Cabinet looks at budget, elections

Riley McDermid
dm managing editor

The 2000 Associated Student Body Cabinet gathered for the first time Monday to take stock of ASB President Nic Lott's administrative goals and to prepare for the year ahead.

Issues discussed during the 30-minute meeting included upcoming student elections, ASB budget allotment, the formation of student committees and discussion about which programs from the outgoing administration will be continued.

Lott also announced the interim-appointment of Chase Pittman as director of public relations. Pittman served as director of public relations for former president John Joseph. He is a senior majoring in journalism from Cordova, Tenn.

Co-Director of Campus Affairs Jonathan Werne said that the Joseph administration's outreach to transfer students will be continued. The outreach program was originally designed to help transfer students make the transition to Ole Miss more easily.

However, Werne added that international students will now be included in this program as well.

"At least transfer students speak English," said Werne. "What we see now is that international students oftentimes don't even leave their rooms...We have a responsibility to show them how nice a community this is, and to include them,"

Werne's co-director, Annabeth Freeman, is currently working on contacting the student leaders of every student organization on campus.

"We just want to touch base with them," said Freeman. "We want to know what their needs are."

Elections Commissioner Chairman Paul Moore, a former member of the elections commission, said the commission is currently preparing for senior elections.

"We're just working on that right now, getting ready for elections," said Moore. "There've already been some questions about it, so I assume somebody's running,"

Petitions for the upcoming elections are due this Friday and the certification meeting is Monday, April 17. The elections will be held May 4.

All standing commissioners on the election commission must re-submit their applications when a new elections commissioner or co-commissioner is appointed.

All commissioners and suggested appointees will go before the ASB Senate next Tuesday for approval.

Scott Walker, director of student services, announced that a 10-person committee will be decided upon Thursday. The committee will help student services communicate student needs to the ASB.

Treasurer Susan Keith reminded the cabinet the ASB budget for 2000 will be coming up for review in the senate on May 2. Keith urged cabinet members to meet with their Joseph counterparts in order to gauge how much money they will need for program implemented during Lott's term.