Student Council representatives will meet tonight to discuss changes proposed last week to amend the organization's constitution and bylaws. Some possible alterations -- particularly a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate the transfer student liaison's and first-year representative's voting rights -- have led to debate among Council members.
Both the transfer student liaison and the first-year representative positions are relatively new to Council, having been added within the past decade to give new students a voice in student government. These representatives' right to vote, however, is an even newer policy.
"This is the first year that [both the liaison and the representative] have been able to vote for both semesters," Vice President for Administration Jack Wilson said, noting that "initially, the transfer student and first-year student liaison served to have a voice, but no vote in the Council."
Wilson added that the new proposal would be more in line with the original intent of the two positions.
"We are trying to achieve the equilibrium that first existed," Wilson said.
Transfer Student Liaison Jason Goldstein, however, said he is concerned that the possible change would limit the representation of University transfer students, who he said have a unique college experience and perspective.
"Most students don't understand what it's like to be a transfer student," Goldstein said.
Part of the challenge for Council is determining how transfer students should be counted in representation, Goldstein explained. The number of representatives on Council -- which takes into account both undergraduate and graduate schools -- is determined by the number of students enrolled in each school, he said.
If transfer students are given a vote both within their collective schools and with an additional council liaison, it becomes an "issue of double representation," Goldstein said.
Wilson also noted the double representation granted to these groups, but offered a different perspective on how the issue should be resolved.
"Transfer students belong in their school," Wilson said. "They're [already] counted towards the number of representatives."
Fourth-year transfer Pamela Strong, a Commerce student, said she believes transfer students' voices should be heard within Council.
"I think that transfer students sometimes have a different perspective on issues at U.Va.," Strong said, noting that the transfer liaison position also "is a good thing because it was another opportunity for transfers to get involved."
Wilson noted that Council's mission is to meet the needs of all students.
"We need to make sure that we do it fairly," he said.
Council will meet tonight to review the amendments and further discuss the proposed changes to its constitution, although voting will not take place until next week at the earliest.
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