The Undergraduate Assembly is trying to figure out exactly how much it should resemble the United States Congress.
Student leaders have struggled to define their role on campus throughout the UA's history, but the student government branch's executive board took one step toward outlining a clear purpose last night.
UA executive board members presented guidelines last night outlining what aspects of proposals will be judged for suitability before they can be brought before the UA for a vote.
The guidelines address the body's relevancy, possible impact, legitimacy and mission in implementing proposals brought to the body by UA members.
The creation of the guidelines are a result of an influx in national issues being brought to the UA executive board.
"This year in particular, our members have been interested in issues not confined by the Penn bubble," UA Vice Chairman and College senior Zack Rosenblum said.
Such national issues include student debt, divestment in Sudan and the Patriot Act.
In November, the UA passed a proposal that called on congressmen to address the issue of student debt and supported Penn President Amy Gutmann's goal of boosting scholarship aid.
The UA followed through on this proposal by sending letters to Pennsylvania congressmen.
UA Chairwoman and College senior Rachel Fersh said that she believes that the student debt proposal would have passed the guidelines, but may have needed to be formulated differently.
Rosenblum, however, doesn't agree that the student debt proposal had enough influence.
"The issue was going to be decided in Washington," Rosenblum said. "Our proposal didn't have the impact I would have liked it to have."
Other members of the UA disagree with the executive board's definition of the UA's roll on campus.
UA member and College senior Spencer Scharff recently brought a proposal before the executive board pertaining to the Patriot Act.
The proposal has not yet been brought before the body, and according to Fersh, it does not fit the new guidelines as it currently stands.
But Scharff feels as though his proposal has the tangible effect of "sparking debate on campus."
"Bringing national issues up is uncharacteristic to the UA," Scharff said. But "bringing something different to the UA is good."
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