Last night, the newly seated 2009-10 Associated Students Legislative Council members started their term with a five-hour meeting.

During the meeting, members discussed several resolutions and debated allocating last-minute funds to INDUS and Black Graduation. After extensively debating the financial requests, Internal Vice President Chris Wendle noted that the discussion was unusual given that allocations are not usually left up to the council and should be taken up with A.S. Finance Board.

“We, as Legislative Council, don’t normally deal with allocations,” Wendle said. “Because it is so close to the end of the year and Finance Board has given out their remaining funds, many groups are feeling the pressure.”

Black Graduation funds were tabled indefinitely, while INDUS received the $1,082 leftover in unallocated funds.

Meanwhile, the council passed a resolution known as the “Wolfson Doctrine,” which declares that A.S. represents all students.

Rep-at-large Josue Aparicio said the acknowledgement was unnecessary and does nothing but redundantly state the obvious.

“It’s kind of a given that we are representing all students,” Aparicio said. “I don’t think we have to have it in writing to make it true.”

After hearing many complaints, On-campus Rep Joel Mandujano said reasserting their loyalty to the student body would be in the council’s best interest.

“Yeah, you would assume that people would recognize that,” Mandujano said. “But, in recommendations, students have asked us to remember we are representing all students. I don’t think it’s bad to reaffirm that.”

Additionally, the council selected Michael Lambright to assume the position of A.S. Attorney General.

Former council member Darshan Grover – who was unseated as a result of an A.S. Judicial Council decision – noted that the position carries a lot of weight.

“Because of a lot of legal proceedings, I was deemed to no longer represent my constituents,” Grover said. “The attorney general’s jurisdiction was extended at the beginning of this year. He is able to make cases against people because of what I see as a technicality. I strongly urge you to become familiar with the Legal Code; it should be there to assist you, not hinder you.”

Following the appointment, a bill to restructure the Office of the President was passed with consent.

Under the legislation, the president will be granted the ability to employ cabinet members including a chief of staff, an administrative assistant and two issues coordinators.

A.S. President Charlie Arreola said that, after meeting with past presidents, he thinks creating an Office of the President staff would increase the productivity of the position.

“These positions allow the projects I have in mind to still get done, outside circumstances aside,” Arreola said. “Having someone else for me to delegate tasks to will assist me in representing students better and find out what the students want done.”

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