This past Sunday at the Student Senate meeting, the organization that’s mission centers around “providing fair representation to the Student Body,” decided to forgo a tradition that was in place to ensure that empty positions are advertised to the student body two weeks before a new student is elected; and they choose elect a new Belknap Representative only a few days after the current representative tendered his resignation.
After sitting in the gallery for a meeting or two, Ben Degloizo, submitted his packet of signatures at the Student Senate meeting on November 2nd. After a brief round of questions, Mr. Deglizo was asked to leave the room, which is not a written down policy – just a mere tradition of the Senate – and with very little to no discussion, he was elected to the Student Senate.
Fast forward to the next Sunday when the Student Senate meeting commenced with the normal role call and approval of minutes, then came the portion of the agenda the Student Senate reserves for the election of new Student Senator Members. Senate Speaker Stefanie Webb called on Senator Megan Burke, and Senator Burke nominated Stephanie Caron as Belknap Hall Representative. The motion was quickly seconded. Many of the Student Senate Members appeared to be dazed and confused regarding what was transpiring, many of them began to silent chat to their colleagues sitting next to them. The elephant in the room was recognized when University System of New Hampshire Student Trustee Gene Martin was recognized to speak by Speaker Webb.
“I’m a bit confused why the Student Senate is going to vote on filling the position of Belknap Hall Representative. What happened to the two week waiting period for new people to run?” Student Trustee Martin was referring to a tradition that the Student Senate adopted in the spring of 2005. The tradition was started to ensure that when a position was vacated due to a regisitaion or a removal of office, that any new person would have to wait two weeks from the time the position was vacated, before the Student Senate could elect them.
The overarching tenet is an honorable one; of course there should be some sort of waiting period before a person can be elected. If the Student Senate were truly serious about fulfilling part of its mission to provide fair representative to the Student Body, it would have not turned its back on their two-week tradition. The purpose of traditions is to hand down beliefs or ideas from an older generation to a newer generation. Unfortunately, this newer generation has failed to learn and comprehend the lessons that older and wiser Student Senates have previously set before them.
Student Trustee Martin’s arguments were valid. However, for once the Senate seemingly ignored the current longest serving executive board member. According to the minutes of the meeting, only two senators voted “no” on the motion to elect Stephanie Caron as the Belknap Hall Representative.
After the vote on the motion was announced, Trustee Martin, who more often then not remains professional, just shook his head in disapproval. After the meeting’s conclusion, Trustee Martin commented ” I’m not disappointed in Stephanie being elected as a senator. I really don’t know her but I’m sure she will adequately represent Belknap Hall. I’m just more saddened by the Senate’s decision to forgo the precedent of waiting two weeks of advertising to the Student Body.”
The election of Stephanie Caron is a manifestation of the inadequacies of the current body of the Student Senate. While she may be more than qualified to represent Belknap Hall, the fact that the senators would rather rush to fill a seat with one of their friends instead of waiting to potentially find a more qualified fit is upsetting. Senate is an organization that is charged to represent the student body, not a social club. It is possible that nobody else would have risen to the opportunity to run against Caron, and she would have rightfully taken her seat to represent her hall. But as of now, it seems like a brash, rushed decision. The Clock is calling for the Student Senate to reconsider this decision and see if anybody else who is interested in representing Belknap Hall will step up to the plate.