Council updates made up the bulk of the Associated Students of USU’s Executive Council meeting Tuesday.

During his council update, Executive Vice President Spencer Lee announced that an e-mail, savehighered@gmail.com, has been launched to facilitate students in writing state legislators about upcoming budget cuts. Students are encouraged, Lee said, to send a one- to two-paragraph e-mail containing their name, county where family lives, parents’ names, major, year in school and a personal experience of how budget cuts at USU have negatively affected their education. The letters will be presented either personally or electronically elected officials in Salt Lake City.

“This e-mail can take you five minutes,” Lee said after the council meeting.

Lee has commented frequently, in meetings and at activities, on the importance of students being aware of the university’s financial concerns and again in an interview with The Utah Statesman, Lee detailed some of the concerns surrounding budget cuts.

“If we are not cut additionally, to deal only with that $13 million (of existing reductions) we will have to cut 50-60 faculty,” Lee said.

Lee said he hopes to accomplish more with the student testimonials than the petitions that were given to state officials during last year’s budgetary season. In sending the students’ letters, Lee said that instead of saying “fix it,” he wants to give legislators clear, coherent options, namely utilizing some of the roughly $300 million in the Rainy Day Fund and reinstating the grocery tax that was reduced last year.

“We are saying ‘It is raining,’” Lee said of the Rainy Day Funds.

Lee spoke with noticeable urgency about the campaign he is undergoing to lobby for lower cuts. He said the state, through taxpayers, pays for two-thirds of students’ higher education, which comes out to $8,000 to $9,000 a year for each full-time USU student. Students who do not graduate on time, as a result of class decreases due to cuts, stand to cost the state more than it saves through budgeting.

“We will literally have thousands of students, statewide, who will not graduate on time,” Lee said.

Lee said he hopes every student will take the time to send their experience to the Save Higher Ed e-mail. He is planning to meet personally with as many state legislators as possible, and in those meetings he plans to present letters from students that live in the official’s particular county. Those legislators that Lee and his associates are unable to visit personally will be forwarded their constituents’ e-mails, as well as those exceeding what is personally presented.

“We are going to strategically forward on these e-mails little by little, a couple a day,” Lee said.

Lee said he hopes to present the hard copies in person to each legislator.

“Am I, Spencer Lee, going to able to talk to every one of them? No, but I’m sure going to try,” Lee said.

In other council business, Service Vice President David Knighton said the Val R. Christensen Service Center is looking for contestants for the USU’s Biggest Loser competition. Students will learn about healthy living habits and receive points for shedding pounds. A $30 participation fee is required and prizes, like a one-year membership at the Sports Academy, will be awarded.

Knighton also reported on Stuff A Bus, saying that around 20,000 pounds of food have been collected so far. An extra effort will be required in the remaining weeks to reach the 40,000-pound goal.

Athletics Vice President Jeremy Winn reminded council members that Friday’s football game against Boise State University will run on ESPN2. A tailgate party is planned from 5-7 p.m. before the game, where USU dancing group Velocity will perform and a dance-off may be held between USU and BSU students.

In a light-hearted moment during the meeting, Winn commented on his hopes for the football team’s performance.

“Hopefully we can hang in there during the game. If we win we’re tearing down the goal posts,” Winn said.

Lee replied, “If we beat them, we’re tearing down the north end zone complex.”

– b.c.wood@aggiemail.usu.edu