Ross Speaks At First Union Meeting

City Councilor Michael Ross (Back Bay, Fenway) spoke to the Boston University Student Union Senate, Executive Board, administrators and interested students last night, encouraging them to make a difference in their community and the city of Boston.

Ross, who got his Masters in Business Administration from BU, said it was important for someone in his position to stay in touch with the students.

“I think I need to stay sharp by listening to the students,” Ross said. “When it came time to run, I looked back to BU, and a lot of people told me not to [since] students don’t vote.

“However, when I look at Warren Towers and some of the dormitories on campus, my eyes roll back into my head,” he said. “I see all these voters.”

Ross said students were an untapped resource in elections.

“At the end of the day when I was counting my votes, there were 300 votes [from students] in an election where 5,000 people were voting,” Ross said. “It changed the way that I look at this campus.”

Ross said students helped to make a difference when he campaigned for extended night-time MBTA hours.

“I could not understand why they shut down at 12:30. It now runs until 2:30 on Friday and Saturday,” Ross said. “That’s not perfect, but it’s a start. There’s five more days.”

Ross asked the students to not only become increasingly involved at BU, but also in the city government.

“I would like to challenge you,” he said. “I would like to invite you to get involved with me, my office, the city and the mayor.”

In addition to Ross’ comments, Zachary Coseglia gave his first presidential address.

“We thought we’d have a scandal-free administration,” Coseglia said. “Michael Moffo has stepped down to focus of academics so here I am in a position I thought I’d never be in.”

Coseglia, a COM senior, stressed the topic of the meeting was to look forward at future initiatives.

“Tonight’s meeting is not about the past — it’s about the future,” Coseglia said. “For the first time in a while, people are paying attention to the Student Union for a variety of reasons.”

Coseglia said he was looking forward to promoting student causes for the upcoming semester.

“We have three months left in our term,” Coseglia said. “Let’s make the most of those three months – not just for ourselves, but for the students.”

Coseglia announced his appointments for the two vacant Executive Board positions. Coseglia said he felt it was important to fill these slots at the first meeting, so the business of the Union could move forward as planned.

“I know it was important to have whatever position that needed to be filled, to be filled as fast as possible,” Coseglia said. “I thought it was an important decision to bring to you today.”

Coseglia nominated Carl Woog as VP of financial affairs and Onaje Crawford as VP of multicultural affairs.

After no discussion on either candidate, Woog was ratified by the senate by a vote of 31 affirmative, zero against, and three abstentions. Crawford, also ratified by the senate, was appointed unanimously, receiving all 34 votes.

Woog, who previously held Union office as a UNI senator, tendered his resignation as a senator last night prior to swearing his oath. Woog also resigned as treasurer of the College Democrats, due to an SAO bylaw stating one may not be treasurer of two student organizations at the same time.

In other appointments on the night, three college government senators were filled. Kristen Reinhardt, a College of Fine Arts sophomore, Uc Ossai, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences freshman, and Meredith Classen, a School of Education freshman, all took the oath and became senators.

According to Student Union Election Commission Chair John Macom, three senate seats remain unfilled from Residence Hall Areas. Macom said a senator was needed from Loretto Hall, Myles Standish Hall and Bay State Road.

In addition to announcing open seats, Macom also said SUEC Vice Chair Bhomika Patel resigned.