MSA election process might be looked at
Published Feb. 2, 2007
Justin Ginter, who has but weeks remaining in his term as Residence Halls Association president, is now the head of a Missouri Students Association subcommittee that will discuss changes to MSA executive election procedure. The changes would not apply to Senatorial elections for this year.
"We do have a precedent of not messing with election laws in the middle of the election," MSA Senate Operations Committee Chairman Jonathan Mays said.
No date has been set for the beginning of the meetings for the subcommittee.
At an Operations Committee meeting Tuesday night, various committee members expressed a sentiment that the subcommittee would consist of the members of the operations committee, though Mays said new faces are welcome to join from within or outside of MSA.
One of the changes the Operations Committee will make without the subcommittee will be the addition of a Student Court handbook. The Student Court operates without written guidelines. The Operations Committee will discuss a handbook that will be presented at next Tuesday's meeting.
Mays did not comment on whether the Student Court handbook was in any way related to the protests over the lack of hearing regarding Sameera Ali and Kelley Robinson's disqualification in the fall presidential election. But he said he would push to ensure all candidates receive hearings in future cases of removals.
Another possible change sparked much debate after being introduced to Mays by Robinson, who was not present at the meeting. It would bring an end to fines in cases of campaign violations, which is why Ali and Robinson were fined out of the last election. Instead, it would involve a reduction in spending caps for the campaigns that commit violations.
"The monetary fine is the deterrent to breaking the rule," Davie Holt said.
Although others in the room shared Holt's opinion, the issue went to the committee.
Some members expressed satisfaction with the point system used to determine removals from this year's election.
"I thought that the point system was a strong way of doing it," Senator Taylor McKinney said.
Debate in the committee will also deal with the philosophical implications of requiring approval for campaign materials. To some members of the committee, MSA must look out for its own interests and continue to require approval.
"We have a right and a responsibility," Senate Clerk Michelle Compton said of monitoring the materials.
Mays said he disliked the idea of approving campaign material.
"I'm strongly opposed to campaign material approval, and I will continue to push for an end to it," he said.
The discussion focused on the fact that the MSA logo is on the materials and that various organizations have developed negative feelings about MSA when they see flyers they find objectionable.
"We're saying what you can and can't say with our logo on it," Senator Marissa Sharkey said.
Both Mays and Ginter said they will meet soon to discuss when the subcommittee will begin meeting.