about the move, which seemed to occur with little or no deference to the GSU, and to get a handle on resolving these issues going forward.