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Students say no to amendments
The student constitution will remain intact for now following the failure of the referendum to amend it last week.
Students were asked to vote whether to accept the amendments April 24 and 25, at the same time that they were to vote on the new president, vice president and 15 senators.
However, the results of the referendum had to be delayed because there were many people who did not cast a vote either way.
Of the 1,149 students who voted, 440 voted to amend the constitution, 233 voted against it, while 476 abstained.
Danielle Grabowski, Student Government vice president and Election Committee chair, said that there were two ways to look at the results.
"You can look at the abstentions as neither a yes or a no, but counted as cast so that we get the required 8 percent," she said. "But if you don't count the abstentions, then technically you don't get the 8 percent."
For the amendments to the constitution to go through, at least 8 percent of the student population has to vote on it. On top of that, a simple majority of those who voted have to agree to the amendments.
According to figures provided to Student Government by its adviser, Diana Burlison, there are 13,875 students currently enrolled at SCSU. That would make the total number of votes cast 8.28 percent of the student population.
So, in order to get the required 8 percent, the Election Committee had to leave in the abstentions. With those votes counting as neither a yes or a no, the majority needed to pass the referendum became 575 votes. As only 440 students voted to accept the amendments, the referendum had to be counted as having failed.
"We consulted the League of Women Voters and our adviser (before deciding on the issue)," Grabowski said.
With the referendum having failed, any changes to be made will fall on the shoulders of next year's Student Government, if they should decide to do so.
Desiree Westby, vice president-elect, said Student Government is required to have a Constitutional Review Committee. The committee's job is to look at the student constitution and decide if it needs to be amended.
"They (the committee members) are required to look at the constitution and if they feel that it needs to be changed, they will bring it to the senate," she said.
Once the Constitutional Review Committee decides on any amendment to the document, the student senate has to approve it before sending it to referendum. It is then brought before the student population for approval.
Should the amendments pass, the document will then be brought before the SCSU president for approval. If the president approves it, then it is immediately adopted. If the president modifies it, then it will be submitted back to the student body for approval in another vote.
Leslie Andres can be reached at: [email protected]
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