The proposed date to reveal the first draft of the West Virginia University’s Student Government Association Constitution has been pushed back because no feedback has been received from students or SGA members.
SGA Vice President Whitney Rae Peters planned to reveal the draft Dec. 12 but moved it to Dec. 21 in hope the nine-day extension will allow for more feedback.
"I’m hoping once finals are out of the way, students will pay more attention to the changes," Peters said. "I’m not really sure a week will even make a difference."
Peters has worked with a Constitutional Review Committee of five SGA members on updating the old constitution and elections code for more than one year. The current constitution has not been revised in five years, she said.
A blog entry was posted on SGA’s Web site asking for feedback one month ago, Peters said, but it has received only one comment since its posting.
Despite asking for feedback at every SGA meeting and sending out text messages and e-mails, Peters has not heard board member’s opinions on the changes.
"It’s just laziness," she said. "They think we are going to revise it regardless. They don’t understand that we need solid feedback."
Putting the current constitution and elections code on the Web site makes it available for students to give feedback, said SGA President Jason Zuccari. Without feedback, students’ issues with the rewrite will go unknown.
"We don’t know what the big issues will be because someone will always have concern with something," Zuccari said. "Hopefully, as time gets closer, more people will be talking about it."
The rewritten constitution will be voted on by the Board of Governors and then placed on the ballot during SGA elections in February. It is up to the students to vote or pass the constitution, Peters said.
Getting the BOG behind the changes will show the student body it supports the changes, she said.
If she could go back, Peters said she would hold a closed meeting with the BOG to discuss thoughts on possible changes. She is confident she can still get the BOG’s feedback.
"It’s not possible now because I don’t want to have to make everyone meet during finals week," she said. "Once everyone sees the first draft, I think they will be able to provide some feedback."
Safeguarding against cheating during elections is one change the Constitutional Review Committee is working on. Peters said she would like to see voting machines in place of votes through MIX.
Other possible changes discussed include requiring the SGA attorney general to be a law student, moving the elections from February to later in the semester and placing the constitution under a bylaws system.
Peters said in this system it is easier to make changes to the constitution because they do not have to be voted on.
The Constitutional Review Committee is working with Roger Hanshaw, WVU’s associate director of Extension Services and a professional registered Parliamentarian. Peters said Hanshaw has told the committee to make the constitution less wordy.
2 comments