Student Council introduced and discussed four new resolutions last night, including the proposals include a bill to amend the Student Council Constitution, a resolution to support the Curriculum Internationalization Survey and a bill to create a committee in charge of a peer support program. The appointment of a new parliamentarian was also discussed.
Amendments to the Student Council Constitution were introduced by Student Council President Darius Nabors. The bill is co-sponsored by Engineering Rep. Matt White.
"The goal is to make [the constitution] clearer and more concise," Nabors said.
The changes in the constitution include allowing the First-Year Council president and transfer liaisons full-year voting privileges, therefore eliminating the need for fall elections, Nabors said.
The amendment would also require all representatives to serve on the Council's Appropriations Committee.
"We hope that serving on [the committee] will make representatives closer to the people, to the students and the student groups that they represent," Nabors said.
According to Nabors, the changes to the constitution would also make the executive board a non-voting entity in order to allow the members to focus on other aspects of their jobs.
An additional change would allow representatives to elect the Executive Vice President, a position currently elected by the entire student body Nabors said.
The proposed amendments sparked debate by Continuing and Professional Studies Rep. Michael Winn, who expressed concern that the new amendments compromised separation of powers, giving the president too much authority over the Council's activities.
"Everything seems to be falling under executive control and not the representative body," Winn said.
Winn also said amendments left the representatives' power more undefined and open to presidential influence.
"Presidential power is very strong and most people on the Council are persuaded by his opinion," Winn said.
The resolution will be debated and voted on next week and, if it passes, will be put on the spring ballot to be voted on by the student body. A two-thirds majority must approve the amendment.
Tom Bryan, representative of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, sponsored a resolution to support the Curriculum Internalization Survey. According to the resolution, the survey will provide the administration with data that will indicate if the University has "fallen behind its peers" in offering classes in the "history, languages, and societies of Asia, Africa, and Latin America."
A committee in charge of a peer support program as well as the creation of a parliamentarian was also discussed.
According to Darius Nabors, all proposed resolutions will be voted on at a later meeting.
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