Even though the Stroh Center referendum vote is over, discussion continued during last night’s Undergraduate Student Government meeting regarding the voting process. Two complaints were filed by students concerning the online vote. One complaint was about the word ‘fully’ being included in the resolution. The resolution that appeared on the ballot said ‘… the Undergraduate Student Government, representing the Student Body of Bowling Green State University, is fully supportive …’ The word ‘fully’ was amended out of the ballot but appeared by mistake. The issue was resolved, according to Chief Administrator Brandon Sallad and President John Waynick. ‘The issue was a clerical one for which I will completely take the blame for,’ Waynick said. Despite the technical error, Sallad said it didn’t affect the meaning of the resolution. The second complaint dealt with another technical problem which caused the online voting system to be out for 15 minutes. During this time students couldn’t vote, but Sallad said that this also did not have an effect on the voting period this past Friday. ‘Students still had 23 hours and 45 minutes to vote, which we felt was sufficient time,’ Sallad said. Founding member of the Coalition for USG Reform Steve Currie shared his opinion regarding the marketing of the Stroh vote via a letter. He was unable to attend last night’s meeting due to illness. In the letter, Currie expressed his concern over some USG members not acting in what he called a professional manner. In the letter, Currie said he witnessed Academic Affairs Chair Kevin Basch and Vice President Sundeep Mutgi driving a golf cart carelessly while encouraging students to vote for the Stroh referendum. Waynick responded to the accusations after the letter was read and said he would be calling Currie after the meeting to further react to his comments. ‘I assure you that those accusations are hearsay,’ Waynick said. ‘I see no real facts being made.’ Waynick then added that USG members work hard to represent students. When students repeal a resolution in the future the way members of the coalition did for the Stroh Center, USG voted to enact some changes in the current constitution. These additions to the constitution are to make the process of petitioning easier, said Internal Affairs Chair Leo Almeida. ‘The goal of these new parts of the constitution are to be more student friendly,’ Almeida said. ‘That way students who aren’t USG Constitutional savvy can write their petitions much easier with the guidance of the constitutional changes.’ Students will now have ten academic calendar days to file a petition against a resolution passed by USG. They will also have to schedule a meeting with the Procedures and Appeals Board within ten academic days of filing a petition. Once the petition is approved, students will have ten academic days to collect signatures and then submit those to the chief administrator. The reason for this is to make sure those signatures and student identification numbers are valid, Almeida said. Since several changes were made to the constitution last night, Proxy Senator Sean Lutzmann wanted to hold off on voting for the proposed changes and additions. ‘This seems like a lot of information that students should have a chance to see and react to,’ Lutzmann said. Lutzmann proposed tabling voting on the proposed changes and additions but the motion was denied. Once Vice President of Student Affairs Edward Whipple approves the changes USG made, students can see the new additions made to the constitution on the USG Web site.
Stroh Center referendum completed, but not over yet
March 30, 2009
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