Constitutional Conference Discusses Campaign Expenditures

Editor-in-Chief

   The Student Government Association Constitutional Conference discussed moving raising campaign financing from $75 and allowing organizations or businesses to donate to candidates in its meeting Thursday.

Photo by Danielle Kloap

Demerits - Zack Tucker, a sophomore political science major and chair of the Constitutional Conference, writes down sample demerit systems. The conference decided to include a demerit system for senators in the proposed constitution.

   Eric Bell, a senior political science major, said in the current constitution, any outside monetary sources have to be included in the $75. He added Michael Thomas, SGA president, is “concerned” about raising campaign expenditures.

   Lauren Raynor, a senior double major in political science and psychology, agreed with keeping the personal financing capped at $75, but said candidates should be able to raise outside money by going to campus organizations or community businesses. Zack Tucker, a sophomore political science major and chair of the conference, said he thought there should be a cap to the outside monetary donations.

   “I don’t want it to hurt the small man, but I can see positives to it,” Tucker said.

   Bell said the conference should look at the objective of raising the $75 campaign expenditure allowance. He said it should find out why the cap is set at $75 in the current constitution.

   Raynor said allowing students to raise extra money would not put extra financial strain on any of the candidates. She added each candidate would have an equal opportunity to gain these sponsorships.

   When Bell said it is unfair for anyone to spend over $75 on his or her campaign and the cap should be left at $75. Raynor said the campaign expenditure should be raised because of inflation.

   “$75 can’t buy you what it could in 2000,” Raynor said. “This is nothing compared to state-wide or even city-wide campaigns.”

   Tucker said he would put something in writing for the conference to review at the next meeting. Bell said he knows how Thomas feels about raising the campaign expenditures.

   “I know how our president feels, and he has the power of the people,” Bell said. “It’s not going to walk.”

   In response to Bell's comment, Thomas said, “No one can get inside anyone's head and surely Eric Bell is not an exception, or my P.R. rep.”

   Errin James, a junior political science major, asked if Bell meant Thomas would strike down the entire constitution.

   “I’ve thought, read (the constitution) and put forth ideas,” James said. “Do you mean I’ve been wasting my time for a whole month?”

   Thomas declined to comment on whether or not he would reject the new constitution if campaign expenditures rise. He said any legislation would be discussed in the SGA meeting held every other Thursday at 12:45 p.m. for the whole student body.

   Hunter Gillum, a sophomore political science major, asked if Thomas could attend the meetings. Both Gillum and James said they would like to hear his opinions. Tucker said he has informed Thomas of the meetings and will ask him to attend the next one. Thomas declined to comment on not attending the meetings.

   The conference unanimously voted to suspend the rules and send Thomas a copy of the proposed constitution before the next conference meeting.

   While discussing election rules, the conference talked about lengthening the campaign time to 10 business days and still allowing campaigning on Facebook as long as candidates use it only in the 10-day period.

Demerits

   The conference also discussed how to make a demerit system for the Student Senate. They looked at demerit systems from a high school and from the University of Central Arkansas SGA to get ideas.

   One of the offenses in the demerit models that got a senator one demerit was disrespect to a faculty member. Raynor said the conference should add disrespect to a fellow senator as an offense. Tucker said the conference would need to put a clause defining disrespect in the constitution.

   After debating whether to have just a demerit system or a demerit system with opportunities to earn credits, the conference came to a general consensus to use just a demerit system.

   The consensus for the proposed demerit model comprises:

• One demerit for tardiness.

• One demerit for missing a committee meeting.

• One demerit for disrespect to another SGA member or faculty member.

• Two demerits for attending less than 20 minutes of a meeting.

• Two demerits for failing to assist with a project or fundraiser.

• Three demerits for an unexcused absence.

Absence Policy

  The conference also discussed the absence policy since senators will receive demerits for unexcused absences. Tucker said the policy, outlined in the current constitution, requires senators to submit an excuse form to the student program and activities director, then the SGA president approves the absence. James pointed out this system works for standard absences, but said the constitution needed to allow for emergencies.

   “If something happens to my family, I’m not going to fill out a form,” James said. “I’m going to leave.”

   Tucker recommended having a 48-hour window, 24 hours before and after an incident, for senators to fill out excuse forms. Raynor recommended a clause for extenuating circumstances. The conference also decided the absence form will have a section for senators who have to leave the meeting early.

   When a senator reaches seven demerits, the senate clerk will notify the chief justice of the SGA Supreme Court and the chief justice will notify the senator.

   Raynor asked what the process would be for a senator the university puts under disciplinary probation. James said the issue would go straight to the Supreme Court.

Required Attendance

   After discussing the absence policy, Bell asked how many meetings the senate holds per semester. In the proposed constitution, Tucker said it requires the senate to hold at least one meeting per month, the Student Activities Board to hold one meeting per week and the SGA executive board one meeting per month. Bell said he felt senators should be required to attend all student government meetings. After Raynor said this would require too much of senators, Bell asked Tucker to read the job duties of the senators from the constitution. Some of the duties included being the voice of the students, representing their department and initiating legislation.

   Bell said the senators should represent their departments in both SAB, SGA and senate meetings.  James asked Bell if the SGA president is required to attend all of these meetings as well.

   Tucker asked what the point would be of having SGA representatives from organizations on campus attend the SAB meetings if senators also attended. He also said the senators, which represent departments, cannot request any money from SAB for those departments.

   Raynor said by forcing senators to attend three meetings a week, involvement would decrease.

   “We have problems now with getting people just to come to the senate (meetings), let alone going to two other meetings,” James said.”

   Bell said he thought senators should at least be required to attend SGA meetings. Tucker said he understood and thought a system to motivate senators to attend other meetings would help.

   Tucker said he also wants to add a section to the constitution allowing students or groups to have referendums and petitions.

   “This will give students an extra check on student government,” Tucker said.

   Conference members present comprised Bell, Gillum, James, Raynor, Tucker, and Carol Strong, ex-officio member and professor for political science.

   Absent members comprised Yvonne Hinshaw, a junior political science major; Randy Moore, a junior biology major; Jeff McDonald, a senior criminal justice major; and Tiffany Reed, a first-year early childhood education major. Ronald Forte, a sophomore psychology major, arrived at the meeting 8 minutes before it adjourned. The conference voted to suspend the rules to allow him in the room. The conference passed rules at the beginning of the conference and said no member would be allowed into the room 10 minutes after the call to order.

   The conference suspended the rules and allowed Angelia Buford, a senator and senior social work major, and Student Senate President Pro-tempore Sandy Herring, a sophomore nursing major, to sit in on the meeting.

   Tucker announced the next meeting of the conference would consist of reading through a complete copy of the constitution and approve or disapprove sections. By its last meeting Wednesday, Tucker said he hopes the conference will read any corrections and sign the constitution and pass it on to Thomas. If it cannot be approved Wednesday, Tucker said the conference will call a special session Thursday.

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