Defection and misrepresentation were topics on the floor of an ASD meeting held Friday to decide whether the group wants to remain with ASUA.

Following the Undergraduate Senate's approval of Ann Fowler, psychology sophomore, as the new Association of Students with Disabilities director, several members began to talk of breaking away from the student government.

"If we can't determine our own organization and directors, what kind of organization do we have? I think we should split," said Eric Olson, who was recommended by ASD members as the new director but not chosen.

Undergraduate Senate Chairman Gilbert Davidson attended the meeting to encourage members to remain with the Associated Students.

"I never thought students of ASD would want to leave ASUA and the services we offer," Davidson said.

Davidson offered ASD the option of changing the organization's bylaws to allow them to have a say in who becomes director of their organization, but stressed ASD could only do this if it remained within ASUA.

Olson said changing the bylaws would be wasting time.

"This event was to such a magnitude that we can never trust ASUA again," he said. "ASUA is run by a totally different class of people."

Davidson said, "You have to give it a chance, you don't know what the future is going to hold for the organization."

Davidson then reviewed ASD's options for the group. He said they could leave ASUA and petition for club status and funding, which he described as a tedious process. Or they could set up a meeting with Fowler to elect ASD officers and let her know what ASD wanted from her.

"You have my word that I will help you with whatever you decide," Davidson said. "But it is important to have your voices in ASUA."

Brian McCracken, family studies sophomore and former director of ASD, interrupted Davidson and said, "There are 24 members of ASD that you say have a voice and you still appointed someone we did not approve of."

Davidson responded, "Is leaving ASUA going to benefit the group? Is that the only voice you want to have in student government?"

ASD members also discussed the possibility of using Fowler as a liaison between ASD and ASUA in an effort to keep ASUA funding. But Davidson said he did not think that could work.

Judi Schneider, interdisciplinary senior, said, "We have more to loose than to gain. Why can't we have a director and officers that we as a group elect?"

"We already have enough barriers in front of us why create another?" she said.

Members said they were concerned that the director of ASD, who would represent the group, did not have enough experience. Fowler lost use of her legs in a car accident 18 months ago.

"She is our representative and she is newly disabled. She might misrepresent the group," said McCracken, who has been disabled for 20 years.

Schneider, who has been disabled for eight years, said being newly disabled put Fowler at a disadvantage because she is not familiar with the variety of disabilities that ASD encompasses.

"She does not have enough experience yet, but it will come," Schneider said.

Olson, who has been disabled for 50 years, said of Fowler, "We need to watch her very carefully to counteract any of the damage she does."

Fowler was present for the first 30 minutes of the meeting but was unavailable for comment afterward.

An ASD could not vote on whether to separate from ASUA because only 10 of the 24 members were present. The group resolved to give the matter further thought.

A meeting to vote on the matter is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday in the Park Student Union second-floor conference room.

Olson said, "I predict that there will be one person (staying) with ASD and ASUA and another group of people over here."

But he said that they still have the same goals.

McCracken, who was in favor of the split before the meeting, said afterward, "What right do we have to decide for future members of ASD what is best?"

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