An hour and a half of debate Tuesday night centered around Senate Bill 2226 at the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming senate meeting. The bill proposes to alter the language of the ASUW Constitution, an action that requires not only the approval of the senate but also that of the student body.

 “This legislation is an effort to reform the way we represent students, it is in no way a reflection on the great service that we’ve had from senators-at-large in the past. However, it is an inconsistency in the structure of the student government that we’re trying to address,” Senator Paul Weaver, author of the bill, said.

As a matter of ASUW policy, the losing presidential and vice-presidential candidates are currently offered positions as senators-at-large. The position is unique in ASUW because students in that position do not represent a specific college like the rest of the senators. This is an uncommon policy in student governments.

Senator Benjamin Kinney was the only member of the election committee to vote against a “do-pass” recommendation on Bill 2226. It also received a “do-pass” recommendation from the constitution committee.

“This system has served us well, and the people who have been in those positions have, through running for ASUW President, going through the elections process, talking to the students, are probably some of the better-informed students on the body. I feel like those people have earned the right to have their voices heard, and to share the experiences that they have gained during their campaigns,” Kinney said.

Jason Murdoch, the only currently active senator-at-large, disagreed with removing the position. Murdoch and running mate Brian Watt lost to current ASUW President Kelsey Day and Vice President Jonathan McBride in the last general election this spring.

“Students haven’t expressed any kind of serious problem with this situation before. If this is something that the students really want, and they really want the opportunity to change or overturn, they would have come to us first,” Kinney said.

“They got more votes than most of us at the table did,” Alex Smeaton said.  “Clearly, while they weren’t running for senate, they have a significant portion of the student population that is behind them, and behind their ideas. I feel that that’s a way of bringing the campus together after an election, by offering an olive branch to the defeated side, and I think it’s very useful.”

“After you lose that election, it’s a chance for you to keep the promises that you promised to those students. If this is about numbers then I think we really ought to think about why we’re here, and why we sit around this table for who-knows-how-many-hours every Tuesday. Because this is not about numbers, it’s about serving students. Are we out of chairs?  I don’t think so,” Senator Amy Berry said.

“I think it’s time to fill it with two more people who wanted to serve students and serve them well,” Berry said.

Some concern was expressed about the validity of the position.

The senator-at-large position has the potential to be filled by someone who just didn’t care enough to win the campaign, Liz Rader said.

 “We have elections for a reason, and that is because we are trying to elect people to represent ourselves and others, and elections should have consequences. We would never consider providing seats for all the losing senate candidates. Why do we do it for the losing presidential candidates?” Weaver said.

 “I’m afraid that most of the student population is not very concerned with what we’re doing here. If we let them vote on this, it’s going to be a coin-flip, I’m afraid.  Some people are going to check ‘yes,’ and some people are going to check ‘no,’ based on how they’re feeling at the moment,” Senator Marcus Catchpole said.

Senator Jorden Escamilla said, “How can you call yourself a student leader when you are sitting in those chambers saying that the student body has no faith, that the student body does not care what goes on within ASUW?  How dare someone allege that the constituency has no faith and does not care when they are not even informed at all of what is going on or what the situation might be.”

Since Tuesday’s meeting constitutes the second reading of Senate Bill 2226, the Student Representation Reform Act, the item will be voted upon during the next ASUW Student Senate meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The senate also voted Tuesday to postpone their discussion until Dec. 2.

 If the bill receives the necessary two-thirds vote to put it on the ballot, students will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment during ASUW elections in the spring.

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