The referendum asked students if they wanted to approve the Association of Amherst Students' recommended $14,305 allocation to the Spring Formal.
In the appeal, McDonald outlined three complaints. First, he questioned the validity of a bylaw that would theoretically permit a very small number of voters to determine election results. Second, the wording of the ballot led many students to believe that food and souvenirs would not be part of the Formal, though, in fact, both will be funded by the $4,000 left over from last year's Formal. Last, McDonald thinks that "the lack of options beyond 'yes,' 'no,' and 'abstain' [left] no room for comments or optional allocations" that may have better reflected student opinion about the Formal.
McDonald, a resident counselor (RC) in Pond Dormitory, met with Social Council (SoCo) members and other RCs last Wednesday to discuss the quality of social life on campus. The RCs agreed that the Spring Formal was a valuable social event. When some of their residents informed them later that they had voted 'no' on the basis of misinformation on the allocation of funds, they agreed to support McDonald's appeal.
"While the format and technicalities the AAS abides by are respected, information received from the student body demonstrates that more can and should be done," McDonald wrote in the closing of his written appeal.
McDonald believes that the online referendum was too vague, depriving students of input and misrepresenting the specifics of the Formal. "An online vote can't decide it," he said.
"I'm glad that people have taken an interest in the Formal and that people are aware of what's going on," said Roz Foster '05, the Spring Formal planning committee chair. However, Foster also expressed frustration at having to wait longer.
The JC will review the appeal, and will release the referendum results only if the appeal is deemed invalid.