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Senate cri By Thomas Wilkinson | 8*mrt* PirtUmtfttaita" i After reading the reports of Mr. O'Boyle's reform constitution in Friday's paper, I thought it time that, as parliamentarian of the senate, I say what few have said or seem to know about the problems of senate hncinooo K/MUAAIViM* As a former senator, I have been both partisan and non-partisan. Therefore, maybe the public will consider my observations credible before jumping at the O'Boyle mirage. Without some clear facts about Student Government, SG, the ouiucuw iciui in uiay turn to a mil oi sand. I submit that my explanations are not unique, but they are rarely made public by others. (1) Student Senate Is unrepresentative of the students at Carolina: if unrepresentative means student opinion is ignored or On letters To the F The Gamecock welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and my feel must be signed with the concern writer's correct name, a neyf 1 *.^1 ?i ? tcicpnune, mailing address, J^^ai class standing and major. to imp Pseudonyms are unac- member ceptable, but the writer's finally name may be withheld bv Governr request if circumstances EJke ^JJ warrant. We reserve the realize right to edit letters for probienr space. Address letters to: realized Campus opinion, The Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, Columbia, S.C. 29208. Founded 1906 I Mark J. Lundgren Editor In Chief H Don Fobes Copy Desk Chief I Tom Travis News Editor I David Baker Entertainment Editor | Brett Frledlander Sports Editor Dave Roback Graphics Editor I Barbara Mathews Wire Editor I Jim Phillips Editorial Page Editor R Leigh Grogan...... Assistant News Editor I Lehman Stiles. Assistant Entertainment Ed. Janice Wood Graduate Autstant B Jill Griffin Advertising Manager p Fran George Production Manager Jon Clemmensen General Manager SemMcXe* Business Manager Mark Ethrldge Jr Adviser Sot* reproduction rights granted to the Associated Press. All other material con (airvsa nerein may not be reprinted without j the permission of the editor. | Opinion* expressed In the Gamecock are teg, thoae, If signed, of the writer end, if un signed, of the setilor editorial staff. [ Guest coli ticism explaine unmentioned or not seriously considered, befo then this statement is patently false. Length duri of debates in the senate do reflect the time (3 needed and used to answer questions and fecti get every view across. Anyone who belongs no r to a club knows that hearing every opinion frivc takes time. This is only avoided when one or sena two people make the decision themselves worii alone. Now is that very representative? wouj kz) student senate Is a circus. No one disci listens and no one knows what he is doing. "y a The senate is an unruly body. This is for two reasons: first, the vice president should of tin know and enforce proper parliamentary Th procedure. As parliamentarian, I can attest exist that the vice president does not know the has i rules ? nor does he enforce them or tobey Most them; second, many senators save their who work for the Wednesday meeting. They do decis not prepare the bills in committee becai >'Gr Resident deft Editor: within the present sys obvious that our efforts reading the past two successful. As a resul 1 1 it - is ana ine various letters to Student Government ref or, I felt a need to express almost immediately, t lings to the student body work on the new propos ing the recent proposal for approximately four m< Student Government, SG, tion. First of all the The resulting propose 1 in the 2/9/79 issue seemed product of long hours ly that the concerned work from the commits s of Student Government Although we realize the realized that Student fool-proof, we feel it is nent had an inefficiency system than we have n . This is not triiA it hw 1 ... -v ?*.v. iwi ueen pointed out that i t a few weeks for us to system there are areas o that inefficiency was a abuse in regards tc i. However, we also representation. I feel tl that we had to try to work most part the student bo OfilyGuWngfea.'?^ id by parliari rehand and must therefore do this th ng the meeting. p< ) Student Senate is wasteful and inef- th ve. This is partly true. The senate has ules (which are enforced) to compel >lous legislation to be examined before fr te debates. Attempts to organize the ^ tload of the senate so that each senator cu d know in advance what he would be wj issing or voting on have been frustrated ^ n impatient executive office, i.e. vice f0 ident, clerical staff and some members e senate. 1 e senate is ineffective because there gu s no "chain of command." The senate Bu 10 clear delineation of responsibility, senators are unaware of th*? n*?r?rkr?o ? ?~ r~*lie have responsibility for university ions. Much legislation is wasted . use it is directed at the wrong people. If inds espoused tem. It is Carolina is suffering a n ? were not greater abuse ? no represents t, talk of at all. Until three weeks ago rc orm began of the University Committees nit actual no student representatives. / >al started this past Wednesday whei rnths ago. presented the plan to he senat was interesting to note that m al is the senators complained at and hard inequitable representation and le I set up. not one of these senators said plan is not personally don't like the new p s a better but I will take it back to my < ow. It has stituency and see how they resp n the new to it." These senators are guilt >f potential the very same fault that they us , c+iirlt * " , otwuciii uic new pian. uranu iat for the the new plan is not perfect but o dy here at it is on its feet, changes can . ( 1^7 lentarian e senate is to have effect on university >Iicy each senator must know to whom in e administration to direct his questions. Yt : < " * ' ~ * ii is easy 10 oiame me student Senate for e evils of SG. But I've seen this senate om the inside and the outside; I know why breaks down. I've also seen the executive uncil system. It is not in itself wrong. It ill have less impact on the university than e senate does now, however, for the llowing reasons: One. Student Senate depends on student pport and can direct it. Without it (student pport) the senate is powerless. An ecutive council needs no direct student nnnh u>A*l d??a ia? ? a * - rKwa?tv nwK. out us coairoi over money, ensing, and student courts would be inlated from the opinions of non-executive idente. S? QUEST COLUMN, pag* constitution men made to improve the basic ition framework. l?ny I would like to remind students that the petitions being circulated Llso' now are nothing but a request to 1 . have the new proposal put on a 11 ballot with the old Student ianV Government system ? to be voted )out on jn a campus-wide general yet election. ' "* I think it is time for a change. lan' Students, this is your chance for con: self-determination in the area of *>n(! Student Government. Make y ? student Government work for you eto insieaa oi in spite of you. nce Seamus O'Boyle be SG President OO