USG president PJ Kim '01 concluded his first USG meeting as president last night by echoing the battle cry of his predecessor, "Let's get it on."
"Let's get it done," Kim said.
The similarity was not unintentional. Kim pledged he would devote his presidency to finishing incomplete projects begun by past administrations, like implementing a reformed student group funding mechanism and creating a vibrant student center.
"The same issues come up over and over again," said Kim, who spent part of intersession brushing up on USG history. He said he hopes to "tie up some of those loose ends" so that students in the future "won't chalk up failings on these issues to a lack of persistence on our part."
Kim said he also will redirect USG efforts on some recurring issues, such as teaching techniques at the University.
"We haven't done as much as we should have done in the past regarding teaching and learning," he said, conceding that in the past the USG may have overemphasized the importance of grades and the need to respond to the administration's grade inflation initiatives.
Kim said he also wants to increase student input in decisions made by the University Board of Trustees by forming USG committees to provide feedback to trustee committees. This framework would mirror the current interaction between faculty committees and the USG.
Kim said student input should be given greater consideration in tenure decisions as well.
Budget plans
The USG Senate laid the groundwork for the coming year by approving a $99,950 budget similar to last year's and by confirming five appointments.
The spring budget contains $3,400 in salaries for USG office and Internet workers, a $2,300 increase from last year. USG treasurer Joe Wheatley '01 said spending more money to pay office workers will allow USG officers to focus on accomplishing their agendas instead of doing paper work.
'Overhaul'
Kim added that the USG Websites are in "major need of an overhaul."
Joe Kochan '02 was confirmed as chief of staff, Seenu Susarla '01 as executive secretary and systems administrator, Jen Cannistra '01 and Wade Rakes '02 as projects board co-chairs and Aime Scott '01 as student groups liaison.
Kim said he believed his administration would not be held back by the need to react to the administration, as the USG under Spencer Merriweather '00 was in its first days by the Nude Olympics ban.
Though Kim said he could not predict what issues his administration will face, he expressed satisfaction that those issues will be "luckily nothing as controversial as [the Nude Olympics ban]."
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