The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Academic Assembly began the year with what some members called a rough start, but they're optimistic about future progress.

"From the beginning, it's been an interesting situation for all of us," Assembly President Ashley Harris said.

Before the first Assembly meeting in September, Brad Hoagland announced his presidential resignation to Assembly members, citing his need to focus on schoolwork and his unhappiness with USG President Galen Foulke's plans to restructure USG into a streamlined, single-house body.

Harris, who was the vice president of operations at the time, became Assembly president. Leslie Hubbard remained vice president of programming, and Sara Yerger became the vice president of operations.

Hubbard then resigned, effective Oct. 31, because she had received a job offer.

Cathy Neiderer was later named the new vice president of programming.

There was also turnover of members, with three being removed for absences and others resigning.

Removals of one voting and two non-voting members brought to a head the issue of attendance, which was sparse when the semester began.

But Neiderer said the Assembly functions well despite the vacancies.

"We have a great organization without a lot of people there because the people there are dedicated," Neiderer said.

Members drafted and passed a new stringent policy allowing only four unexcused absences and eight excused before being brought up for removal of office. The policy used this semester allowed for 12 absences, excused or unexcused, before a member was brought up for removal.

Many members said they felt this was too lenient and the new policy will create accountability.

Other legislation the Assembly worked on included modifying the ways representatives are elected and Penn State Wiki.

Penn State Wiki would be a forum for students where student groups could post information about organizations, and students could find information about professors.

Many members cited Penn State Wiki as the project of which they are most proud.

George Chriss, faculty senator for the Eberly College of Science, introduced Penn State Wiki, and Assembly, Senate and Foulke approved it.

Chriss said he is currently working on an implementation guide that will include information about the usage of Wiki and the impact it could have on Penn State.

"This is definitely something students can look forward to," Chriss said.

Academic Research and Action (ARA) Chairwoman Katie Winner said she has been working with her committee on putting Student Rating for Teaching Effectiveness (SRTE) forms online to make them more efficient for compiling and collecting information.

Winner said ARA has also been assessing the drop/add period. Winner said she would present legislation about the issue after the winter holidays.

Harris said she is proud of the joint resolutions Assembly and Senate collaborated on because it displays the communication between the branches. One resolution is a legislation that requested the Israel study abroad program to be reinstated at Penn State after being suspended for four years.

Harris said that this semester has been mostly about working out the "kinks," but next semester would be a change.

"I think next semester we're going to see a lot of good things from Assembly," Harris said.

Chriss said he wanted Assembly to have more communication with students.

"I want students to feel proud of and participate in USG Academic Assembly," he said.