It was out with the old and in with the new for Ohio State’s Undergraduate Student Government yesterday as its 37th senate was sworn in to office. Aftab Pureval and Deb Mason will take over USG duties as president and vice president, respectively.
In his inaugural address, Pureval made tuition costs a priority in his term.
“With the annual tuition hikes, many of us are at risk of being priced out of our university,” Pureval said.
He said USG can only be successful in lowering tuition with the help of empowered students who will call their legislators, educate themselves and vote.
“We have heard that you want to know where your tuition dollars are going – that you want to see the results of those dollars in smaller class sizes and more interaction with tenured professors,” Pureval said.
He also called for a change in the general education curriculum structure.
“With the current GEC system, many of us are too overwhelmed to graduate in four years,” Pureval said. “More flexibility and more options in the GEC will enable you to make the most of your academic experience.”
Pureval also addressed crime in the off-campus area, the need for domestic partner benefits at OSU and the value of his one year in office.
“We have a single year to engage the students of the university and move toward change,” Pureval said. “If we all sit back and wait for change, we will leave it before it is ever realized.”
Mike Goodman and Frank Sasso – outgoing USG president and vice president – gave their farewell addresses.
“We, as an organization, have been successful,” Goodman said. “We have reached and exceeded my personal expectations.”
Goodman also gave Pureval and Mason his tips for surviving the year as USG executive officers.
“Listen, always speak the truth, pinch yourself every once in awhile and remember who the important people are. Whatever you do, do it with integrity and because you believe in it,” Goodman said, addressing Pureval and Mason. “I’m truly honored to pass this organization on – which I believe in so much – to the both of you.”
Herb Asher, USG adviser, swore in the new student government. He poked fun at Goodman and Sasso as part of his speech.
“I always thought that (Sasso) was too nice to be in politics,” Asher said. “I never had that same thought about (Goodman).”
