Comments on: Mattea amendments to appear on ballot, despite council ruling http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Concerned Absentee Voter http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7246 Concerned Absentee Voter Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:14:51 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7246 I like that the election commissioner has decided to take the law into his own hands. Its great to see that when a decision is made that it means absolutely nothing. Nice job, Colin. I like that the election commissioner has decided to take the law into his own hands. Its great to see that when a decision is made that it means absolutely nothing. Nice job, Colin.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Morgan DeBaun http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7183 Morgan DeBaun Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:54:20 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7183 What is the DAC? What are its plans and purpose? Who is Trevor Mattea? What are his ideas for Student Union? How can I find out more about these groups who are applying for block funding? On March 4th and 5th, YOU, the voters, have the power to make large changes to the current Student Union Constitution. Additionally, you will have the power to vote for or against major blocks of funding going to various student groups and initiatives. Because of this, Student Life and Student Union are TEAMING UP to bring you an awesome, open forum for YOU to become informed about what these pieces of legislation are all about. This is your chance to hear directly from the writers of the proposed amendments, as well as your chance to ask them any questions! This is sure to be an incredibly exciting event- trust me, you won't want to miss it. Sunday, February 28th 7:30 PM DUC 276 See you there! What is the DAC? What are its plans and purpose?
Who is Trevor Mattea? What are his ideas for Student Union?
How can I find out more about these groups who are applying for block funding?

On March 4th and 5th, YOU, the voters, have the power to make large changes to the current Student Union Constitution. Additionally, you will have the power to vote for or against major blocks of funding going to various student groups and initiatives.

Because of this, Student Life and Student Union are TEAMING UP to bring you an awesome, open forum for YOU to become informed about what these pieces of legislation are all about.

This is your chance to hear directly from the writers of the proposed amendments, as well as your chance to ask them any questions! This is sure to be an incredibly exciting event- trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

Sunday, February 28th
7:30 PM
DUC 276

See you there!

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Alan Liu http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7177 Alan Liu Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:19:42 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7177 Trevor's amendments were outlined in an op-ed he sent in to Student Life on Feb. 19: • Allow undergraduate students who are abroad to be represented and give them the right to vote in elections and run for office. • Allow all undergraduate students to appeal to the Treasury for funding for their initiatives and programs regardless of whether or not they are in a Student Union recognized group. • Allow the President to actually set the agenda by giving him or her the right to propose our general budget. • Allow the President to put a check on Treasury spending by giving him or her the right to veto appeals in the same way that he or she can currently veto other legislation. • Encourage collaboration between the executive and legislative branches and more ambitious advocacy by giving the President the right to propose legislative priorities to Senate and Treasury. • Allow undergraduate students to hold Treasury more accountable by holding fall and spring elections like Senate instead of one election a year. • Allow undergraduate students to hold Senate more accountable by reducing its size to that of Treasury. • Limit the elected executive offices to the President and Vice President to encourage more people to run for the top offices and make elections about who has the best agenda for students. • Hold executive elections in the fall semester instead of the spring semester to relieve students from having to serve in executive positions during the second semester of their senior year. http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/19/proposals-for-su/ Trevor’s amendments were outlined in an op-ed he sent in to Student Life on Feb. 19:

• Allow undergraduate students who are abroad to be represented and give them the right to vote in elections and run for office.

• Allow all undergraduate students to appeal to the Treasury for funding for their initiatives and programs regardless of whether or not they are in a Student Union recognized group.

• Allow the President to actually set the agenda by giving him or her the right to propose our general budget.

• Allow the President to put a check on Treasury spending by giving him or her the right to veto appeals in the same way that he or she can currently veto other legislation.

• Encourage collaboration between the executive and legislative branches and more ambitious advocacy by giving the President the right to propose legislative priorities to Senate and Treasury.

• Allow undergraduate students to hold Treasury more accountable by holding fall and spring elections like Senate instead of one election a year.

• Allow undergraduate students to hold Senate more accountable by reducing its size to that of Treasury.

• Limit the elected executive offices to the President and Vice President to encourage more people to run for the top offices and make elections about who has the best agenda for students.

• Hold executive elections in the fall semester instead of the spring semester to relieve students from having to serve in executive positions during the second semester of their senior year.

http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/19/proposals-for-su/

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: ben http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7174 ben Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:03:36 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7174 What the hell is the amendment he's proposing? Is that in the story and I'm just reading over it? What the hell is the amendment he’s proposing? Is that in the story and I’m just reading over it?

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Chase Sackett http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7164 Chase Sackett Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:16:04 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7164 I feel it's important to clarify that when I filed the grievance, I expected that if the signatures were not gathered for a single, fixed group of amendments, that the petition would be invalid. In terms of the exact answer, I would be lying to say that I didn't expect that Trevor's petition would invalidated given what I had heard-- but when I filed the petition I did not know how exactly the signature-gathering process had occurred, and I'm glad that was answered. Moreover, if Constitutional Council ruled that the definition of amendments was loose enough that Trevor's petition was valid, that was something I could accept, which is what I meant when I did not intend a single answer. Furthermore, the nature of the grievance didn't specifically accuse Trevor, and was intended to apply to all other petitions as well. I'm glad that looking forward we have an established precedent for petitions that will prevent this confusion in the future, but given the complex nature of the decision we'll be talking more about this in Senate next week, due to interest from senators and students. I feel it’s important to clarify that when I filed the grievance, I expected that if the signatures were not gathered for a single, fixed group of amendments, that the petition would be invalid. In terms of the exact answer, I would be lying to say that I didn’t expect that Trevor’s petition would invalidated given what I had heard– but when I filed the petition I did not know how exactly the signature-gathering process had occurred, and I’m glad that was answered. Moreover, if Constitutional Council ruled that the definition of amendments was loose enough that Trevor’s petition was valid, that was something I could accept, which is what I meant when I did not intend a single answer. Furthermore, the nature of the grievance didn’t specifically accuse Trevor, and was intended to apply to all other petitions as well.

I’m glad that looking forward we have an established precedent for petitions that will prevent this confusion in the future, but given the complex nature of the decision we’ll be talking more about this in Senate next week, due to interest from senators and students.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: student http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/02/26/mattea-amendments-to-appear-on-ballot-despite-council-ruling/#comment-7161 student Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:38:11 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=10569#comment-7161 Wait... so Constitutional Council says that the signatures Trevor collected are invalid, but the Election Commission is just going to put the amendments on the ballot anyway? After the Election Commissioner testified on Trevor's behalf? And after Trevor announced his intention to ignore whatever they decided at the very beginning of the hearing? This is not a person I'd ever vote for. Wait… so Constitutional Council says that the signatures Trevor collected are invalid, but the Election Commission is just going to put the amendments on the ballot anyway? After the Election Commissioner testified on Trevor’s behalf? And after Trevor announced his intention to ignore whatever they decided at the very beginning of the hearing? This is not a person I’d ever vote for.

Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>