Pubdate: Fri, 25 Feb 2005
Source: Daily Iowan, The (IA Edu)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Iowan
Contact:  http://www.dailyiowan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/937
Author: George Pappas
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)

PUMP NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL

At the Feb. 23 UISG presidential debate, Barry Pump implied that the 
Thompto-Wicklund ticket would lose credibility with the Iowa City City 
Council because the two had worked with Students for Sensible Drug Policy 
to determine the effectiveness of the UI's drug policies.

It's not surprising that Pump can't understand the difference between 
arbitrarily supporting something and putting effort into researching an 
issue that students care about. When drug-policy group members submitted a 
resolution to the Student Assembly, they sent e-mails to Pump asking for 
feedback on what he felt was wrong with it. Pump didn't bother to respond 
to any of the numerous attempts to contact him. He then made it clear from 
his assembly-meeting comments that he was clueless about the program the 
drug-policy group was trying to institute. He made no effort to look into 
the issue on his own and embarrassed himself at the meeting because he was 
unprepared.

UISG President Lindsay Schutte and Vice President Jason Shore both worked 
diligently with the drug-policy group to look into this issue, as did Ryan 
Thompto, but the City Council didn't seem to care. Despite what Pump 
implied, Thompto didn't blindly support the drug-policy group. He was 
skeptical, took time out of his busy schedule to meet with UI 
administrators about the issue, he weighed the facts, and made a decision 
about what stance to take. Other senators who didn't support the resolution 
contacted us and told us their reasons. Pump couldn't even do his job and 
answer an e-mail. What a laugh.

This seems to be a trend with Pump. He can't even meet his current 
responsibilities as University Collegiate Senate executive. How is he going 
to meet the responsibilities of the UISG president? Pump isn't leadership 
material. Pump is a joke.

George Pappas

President, UI Students for Sensible Drug Policy