Students to vote on UA reorganization

A new student government constitution proposed by Undergraduate Assembly member and College junior Larry Kamin, with the aid of UA member and Wharton junior Steve Schorr, will appear as a referendum on this week's election ballot. If adopted, the proposal would define "the heads of all branches of student government" -- including each class president, the chairperson of the Social Planning and Events Committee and the entire UA Steering Committee -- as the student government Executive Board. The new constitution would recognize SPEC and the four class boards as branches of student government and codify the UA's role as the umbrella branch of student government. It would also officially recognize the way University Council seats are to be distributed to UA members -- one to each steering committee member and one to the top vote-getter in each constituency. All undergraduates are allowed to vote on the referendum, including seniors who are cannot vote in the UA elections scheduled for the same days. The proposal needs a simple majority to go into effect, but would only be binding if 20 percent or more of eligible voters cast a ballot. "The referendum is descriptive, rather than prescriptive of a utopian vision," Kamin said. He called the current constitution "outdated and antiquated" and added that if a visitor wished to learn about student government on campus, he would gain an inaccurate picture from the constitution. If the referendum passes, the UA would be allowed to hear requests from any student or group for the annual budget. Currently, the UA is limited to hearing requests from within its own body. It would lower the percentage of eligible voters required to vote on future constitution-amending referenda from 20 to 15 percent. The referendum also changes budget deadlines that Kamin previously called "too complicated." "[The changes] clarify things and describe the state [of student government] as it basically is," Schorr said. It would change some language in the constitution, such as defining workgroups and committees, as well. The new constitution would also eliminate two restrictions regarding workgroups of the UA. It would abolish the 10-person minimum size requirement, the $200 cap on funding for a workgroup and the prohibition against recognized student activities being considered as workgroups or committees of the UA. Kamin said the removal of the 20 percent requirement to pass a referendum is the most important part of his proposal because it allows the student body to enact more referenda. Although Kamin added that he felt very few people would disapprove of the referendum, Schorr said he didn't think the referendum would receive the necessary number of votes to be binding. Schorr predicted that the high number of Greek affiliated candidates running for UA seats would increase voter turnout. But he added that 20 percent of eligible students voting in the election did not guarantee they would participate in the referendum as well.0