Congress passed a bill March 25 amending three aspects of the Students’ Association constitution. The bill may pass if a majority of the student body affirms the amendments in Wednesday’s spring elections.
The amendments would alter student body representation in SA, adding more than 14 positions in the Congress, as well as adding rules pertaining to Students’ Association dues.
Beau Carter, SA president and junior political science major from Farmers Branch, said he and Caleb Orr, sophomore class president and political science major from McKinney, began re-evaluating the constitution last year.
“I think both will close the gap that has sort of come between Congress and the student body to actually inspire action from our Congress members,” Carter said.
The first proposed amendment changes the former process of electing one representative for each 250 students of each academic building to electing one representative for each 250 students of each college, including the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Biblical Studies, Business Administration, Education and Human Services and the School of Nursing. This change may add two to three positions to Congress.
“Representing your building is kind of ambiguous, when it comes to representing those who inhabit the building I think it’s more important to focus on colleges, which may span buildings but show people they’re all of one interest,” Carter said in the SA meeting.
The second proposed amendment would elect 14 representatives from university-sponsored groups across campus, including varsity-level athletic activities and social clubs, in addition to arts, professional development, multicultural, service and activism, and athletics special interest clubs and organizations.
As the floor was opened to debate, a few Congress members expressed concerns of certain departments electing two officers and controlling the SA decisions for their entire college.
“After better analyzing the situation, it’s a situation we would already be in and a situation we don’t struggle with. Which I think is indicative of the character integrity of our Congress and organization,” he said.
The amendment that proposed changing representatives from buildings to representatives elected from colleges passed 22-5-1. The amendment adding 14 positions in Congress passed 25-0.
Wednesday’s ballot will feature the name of the bill addressing these amendments, a brief description, and yes, no, and abstaining voting options.
