ASG Senate on Wednesday passed its first three bills of Winter Quarter and announced that a previous bill dealing with lowering the venue costs of Patten Gym has become a reality.
The initial piece of legislation called for a degree auditing system to be installed as a part of CAESAR. The program will allow students to view the remaining classes they need to complete their major. Undecided students would be able to look at any possible major and see how close they are to completing the requirements.
Allison Hall Sen. Tamara Kagel, who co-wrote the bill, said the Associated Student Government’s academic committee has been working on improving CAESAR. She said a degree auditing program would be a good way to accomplish that goal.
“A degree audit system would greatly increase the accessibility of student records,” said Kagel, a Speech sophomore. “It’s important that this is installed sooner rather than later.”
Kagel said she hopes a pilot program of the system for McCormick students will be available by Fall Quarter 2001.
The next two bills, sponsored by ASG President Adam Humann, asked for more direct student input with Northwestern’s Board of Trustees and called for administrators to make proposed renovations to Norris University Center an immediate priority.
“The idea for more student input to the Board of Trustees has been a long time in coming,” said Humann, a Weinberg senior. “This will help the voice of the students to be better integrated with the board.”
Also at the meeting, Executive Vice President Jordan Heinz announced that rental costs at Patten have been lowered to $1,000 from about $3,000 for large student group events such as concerts. Also, renting Patten out for smaller events, such as fund raisers, will be free.
“Patten is a good venue, but student groups were hesitant to use it because of the costs,” said Heinz, a Speech junior. “We feel that we hammered out a very reasonable policy.”
Josh Pool, director of concerts for A&O Productions, said the rental fee reductions will make life easier for student groups.
“We can spend the extra money we are saving on more programming and better shows,” said Pool, a Speech senior. “Its appalling that, for years, student groups have doled out so much money.”
Heinz said he also expects to work with officials to lower the costs of renting Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Cahn Auditorium and Lutkin Hall by the end of the quarter.
