Former Student Government Comptroller Matt Handverger opened the Nov. 15 Undergraduate Senate meeting by raising concerns during Public Comment that Artemas Ward Week was not adequately prepared for and advertised — concerns that Vice President Alex Prescott later disputed.
Prescott, whose office oversees the annual event, said Student Activities numbers showed as many students attended Artemas Ward Week events as in past years. The numbers are based on how much food is eaten, he said. So “either kids were hungrier or there were as many people as in years before,” Prescott said.
Handverger said he never saw advertising for the event, which is the “first way SG gets its name out there,” or any activities on the Main Quad. He expressed concern that Founders’ Week in the spring would end up similarly.
SG Secretary Colin Meiselman said he thought SG “got one Today@AU in” advertising the event.
“I remember this being very put together last second,” he said, when senators asked him about Handverger’s concerns.
Natalie Kirkpatrick from the SG design department and an Eagle Staff Writer, said requests for Artemas Ward Week posters came in two weeks in advance, but the schedule that was to be printed on the poster arrived three or four days in advance.
Prescott said the office was waiting on the University Event Service to approve the schedule and the posters could not be printed without room information.
Prescott said he heard complaints through Eagle Rants and constituents wondering where Artemas Ward Week was.
There was difficulty with two of the week’s events, and one event was canceled, he said.
An event with Caribbean Circle was canceled hours before the event since the event was in a Bon Appetit venue and was going to supply an entire meal, which would compete with Bon Appetit. Thus, the catering proposal was rejected.
Another event, a barbeque before the men’s soccer game against Army, also encountered an obstacle. Prescott and everyone who checked the contract with the company catering the barbeque missed a mistake in the contract. The contract said the barbeque was on a Saturday when it was supposed to be on a Sunday. Prescott said he received a phone call from the caterers on Saturday saying they were here. The event was pushed to its intended date for a fee which the SG paid for with funds leftover from the Artemas Ward Week budget.
Anthony Dunham, former Speaker of the Senate who is representing Sen. Elijah Mercer, requested a Senate committee, the Committee on Campus Life, examine the “alleged malfeasance.”
Sen. for the Class of 2010 Steve Dalton also questioned when Prescott had last presented a written report to the Senate. According to SG bylaws, executives must present bi-weekly reports to the Senate.
Prescott said he thought written reports were an optional addition to the oral report. He found out about a week and a half ago that the reports were required, he said. He did not submit a report to the Senate this week since he was working on his written final report, he said.
Handverger told The Eagle he thought a Senate committee was the appropriate way to address Prescott not completing written reports and to investigate this year’s Artemas Ward Week.
“[Senators] should make a committee to investigate like they didn’t with me,” he said.
Handverger said he has wanted to express concerns to the Senate for awhile, but was waiting for the excitement regarding his impeachment proceedings at the beginning of the year to cease.
You can reach this staff writer at landerson@theeagleonline.com.
