During one of his last days holding office, Former Government of the Student Body President Jon Turk explained some successes of his administration, and some of the debate that happened at Wednesday night’s GSB meeting.

One of the final successes of Turk’s 2010 administration was the passing of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 at the Big 12 Student Senate Day on the Hill, which happened last week in Washington D.C.

Turk said by the time he and other members of his cabinet arrived in D.C., the bill had passed the House — and by the time they had left it had passed the Senate as well.

The Act increased tax credits students will get back for higher education expenditures.

Turk said it was the one piece of legislation they wanted to pass.

The idea for the peer-to-peer education program was launched and supported under the Turk administration, with help of current President Luke Roling.

The program currently has the training curriculum set to effectively train students who will present materials to student groups and organizations and has the presentation the students will be giving ready.

The next step for the organization will be to recruit students to give presentations.

Turk said the program should be running by mid-fall next year, as long as Roling continues the program.

Roling said during elections he was a supporter, as well as a creator of the peer-to-peer education program, and would like to see it continued, as it was one thing that would directly affect the student body.

Turk gave an update on the Varsity Theater project.

Turk said he was unable to make it to the last meeting because he was in D.C., but he was briefed on the meeting.

There was a run-through of the theater and, “some aspects of the physical structure of the building need to be repaired; a relatively substantial number,” Turk said.

Turk said that he couldn’t say too much because the lease is still in legal negotiations, but the repairs probably should be done by the property owner, which will call for a higher lease cost.

Turk then voiced his opinion against the project, and said he urges the new senate — which will be sworn in Monday — to carefully consider and possibly reconsider the project.

“The new senate needs to reflect on how much more GSB is willing to spend,” Turk said. “I don’t support this … This could turn into a money trap, and GSB could end up pouring student activity fee money into this.”

Jacob Wilson then said he and a few other senators are working on a resolution that will be introduced to the senate on Wednesday to see how much support the project initially has from the new senate.

Turk also commented on some of the happenings of last Wednesday night’s GSB meeting.

The meeting was about five hours long, due to one bill that was drawn out due to an unclear rule and a Finance Committee who professed to being stubborn.

Turk said he believed the student organization in question, Habitat for Humanity, deserved its funding.

Turk said that due to one line in the bylaws, the Finance Committee has the power to decide allocations funding.

He also noted that nowhere in the bylaws is it delineated how the senate goes about pulling groups from the regular allocations list, or how the groups get referred back to Finance Committee — it all just stems from one line.

Turk said he has been against this way of operation since his time as speaker.

During Wednesday night’s meeting, the senate wanted to give Habitat for Humanity $500 for conference travel and the Finance Committee did not. Even after a compromise which brought the total down to $350, the Finance Committee came to a tie vote.

Finance Director Tom Danielson decided submit his vote, which funded the group the $350.

Turk said the situation was embarrassing and unprofessional, and that is why he decided to give the group the remaining $148.50 out of the Executive Initiative Account if the senators returning to next year’s senate would promise to do an extensive review of the allocations portion of the bylaws.

Turk said he did not ask for any specific bylaws to be changed, and the account is to be used by executives for small projects.

Turk is planning on returning to Iowa State as a graduate student next year.

He will be doing attending graduate school for his master’s in educational leadership and policy studies.