MERN T TE UNIVERSITY February 14, 2007 • Volume 1 0 5 , Issue 5 • http://www.northern.edu/exponent/index.html NSU Exponent NSU hosts big basketball Seymour Hall 101 action. Newsroom: 605-626-2534 See page 13. Check it out on page 10. Advertising: 605-626-3378 Fax: 605-626-2599 Photo by Cody Papke. Photo by Exponent Staff. Email: [email protected] NSU interns make their presence known in Politics Kale Miller concerned, I do a wide variety of said. Campus Reporter things. I respond to emails, write "I think that this internship newspaper articles, help them will be a great starting off point he state capital is with their computers, write for my future. There is nothing bustling once again as commemorations, get sponsor that I don't like- I'm an optimistic the 2007 South Dakota signatures for bills, etc." kind of gal when it comes to T opportunities like this- once in a Legislative Session commences "With my committees, I work on Tues., Jan. 9, in Pierre. with the committee secretary to lifetime. I hope the rest of the This year commemorates the set up the agenda for each internship goes well for all of 82nd Legislative session, and 22 meeting according to the chair's those involved and that the rest of college students have been wishes. I have enjoyed my time the session goes well", Meyers selected as interns each year since here as an intern thus far. I have said. the 1970s to help with the met a lot of people and made a lot When talking about the daily legislators. of contacts. I hope my internship activities that they are faced with, Young men and women from continues to go well as I serve the most interns stated their day across the state applied to the Senators," Vostad said. started between 7 or 7:30 a.m. program this year. Northern NSU Alumna Sharna and work ceases at 5 sometimes 6 State University students Thomason, is also working with p.m. They can also take a class on represent six of the interns the Senate, on the Democratic Mon. nights assisting the Legislature. side. "Throughout the internship, if According to the Intern "Though I do work for four you take the class offered on Manual from the Legislative Senators (Heidepriem, Nesselhuf, Mon. nights, you have the chance to meet the leadership of our Internship Program, in order to Kloucek, and Hanson) I end up NSU 2007 Spring Semester Political Interns. be a Legislative intern, a person working for all the Senators- state government, including the must be a student at an Republican or Democrat, every said. "You meet a wide variety of said. "It gives me a chance to Governor, Lieutenant Governor, accredited college or university, day is unpredictable. When it all people from all across the state of observe the legislature and Majority and Minority Leaders, and it does not matter what boils down, it really is about S.D. This session has been very politics in action and get involved and various other positions program or major of study the teamwork and compromises. I interesting thus far and I believe in the process. Also, it gets me required to complete the student is studying, or what would like to strengthen my that it will remain interesting" away from the classroom. I (just) legislative process," Hargens said. political party they claim. people/communication skills, Hargens said. hope it does not get too busy. The "During the (Legislative After an application process, through this experience" "A lot has changed just in the legislature has a reputation for Issues) class, you have the the next step was an interview Thomason said. few years from when I was a doing things at the very end, opportunity to ask any questions with members of the Legislative "I've learned that even though house page, such as the number procrastinating until the last you see fit to these respectable Research Council. political parties do come into of Democrats and the number of weeks of the sessions and doing people." Interns were selected based on play quite a lot, Senators really Republicans in each house of the all night sessions to get bills The interns can receive academic performance, work are trying to work together for legislature. You definitely learn passed and finished." academic credit for their experience, letters of the good of S.D." and have many opportunities "I was assigned to participation, depending on their recommendation, interest, and Thomason said she has a that other internships may not Representatives Pederson and college or university. NSU is one maturity. The intern is then multitude of duties, including offer you" Hargens said. Cutler. Rep Pederson is the chair of the universities that provide assigned to an individual Sitting in on State Affairs The House of Representatives of the Transportation Committee credit hours, regardless of the legislator, a group of legislators, Committee and Commerce has the majority of NSU interns and Rep Cutler is the chair of the major. or a standing committee. Committee, taking notes and serving them. On the Republican Judiciary committee; I am also Interns also receive a $120 a The duties of the intern vary summarizing the bills that pass side, there are three- Senior assigned to their committees. I day stipend for their work. This slightly based on what their the committee, replying to Ashley Glynn, LaMoure, N.D.; really like doing my job. I'm stipend is usually used for assignment is. The interns are constituent letters, researching Senior Warren Berry, Kadoka; pretty busy" Meyers said. housing, food, transportation or spread throughout the Senate bills to check what states have and NSU alumna Becky Meyers, According to Meyers she is other expenses. and the House of bills like it, or what their policies Aberdeen. learning a lot and the experience This year's regular session lasts Representatives. on the matter are, comparing "I work primarily with is preparing her well to study for until March 6, and after a two- Junior Stephanie Vostad, Volga similar bills in hopes to reach a Representative Turbiville and a law degree. week break, the legislature is the only NSU intern for the compromise with both sides. Krebs. But some days, I work for "I found out that many Reps returns for their final day on Senate Republicans. Junior Kristin Hargens, Orient, up to seven representatives, and Senators are attorneys, March 26. "I work with five Senators is the intern for the Democratic including working for the whips," retired military personnel, For more information (Lintz, Garnos, McNenny, Napoli side of the House of Glynn said. "So far, I have been farmers and ranchers, etc. It's regarding the Legislative Session, and Duenwald) and three Representatives. doing a ton of research; for nice to hear the stories that the or the Legislative Internship committees (Transportation, "The legislative internship is a example, the components of legislators tell about past Program, you can call the LRC Taxation and Ag and Natural great experience for any college lethal injections for Rep. sessions. Most of all, I like just Office in Pierre at (605) 773-3251 Resources)," Vostad said. student who finds the legislative Turbiville." getting the opportunity to work or go to the website: "As far as my Senators are procedure interesting," Hargens "I love the internship," Berry with our legislators," Meyers http://legis.state.sd.us/index.aspx South Dakota Senator censured Kale Miller According to Sutton's campaign Sutton was the subject of a Senate Page Program for high school legislative documents, running Campus Reporter website, Sutton served as Student hearing investigating the allegations. students has. Estimates show that errands for legislators, answering Association President, Vice The South Dakota Senate voted to applications for the program were phones, assisting in the Legislative he South Dakota President and Senator during his censure Sutton 32 to 2, after down forty percent. Although the Post Office, and attending committee meetings. They may be Legislature has been in time at Northern State University defeating a motion that would have pages do not feel influenced by the the spotlight lately, with With these charges, the safety of expelled the senator. In order to be events, housing applications must assigned to a specific group of T now be approved by their parents, a legislators, but it is also their allegations that a Senator acted high school pages and college interns expelled, a two-thirds of the vote of obligation to assist any and all inappropriately with a Legislative has been in question. As the 2007 the Senate was needed. The motion page coordinator and the host may Page last year. Charges against Sen. Legislative Session began, legislators was voted down 14 to 20. This is family. legislators as the process Dan Sutton — D, Flandreau, a got ready for the six hundred bills possibly the first time that SD Senate According to the Legislative require." Pages receive a compensation for Northem State University alumnus, expected to be introduced this has censured one of it's own. Research Council's website, a new set their work, usually used to cover came about after reports that he session. Unlike most years, the hills Although the Intern Program for of pages go to work in the capital housing, meals, and other living fondled a high school aged male were not the only things on the college students has not been about every two weeks. Their main serving as a page, a year ago. legislatures minds. For three days, affected by the Sutton situation, the duties include "distributing expenses. News 2 Wednesday, February 14, 2007 News Exponent Students , Faculty voice opinions on new Technology Center So Young Yang "I never want to teach in any of "There is much more space and as they were, but the perception of Moreover it is a better working Campus Reporter the windowless basement it has a much nicer view of the them has changed.