Spring Break
Student Senate diversity bylaw may change
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: News
Correction added
The Student Senate diversity requirement might get a facelift tonight at the Student Senate meeting.
The proposed bylaw change is a rewording of the diversity requirement to performing constituent and campus involvement requirements, effectively ending the requirement.
The diversity requirement requires senate members to either help facilitate or plan an event, program or meeting that promotes diversity in the Eastern or Charleston community per semester.
Student Senate members can also help facilitate or plan culturally diverse groups. If members are unable to do either of the two options, they would have to attend at least two diverse events a semester. Student Senate members' experience would be reported and approved by the Diversity Affairs Committee.
Student Senate member Mark Olendzki is one of the writers of the proposed bylaw change. He said out of 26 members last semester, five completed the requirement. He wants more participation.
"It's a manner of clearing things up, fixing a program," Olendzki said. "The problem is that the word is open to interpretation."
Olendzki said part of the problem with the word "diversity" is it could almost mean anything and he does not want to restrict its meaning.
Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin agreed with the bylaw's flaws. "The diversity requirement is wonderful in theory but the way it's being put into practice should be different," Griffin said.
Jose Alarcon, co-chair of Internal Affairs Committee, believes diversity is clearer cut than some of his colleagues.
"Diversity is the interaction with people of other cultures, creeds, skin color or sexual orientation," Alarcon said. "Something like the Democratic and Republican debate is not diverse."
In 2007, the requirement was increased to two meetings a semester, said Omar Solomon, chair of the Diversity Affairs Committee.
Olendzki said if the bylaw change passes, the Diversity Affairs Committee will be weakened, but maybe the organization would be more efficient.
He said last semester the Student Relations Committee had a complaint/suggestion box in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union that was not used, so a box on Student Government's Web site e-mails the concern to the Student Senate Speaker and it's forwarded to the appropriate committee chairs.
In the fall, Solomon was on the diversity affairs committee, yet failed to finish the requirement.
"I, myself, forgot the requirement last year and I looked down on myself like I'm not doing my job because it is a requirement," Solomon said. "I'm not about to make any excuses. I didn't make it. However, I will fulfill the requirement."
"If people are not fulfilling this requirement, I will take full responsibility for it as the diversity affairs chair," Solomon added. "It's my job to be on everybody and I'll do it. There are going to be a plethora of events this semester, so I don't want to see any excuses."
Solomon thinks part of the problem with Student Senate members not fulfilling the requirement stems from receiving only one absence per semester. For a member to be dismissed from the senate, there has to be three absences in a semester, according to the Student Senate bylaws.
"Some senators think that they could take the absence," Solomon said. "Sometimes it seems as though they are apathetic to the fact that they have to complete it. This is in our bylaws, so we should fulfill this requirement. It's as simple as that."
New Student Senate member Brittany Wells said she thinks the bylaw is not hard to follow. Wells said other members cannot be forced to complete it.
On whether imposing a stricter penalty for those who ignore the bylaw would help participation, Wells does not think it would.
"A stricter policy probably won't help because there will be more opposition," Wells said. "Last week, people were nervous about the dress code. The more binding it is, the more people won't be on board."
Griffin does not want to enact a tougher penalty. "It's a personal prerogative," Griffin said. "Not completing the requirement doesn't make you a bad senator."
Solomon pointed to Student Senate member Isaac Sandidge's challenge to the members during the Jan. 14 meeting to do more.
"I take his challenge and issue it back to the senators to fulfill this requirement this semester," Solomon said. "No more excuses; let's just get it done."
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
The Student Senate diversity requirement might get a facelift tonight at the Student Senate meeting.
The proposed bylaw change is a rewording of the diversity requirement to performing constituent and campus involvement requirements, effectively ending the requirement.
The diversity requirement requires senate members to either help facilitate or plan an event, program or meeting that promotes diversity in the Eastern or Charleston community per semester.
Student Senate members can also help facilitate or plan culturally diverse groups. If members are unable to do either of the two options, they would have to attend at least two diverse events a semester. Student Senate members' experience would be reported and approved by the Diversity Affairs Committee.
Student Senate member Mark Olendzki is one of the writers of the proposed bylaw change. He said out of 26 members last semester, five completed the requirement. He wants more participation.
"It's a manner of clearing things up, fixing a program," Olendzki said. "The problem is that the word is open to interpretation."
Olendzki said part of the problem with the word "diversity" is it could almost mean anything and he does not want to restrict its meaning.
Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin agreed with the bylaw's flaws. "The diversity requirement is wonderful in theory but the way it's being put into practice should be different," Griffin said.
Jose Alarcon, co-chair of Internal Affairs Committee, believes diversity is clearer cut than some of his colleagues.
"Diversity is the interaction with people of other cultures, creeds, skin color or sexual orientation," Alarcon said. "Something like the Democratic and Republican debate is not diverse."
In 2007, the requirement was increased to two meetings a semester, said Omar Solomon, chair of the Diversity Affairs Committee.
Olendzki said if the bylaw change passes, the Diversity Affairs Committee will be weakened, but maybe the organization would be more efficient.
He said last semester the Student Relations Committee had a complaint/suggestion box in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union that was not used, so a box on Student Government's Web site e-mails the concern to the Student Senate Speaker and it's forwarded to the appropriate committee chairs.
In the fall, Solomon was on the diversity affairs committee, yet failed to finish the requirement.
"I, myself, forgot the requirement last year and I looked down on myself like I'm not doing my job because it is a requirement," Solomon said. "I'm not about to make any excuses. I didn't make it. However, I will fulfill the requirement."
"If people are not fulfilling this requirement, I will take full responsibility for it as the diversity affairs chair," Solomon added. "It's my job to be on everybody and I'll do it. There are going to be a plethora of events this semester, so I don't want to see any excuses."
Solomon thinks part of the problem with Student Senate members not fulfilling the requirement stems from receiving only one absence per semester. For a member to be dismissed from the senate, there has to be three absences in a semester, according to the Student Senate bylaws.
"Some senators think that they could take the absence," Solomon said. "Sometimes it seems as though they are apathetic to the fact that they have to complete it. This is in our bylaws, so we should fulfill this requirement. It's as simple as that."
New Student Senate member Brittany Wells said she thinks the bylaw is not hard to follow. Wells said other members cannot be forced to complete it.
On whether imposing a stricter penalty for those who ignore the bylaw would help participation, Wells does not think it would.
"A stricter policy probably won't help because there will be more opposition," Wells said. "Last week, people were nervous about the dress code. The more binding it is, the more people won't be on board."
Griffin does not want to enact a tougher penalty. "It's a personal prerogative," Griffin said. "Not completing the requirement doesn't make you a bad senator."
Solomon pointed to Student Senate member Isaac Sandidge's challenge to the members during the Jan. 14 meeting to do more.
"I take his challenge and issue it back to the senators to fulfill this requirement this semester," Solomon said. "No more excuses; let's just get it done."
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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