This Monday evening, the representative body overwhelmingly agreed to a constitutional amendment proposed by Senators Avi Das '07 and Emily Silberstein '06 along with Jon Borowsky '07, a candidate for senator next year.
The proponents were motivated by what they saw as the partial student support for the failed amendment put forth by Senator Jessica Rothschild '06, who sought to open up committee seats but simultaneously shrink the senate. The new amendment would maintain senate size but still open a number of committees for non-senators interested in affecting College policy.
Under the proposed amendment, students would apply to a six-person Appointments Board composed of non-senators to be selected by the senate. The board would then weigh qualifications and propose a set of committee appointments for final approval by the senate. Proponents of the system hope it will allow knowledgeable students to participate in the decision-making process on campus without running for the senate.
Some, though, expressed concern that senators would lose their importance as the only students to serve on college committees. "What would the senate do?" asked Senator Tim Zeiser '07. "Won't it just be a glorified BC [Budgetary Committee]?"
Borowsky pointed out that the Appointments Board would actually function much in the same way that the BC does now, gathering information, narrowing debate and then handing final decisions and ultimate power to the senate.
The vast majority of senators seemed impressed with the thoroughness behind the proposed amendment and accompanying bylaws, voting by a margin of 21-3 to put the question to student referendum in a special vote this Friday.
Also on that ballot will be a constitutional amendment allowing students to declare a special vote by petition. The issue came up in the BC during a previous amendment debate, when an issue raised by student petition was left off a ballot by the senate.
Among the two weeks' worth of discretionary requests that the senate considered, a request from the College's radio station, WAMH, stood out for its size and urgency. The station's broadcast tower has been out of commission since December and needed almost $20,000 for repairs. To make matters worse, the Federal Communications Commission is currently renewing licenses and if the station isn't broadcasting it could lose its license without the chance to reapply.
"I cannot stress this enough," urged station representative Alex Rodriguez '07, "If things are not fixed and we can't renew our license, the College station will not broadcast again. We are dead."
The senate approved funding the repairs out of the senate reserves, the accumulated savings of unspent student activities fees invested over the years. Treasurer Richa Bhala '07 estimated that the expense would be recouped in two semesters with a strong market.