Members of the Student Association released a draft of a new constitution Friday night. If approved, the constitution would make significant changes to all three branches of the SA, including electing the president and executive vice president together on the same ticket.
The executive vice president’s role would also been redefined. According to the draft, an elected speaker of the senate would preside over the legislative body, replacing the EVP. The EVP would have “a specific role within the Executive Branch as a partner in achieving the President’s goals,” according to a press release sent by Senate Rules Chair Jamie Baker, CPS-G.
Baker helps lead the Constitution Task Force, which was formed after a different constitution with some similar changes was killed last April.
The new constitution draft weighs in at just 11 pages, down 50 percent from the 22-page constitution currently in use.
Other major changes include increasing the number of justices on the Student Court from five to seven, and allowing all interested freshman to form a caucus within the SA to “become involved in the university policymaking process,” according to the draft.
In the task force press release, Rules Chair Jamie Baker, CPS-G, called the draft “a much clearer document that will refocus the Student Association on its core mission of advocacy.”
Members of the task force will hold a town hall Wednesday afternoon to discuss more of the proposed changes, and will make appointments to meet with students who have suggestions.
The full senate will meet again Nov. 10.