Comments on: Constitutional Musings http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/ A blog about Brandeis University, progressive politics, and the spirit of Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis on the campus today. Tue, 08 May 2012 11:40:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Andrea http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4537 Andrea Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:09:30 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4537 I'm pretty sure that "recall" and "initiative" are both in the union constitution already. You just have to get a petition together. I’m pretty sure that “recall” and “initiative” are both in the union constitution already. You just have to get a petition together.

]]> By: Organize! http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4527 Organize! Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:37:12 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4527 Yeah, the union was created when voting would have been a little more difficult. However, this is no longer the case. Another item to add to Jon's demands would be to have non-senatorial sponsored resolutions that can be voted on by the student body. I would call this a referendum, save that Jon already used the term. A process to select such propositions/resolutions would be to require a petition signed and get something like 10% of the people that voted in the last student union presidential election. Yeah, the union was created when voting would have been a little more difficult. However, this is no longer the case. Another item to add to Jon’s demands would be to have non-senatorial sponsored resolutions that can be voted on by the student body. I would call this a referendum, save that Jon already used the term. A process to select such propositions/resolutions would be to require a petition signed and get something like 10% of the people that voted in the last student union presidential election.

]]> By: Jon http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4526 Jon Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:48:51 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4526 A direct democracy is really critical in fostering a participatory democracy, something we really lack at Brandeis. Some quick ideas for reforms (although these would apply equally well to the Board of Trustees as to the Senate): 1. Recall - at any point in time, if a certain percentage of constituents sign a petition, their senator has to stand for election again. Hopefully it will motivate senators to do something while they're on the senate. 2. Initiative - by petition, students can put issues on the ballot to be decided by the student body at large. This would be really great for passing resolutions (expressing the will of the students where the senators may be reticent to do so), amending union bylaws, and implementing specific projects (could be equivalent to those fabled "student union projects"). 3. Referendum - when the union makes major decisions, it has to be approved by the whole student body to be made official. This would be great for the constitutional review itself, as well as for confirming e-board members (if we desperately need to keep that around). A direct democracy is really critical in fostering a participatory democracy, something we really lack at Brandeis. Some quick ideas for reforms (although these would apply equally well to the Board of Trustees as to the Senate):

1. Recall – at any point in time, if a certain percentage of constituents sign a petition, their senator has to stand for election again. Hopefully it will motivate senators to do something while they’re on the senate.

2. Initiative – by petition, students can put issues on the ballot to be decided by the student body at large. This would be really great for passing resolutions (expressing the will of the students where the senators may be reticent to do so), amending union bylaws, and implementing specific projects (could be equivalent to those fabled “student union projects”).

3. Referendum – when the union makes major decisions, it has to be approved by the whole student body to be made official. This would be great for the constitutional review itself, as well as for confirming e-board members (if we desperately need to keep that around).

]]> By: Andrea http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4523 Andrea Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:59:05 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4523 I still think it's essential when advocating the idea of more online voting to mention the fact that the online voting software needs to actually work. I still think it’s essential when advocating the idea of more online voting to mention the fact that the online voting software needs to actually work.

]]> By: Matt http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4521 Matt Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:24:43 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4521 Felige, that's an odd model for Athenian political change. Individual members or small groups of the upper class were generally the ones overthrowing the government, at least during the period of Athenian empire. Male citizens did indeed have the right to vote. IRV would be nice, but it doesn't solve the more pressing problem of indistinguishable candidates that no one cares about. Eliminate the E-Board, reduce the number of senators to something approaching proportional representation, and let the Senate itself make the decisions. Reduce committees to advising the Senate. And yes, leave the treasurer/F-Board alone. I don't actually think that it works well, but there's no way to improve allocation of money to clubs and get the University to agree. The one financing change that I'd like to see is making the secured status of an organization subject to review every few years. I think there are larger reasons why people have a low opinion of the Student Union than the Senate's utter irrelevance. Good luck addressing them. I wouldn't have an issue with direct democracy as a means of getting students more involved. I think it might lead to worse decisions, but since the administration (usually rightly) doesn't let students make substantive decisions, it doesn't matter that much. Felige, that’s an odd model for Athenian political change. Individual members or small groups of the upper class were generally the ones overthrowing the government, at least during the period of Athenian empire. Male citizens did indeed have the right to vote.

IRV would be nice, but it doesn’t solve the more pressing problem of indistinguishable candidates that no one cares about.

Eliminate the E-Board, reduce the number of senators to something approaching proportional representation, and let the Senate itself make the decisions. Reduce committees to advising the Senate.

And yes, leave the treasurer/F-Board alone. I don’t actually think that it works well, but there’s no way to improve allocation of money to clubs and get the University to agree. The one financing change that I’d like to see is making the secured status of an organization subject to review every few years.

I think there are larger reasons why people have a low opinion of the Student Union than the Senate’s utter irrelevance. Good luck addressing them.

I wouldn’t have an issue with direct democracy as a means of getting students more involved. I think it might lead to worse decisions, but since the administration (usually rightly) doesn’t let students make substantive decisions, it doesn’t matter that much.

]]> By: Sahar http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4520 Sahar Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:05:34 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4520 Shit, I accidentally mentioned Athenian Democracy at Brandeis. That's like Godwin's law territory. Let me go fix that, shall I? Shit, I accidentally mentioned Athenian Democracy at Brandeis. That’s like Godwin’s law territory. Let me go fix that, shall I?

]]> By: Felege-Selam http://innermostparts.org/2009/11/14/constitutional-musings/comment-page-1/#comment-4519 Felege-Selam Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:00:32 +0000 http://innermostparts.org/?p=2796#comment-4519 Ok wait. Athens did not have a direct democracy. The people had the right to engage in stasis meaning civil strife. They voted for representatives and if they were ignored for long enough they would grab some weapons and violently overturn the government. That's just not an option at Brandeis. Ok wait.

Athens did not have a direct democracy. The people had the right to engage in stasis meaning civil strife. They voted for representatives and if they were ignored for long enough they would grab some weapons and violently overturn the government.

That’s just not an option at Brandeis.

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