On Apr. 20, Tufts students selecting the upcoming Tufts Community Union (TCU) President will also have the opportunity to vote on several changes to the TCU Constitution.
According to a proposal submitted by sophomore Alex Clark, senior Ed Kalafarski and senior Jordana Starr, the Constitutional amendments will make slight changes to the processes of the TCU Judiciary (TCUJ), Senate and Elections Board (ELBO).
"The experience of the three years since its [latest] ratification has presented the TCU with several complications and special cases that go unaddressed," the proposal stated. "These [proposed] amendments are intended to address these bureaucratic discrepancies, to reflect programs created in the intervening time ... and to clarify the logical roles of members in the TCU."
Kalafarski, TCU Senate historian, said that the proposed amendments were partially prompted by issues surrounding ELBO. One amendment proposes to change the name of ELBO to "Elections Commission" in order to better reflect its duties. The amendment also proposes to "overhaul" the organization "to provide fair compensation and accountability for officers."
The proposal would provide monetary compensation to ELBO officers. Kalafarski said that there are currently few incentives to serve on the commission.
"[There is] no real incentive for anybody to want to be on the elections board. For being such an important role, it's a thankless job," he said.
In addition, the amendment also includes a means of removing and replacing members. No such measure currently exists, making holding members accountable difficult.
The proposed amendment follows a nearly year-long debate that began after an Apr. 27, 2005 referendum that was held by ELBO on behalf of Tufts' Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO). That referendum sought to determine student support for a $20 increase in the student activity fee to bring wind-generated power to the Medford Campus.
On Mar. 28 of this year, however, the Committee on Student Life (CSL) invalidated the results - which received 88 percent support - after then-Primary Source Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Boyd filed a complaint that a link on the TCU Elections Board (ELBO) Web site directed students to information supporting a pro-wind power vote, but offered no such information for the opposing position.
The proposed amendments would also add the TCUJ Advocacy Program to the constitution. The Advocacy Program is designed to assist students facing disciplinary issues.
"The advocacy program is a student-run system in which student advocates are available to counsel individuals facing disciplinary action as to their rights and the judicial procedure at Tufts," said sophomore and TCUJ Vice Chair Marc Bouffard.
"It's been set up for two years. It's been gaining strength and an increased role on campus. We want to include it in order to make it official," said TCUJ Chair Clark.
Kalafarski said that another amendment would allow seniors the first option for open Senate seats. This, he said, would allow for the creation of an experienced senate in the event that few seniors and juniors ran.
"Clearly in a perfect world, the classes are contested," he said, adding that in a worse-case scenario - one in which no juniors or seniors run - a senate 75 percent filled with freshmen is possible.
"In a worse case scenario, a senate with more seniority would be more effective," Kalafarski said.
For the amendments to pass, at least 25 percent of the student body must vote, and a majority of those voting must vote in favor.
Clark said that presidential elections often have good turnout, a fact that bodes well for participation in the referendum vote.
The Constitution was last amended three years ago, on Apr. 24, 2003.
