Senate debates policies, language

Varying years of experience in the Undergraduate Student Government translated into hours of debate about the proposed USG Constitution in the USG Senate last night.

The basic structure of USG, which is modeled after the United States federal government, will remain largely unchanged. However, the senate found many problems with some of the smaller additions and changes that had been included by Town Senator Brian Heller and the Legislation and Appropriations Review Committee.

Aside from word changes and semantics, discussion centered on the addition of three new clauses and the use of subjective words in the impeachment clauses.

The powers of the USG vice president were extended to include the power to interview and appoint students to any student positions on administrative committees that the president cannot or will not fill.

A stipulation, which would prohibit any justice of the USG Supreme Court from pursuing or holding office, was added in response to then-Chief Justice Corey O'Brien retaining his position while running for USG President two years ago.

A section that would mandate all general business meetings of both the senate and the USG Academic Assembly remain open to the public was modified with outside contribution. Either house has the power to close sections of the meeting regarding "paid personnel or legal matters."

"I think to get something accomplished we have to (close meetings sometime)," Administrative Contact Committee Chair Caroline Casagrande said.

The longest periods of debate were about the use of the words "effectively" when describing the duties of the president and "malfeasance" when discussing grounds for removing a senator.

"That 'effectively' is a loaded term," said USG Vice President Ed Kilpela, who has no official voting power over the constitution. "That word can be used to impeach a president on personal grounds."

The word was eventually struck from the document but the term 'malfeasance' as a reason to impeach a senator was left in. Several senators cited the removal of former Senator Matt Brinkman for using anti-semitic language about University President Graham Spanier last year as an example where the term was needed.

The ultimate interpretation of the grounds for removal is subject to the court if the impeached senator chooses to appeal. Senators will vote on the constitution at their meeting next Tuesday. It will have to be passed by a two-thirds vote by both the senate and the assembly and is subject to review by the USG Supreme Court before it takes effect.