To the Editor,

The debate over the Vanderbilt Student Government experience requirement has reached the pages of The Hustler. This is a worthy issue that needs to be fully debated, and hopefully the VSG Senate and House will take up the issue for debate in January when it reconvenes. Although President Cara Bilotta decided not to pursue the issue at this point, no other member of VSG is prevented from proposing an amendment removing the requirement. Proposing an amendment is the best way to substantively use an opinion to enact change and address this issue.

I think the most effective way to truly listen to the student voice on this matter would be to place a referendum on the ballot in February with presidential elections so the student body can decide for itself whether it would want to require its candidates to have some experience. That is the only way to lay this issue to rest - otherwise this battle will consume a lot of VSG's time that could be better spent speaking for students.

VSG's rules and procedures are an important thing to get right, but they are only important insofar as they affect VSG's central mission: serving as the student body's voice. If a business spends more time arguing over who gets to be CEO than over how to best serve its customers, it won't be very successful. Likewise, VSG should focus on serving students through dialogue with administrators and actually addressing issues that affect students.

Should VSG oppose the imposition of mandatory meal plans or not? Should VSG co-sponsor political events? Should VSG try to increase parking spots or lower parking permit prices? These are real campus issues that deserve attention from VSG leaders, media and students. In my experience with student government, I have seen VSG can and does have influence over these issues when there is cooperation among members and attention is fully devoted to student issues.

Election qualifications and requirements are an important topic worthy of attention, but the issues for which VSG exists and the student voice it represents should receive even more attention.

Jared Anderson
Junior, A&S
VSG Speaker of the Senate

Submitted by maryadavis on Mon, 04/14/2008 - 03:29.

Letters

I hope that all these attempts are not in vain. I'm the proud mother of two students and I know how hard it is for them and that they don't need any more complications either. I'd like to be able to do more but sometimes I wonder if our letters are being taken into consideration. I get the feeling that we're being ignored. --- Mary-Anne Davis - Spatiu Comercial consultant.

Submitted by Sean Tierney on Thu, 01/03/2008 - 02:21.

How I'm wasting my winter break

I hate to disagree with you, Jared, but I'm not sure if the student body is qualified to make this decision. As much as we (the student body) complain about the requirement, we also have very little understanding about the role and responsibilities of the VSG president. I consider myself well-informed about both VSG and goings-on at Vanderbilt (whether it be out of experience, obligations, or just my obsession with all things Vandy), yet I have just about no clue as to what Cara Bilotta does. I'm sure she does a lot, and I'm sure she does it well, but did she need at least one year's worth of experience in VSG before becoming president? I don't know. It's not a problem with transparency (well, I guess in a way it is), but a problem with our inability to relate with the job of being president. The members of the cabinet, the senate and the house have a much better understanding of the role of the president and thus VSG should decide for itself. Yes, the arguments back and forth may chew up time, but if you believe the outcome of this decision may have an significant impact on the student body's representation, then by all means continue to spend time on it. I just hope the decision is made soon so that if I follow my predecessor and run on the opposition Slant ticket, I'll have an idea of what I'm opposing/protesting. Now here's my own two-cents on having experience requirements: Many organizations on campus have similar requirements on leadership positions. Because student bodies have such high turnover rates from year to year, often times the best way to ensure sustained progress is by promoting from within. Innovation is not a problem: the individuals making up student organizations change rapidly enough for that. The concern is stability and the ability to focus on long-term goals. (Not to mention that since such terms usually only last for a year, leaders need to know what they're doing from the get-go.)

Submitted by Jared Anderson on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 02:30.

An Answer

To answer your first question, I have been focused on trying to wrap up several initiatives that I've been working on, including making the Student Finance Committee more open and transparent, negotiating with the administration on the course syllabi issue, and writing a proposal for a free printing quota, etc etc. I won't deny my share of the collective responsibility, and the above is more an explanation than an excuse. However, see my response to James below. Also, the reality is no one, including VSG members, really thinks about these types of things until around this point in the game when elections are closing in and time is scarce. As for the timeline issue, VSG Senate and House meet in January over the course of two weeks - the feasibility of a referendum before the election is a question best left to the Attorney General, as is the question as to the effects of a referendum on the day of the election on the candidates allowed to formally announce two weeks prior. To be quite honest, that is entirely in his discretion. Your questions assume that the logical outcome of proposing this amendment is that it won't change the slate of candidates this year. That is still very much up in the air. The Attorney General would make that call. Although I am generally not a fan of people casting aspersions on my motives, I suppose it comes with being an elected official, and I will say for the record that I would welcome as many candidates as want to run for VSG office - the free market of ideas tends to sort these things out well (yay capitalism). This is why I want the student body to decide the issue in the first place - see my original letter above.

Submitted by Jared Anderson on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 02:02.

Amendments are enacted

Amendments are enacted through resolutions, and follow the same rules. They are not mutually exclusive. Resolutions have several purposes and one of them is enacting amendments. The precedent has already beenestablished by the amendments on the ballot in September that co-authorship by non-Senate or House members is legitimate. See this resolution. Note that the Attorney General (an appointed non-Senator/non-House member) co-sponsored the resolution enacting several amendments.

Submitted by vandykid22 on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 01:41.

You are just wrong. The

You are just wrong. The constitution says this: For resolutions: "Resolutions may be initiated by any student or office of VSG, but must be coauthored by a voting member of the Senate or House." Amendments are explicitly different in the VSG constituion: "An amendment to this Constitution may be presented by any member of the Senate and the House".. by explicitily leaving out co-authorship and saying it w/ resolution, it implies and should be interpreted that co-authorship is not an option for amendments. You should know you're constitution better, as Speaker of the Senate

Submitted by Jared Anderson on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 01:17.

Absolutely

James, I will be more than happy to propose such an amendment in January, especially if no one else does. I wouldn't have written it if I wasn't willing to back it up with action personally. Also, for anyone who is reading this, the amendment process goes thus: the amendment is put into resolution form and introduced in the VSG House or Senate. Both chambers vote on the amendment, and if approved with a two-thirds majority in both, it goes to the student body for a straight majority vote for approval.

Submitted by SleeplessinStambaugh on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 01:13.

A Query

I have a query for you Mr. Speaker. First off, if an amendment is so simple and effective, why have you not already done this? In your own words, “no other VSG member is prevented from proposing removing the requirement removing the amendment.” Why don’t you propose an amendment so that the student body can vote on it before the upcoming presidential election? Do you have reasons for not wanting more students to join in this election? Do you have something to gain by not having the referendum until after this year's cast of candidates is set?

Submitted by Jared Anderson on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 01:11.

Well...

VandyKid, The constitution says that only a member of the Senate or House can present an amendment - technically any member of the student body can write the amendment. After writing it, you'd get someone to co-sponsor it (this ensures that it has at least one vote in favor in VSG Congress). With around 40 House Presidents and 10 Senators in VSG, it isn't very hard to find one willing to sponsor the resolution and officially introduce it. In fact, this is how our VSG President and Vice President propose resolutions in VSG, so VSG members typically know they can do it. Frankly, more people need to know they can do this. Maybe one day we'll reach the point where students outside of VSG will write resolutions tackling university policy on this or that. Jared

Submitted by vandykid22 on Wed, 12/12/2007 - 23:55.

Clarification

I looked at the VSG Constitution, and only members of the House and Senate are allowed to propose amendments. This means that Jared was wrong when he said "no other member of VSG" is prevented from doing it - people like cabinet, co-chairs, non-elected officials are unable to make this change. Just thought it was important for everyone to know.

Submitted by JamesAdams on Wed, 12/12/2007 - 23:40.

Experience Requirement

Jared Anderson, you stated that "Proposing an amendment is the best way to substantively use an opinion to enact change and address this issue." Will you please be that person to propose an amendment so that it can be voted on?

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LETTER: VSG experience requirement should be decided by student vote