Supporters of the petition to amend the Undergraduate Students
Association Council constitution began Monday to collect signatures
to put the proposal to a vote.
The efforts began after the elections board chair approved the
language of the petition, which seeks to change the structure of
the undergraduate student system from a council to a senate.
To make the proposal eligible for a student vote, 15 percent of
the student body must sign a petition in support of amending the
constitution. Only then can the measure be placed on a student
ballot.
If the signature quota is reached, changes to USAC’s
structure could potentially be in effect during general elections
this spring, with students voting officers into the new
structure.
“If it happens that they get the 15 percent of the campus
required and they bring it to council soon enough, within 15 days
of that a special election is required,” said Nathan Lam,
Elections Board chair.
The efforts to change the constitution are led by Brian Neesby,
chief of staff of the Financial Supports Commission. His efforts to
create substantive change within the council are independent and
not on behalf of that commission.
If he manages to garner enough signatures, Neesby also has the
option to have the vote placed on the general ballot in the
spring.
The primary changes the new constitution would implement are new
voting procedures and a division between the legislative and the
executive bodies on council.
The 20 senators would be chosen by a single transferable vote
via a system known as the Hare System of Proportional
Representation, a complicated process in which voters would rank
candidates by preference.
USAC officers are currently elected by a simple majority.
The current structure of USAC is three executive officers, three
general representatives, and seven commissioners, all of whom
exercise voting power over legislative and executive matters. The
president can only vote to break a tie.
The proposed constitution would divide powers among a
five-member executive branch and a 20-member legislative senate and
would further seek to depoliticize commissions to allow them to
focus solely on programming.
Two entirely new positions would be added to the executive
branch: a vice president of Student and Community Advancement and a
vice president of Academic and Administrative Affairs. No position
comparable to the current general representatives would exist under
the new constitution.
According to the current USAC constitution, the general
representatives are responsible for furthering general student
interests and for any function not specifically delegated to other
offices.
Some current officers are critical of this proposed change.
“By eliminating the general representative positions,
you’re eliminating the folks that are going to be responsible
for issues that are important for students for that specific
year,” said Jenny Wood, a current general representative.
Wood said attempting to delegate the general
representatives’ tasks to a body of senators would be
ineffective, as the senators would have no staff and little
programming experience.
The proposed constitution allows the president to delegate any
unspecified executive duties to any officer, commissioner,
appointee or committee as necessary.
The senate would be responsible for all legislative duties of
council, including writing, amending, and passing all bills, in
addition to ratifying council appointments and passing
endorsements.
The proposed constitution would add three members to the USA
Advisory and Logistical Core: an attorney general, a
parliamentarian and an office space director.
USAC President Allende Palma/Saracho says the creation of such
positions is unnecessary and problematic.
“I think they would be more harmful than
beneficial,” he said. “There’s no accountability
because that person is not elected by the student body.”
The Finance Committee chair, responsible for base and
contingency budget allocations for student groups, would retain its
advisory position. Under the proposed constitution, the senate
would exercise approval over all fiscal decisions.
Palma/Saracho said the responsibilities of the additional
advisories could be better relegated to an elected commissioner
under the current structure.
The administrative, alumni and faculty representatives as well
as the Associated Students of UCLA executive director would remain
as non-voting advisory members of the executive council.
The new constitution would also place limits on USAC’s
power to hold closed sessions, instead requiring that they be
preapproved and included in the agenda. Any action taken in closed
session must be reported, including voting.
Closed sessions are limited to discussions of legal proceedings
or matters pertaining to evaluation, discipline or release of
public employees.
Governing bodies of the University of California, with the
exception of the UC Board of Regents, fall into a loophole which
makes them exempt from the Brown Act. The act is designed to hold
government bodies of the state accountable to the public by
guaranteeing the public’s right to attend meetings of public
bodies.
USAC currently possesses and exercises the power to call for a
closed session at any time and is not obligated to release any
details of the session.
The proposed new constitution also includes a bill of rights,
which would obligate USAC to uphold freedom of expression,
impartial administration, freedom of information, and due process
and rights of the accused.