By Signe K. SkinionSG resolution unfounded
January 30, 1996
Two University Housing officials say an Undergraduate Student Government resolution asking for their replacement is inaccurate and unfounded.
The resolution, to be voted on by the USG Senate Wednesday night, will ask the SIU Board of Trustees to hold a hearing to see if University Housing director Ed Jones and assistant director of Residence Life Steve Kirk should be replaced.
According to the resolution, written by Andrew Ensor, USG Southern Hills senator, Jones told the board false information about University Housing food service workers, does not use the best workers or food possible in the cafeterias and misrepresents the Residence Hall Association to students living on-campus.
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Robert Irby, College of Education senator; Donald Rehmer, West Side senator; and Craig Adams, West Side senator cosponsored Ensor’s resolution.
Jones said he feels the resolution is inaccurate because Housing tries to hear everything USG has to say about campus issues.
Every other week we (Housing) have a meeting of the RHA and USG where we get together and talk, Jones said. We do a lot of dialogue at those meetings, and although we don’t always agree with each other’s opinions, we always listen.
Jones said the resolution mentions several unjust rumors regarding the residence hall dining operation that cause him concern.
It (the resolution) mentions the competency of the food service workers and says they are not properly trained, Jones said. Every year we (Housing) have at least two training seminars to update the workers, and sometimes we have more if it’s needed. We also have training for the student workers during the year.
Jones said he feels the senators involved with the resolution did not follow the proper procedure for writing it.
The bottom line is if there is a problem with issues that concern me, they (USG) should go to Vice-Chancellor Harvey Welch (of Student Affairs), who is my supervisor, Jones said.
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Kirk was mentioned in the USG resolution for allegedly obstructing information a USG senator was attempting to obtain.
Kirk said the resolution does not specify when this alleged instance took place and is unsure about the instance.
The thing I do recall is talking with a USG senator sometime last semester who came in wanting to do some students surveys when the issue of changing the make-up of Neely Hall (located in University Park) came about, Kirk said. At that time, RHA was also doing student surveys, and I really urged the senator to work with them because I have always felt it is stronger to the student’s voice to work together than separately for the same goal.
Kirk said the senator said okay and left.
Last semester, Housing proposed a change to make Neely Hall the only over-21 residence hall on campus for fall 1996. There were a lot of conflicting opinions on the issue, and USG and RHA were both trying to find out what the students wanted, Kirk said.
Kirk said the USG resolution is unclear to him.
After reading the resolution very carefully a couple of times, all I can say is I wish they could have given some specific time, date, or location where this instance was suppose to have occurred, Kirk said.
Jon Coleman, RHA advisor, said the resolution upset RHA members. He said the issue of RHA being allegedly misrepresented by Jones will most likely come up at the weekly meeting tonight.
Kirk said he feels badly that the people being criticized in the resolution have not been invited to attend the USG meeting Wednesday night to speak in their defense.
I think that it’s unwise for these people to vote on such a big issue without giving the people involved a chance to respond, Kirk said. I believe there are good and sensible people in USG, and I hope that they don’t vote on something until they hear both sides.
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