- The Record Archives
- Volume CXVIII, No. XXI - November 17, 2005 -
SJU Senate vote sparks debate
Resolution causes ‘monumental change' by switching to an academic year. This change extends senators' term an extra semester, prompting opposition
The Record
The Record
The St. John's Senate voted 12-1 Sunday on a resolution changing its term to an academic calendar year.
As part of that resolution, current senators' terms will be extended one semester, which is causing some controversy among senators and students. This means current senators will serve until May.
"I feel that any group in power cannot extend their term," said Sen. Chris Van Guilder, who voted against the resolution.
Before Sunday, the SJS ran on a calendar year, meaning a senator's term would last from January to December. Now their terms will start in September and end in May. Some senators say this is a monumental change for St. John's. Sen. Mark Osborne said they will now be on the same system as the Board of Regents, club elections and the St. Ben's Senate.
"The effectiveness of the St. John's Senate will be improved," said Gar Kellom, administrative adviser to the SJS. He said the SJS will be able to develop better relationships with its counterpart, St Ben's Senate.
Senators also said the adjusted term will reduce their turnover rate within the senate.
This past semester, five senators have resigned. Osborne said some of that can be blamed on the long summer break.
"For consistency sake … we won't be losing members who have valid information," said Sen. Kevin May, judicial board chair.
May is also fulfilling the duties of the president after Josh Robinson resigned last month.
An extended term
At Sunday's senate meeting, it wasn't the change to an academic year that drew heated debate. It was the fact that each senator's term would be extended.
"Some senators want to stay on senate without being re-elected," former senator Luke Hellier said. "I don't think it's fair, and frankly I don't think it's democratic."
Another former senator, Luke Fischer, said he also disagrees with the extension.
"I believe that, because the fact that a lot of senators are political science majors, they should have a good idea about how a representative government should function," Fischer said. "What they did flies in the face of that and is on the lines of tyranny."
Van Guilder said he agreed with the change but wanted the students to vote on a term extension.
"I don't think they would want us to extend our terms," Van Guilder said.
Senators who voted for the resolution said they see it in a different light.
"It's a valid argument," May said. "We're also elected to do what's best for the student body." May said changing to an academic year is best for the student body and in order to make that work, a term extension was necessary.
"This is the only way we can guarantee we're going to have some consistency," May said.
Kellom said he was proud of the senators as he sat in on Sunday's meeting.
"I was impressed by the meeting and discussion," Kellom said. "They understood it was historic."
And as historic as the decision was, only two students showed up. Senators said they publicized the event through advertisements and mass e-mails.
"If the students don't care enough to come to the meeting, they don't care about the issue," Osborne said at Sunday's meeting.
First-year Martin Walsh was one student who showed up. He supported the senate's decision.
"They were elected to make that decision, and it's for our best interest," Walsh said.
Resignation
After Sunday's vote, senators were given until noon Monday to resign. Three did — Senators Jeff Flynn, Charlie McCarron and Van Guilder.
Sen. Raj Chaphalkar, public relations representative, said the resignations were based on personal issues or other commitments, not on Sunday's vote.
Special elections will be held for these positions Dec. 2. A president and treasurer must also be elected. SJU students will also vote on whether to create a vice president position.
Because May is currently serving as judicial board chair and president, some senators felt as though they were "held captive by the judicial board chair's ruling," Chaphalkar said in an e-mail.
As judicial board chair, May calls each election. Because the decision to extend the term was not directly written in the resolution, it was May who made that call. He said if the resolution passed, general elections would be in the spring, therefore canceling the December general election.
But now, Chaphalkar said that wasn't clear.
"I voted yes because I think it would be a beneficial thing for the student body, but I didn't think it would extend the current term," he said. "The language of the motion has nothing to do with extending the term."
May said to create another motion addressing that issue would have been pointless.
"Part of it is because it would be redundant just because … it was explained at the meeting," May said.
He also said students should be focused on the future.
"As time goes by you'll see it's the right decision," May said. "We truly did what we thought was best for students … to make sure that their voices were being heard at all levels."
SBS reacts
St. Ben's senators said they are looking forward to creating better relationships with the SJS. But some are hesitant on its decision to extend its own term.
"I agree with the concept of the St. John's Senate switching to an academic year, because it's more efficient for the senate to function on the same calendar as the institution," SBS President Megan Sand said. "But I'm not sure extending their term was in the best interest of the students."
SBS administrative adviser Mary Geller said she's looking forward to the switch, but said what really matters is the quality of the senators.
"I think that it's important to continue to get input from the student body," Geller said. "It's important to stay fresh, and I think they will."
On Monday, Hellier, College Republicans president, sent an e-mail to campus leaders asking for their support. He said bringing the issue in front of the ethics committee is an option, but not probable.
"I believe that most senators on the St. John's Senate believe in the vision, and will resign and have a special election," Hellier said.
May said he was disappointed Hellier, as well as others, didn't attend Sunday's meeting but is now looking forward to the changes at hand.
"I think everyone's focused on the wrong thing," May said. "That change is going to be gone in a semester. The big change is that now the senate will be an academic year senate."