Referendum could change election dates
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Campus News
After two-and-a-half hours of heated debate Monday night, Student Senate decided it will hold a referendum in February to decided whether to change its election dates and terms of office.
Senate passed a bill 17-4-3 authorizing the referendum to be placed on a special elections ballot.
The bill, which authors presented as a way for Eau Claire's student government to coincide with all other UW-System schools, faced resistance as some questioned whether changing the current session was ethical.
Currently, Senate elections take place during the first or second week of March, with members taking office the first week in April. Nearly all other UW System campuses hold their elections mid-April, taking office early May.
A disconnect exists because there is an interim period when Eau Claire's incoming executives try to work with other campus leaders who are on their way out. It tends to lead to an unproductive spring semester, said President Ray French, an author of the bill. If the referendum passes, the changes to the constitution would take effect immediately, meaning this session would be extended five weeks.
"I really believe this will improve our relations with other UW schools," French said. "(It's) bettering Student Senate in the long run."
A proposed amendment to the bill called for the changes to not take effect until spring 2009.
"I do believe it's unethical for us to extend our stay," said Elizabeth Schinke, Eau Claire's United Council delegation leader.
But French said he purposely called for the changes to start now.
"I thought that we should extend our session, because I see this session as being extremely productive," he said.
University Activities Commission director Melissa Briggs opposed the amendment.
"I feel like if this doesn't get passed now, the ball is going to be dropped," she said. "This hasn't happened in a long time, and it's important for us to be aligned with all schools so we can work together."
After this amendment failed, a second amendment called for another question to be placed on the ballot, letting the students decide when the changes would take effect: spring 2008 or spring 2009. This amendment failed 10-11-4.
Senate passed a bill 17-4-3 authorizing the referendum to be placed on a special elections ballot.
The bill, which authors presented as a way for Eau Claire's student government to coincide with all other UW-System schools, faced resistance as some questioned whether changing the current session was ethical.
Currently, Senate elections take place during the first or second week of March, with members taking office the first week in April. Nearly all other UW System campuses hold their elections mid-April, taking office early May.
A disconnect exists because there is an interim period when Eau Claire's incoming executives try to work with other campus leaders who are on their way out. It tends to lead to an unproductive spring semester, said President Ray French, an author of the bill. If the referendum passes, the changes to the constitution would take effect immediately, meaning this session would be extended five weeks.
"I really believe this will improve our relations with other UW schools," French said. "(It's) bettering Student Senate in the long run."
A proposed amendment to the bill called for the changes to not take effect until spring 2009.
"I do believe it's unethical for us to extend our stay," said Elizabeth Schinke, Eau Claire's United Council delegation leader.
But French said he purposely called for the changes to start now.
"I thought that we should extend our session, because I see this session as being extremely productive," he said.
University Activities Commission director Melissa Briggs opposed the amendment.
"I feel like if this doesn't get passed now, the ball is going to be dropped," she said. "This hasn't happened in a long time, and it's important for us to be aligned with all schools so we can work together."
After this amendment failed, a second amendment called for another question to be placed on the ballot, letting the students decide when the changes would take effect: spring 2008 or spring 2009. This amendment failed 10-11-4.
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