The ASUI Senate filled their empty seats Wednesday evening by voting in four new senators — Lindsey LaPrath, Catherine Yenne, Maria Meza and Michael Lejardi.
A Faculty Senate Representative for ASUI last year, LaPrath said she wanted to stay involved with ASUI this year, and the senate was the perfect way to do so.
Taylor Nadauld | Argonaut
Sophomore Michael Lejardi, junior Maria Meza, sophomore Lindsey LaPrath and senior Catherine Yenne are sworn into the ASUI Senate Wednesday night.
She was voted in as first chair by a 9-2 vote, giving her seniority over the other three senators.
“(It’s) very exciting. I’m very blessed to have gotten that,” LaPrath said.
President Cruz Botello said he initially received 16 applications for the positions earlier this month. The number was narrowed down to 10 after applicants participated in a meet-and-greet with other ASUI members last week.
Botello said the new appointments were a long time coming, but the incoming senators proved themselves during their interviews.
“Now they are ready to join us on the floor, and I’m very excited to a see a complete and very driven senate,” Botello said.
Other positions were recently filled in the cabinet. Camille Awbrey, Vandal Entertainment Board chair, said Ryan Donahue will fill the once vacant late night programming position. But Awbrey said the board now has a new vacancy for promotions after the individual in that position stepped down last week.
But the cabinet’s biggest discussion of the afternoon was about the Vandal Shuttle program, an idea Botello and former ASUI President Austin Karstetter ran on as part of their platform during their campaign.
“It’s a lot of the reason that a lot of students supported (Botello),” said Rachel Miller, ASUI lobbyist.
Originally, it was proposed that the shuttle would make stops throughout Moscow, including downtown, certain stores and the campus. It would be available from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends during colder months out of the year. But some cabinet members suggested modifications to the various stops and the hours.
Director of Finance, Everett Boker suggested that ASUI implement a market study before research is conducted into potential costs of the project, to determine whether the student body still wants a shuttle.
The cost was a concern amongst the cabinet, as well as the message ASUI sends by promoting a shuttle.
Botello said Karstetter told him the shuttle would cost $36,000 annually. Of that amount, Botello said $20,000 has already been obtained, but he said Karstetter was not transparent with him about where the money came from.
Faculty Senate Representative Nate Fisher suggested the cabinet consider ASUI’s role in supporting a shuttle.
“What’s the role of ASUI? Is this something we really want to pursue? Because if this is a college cab program, basically, we’re subsidizing people for their drunk midnight rides to and from the bars,” Fisher said. “I mean, is that something that we really want student government to promote or condone?”
Miller offered a different side of the argument, suggesting the shuttle could prevent students from drinking and driving. Interim Director of Student Involvement, Shawn O’Neal, said that the shuttle could also help prevent sexual assaults.
Members of the cabinet said they have not been in contact with Karstetter in terms of the shuttle. Botello said he plans to be in contact with Karstetter soon.
Until then, it remains an idea under discussion by the senate branch. Botello said he needs to make sure ASUI does everything it can to see the project through, but is willing to explain to the student body if the idea is determined infeasible.
Taylor Nadauld
can be reached at
or on Twitter @tnadauldarg