THE UPDATE ON SPECIAL ELECTIONS COMEDY AND DEPRESSION SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND Students question ASUPS Senate’s Read about a comedian’s struggle with performance and depression. VOL. 104, ISSUE 21 SINCE 1910 MAY 1, 2015 authority to call elections. TRAIL NEWS 2 OPINIONS 7 STRUGGLES FOR TRANSPARENCY By PAUL GOUDARZI-FRY Does the ASUPS Vice President just hire their friends to ex- to possibly contentious questions. Jones’ ecutive staff positions? answer? Go to the source and ask. “I think it’s easier to just identify the source of your discontent, talk to that source and Year after year, the perception is that summer plans. From these, we hired the then fi nd solutions. As for me, I’m not try- ASUPS elections are popularity contests, four individuals who we felt would be the ing to create discontent for people, but I and that the ASUPS VP, who makes the best fi t for job,” Hartnig said. do want us to question things. I think a hiring decisions in consultation with the After the decisions were made, ASUPS lot of the time people are reticent to feel President, hires from their friend group. Senate confi rmed the appointments for uncomfortable…Feeling uncomfortable is “It always comes into question when the hiring of the applicants, an act that is a really necessary part of growth,” Jones execs hire individuals they’ve had pre- designed to demonstrate the approval of said. existing relationshps with. No matter how the applicants. However, the disagree- “Nakisha and I are very open to talking strenuous the application process is, ment behind this process originated when to anyone who has questions about our there’s never information released about Jones questioned the transparency of the decision making process,” Hartnig con- why those individuals where hired or what process for the students. fi rmed. qualifi cations they have,” Senator Chair “As a Senator, I always feel strange ap- Senior Senator C.J. Queirolo thinks there Kaitlyn Vallance said. proving Executive [staff ] who were hired as should be more collaboration with ASUPS ASUPS President Nakisha Renée Jones a slate, as opposed to individuals... If we Senate during the hiring process. weighed in about her experiences during did not like one of the hires, we would not “All ASUPS Senate committee meet- the hiring process for the executive team, be able to express our disapproval with- ing all hiring interviews should happen in which was fi nalized on April 15. out voting down every individual hired. It person and not over email over or phone “For me, it’s… trying to balance my dis- makes me feel somewhat powerless in calls,” Queirolo said. “Both the ASUPS agreement about the process that we use expressing my disapproval,” Vallance said. President and the Vice President should in exec hiring, because ultimately, it looks As ASUPS President, Jones has the be present at every such interview regard- like I’m disagreeing with my Vice Presi- power to veto that confi rmation. ing the composition of the President’s dent to some [people],” Jones said. “We “I didn’t know I had the power to veto the Council. Independent Students-at-Large hired execs last week... There was some confi rmation until someone else told me. I should observe these interviews, but that disagreement about that process, and… thought about vetoing it so that we can go requires they be public and in person. I myself am the type who asks questions back and actually provide the information Most importantly the Senate needs to be when I feel like it’s necessary to uncover to people about why we chose the people actively involved in these hiring decisions more about what’s going on.” we chose rather than just approve every- for Executive Directorships. I think we The process of hiring execs to ASUPS body on a blind eye,” Jones said. “How- should seriously consider amending the is overseen by the outgoing executive ever, I decided I would wait to use my veto ASUPS Constitution and By-Laws in order member, other ASUPS staff and people until it’s a matter that will impact the stu- to make the hiring of all Executive Direc- from other departments at Puget Sound. dent body more directly and immediately.” tors more of a collaborative process, and Evaluation of the applicant, according to While no veto took place, Jones’ request to reduce the chances of any confl icts of ASUPS VP Alissa Hartnig, is based on fi ve to get more information about the veto interest going unnoticed.” main factors. process started the rumors that Jones ASUPS will have its last meeting of the “When Nakisha and I were hiring the ex- had actively vetoed some part of the exec semester on Tuesday, May 4. To get in ecutive team, we considered the following hiring process. touch with members of the student gov- when making a decision: Their applica- Following this confusion, the issues that ernment electronically, you may fi nd the tion, their interview, if their values and vi- have been presented revolve around how appropriate member at asups.puget- sion meshed with ours, how comfortable ASUPS deals with questions of transpar- sound.edu/contact/. we would feel working with them and their ency and how students seek the answers PAGE DESIGN/LEANNE GAN May 1, 2015 2 [email protected] NEWS PAGE DESIGN/ANNA GOEBEL ECO CLUB CONTINUES TO WORK FOR DIVESTMENT By ZEINAH “We have found out that 0.2 in private energy, they invest in of getting them to do so,” Smal- “However, as an institution, KARA percent of the endowment port- a third party, so there’s an in- done said. Puget Sound only seems willing folio is invested in the Filthy 15 vestment brokerage firm that the With the endowment totaling to make environmentally-orient- The ECO club at University of (the top 15 coal and mining com- school gives the money to and over $300 million, students from ed policy changes when it is cer- Puget Sound is raising ques- panies), 1.6 percent is in the Car- they invest it, and pretty much the ECO club believe that they tain that these will not threaten tions concerning the private bon Underground 200 (the top we hire them to give us profit. have a right to know where this the school’s financial bottom companies in which the school 200 fossil fuel companies), and And so that money then comes money is being invested, as it line or make it less appealing to is investing. They are concerned 10.9 percent is in private hydro- back to scholarships for the reflects the values of this institu- its targeted prospective student that part of the Endowment fund carbon,” Emily Smaldone, ECO school,” Janssen said. tion. base,” Smaldone said. is being invested in energy com- President, said. “While these The ECO club has not had large “I think it is just something that The school’s investments may panies that are not sustainable. numbers are fairly low, what mat- success in creating a transpar- is really in line with the values of prove to be out of touch with the “We cannot get the information ters to us is not the amount of ency between the student body the community here, and I would values of students, faculty, and about what specific companies it money involved but the political and these investment decisions, like to think that the administra- the Tacoma community, and the is. We basically want to get the statement the University is mak- although they have been trying tion would reflect values that the ECO club is attempting to make Board of Trustees to direct the ing by lending its assets to these to take down this barrier. students hold. And I think they’re things clearer. They are tying to firm that manages our money environmentally damaging com- “Investment transparency just lagging behind at least when support the campus’ goals of to not invest in coal or any other panies.” might be the least likely outcome it comes to environmental is- being more sustainable while extreme energy sources,” club The school’s endowment fund, of this investigation. The manag- sues,” Janssen said. still attaining the school’s yearly member Luke Janssen said. invested in companies in order ers PWP hires to invest its clients’ Puget Sound is conscious of its financial goals. Students involved in the ECO to make profit, goes to school ex- money make their living deciding environmental impact and has “You can invest ethically and club as well of supporters of sus- penses including faculty salaries how much to invest where, and recently complied with student have socially responsible invest- tainable energy sourcing want to and student financial aid. The that information is their intellec- requests for sustainable prac- ment and not affect your bottom find out where exactly this por- school’s supporters, including tual capital—trade secrets, so to tices, including the implementa- line. You can still have the same tion of the money is going. The alumni, donate to the University’s speak. Those managers are not tion of water-refill stations and amount,” Janssen said. ECO club is in the process of in- endowment. legally required to divulge their the abolishment of plastic water vestigating this. “They also have an investment secrets, and there’s little chance bottles at the S.U.B. CONCERNS RAISED WITH SPECIAL ELECTIONS By CHASE having so many students run as serves on the Governance Com- been approved but this is the re- HUTCHINSON write-ins, which prevented voters mittee (of which Vallance is Chair port that was determined by the INFORMATION from seeing the qualifications of and Quierolo a voting member) committee.” ABOUT SPECIAL This past Tuesday there was all those who were interested in along with Nakisha Renee Jones Queirolo had “abstained from an informal ASUPS senate meet- running.