Students Approve Constitution; Election Commission Sets New Rules

Editor-in-Chief

   In a special election, students approved the newly-revised Student Government Association constitution.

    After the Constitutional Conference approved the new constitution, it went to the Student Senate for approval. After the second step, it went to SGA President Michael Thomas. Then it went to the students for approval.

Photos by Danielle Kloap

   “I congratulate the student body for approving the new SGA constitution,” Election Commissioner Zack Tucker, a sophomore political science major, said.

    The student body voted on Referred Constitutional Question No. 1. According to the Referred Question, it proposed a new SGA constitution to restructure SGA, reform the structure of the Student Activities Board, to reform SGA officer qualifications, reform campaign financing, create a supreme court and other SGA reform.

    The student body voted 129 (92.14 percent) for the constitution and 11 (7.86 percent) against it, according to Mindy Holcomb, Student Programs and Activities director. She said 4.29 percent of the student body voted in the special election held March 23, 24 and 26.

    Tucker said he felt the approval of the constitution shows more students are involved and care about SGA.

    “This year is (the university’s) Centennial year and we recently had a historic presidential election,” Tucker said. “There is more interest and involvement in government.”

   Tucker said the constitution will now have to be approved by the Assembly in its meeting April 7. Then the document will go to the Chancellor, then the Board of Trustees in its meeting on campus April 17.

    Jerod Johnson, a sophomore nursing major, said he thought it was important for students to come out and vote.

    "You need your voice heard,” Johnson said. “Nothing will change unless you speak up.”

    With the regular election for SGA officers, SAB board members and senators coming up April 14, 15 and 16, Tucker said the commission made new election rules to help ease the transition to the new constitution.

    Some of the new rules include president and vice president candidates must run on a straight ticket, like the national presidential election; eight new positions were created for SAB that candidates can file and run for; and new paperwork.

    According to the Election Commission’s Web site, candidates for president and vice president comprise:

    Presidential Candidate Sandy Herring, a sophomore political science and psychology major and running mate, Vice Presidential Candidate Ronald Forte, a sophomore psychology major.

    Presidential Candidate Joseph Jordan, an education major and running mate, Vice Presidential Candidate Jermaine Samuels, an education and biology major.

   There are currently no candidates running for secretary or treasurer, according to the Web site. Three SAB candidates have filed, comprising:

• SAB position I (At-Large) - Yvonne Hinshaw, a junior political science and history major.

• SAB position II (At-Large) - Tiffany Reed, a first-year education major.

• SAB position III (At-Large) - Megan Prescott, a senior history and speech communication major.
  

    Many senate positions are available for election. Click here to see the list.

    The new constitution can be viewed here. For more information about the elections, contact Tucker or Holcomb.

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