DUSC seeks more student involvement

5:14 p.m., Feb. 28, 2005--The officers of the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress (DUSC) have a vision for student government at the University of Delaware.

They want to see more student involvement in student government and more input from a wider range of students on issues that directly affect them.

That vision has taken the form of a new student senate, the Delaware Undergraduate Student Senate (DUSS), which is designed to serve as the legislative arm while DUSC functions as the executive branch of student government.

DUSS senators will be expected to submit resolutions that, once acted upon, “will produce proactive, progressive change demanded by the student body,” DUSC President John Cordrey, a junior from Georgetown, said.

When fully operational, the senate could involve up to some 400-plus representatives of Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), including all fraternities and sororities.

Kaitlin Hoffman, a senior from London, England, has been selected by the members of DUSC’s elected executive board to serve as speaker of the senate, There are still leadership positions available for other senators, including vice speaker, recording secretary and senate parliamentarian. These positions will be filled at the senate’s first meeting.

Once in place, the senate will meet on the first Wednesday of each month to share ideas and feedback from students for bettering the student experience. Suggestions will come from various student leaders, and Cordrey said he hopes the relationships between various organizations will be strengthened as they come together to voice similar ideas and concerns.

Any student who wishes to suggest a resolution may do so through their organization’s senator or by talking to a member of DUSC in the student government’s office in 223 Trabant University Center. The office is open from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and can also be reached via phone at (302) 831-2648.

The first meeting of the DUSS will be held at 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, in Room 115 of Purnell Hall. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend, though participation in the discussions will be limited to DUSS senators.

For further information, visit the DUSC web site at [http://copland.udel.edu/stu-org/dusc/].

Article by Becca Hutchinson

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