Spring Break
Student Senate hopes to increase its visibility
New bylaw would require members to attend on-campus events
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: News
Student Government is tired of Eastern students not knowing who they are. The Student Senate meetings are empty and voter turnout is about 10 percent or less at elections.
In an effort to change this, Student Senate is going to introduce three resolutions and possibly a bylaw change increasing its visibility on campus at its meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Arcola/Tuscola Room at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Student Senate member Mark Olendzki is one of the authors of the bylaw change for campus involvement. It amends the requirements of members while in office.
The main change of the bylaw centers on a constituent involvement requirement. Off-campus senate members have to attend at least one student organization meeting that they are not affiliated with.
On-campus senate members will attend one Residence Hall Association meeting or a residence hall council meeting for a residence that they do not belong to. At-large members can chose either route.
Another change adds a campus involvement requirement requiring senate members to participate in one event, program or meeting on campus that is not an organization the member belongs to. The senate member would then submit a monthly report to the Internal Affairs Chairperson to complete the requirement. Each month the requirements are not completed, the member will receive an absence.
The bylaw change also encourages members to have the option of serving one hour outside the Student Activity Center to help complete their two mandatory office hours per week.
Olendzki said it could be a contentious decision on passing the bylaw change tonight. The past two meetings a bylaw change on restructuring the leave of absence policy and a meeting attire resolution failed to pass.
"I'm hoping to get high passage from Student Senate and be able to show support," Olendzki said. "If you don't go to your constituents, you will be kicked off. This bylaw change does have teeth."
Resolutions expanding campus and constituent involvement are accompanying the bylaw change. These have a better chance of being passed even if the bylaw change is not ratified because they do not have penalties.
"These resolutions are positive ways we want to interact with students," said Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin.
Tiffany Turner, student vice president for business affairs; Ryan Kerch, student vice president for student affairs; Griffin and Student Senate member Jose Alarcon wrote the resolutions.
Alarcon, co-chair of Internal Affairs Committee, said the resolutions are needed.
"Visibility is the only way I think we could help the students (effectively)," Alarcon said.
Two resolutions are to get weekly feedback from students for the Student Senate meetings.
Griffin said this would be accomplished with setting up Student Government issue tables across campus at places like Coleman Hall or the union and asking their constituents about their concerns.
Another resolution is for Student Government to participate in community service. Alarcon feels very passionately on the topic.
"We want people to know that Student Government cares for the elderly, ill, the poor and anyone who needs help," Alarcon said. "We like to give back to the community because we take from the community; it's only fair."
In other business, Griffin said he will announce the appointments for the vacant Student Senate seats at the meeting. He said he was not going to fill all eight seats.
"The rationale was I wasn't going to fill them in for the sake of filling in," Griffin said. "I could tell the difference between the applicants and I knew the type of person I wanted to work with."
The Leave of Absence bylaw change will also be up for a vote again tonight. The bylaw change has failed the last two times it has been up for a vote.
Bob Bajek can be reached 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
In an effort to change this, Student Senate is going to introduce three resolutions and possibly a bylaw change increasing its visibility on campus at its meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Arcola/Tuscola Room at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Student Senate member Mark Olendzki is one of the authors of the bylaw change for campus involvement. It amends the requirements of members while in office.
The main change of the bylaw centers on a constituent involvement requirement. Off-campus senate members have to attend at least one student organization meeting that they are not affiliated with.
On-campus senate members will attend one Residence Hall Association meeting or a residence hall council meeting for a residence that they do not belong to. At-large members can chose either route.
Another change adds a campus involvement requirement requiring senate members to participate in one event, program or meeting on campus that is not an organization the member belongs to. The senate member would then submit a monthly report to the Internal Affairs Chairperson to complete the requirement. Each month the requirements are not completed, the member will receive an absence.
The bylaw change also encourages members to have the option of serving one hour outside the Student Activity Center to help complete their two mandatory office hours per week.
Olendzki said it could be a contentious decision on passing the bylaw change tonight. The past two meetings a bylaw change on restructuring the leave of absence policy and a meeting attire resolution failed to pass.
"I'm hoping to get high passage from Student Senate and be able to show support," Olendzki said. "If you don't go to your constituents, you will be kicked off. This bylaw change does have teeth."
Resolutions expanding campus and constituent involvement are accompanying the bylaw change. These have a better chance of being passed even if the bylaw change is not ratified because they do not have penalties.
"These resolutions are positive ways we want to interact with students," said Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin.
Tiffany Turner, student vice president for business affairs; Ryan Kerch, student vice president for student affairs; Griffin and Student Senate member Jose Alarcon wrote the resolutions.
Alarcon, co-chair of Internal Affairs Committee, said the resolutions are needed.
"Visibility is the only way I think we could help the students (effectively)," Alarcon said.
Two resolutions are to get weekly feedback from students for the Student Senate meetings.
Griffin said this would be accomplished with setting up Student Government issue tables across campus at places like Coleman Hall or the union and asking their constituents about their concerns.
Another resolution is for Student Government to participate in community service. Alarcon feels very passionately on the topic.
"We want people to know that Student Government cares for the elderly, ill, the poor and anyone who needs help," Alarcon said. "We like to give back to the community because we take from the community; it's only fair."
In other business, Griffin said he will announce the appointments for the vacant Student Senate seats at the meeting. He said he was not going to fill all eight seats.
"The rationale was I wasn't going to fill them in for the sake of filling in," Griffin said. "I could tell the difference between the applicants and I knew the type of person I wanted to work with."
The Leave of Absence bylaw change will also be up for a vote again tonight. The bylaw change has failed the last two times it has been up for a vote.
Bob Bajek can be reached 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
The Daily Eastern News encourages on-topic, civil discussion on its articles posted online. It is our policy not to screen comments before they are posted or edit them after they are posted. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic, malicious, libelous or include excessive foul language. The DEN also reserves the right to turn off all comments on any story it deems necessary.
Comments violating copyright law will also be removed.
Users who repeatedly violate this policy will be banned from commenting.
If you have any questions on our comment policy or wish to report a comment that you feel violates these standards, please e-mail a link to the article to our Online Editor at DENNews.com@gmail.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Buy dissertation
posted 6/22/09 @ 5:58 AM CST
Visibility is the only way I think we could help the students - is a great approach I must say.
Post a Comment