By
Emily Severson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Environmentalist, Kennedy family member to speak at the Arizona Ballroom
ASUA is inviting Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the Kennedy clan, to speak about the environment on April 20th at the Arizona Ballroom.
"April is National Environmental Awareness Month, and Kennedy is an expert on the environment," said Tiffany Podbieslki, ASUA administrative vice president. "Also, the Kennedy name and heritage will probably attract students."
Sen. Roby Schapira said he though having Kennedy speak was a great idea because there are a lot of student interest in the environment.
An offer letter sent out by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona Speakers Board was approved at the meeting last night in the Rincon Room. Podbieslki said Kennedy is aware of the offer and will most likely agree to come.
Originally, the Senate invited famous sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, but she declined because she will be out of the country.
ASUA voted to approve the Appropriations Board Consent Agenda of $4,724.40 for six campus organizations.
Sigma Alpha Mu received $1,416.40 to attend a national conference in Cleveland, Ohio. UA Sacred Dancers received $1,050 to go to Hawaii for a performance and conference. The Israeli student interest group Wildpac received $1,030 to put on a cultural evening at Hazy Days coffee bar.
Sigma Gamma Rho received $648 to attend a national conference in Seattle. The Sign Language Association received $400 for a soccer tournament for the deaf in Belgium. The Eller College of Business and Public Administration Student Council received $180 for a Faculty/Student Breakfast.
The Senate approved President Ben Graff's appointment of Christopher N. Bortz, a second-year law student, to be the ASUA Supreme Court Justice.
"Bortz has a good working knowledge of the constitution," Graff said. "Overall, we had an excellent interview and I highly recommend him to serve as ASUA Supreme Court Justice."
Senators decided not to remove the red suggestion boxes on campus in a 6-5 vote. Sen. Seth Frantzman proposed the bill, saying they should be removed because students are not using them and they are an eyesore.
Frantzman suggested the boxes be replaced by a virtual suggestion box on the ASUA Web site.
"When the boxes were created, there was no Internet access," Frantzman said.
Schapira said he was in favor of leaving the suggestion boxes up.
"We get so little student feedback," he said. "If a student drops one letter in a year, it's worth it."
