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1442 W. WISCONSIN AVE AMU 133 MILWAUKEE WI 53233 P: 414.288.7416 F: 414.288.1577

MUSG.MU.EDU

Marquette University Student Government

Alyssa Westling Trent Carlson

Public Relations Director Legislative Vice President

414.288.7672 414.288.5199

alyssa.westling@marquette.edu musg.senate@marquette.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MUSG Senate Approves 2011 Budget and Residential Senator Election Dates

MILWAUKEE – Apr. 30, 2011 – The Marquette University Student Government senate approved the fiscal

year 2011 budget, new election dates for residential senators and two recommendations at its meeting Thursday

night.

The senate unanimously approved the amount of money distributed to each university committee. The 2011

budget will continue distribution to committees to help bring better speakers to campus, offer student events,

provide more student organization allocations and improve senior week activities.

Senators Joe Mahoney, Bill Doerrer, Jennifer Healy, Kaleb Veinhout, Marissa Evans, Julius Niyonsaba and

Adam Rybak proposed that residential senators should be elected annually in the fall at the same time as all

residence hall elections. This will push the residential senate elections ahead one week to be held the third week

of the fall semester. The amendment was unanimously approved.

Senator John Heflin spoke in favor of the amendment: “I think it will make it a lot easier for all e-board

members of hall council because they will get to know the residential senate members at the same time. This

will allow for smoother transitions.”

The recommendation, proposed by President Meghan Ladwig and Executive Vice President Joey Ciccone, to

place a student on the Presidential Search Committee also passed unanimously. The recommendation will allow

one student member to sit on the panel deciding the next Marquette University President.

“For the first time in our academic careers we have the voice to help elect a new President. We need a student’s

voice heard for this important decision,” Ladwig said.

The recommendation to increase financial transparency with Sodexo passed unanimously as well. The

recommendation would take students’ questions from the Spring Sodexo Forum that MUSG senators felt were

not fully answered. The questions relate to the funds collected from meal plans, where the money is distributed,

food quality and how the Office of Administration plans to use the data from student satisfaction surveys in

decision-making regarding its dining services vendor.

“Students are still unsatisfied after the forum. There was a lack of transparency between administration and

students. We feel it is their duty to answer those questions in a more direct manner,” said Doerrer.

-more-

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1442 W. WISCONSIN AVE AMU 133 MILWAUKEE WI 53233 P: 414.288.7416 F: 414.288.1577

MUSG.MU.EDU

Add one - Approvals

President Pro Tempore Joe Mahoney spoke in favor of the recommendation: “Sitting at the Sodexo forum, I

was appalled and still do not understand why information about where the money is distributed was withheld

from students. We deserve that our questions get answered.”

Executive Vice President Joey Ciccone reported that he and President Ladwig met with Sodexo and RHA to

discuss the possibility of holding a Sodexo Student Forum each semester going forward. They stressed having

more student input when reorganizing student meal plans and suggested sending an email to students letting

them know what improvements will be made.

For more information on MUSG’s news and events, visit http://musg.mu.edu or contact the MUSG

office, AMU 133.

The Marquette University Student Government was developed in 1882 as the governing body of the

Marquette community. Its goal is to identify, understand, actively address and represent students'

needs, concerns, and interests through acts of leadership and service which reflect Catholic, Jesuit

ideals and contribute to the betterment of the Marquette University community.

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