Listening Session Today

We’re holding a final listening session on the first draft of the proposed constitution today, Wednesday, October 22, from 5-6 PM in 1131 Humanities. Pizza will be provided.

Upcoming Listening Sessions

ASM held two listening sessions last week on the first draft of the constitution (read about these sessions here), and is holding an additional two next week. These are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend. The Wednesday listening session will be tailored to GSSF student groups funded by the Student Services Finance Committee.

Tuesday, October 14, from 12-1 at the Health Sciences Learning Center, Room 1325

Wednesday, October 15, from 7-8 at Memorial Union, TITU

Constitution at ASM Student Council Meeting tonight, and a new overview document

At tonight’s Student Council meeting (Wednesday the 8th), members of the ASM Constitution Committee will be repeating the presentation from the listening sessions for council members. The Student Council meeting is open to all students, and anyone who wasn’t able to make the sessions last week is encouraged to come tonight. We will also have more listening sessions in the next week or two – the next is on October 14th at noon in room 1325 of the Health Sciences Learning Center, on the west end of campus.

Council members will also get another supplement on the constitution that is a bit longer and more detailed than the one-pagers we had at last week’s session. It is also available here.

Media roundup for October 2nd

Both of the major campus papers ran articles today concerning the ASM Constitution listening sessions which occurred last night.

Supplement: Ways to Get Involved

This was a handout at the listening session last night. The PDF version is available here. Sorry that this looks a little weird, it’s Word converting into HTML and then WordPress munging it.

Ways to get involved with the current and new structures of the student government

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED	OLD CONSTITUTION	DRAFT CONSTITUTION
VOLUNTEER	-Open ASM Committees Diversity Academic Affairs Legislative Affairs Shared Governance Vote Coalition	-Executive Cabinet Committees [for example] Diversity Academic Affairs Legislative Affairs
INTERNSHIPS	-Open ASM Committees	-Executive Cabinet Committees
ELECTED SEATS	-Student Council -Student Services Finance Committee	-Student Government President -Student Senate -Appropriations
APPOINTMENTS	-Nominations Board Appointments Student Judiciary Vacant SSFC Seats Vacant Student Council Seats Vacant Finance Seats -Shared Governance Appointments -Student Council Appointments Closed Committees Committee Chairs	-Executive Branch    Appropriations    Student Judiciary Finance Committee Cabinet of Directors -Legislative Branch Shared Governance Appropriations Senate Committees
PAID POSITIONS	-Student Election Commission Commissioners -ASM Press Office -Student Judiciary Outreach Consultant -Student Hourly	-Student Election Commission Commissioners -Press Office -Student Judiciary Outreach Consultant -Executive Chief of Staff -Student Hourly

Supplement: Problems and Solutions

This is another supplement the committee handed out at the listening sessions. The PDF version is available here.   

Problems with the current ASM structures and provisions in the new structure to address these problems

         Problems                                            New Structure

1. Inability to react quickly to sudden problems or issues that arise	Creation of a press office which reports directly to the president
2. Lack of a clear, public leader to address issues and concerns of the student body	Institution of a president, who is popularly elected by the student body
3. Separation between the advocacy and governance portions of the organization	Integration of service and advocacy portions of the organization
4. Dispersed and uncoordinated efforts by the organization	Centralization of decisions through the Student Senate and implementation through the executive.
5. Elected student council members lack a meaningful role in the organization	Student senate is charged with determining the direction for the organization.
6. Lack of accountability for elected and appointed officers	Popularly elected president and clearer lines of authority within organization
7. Inefficiencies in organizational operations	Establishment of an audit committee to review operations.

Supplement: Outline of the new government

At our listening sessions, we had a few handouts available, including an outline of the government the new constitution proposes. The PDF version is available here

Outline of new Student Government Constitution

The old student government is a combination of a parliament and a collection of working groups. There is a lack of clarity in who sets direction for the organization and who gets things done. The new government is a more familiar model of a President and a Senate. The Senate sets policy direction for the student government. The Executive, headed by the President, gets things done. The student government will now have more involvement in, and knowledge of, actions taken in its name. The new government preserves the most important part of the old government: it is still easy for any interested student to get involved.

The Executive Branch:
• Headed by an elected President and Vice-President. Appoints a cabinet of directors, who are a handful of student leaders who assist and lead sub-parts of the government. The directors are very similar to current grassroots chairs. Volunteers and interns also serve in the executive branch.
• The President is the visible face of the student government and speaks for the student government. The President is responsible for getting things done, and shoulders the blame for failures of the student government.
• Shares power with the Senate. Has a veto over Senate action, and a guaranteed voice in setting direction for the organization. Executive orders give the President a limited amount of unilateral power, with a check by the Senate.

The Senate:
• 33 members, elected from schools and colleges across campus. Each senator will have a natural constituency they are elected from and are accountable to.
• Each Senator serves on one or two oversight committees, which monitor the executive branch and makes Senators more knowledgeable in the operation of the student government. Senators are more responsible for and invested in the success of student government.
• Senate must concur with all executive appointments, and can remove for cause officers of the student government.

Three special committees – Appropriations, Shared Governance Oversight, and Personnel and Audit:
• Appropriations committee is similar to the SSFC. Made up of five Senators, five executive appointees, and five students elected directly to the committee. Responsible for setting budgets and allocating segregated fees and space in the Student Activity Center.
• Shared Governance Oversight Board ensures all University Governance committees seats reserved for students are filled, and facilities communication between appointees and the government.
• Personnel and Audit Committee is responsible for some appointments, as well as ensuring the optimal operations of the student government. A body charged with self-examination is completely absent from the old student government.

The Student Judiciary:
• Expanded by one member, from eight to nine.
• Appointments are for “academic life”, to increase institutional memory
• Remains as an independent body that resolves conflicts and disputes in matters involving the student government.

Daily Cardinal coverage

The Daily Cardinal today included a story a about the upcoming listening sessions.