MSA yet to confirm constitutional convention date
The convention could change the way students are represented in MSA.
Published Nov. 30, 2010
The Missouri Students Association plans to hold its constitutional convention before the end of the fall semester. A venue for the convention has been confirmed, MSA Senate Speaker Evan Wood said.
“(The structure of MSA) is going to be looked at,” MSA President Tim Noce said.
The convention will be a three-part, three-day meeting open to the public. The first day will be an introduction of organizations present at the convention and familiarizing those organizations with the structure of MSA, Wood said.
“There will be a short brainstorming opportunity to allow discussion of new ideas (for MSA structure),” Wood said.
Seats will be given to all divisional student councils, such as the Residence Halls Association and Legion of Black Collegians. MSA will have representation at the convention, but the entire Senate will not be there, Wood said.
The second day of the convention will have a more in-depth focus on considering alternate MSA systems and structures, and the third day will be a wrap up of the convention and a vote on any alternate systems proposed.
“We want to talk with groups not familiar with the structure of MSA,” Wood said.
MSA plans to talk about MSA systems that have been used in the past as well as take suggestions for alternate systems.
Based on what the organizations present as alternate MSA systems, Senate would vote to pass those suggestions. The alternate system ideas passed would go through referendums, but no changes would be seen until the next academic year, Wood said.
“The last time (the MSA structure) was changed, it had to go through three or four referendums,” Noce said.
In the past, MSA structure represented students based off of student organization. The current MSA structure is based on academic colleges.
“Other schools represent their students based off of year in school or where (students) live,” Noce said.
As far as change within the MSA structure, Wood said he does not know what to expect yet.
“We have an imperfect system,” Noce said. “You can never find the perfect way to represent students.”
The convention was originally planned for April last semester but was postponed until August, then postponed again until this semester. Wood said a date has yet to be confirmed.