Students to stage march in protest of ASD cut

The Senate voted 5-2 at its April 16 meeting to keep ASD out of the programs and services bylaws in the Associated Students' new constitution. The constitution, which passed in February, becomes effective tomorrow.

Judy Schneider, an ASD member and organizer of the march, said community members with disabilities will join University of Arizona students at the Center for Disability Related Resources at 5 p.m. to march to the Senate meeting in Room 205 of the "Swede" Johnson Alumni Building. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.

Schneider, a graduate student in vocational rehabilitation and gerontology, said she was unsure about the number of people who will participate in the protest.

"We've been X'd from the programs and services. The hope is for us to be restored as a program and service. Additionally, we need to be heard," said Schneider.

ASD members, though, are divided about the need for the march.

Eric Olson, an optical engineering sophomore, and John Olson, an electrical engineering graduate student, both active in ASD last year, said they would not participate.

"I think they want to get ASD back as a program and service and I am against that," said Eric Olson, and member of ASD until last semester. He and several other former members boycotted ASD last semester because of a dispute over the directorship.

Mindy McCollum, vice president of programs and services, appointed Ann Fowler, a psychology sophomore, as this year's director despite objections from several ASD members who said she lacked the necessary experience to lead the organization.

Fowler had no previous experience with ASD before her appointment as director.

At the April 16 meeting, Eric Olson said he supported changing the program and service to a club and organization. The change means ASD would not be guaranteed funding and office space from ASUA, but the group would be able to select its own director.

The Senate is expected to vote tonight on executive bylaws and stipend amounts for ASUA positions for the 1997-98 academic year.

A Central Coordinating Council meeting will be held directly after the Senate meeting to vote on the items the Senate passes.

Senate Chairman Gilbert Davidson said ASUA is holding the CCC meeting then so that ASUA's new constitution will be complete when the elected officials take office tomorrow.

Any legislation that is passed in the Senate must be passed in the CCC before it becomes effective. The CCC is a legislative body comprised of three senators and the two vice presidents.

Davidson said the CCC will also vote again on the programs and services bylaws passed by the Senate April 16.

At its last meeting, the CCC voted 3-2 to pass the bylaws, but the motion failed because a two-thirds majority is required to pass items in the CCC. Sens. Chadd Garcia and Lauren Sliger voted against the bylaws at the CCC meeting.

Garcia and Sliger said they would not pass the bylaws because their approval would make the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Association an ASUA program and service. They have said that is not appropriate because it would give an organization focused toward a specific group of students an automatic budget allocation from ASUA.

Davidson said the CCC will not consider ASD bylaws again tonight because it is voting on the bylaws passed by the Senate April 16, which is when the ASD bylaws were cut.