The Constitutional Revision Task Force furthered discussions on issues such as voter and candidate eligibility last Thursday as they met for the second time to look into possible changes to the student body constitution.
Concerns with part-time students voting for and running in student body elections prompted the need for some of the meeting’s main points. The task force also discussed term limits for senators and GPA requirements for elected student body positions.
Micah Wilson, a senior in parks, recreation and tourism management, made the proposal to limit students to 10 semesters in Student Senate. Wilson said 10 semesters was sufficient because some degrees take more than four years, but a student should have made his or her mark before reaching six years.
“It would keep students from abusing the system,” Wilson said.
In response, some task members said they felt like the shorter term limit would be more beneficial and would encourage students to run for positions within the executive branch.
Tierza Watts is the associate director for the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service and adviser to Student Senate President Zach Adams. She said she hoped for even shorter term limits.
“After three years, we should be encouraging people to be involved with [the executive branch],” Watts said. “Some students are being slugs and aren’t taking advantage of their position.”
Because the task force did not reach a conclusion, they moved onto voter eligibility.
Student Body President Will Quick proposed that any fee-paying student, part-time or full-time, should be allowed to vote in student body elections.
Task force members said they felt that some full-time students don’t find it fair that they pay so much money to the University and have the same vote as someone who only pays for one or two classes a semester. However, others said they felt that “fee-paying” meant they should get a vote, just like paying taxes allows citizens to vote in national elections.
“Bill Gates pays $5 million in taxes, I pay $500 and I have the same voice in my country,” Sen. Benton Sawrey, sitting in for Student Body Treasurer Adam Compton, said.
The voter eligibility stance outlined by Quick that all fee-paying students, part- or full-time, should be allowed to vote was the only conclusion the task force reached.
When the board moved to candidate eligibility, Will Quick referred to student body constitutions from other schools such as Georgia Tech to show that the constitution can be arranged however is seen fit and that it need not be limited by the way things have been done in the past. He also urged that elected positions should be held by full-time students only.
“The four student body elected positions should be full-time, fee-paying, in-good-standing students,” Quick said.
One of the biggest arguments the board faced is whether or not part-time students should be allowed to run.
“It is inappropriate to let part-time graduate students run. Some students are part-time because they don’t want to pay as much,” Heather Shay, the University Graduate Student Association president, said.
According to Shay, a majority of graduate students are part-time.
The task force discussed a GPA requirement as the last point of candidate eligibility. The current constitution allows for students in good standing with the University to run. However, there is no clear definition of “in good standing.”
The group brought up a GPA requirement of 2.5, but reached no conclusion.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford ended the meeting by advising the group to determine who is part of Student Government, and from there determine who can vote and run for positions.
The group will meet again Thursday, July 13.