The Constitution

Boring, boring, boring! This is a thirteen page document full of crap. While it is not a literary masterpiece, it is bigumus dogus as far as the Student Union is concerned. It tells us (all of us) how we are to do things, for what we are each responsible, fand for what we can be hanged. If you think something is amiss, or you just want to learn about the U.P.E.I. Student Union Inc., check the consstitution. It is everyone’s boss.

The Barn and the Barn Animals =

The Student Union pays for the upkeep and the operation of this, our building. We paint it, sweep it, drink in it, work in it, and love it. While the university technically owns the building, we have a legal agreement allowing us the full use of it.

The highlights of the Barn, top to bottom, are CIMN, Wild Pizza (operated not by us, but by Saga Foods), the Second Floor (you should check this out during an afternoon some time, when your vision and memory won’t be clouded) the Panther Lounge (see visitation of Second Floor), and the Student Union Office. The Student Union Office is a wonderful, magical place. You, and every other student, are welcome to come here, and visit the executive members, the Managers, or anyone else you might find. Don’t be afraid to walk in, introduce yourself to our receptionists, and, if you wish, kneel in reverance before the offices of the Executive.

We have three full-time, permanent employees. Heather Love is our General Manager. Her work is most closely related to that of the treasurer, which is actually very strange because Heather doesn’t know how to add. Holly Good is our Operations Manager. As with our V.P. Operations, one must be a party animal to be the Operations Manager, which is exactly why we hired Holly. Her work is largely related to the Panther Lounge and Pubs, so she works closely with Karen. George Folland is our Maintenance Manager. If you woof your cookies during Crazy Hour in the Lounge, George will wish eternal damnation upon your soul. He works more closely with Heather and Holly than any specific executive member because he already hates Karen, Doug, Paul, and me (see previous sentence).

Senate

You should become familiar with this body. Excluding Council, this is probably the largest collection of lunatics at the university. One-half of Senate members are faculty, in representative numbers (i.e. bags of Arts profs, less Science and Business profs, and even less Education and Vet profs). Students and administrators compose the other half of Senate. These people decide exactly what happens with regard to the academics of U.P.E.I. Last year, when it was made more difficult to become a psychology major (is that an athlete I still hear crying?), Senate was responsible. If you fail eight of ten courses this year and U.P.E.I. won’t let you back next year (bastards!), it is because of the rules and regulations decided here.

We, the students, enjoy excellent representation on this body. The seven student Senators (Wooly, four Senator/Councillors, a M.A.P.U.S. Rep and I) make up about 20% of the body. Scary!

Senate meeting aftermath.

The Board of Governors toasts to increased tuition.

Board of Governors

We have two students on this body: Doug and one elected Board Rep/ Councillor. Governors seldom realize the power which they possess. These people control the money, thus they control everything (a little bit of Buginess Student philosophy). The Board tells everyone how much money they’ll get (i.e. they make the university budget). The province tells the Board how much money they’ll get, and the country tells the province how much money they’ll get (see, it really is Brian’s fault that we have such a crappy gym). The Board will also decided how much you’ll pay in tuition, who’ll be hired and fired, and whether or not U.P.E.1. would be willing to host the 1991 Canada Games.

Generally, Governors (other than our two student Governors) aren’t really cluded in to the university; thus, they frequently need Senate to tell them what to do. As most Senators are equally ignorant to the workings of U.P.E.I., it is easy to see that this university is actually controlled by the students (as it should be).

Now What?

Okay, so much for the brief background (my verbal diarrhea frequently spills over into my pen). How about the job as Councillor? You represent either a specific group of students (Arts, Business, Education, Science, Vet. Medicine), or the entire student body (on Senate or the Board). To represent, one must know what one’s constituents think. Attend club meetings, solicit opinions, be aware of campus issues. On the major issues discussed at Council (such as the no smoking- anywhere policy proposed by the Faculty Association), you should know what the opinion of your constituents is, and express it. On smaller issues, it will suffice to make up your own mind according to what you think. Voicing the concerns of your constituents and voicing your own opinion make for both representative and responsible decision-making. We need both to have an effective Council. Along with bringing opinions to Council meetings, you should bring information back to those you represent. I’d compare your information- sharing role to a two-way street, if I didn’t hate clinches so much.

You may (probably will) be asked to help outside of Council meetings. We needs students to sit on committees, to seek out volunteers, to put forth inno- vative ideas. You can spend as much or as little time being a Councillor as suits you. You don’t have to do anything, let alone everything (consult Webster re. volunteer). However, it would be nice if you would help out when you can. Never never, though, promise to do something which you can’t. If you don’t have the time or the interest, just say so. We all realize that the life of a student is not punctuated by huge amounts of free time.

I hope that you will find an area of the Student Union which will spark your interests, and I hope that over the next year you develop a sincere interest in the health of the Student Union, as I did last year. Who knows, you may be a Big Enchilada yourself someday.

Robert Kelley S.U. President

THERE ISNT A THING IN THE HOUSE TD EAT.

oe a

alte

FAT FREDDY'S

_October 16, 1986

TS!