The proposed Undergraduate Assembly reform has been a hot topic this semester, and has frequently been mentioned in the pages of the DP. This week, Penn students finally have the opportunity to vote on whether or not there should be a directly elected UA president and vice president — replacing the current system where the top positions are elected internally. And as we’ve stated before, we support changing the current system. But the referendum needs student support.
In order for the referendum to pass, 20 percent of the student body needs to vote, and a majority of those students need to vote yes. Take a few minutes to visit PennStudGov.com by Friday at 5 p.m. and cast your vote.
The head of the UA serves as an important liaison between the student body and University administration. A schoolwide vote allows all students to have the opportunity to vote on their public face, increasing his or her accountability to the average Penn student.
Direct elections of a UA president and vice president could also potentially lead to more substantive campaigns. The candidates for the positions would participate in debates and reach out in their campaigns to a number of student groups who are affected by the UA’s policies. While these initiatives are by no means a guarantee that the student body will pay more attention to the issues when it votes, it is worth it to try to increase student engagement.
