The Associated Students Inc. board meeting Sept. 21 served as a forum for board members to preview and discuss upcoming legislation that will be voted today.

At the meeting, Angel Barajas, ASI president, announced that University Enterprises Inc. agreed to meet ASI’s $5,500 matching funds grant for Hurricane Katrina victims.

“The next step is for the Alumni Association to do the same,” Barajas said.

Several items on the agenda aimed at satisfying committee vacancies, creating new committees and instilling checks and balances by making some committees independent of ASI board members.

DOC/SEL Legislation

Barajas proposed the first legislation up for debate, adding new members to the Dollars for Organizations and Clubs and Student Education Loans fund committee. The DOC/SEL reviewing body would help ASI to decide which clubs and organizations could receive the maximum $1,500 in grant funding based on the criterion of how the organization plans to use the money and what event they are spending it on.

Also in the works, is the tightening of the internal procedures that operate the DOC/SEL Committee. “This is coming in response to an internal audit and looking to have more detail to guide and protect the DOC/SEL Committee,” said Patricia Worley, ASI executive director.

Worley said that the level of funds that the DOC/SEL Committee will be able to allot to petitioning clubs and committees will depend on how many organizations apply for the funds at one time.

There is not enough money for all clubs and organizations to receive the full grant, and two-thirds of the money will be directed to on-campus events because that is where most students can get involved, said Rita Tyk, ASI board associate.

Committee Changes

An audit committee will be formed with the intent of checking and balancing the ASI board of directors. Christine Hopkins, vice president of University Affairs, said that board members would not be permitted to sit on the committee in order to keep the committee independent of the board.

Barajas proposed changes to the Internal Affairs Committee whose purpose is to view ASI legislation and then report to the board about the pros and cons involved, Barajas said. The changes will exclude the executive vice president from sitting on the committee, preventing conflict of interest issues.

Curtis Grima, secretary of state affairs, welcomed the new change. Grima highlighted the point of the legislation. “Making a recommendation to yourself beats the purpose of a committee in the first place,” Grima said.

New Logo

Plans for a new ASI logo are in the works, Barajas said. Osaki Design will be involved in creating the graphic ?” the same five-member Berkeley-base design team that branded Sac State with its torch logo.

A committee will be established to preside over the logo ideas that Osaki Design and others will present, Barajas said.

“It’s an exciting time to get a new logo,” Barajas said.

Bonnie Sugiyama, director of education, suggested the idea of getting Sac State students involved in the project by inviting the graphic design department to help design the ASI logo. Members of the board agreed with her proposal.

Funds for the new logo will not be taken out of the ASI budget, but provided for by the university.

Board Project

Angela Arriola, director of business, promoted her board project, “Finding Your Future in Business” to the board members in order to gain approval for the event’s budget.

The event would be put on for Business majors to educate them about the 11 concentrations offered by the business department. Arriola’s event would include faculty advisers from each concentration available to speak with students.

Jessica Weidling can be reached at [email protected]