USG News Conference on Student Trustee Voting

NEWS ADVISORY:
STUDENT GOVERNMENT TO HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE ON TRUSTEE VOTING BILL

Undergraduate Student Government at The Ohio State University will hold a
news conference Friday (11/15) at 4 p.m. at the Office of Student Life, 33
W. 11th Ave., to discuss reactions to the passage today of Ohio House Bill
477.  The bill gives full voting privileges to student trustees at state
universities, including Ohio State.  USG lobbied heavily for the bill,
sponsored by Rep. Amy Salerno.  Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee has also
given it his full support.

The bill, which passed in the House of Representative by a margin of 79-14,
currently has no Senate sponsor and no chance of  getting on the Senate
agenda yet this legislative year.  However, Ohio State student leaders said
the House action was very significant and bodes well for the future of the
legislation.

"The overwhelming support that we received from this vote is a mandate from
the House of Representatives that they want to see this bill enacted into
law," said Michael Duga, director of legislative affairs for USG.  "We as a
student government have pledged to continue our commitment to see this bill
through to the very end."

Speaking at the news conference will be Rep. Salerno, Ohio State student
trustees Holly Smith and Mark Berkman, Vice President for Student Affairs
David Williams, USG President John Carney, and Duga.

There have been two student trustees on the Ohio State board since 1988.
They participate in all activities of the board, and a student chairs the
board's Student Affairs Committee.  But, by state law, they are not
permitted to vote on board resolutions.

#

Contact: Michael Duga, Undergraduate Student Government, 292-2101
or (pager) 800-706-3117


[Submitted by: Ruth Gerstner  (gerstner.2@osu.edu)
               
Thu, 14 Nov 1996 17:42:53 -0500]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.