The ASSU Undergraduate Senate met last night to confirm a new publications director and consider issues such as constitutional reform and investment disclosure. The Senate also discussed efforts to encourage student group collaboration and approved funding for various student groups.

ASSU President Melanie Kannokada, a senior, updated the Senate on the Executive Cabinet’s efforts to live up to its motto of “execute” with plans to encourage student groups to work together.

“Last quarter we had a [Volunteer Student Organizations] leader summit meeting where we invited student leaders and talked about the importance of collaborating and about funding collaborative projects,” Kannokada said. “[The] ASSU Executive Cabinet has set aside funds, and Vice Provost Greg Boardman has agreed to match them.

“Financial managers will apply to the [SSE Capital Group] and this should encourage collaboration which will increase visibility and turnout for groups, and also alleviate the budget issues from the Senate’s soft cap,” Kannokada added.

She also described plans for a concert to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims, which is scheduled for spring quarter.

Administration and Rules Chair Kai Lukoff, a sophomore, explained his committees’ dialogues to amend the ASSU Constitution in order to provide the Senate with more flexibility.

“We’ve been convening joint meetings between [the Graduate Student Council] and members of the Senate, conducting a constitutional review to see what works and what doesn’t,” Lukoff said. “We want to move items from the Constitution — which are too meticulous and require a two-thirds vote by the GSC, the Senate and the voters to amend — into the Senate’s By-Laws which the Senate can amend itself.

“We’re also discussing ideas including creating an Attorney General position which would be responsible for interpreting leaner rules, and these changes would be up for consideration in the spring election,” Lukoff said.

Communications Chair Rong Xu, a junior, then detailed plans for the Senate’s quarterly “office hours,” during which the Senate members hear complaints and comments in order to address student concerns.

“Last quarter we held them in White Plaza, we had Jamba Juice for students and we received complaints about Stanford Dining and about Graduation,” Xu said. “We collect complaints and suggestions to follow up with students and this year’s office hours are tentatively scheduled for Valentine’s Day. This year it will be on Escondido Road; there should be candy and chocolate and we might have a raffle.”

The Senate then received an update on efforts for investment disclosure from Chair of the Campus Advocacy Committee Andrew Hendel, a senior.

“Last Thursday we met with two members of the Stanford Coalition for Investment Disclosure who want us to take on this issue,” Hendel said. “SCID wants to create a forum between University officials, members of the Stanford Management Company (SMC) and students to discuss investment. They want disclosure of public investments and they want to reform proxy voting to make it more transparent.

“SCID also wants paid student researchers on committees and more regular meetings of the Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility, although we are waiting to get in touch with representatives for SMC or the Board of Trustees before taking a stance,” Hendel explained.

The Senate confirmed co-terminal student Brendan Marten as publications director and junior Alison Ayer as assistant publications director.

According to sophomore Danny Arbeiter, deputy chair of the Senate, Marten and Ayer will serve as advocates for student publications.

“Their responsibility is to fund student publications and work on their behalf by maintaining the Storke Publication Building, helping new groups start up, working on door to door distribution and increasing publicity,” Arbeiter said. “Brendan has four and a half years of experience with the Daily and he’s the most knowledgeable person about publication in Stanford.”

Arbeiter also supported Ayer’s confirmation and looked forward to their efforts and said, “Alison has experience in the real world of publications. They should be contacting publications and soliciting nominations for the publications board to help represent publications at Stanford.”

Finally, the Senate approved funding bills for such groups as the Caribbean Students Association, the Jewish Students Association, Satrang, Fellowship in Christ at Stanford, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, Kuumba African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Nigerian Students Organization, Stanford Black Pre-Law Society and the Stanford Opera society.

Reserve transfers were also approved for Stanford Jazz Orchestra and Stanford Band.