Last week, Student Senate voted unanimously to make two revisions to the Senate Constitution. These Senate-approved revisions will be added to the election ballot that students will vote on starting Wednesday.
Two-thirds of the students will have to approve it in order for the constitution to be changed.
The first revision will require that, in order to hold a student body office (president, vice-president, secretary), students must have previously served as a member of Senate or as a general member of a senate committee.
Ed Board does not agree with this portion of the referendum. A person can run for president of the United States and never have served an elected office anywhere. Why have this requirement for student body officers?
People without SMU Senate credentials running for officer positions would allow for a fresh perspective in Senate – during the campaign and if that candidate was elected. Most of the candidates running have said diversity is something they are striving for. What better way to get a different voice than from a constituent-turned-officer?
Current Student Senate President Taylor Russ said that anyone can be a general member of Senate. “People can become a general member in January and then run for an office in February,” he said. “It’s just so they can have some understanding of the way Senate works.” Russ went on to explain that the Senate doesn’t want people to run for a major office without having any understanding of the details of the job.
The second revision will require that undergraduate students in Senate have at least a 2.5 grade point average. The current GPA requirement is a 2.0.
Ed Board fully agrees with this proposed revision.
For crying out loud, you have to have at least a 2.25 or 2.5 (depending on if you are a guy or girl) to go through Greek recruitment! Hopefully our student leaders can manage at least that. If not, that time should be devoted to studying – not leading. If freshmen can do it to be able to get a bid from their coveted house, surely Student Senate members can do it as well.
The main thing that Ed Board wants you to remember is to vote on Wednesday and Thursday at smu.edu/elections. It will only take a couple of minutes out of your allotted Facebook time, and it is extremely important to elect Student Body Officers as well as vote on this referendum. So research everything yourself in order to cast an educated vote.
