Potts and Ruminski call for fair student-body allocations

Tara Deering
February 10, 1997

Editor’s note: This is the first of five profiles on the slates running for Government of the Student Body president and vice president. The profiles will run through this week.

LaRhonda Potts and Rob Ruminski say they want to bring a sense of fairness back to Government of the Student Body allocations.

Potts, 21, is a senior in business management and management information systems from Kansas City, Mo. Ruminski, 19, is a sophomore in history from St. Louis, Mo.

Potts and Ruminski are vying to become next year’s GSB president and vice president, respectively.

“In past years when it came time for allocation for different organizations it seemed the Senate was biased in the way they allocated money,” Potts said. “And an example of this is the Black Student Alliance. When we have asked for $4,000 they would try to cut the total in half and they would give us the run-around. When they recently sponsored the new sports club for about $6,000 they didn’t have any questions.”

Potts and Ruminski were critical of GSB support for the upcoming Big Eight Conference on Black Student Government. Ruminski said BSA received so little support from GSB that it had to go to ISU President Martin Jischke and the Ames community for money.

Ruminski said the allocation for the Big Eight Conference turned into a debacle with insults, accusations and disrespect among GSB members.

“The whole idea of our campaign is to work in the interest of the student body,” Ruminski said. “We’ve seen some very, very questionable judgement as far as GSB taking the side of the administration instead of taking the side of students.”

Potts and Ruminski were also critical of GSB President Adam Gold for not supporting members of The September 29th Movement sanctioned by the Office of Judicial Affairs.

“I would like to have a representative from the cabinet attend the weekly meetings of the minority organizations and act as a liaison,” Potts said. “I want to get minority organizations involved in GSB, so minority and international students know about GSB.”

“Diversity is something everyone on campus can contribute to,” Ruminski said.

Another important issue for Potts and Ruminski is research. “I think what we need to advocate to the interest of the student body … is working with the university to help explore a better balance between professor teaching duties and the amount of research dollars they encouraged to hiring,” Potts said.

Potts and Ruminski said it is important for the students to know that with them, it’s a team effort. “We are running not as one person with the other person thrown on, but we work as a group and if there is a problem we come to a solution together,” Potts said.

“We really want the student body to know that they’re voting for two independent minds working together to come up with solutions,” Ruminski added.

LaRhonda Potts is a senior in business management and management information systems from Kansas City, Mo.

Rob Ruminski is a sophomore in history from St. Louis, Mo.

Where They Stand

* Responsibility in the use of student fees

– Consistency in allocation

process

– Fair, unbiased allocations

* Reform of GSB Senate

– Keeping senators responsible

to constituents

– Bringing respect to Senate