This Sunday, the Undergraduate Senate will debate a proposed amendment to the Student Government Constitution. The amendment would empower the SG president to appoint a comptroller and secretary. These are currently elected positions. If the Senate votes Sunday to allow the student body to weigh in on this issue in a referendum this fall, AU students will approve it or strike it down. If voters approve the amendment, the Senate will amend its bylaws to determine how much oversight senators will have over presidential appointees.
On the substance of this amendment issue, one thing is clear: if students give the SG president the authority to appoint a comptroller and a secretary, the Senate must have meaningful oversight over this process. Certainly, a president should have the good judgment to appoint smart, capable students to these posts. But the Senate should be there to ensure that presidents appoint people based on merit and to curb cronyism.
The requirements for the comptroller should also be expanded. The amendment states that the comptroller has to have “taken ACCT-240 (Principles of Financial Accounting) or take the course concurrently while serving in the position to have the position.” However, the Senate should come up with a few more requirements in order to ensure the person holding this position is qualified.
It makes perfect sense for AU students to vote on this amendment. The Senate is right to let the students speak. A referendum could accurately reveal the will of the student body. It could either legitimize a change to the constitution or nip it in the butt. But a lot needs to happen in order for this referendum to be done right.
SG elected officials should work to engage the student body on this issue well before the election this fall. Maybe that means senators should send e-newsletters to constituents. Maybe it means they should hold town hall-like meetings to let the student body weigh in. They can work out the specifics. But on something as significant as amending the constitution, the SG needs to solicit some serious student input.
The student body also needs to take responsibility. Our campus needs to engage much more on SG issues. The SG controls a $590,400 budget this academic year. The Senate and President MacCracken are making decisions that affect every student. People should care about what they do.
