The Program Board and Marvin Center Governing Board last week approved the redrafted Joint Elections Committee charter, which was passed by the Student Association at the Senate’s emergency meeting Jan.13.
PB and MCGB also made new appointments to this oversight committee, but now await SA appointments to complete the JEC.
The committee, initially chartered in 1977, facilitates elections for the three student organizations. Its charter was rewritten in 1996 – the first re-write since its inception. The SA Senate approved it last year with the condition the document be rewritten this year.
To implement the charter, all three organizations must approve an identical form of it. According to PB Executive Chair Soraya Tabibi, student leaders in SA, PB and MCGB have been working to accomplish that goal since last semester.
The charter also requires equal representation, with a limit of three representatives from each organization. The actual size of the committee, however, depends on the requirements of the chartering organizations’ governing documents. Since the SA constitution requires three members, PB and MCGB also appoint three members.
SA President Kuyomars “Q” Golparvar said he plans to submit his appointments for confirmation during the first regular SA Senate meeting of the semester, Jan. 27.
According to the newly-approved charter, the committee must submit its election rules to the heads of the three organizations by the last Friday of January, Jan. 30.
Terry Goddard, a second-term MCGB appointee to the JEC, said he is somewhat concerned about the limited time the committee has to write the rules.
Aaron Albright, also an MCGB appointee on the JEC, said those currently on the committee have started discussing the new rules.
“I am sure we will be able to get at least a preliminary draft to the organizations by Friday,” Goddard said. “I don’t foresee the rules changing all that much.”
Golparvar said he realizes the JEC has little time to establish the rules, especially if his candidates are not confirmed by the Senate.
The JEC charter states members of the JEC cannot be an appointed, employed or elected student member of the chartering organization they represent. In addition, members of the JEC may not campaign on behalf of a candidate.
Jonathan Pompan, chair of the MCGB, said JEC members should “have the skills needed to be dedicated and unbiased and have a certain degree of seriousness and the knowledge to conduct an election.”
The MCGB also appointed sophomore Sean Oliva.
Kim McCaughey, Justin Lavella and Darrell Velacruz, were appointed to represent the PB on the committee.
“It’s important to have people who will run fair, smooth elections that will be well publicized,” Golparvar said. “I’m hoping (my appointees) will definitely get confirmed.”
But instead of focusing on appointments and deadlines, Albright said, “Our major goal is to keep things on the up and up, so people will feel confident about voting.”
