|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Campus Election Guidelines Debated By A.S. Senate | ||||||
| The A.S. Senate met Wednesday to approve the Elections Code, Candidate's Handbook, and Supplementary Regulations, important documents that serve as the basis for school elections. | ||||||
| According to A.S. President Danny Vivian, these documents "set the standards and guidelines that govern an election and ensure that students know that their vote counts." Furthermore, the election codes "uphold the integrity and validity of the election process," Vivian said. | ||||||
| A.S. Vice President Guido Piotti echoed Vivian's comments, saying that the documents are important "to make sure that there are no injustices [in the system]," but made an important clarification as well.� "Although the Senate cannot change the code," Piotti said, "they can make recommendations." | ||||||
| Several senators had concerns about the income and expense provisions, specifically the line in the Candidates Handbook that suggests raising the monetary limit each candidate can spend on their own campaign to $1,000.� This amount is $500 greater than the current spending limit, and there was mixed concerns across the board about increasing it. | ||||||
| Senator Morgan Wheeler, who was in favor of the $500 increase, said, "$500 may pay for your initial campaign, but things happen and unforeseen costs arise, so I don't think a $1,000 limit is excessive."� Wheeler had other concerns besides the money issue, however, as he noted when he mentioned certain discrepancies among the bylaws and the election documents.� "You cannot have documents that don't match up - it shows [the Senate] as unorganized and illegitimate." | ||||||
| Senator Rebekah Smith had separate concerns about the amount of units that each candidate is required to take before running for office.� She suggested raising the required amount graduate students must have from three to six, but was informed by Richard Haller, executive director for A.S.I., that that would not be possible since the three-unit requirement for graduate students is a CSU-wide policy that the Senate "does not have jurisdiction over." | ||||||
| These, along with the other recommendations made, will be sent to the election commission, but it is important to note that the commission is under no obligation to approve them. | ||||||
| Copyright Gerry Wachovsky, 2004, and Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | ||||||
| Back | ||||||