Students propose UA reform

Students frustrated with the Undergraduate Assembly's structure proposed constitutional reforms at a meeting attended by UA members and concerned students last night. College senior Riz Shavelle posted the suggestion for the meeting on the UA's newsgroup, upenn.undergraduate-assembly earlier this week. This post follows from a string of posts by various concerned students who saw a need for structural changes in the the current student government -- starting with the UA. "Our main focus was to draw people who were concerned with reforming student government," Shavelle said. "I'm pleased with the turn-out." UA Chairperson and Wharton junior Dan Debicella and UA Steering representatives Dan Schorr and Mosi Bennett were also present at the meeting. However, some questioned the presence of these members. "I question the UA members jumping into the bandwagon," said Shavelle. "If they were serious to get the UA to work, why did it take them 11 weeks to do this?" Shavelle also said she believes that reforms to the UA's Constitution would take on the role of a grassroots movement, which would deal with existing problems, such as the elections process. "[When voting], I don't know what these people stand for because of the gag rule -- it's a popularity contest,"she said. Students also brought up specific problems and suggested possible solutions. College junior Mike Nadel, who is also Junior Class vice president of corporate sponsorship, proposed a change in which certain student governments would be put under the power of the Student Activities Council. "I don't understand why they are beyond ordinary SAC groups -- SCUE, SPEC, Class Boards -- why do these groups have special status?" Nadel said. "[They] should be treated in the same light as Connaissance, who is [mentioned] in SAC's by-laws." "We need one student government," he added. Schorr said his proposal involved merging the SAC finance committee with the UA budget committee. Schorr also said he believes the nominations portion of the Nominations and Elections Committee should be run by the UA. "I think elected people should serve on University committees and elected people should [decide] how student money is allocated," said Schorr. Engineering junior Carter Page, who was responsible for posting the only minutes from a UA meeting thus far on upenn.undergraduate-assembly, said he is a concerned student. He agreed with Shavelle's idea that the Constitutional reform process should be mostly run by students, and not UA members. "I think that the primary force behind it should not be Dan Debicella -- it should be the constituency outside the UA," Page said. "I agree with Mike Nadel's idea, for the assimilation of SAC into the UA," said Page. "This would focus energies on focal problems." "The UA hasn't worked in the past -- putting SAC into it is a good idea," he added. Debicella said, however, that student government reforms should not be seen as a direct reaction to this year's UA. "This is in no way a reflection on the job of the current UA," he said. "The current UA is doing more than any other UA."