0 SL SUPPLEMENT Y 41W Aer t Batt VOTE DEC. 8, 9 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1954 Crucial Election a y 0c-M SL Future SGC Plan Proposal aDiscussed Pro, Con Proponents Cite Regental Approval; Opponents Claim Body Too Small EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is intended to bring into focus some of the basic issues both pro and con raised by the proposed Student Gov- ernment Council to be presented for student opinion in the all-campus elections Wednesday and Thursday.) By GENE HARTWIG Daily Managing Editor Since the term "Student Government Council" first came to the fore on the campus political scene there has been considerable pro and con discussion of the merits and demerits of the plan. Among defenders of the SGC proposal a favorite argument has been that the plan if approved by the Regents will give official re- cognition and status to student government at the University. Up to this time student government other than Student Affairs Committee has had no specific grant of authority from the Regents for any officially defined area of jurisdiction. Thirty-Four Run For 25 Positions Question of Government Structure To Get Campus Referendum Vote By MURRY FRYMER Two important questions will be put to the campus in the Student Legislature elections Tuesday and Wednesday. One, should the form of student government be changed from SL to the much-debated Student Government Council? Two, who should fill the seats of the Legislature while it con- tinues to represent the student body? Thirty-four candidates are in the running for 25 SL seats. Twenty- three of the posts are for a full year, or as long as SL remains in ex istence. Two of the seats are for one semester. Prominent SGC Roles Taking a prominent role in this election will be the SGC referen- dum in which the campus is being asked its preference of organiza- tions for student government. If the students vote for the change, the entire question will fall into the laps of the Board of Regents at their December 17th (or pos- sibly a later) meeting. For this reason many of the proponents of the SGC plan are hoping that the vote is not only favorable, but decisive, allowing the Regents no doubt ) J-llop Group: Appoint nent 4 Or Election? By HARRY STRAUSS Whether J-Hop committee mem- bers should be elected or appoint- ed will be decided by student vot- ers in the coming election. The referendum asks first if ,the voter prefers the present sys- tem of choosing J-Hop members, that is, by election, or if he pre- fers having these committee mem- bers appointed by a special im- partial committee. The second part of the ballot concerns the make-up of the im- partial appointing group. Stud-' ents are asked if they approve or disapprove of the following make- up: Group Make-Up The immediate past chairman the J-Hop Committee; One other J-Hop Committee member appointed by the past '0-Hop Committee; One member of SL chosen by %the SL Cabinet, subject to the approval of the legislature; One member of the League In- terviewing and NominatinguCom- mittee chosen by that group; One member of the Union's Senior Executive Committee chos- en by that group. Complaints Last Spring This J-Hop referendum was drawn up following some com- plaints after last Sprign's elec- tion that few students were inter- 'sted in listening to those run- ning for posts on a "dance com- mittee." It was felt that more people who are interested would be will- ing to try dut for these positions if they would not have to cam- paign for the posts. . Similar views were given by those who thought that putting on a dance takes skill that some have but who find campaigning an unnecessary expense. On the other hand, the added publicity given to the J-Hop through the campaign was believ- 'ed to offset some of the campaign- ing disadvantages. Recognition Warrents Support SGC proponents argue that this factor of officialrecognition alone warrants support of the plan by the campus. The arguments of the opposition point out that giving official sanc- tion to student government will make little difference in practice when it comes to crucial issues on which administration and stud- ents basically disagree. Objecting to the alleged unre- presentative character of SGC op- ponents argue that by reducing the number of elective positions from 40 to 141 while retaining the practice of the single transferable ballot, the elected members would in effect correspond to a norm of campus opinion with extremes automatically excluded. This tendency toward a strictly majority rule would be further emphasized by the fact that only five or six of the 11 could be elected each semester SGC oppon- ents argue. Question of Size On the other hand partisans of the new plan maintain that the smaller size of the council allows for more efficient functioning and helps insure the election of better qualified personnel. It is their feeling that under' SL, the more capable student will often decline to serve on student government as he knows he will have to use much of his time carrying out service projects and other line functions. SGC is expected to be a policy making body with the job of im- plementing and administering its decisions carried out by agencies responsible to SGC or by other activities-. Other objections to SGC's size have also been raised. Some say that with only 11 members avail- able to do the footwork of collect- ing opinion and background in- formation, the Council will be overburdened with work. On the other hand supporters of the plan argue that it is better to start with the smaller group and when experience indicates a needed expansion such will have to come about or the whole SGC structure will collapse. Possibility of Friction Another basicissue raised by the plan centers around the great- er possibility of, student govern- nent-administration friction with an intermediary faculty-student group such as SAC taken out of he picture. See SGC, Page 4 -Daily-John Hirtzel THE JOB OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT-From mimeographing motions to debating campus issues, from discussing student view- points to arguing for certain SL action, from learning the facts to disclosing issues, and from sealing envelopes to spreading student gov- ernment publicity-it's all the job of student government as it performs the task of giving voice to student opinion on campus. Election of campus representatives, and the important issue of what government make-up the student body prefers will be de- cided at the Student Legislature elections Wednesday and Thursday. I HOW IT FUNCTIONS: Student Legislature Plan Student Legislature, as opposed to Student Government Council, is based upon the following plan: STRUCTURE All SL members are elected from the campus-at-large. The body currently numbers 40 members. Next semester 43 members will sit on SL, for the number varies according to campus population, one member representing each 400 students. Anyone, including first-semester freshmen, may seek election to SL or may serve on its Executive Wing, aiding committees and the cabinet in an administrative and research capacity. OFFICERS Cabinet oliicers are a president, vice-president, two members-at- large, treasurer, National Student Association coordinator and execu- tice secretary. A part-time administrative secretary is hired by SL and paid from Legislative funds. Other appointed officers include committee chairmen, a comptroller, Student Book Exchange chairman, Cinema Guild Board chairman and chairmen of numerous ad hoc commit- tees. Among official University committees on which SL members or representatives sit are Lecture Committee, Calendaring Com- mittee, Student Affairs Committee, Loan Committee and Union Board. FINANCES Finances of SL come mainly from one annual Homecoming Dance, which nets about $3000, and are supplemented by Cinema Guild movie funds of $1500 to $1600 per year, a grant of $1200 for office supplies by the Office of Student Affairs and other miscel- laneous fees. SL submitted a request to the Regents last year that a tax of 25 cents per student per semester be levied upon students, but the HOW IT WOULD FUNCTION: Proposed SGC Plan Student Government Council can be compared to the present Student Legislature as follows: STRUCTURE Representatives on SGC would include 18 members, 11 of whom would be elected at large from the campus, the remaining seven to sit ex officio as the heads of the major campus organizations (Union, League, Interfraternity Council, Inter-House Council, Panhellic, As- sembly, and The Daily). Membership on the seven-man Board in Review would include the dean of men, the dean of women, three faculty members and two students, one of whom would be president of the council. OFFICERS about student opinion. If the students vote against the change, the student government will continue in the hands of SL, and the SGC idea probably drop- ped. Campaigning Mild The campaigning for the SL seats has been comparatively mild this semester. Candidates have been appearing at residence open hous- es, and putting up the customary posters. The candidates, having under- gonera thorough SL orientation program to learn the successes and problems of the organization,, are concerning their campaigns primarily with views on the SGC. For the first time in an SL elec- tion, a campus political party will be presenting a list of candidates. The Common Sense Party has cho- sen 12 students to run on its plat- form, J-Hop Referendum Another issue in the election is a J-Hop referendum asking student preference on whether to keep the J-Hop Committee an elective body, picked every spring, orpto change it to an appointed group. Estimates of the total vote aver- age to an expected 5,000 ballots, the weather playing an important role. At the April 1 election there were 6,091 votes cast in balloting for SL and various other boards being filled at the same time. Thirty candidates ran for 22 SL positions closely approximating the number of candidates per seat this semester. Seven SL Incumbents Seven present SL members are running for re-election, however President Steve Jelin whose term ends this month is not included. Jelinhwas forced out because of ill health. The retiring president comment- ed concerning the election that the "importance of the referendum on the form of student government has been emphasized to a degree that often overlooks the equally important election of candidates to the present student government, the SL." Jelin continued, "Whatever the referendum result, those elected representatives will serve on be- half of the student body for some time. They should select wisely." On J-Hop, SGC Listed Students voting in the SL elee. tion Wednesday and Thursday wil be asked to vote on the followin; referenda: SGC Referendum (Any student in the Universit3 may vote) WHICH WOULD YOU PRF, FER? (Check one) Q The proposed Student Gov- ernment Council d The Present structure of Student Go*rnment J-Hop Referendum A. J-Hop Committee is pre- sently elected in the spring All- sently elected in the spring All- Campus Elections by those stud- ents who will be juniors the fol- lowing year. CHECK ONE OF THE FOL- LOWING: Q 1. I prefer the present sys- tem of choosing J-Hop Com- mittee members. (Election) 5 2. I prefer having the J-Hop Committee appointed by a special impartial committee. B. If J-Hop Committee were to be appointed, would you approve generally, the make-up of the fol- lowing committee to serve as a nominating and appointing com- mittee? a. Immediate past chairman of J-Hop Committee. b. One other J-Hop Committee member to be appointed by the past J-Hop Committee. c. One member of SL to. be chosen by the cabinet subject to the approval of the Legislature. d. One member of the League Interviewing and Nominating Committee to be chosen by said committee. e. One member of the Union Executive Council to be chosen by said council. VOTE YES Q OR NO [7 Referenda Student Legislature .44.4,< ~ STtENT 8 0Y C T I V 1 :4444 4~~~7 34+,444,444 144~4444,4 ENT ' WI___ ~C r44 V' R 44444 444 444444 44'+*414'444444444444,44+44444444444 444+44 *444 .4H44+444444444+.-4,44 -44 .4,. 44444-4, ....:. ~yf}:?%::?"iii::::< : . :.." . .. : C IFY.:">::i:::;+~iTiM .iii::%.::.: --..::: 4 ......... .:.:: . +:.. . ::: -.* :':4 ..S . :: .5.34 : .S .. . .:-:. 44444441 : .:: 444+4444.. .. . 44::4:.:..4 :.4444M :. . {t:' Regents have not yet taken ac- tion upon the proposal. Expenses which consume SL's financesannually pay about $1,- 000 to the Administrative Secre- tary, $900 for NSA dues, $1000 of- fice supplies, $700 elections costs, and $1000 public relations expens- es. JURISDICTION Jurisdiction anO authority of SL are not precisely outlined. Al- though SL can discuss and deal with any subject its members de- sire, it has no final authority granted it by the University. Means of attaining SL's goals have, thus been largely confined to re- quests for action or consideration, unless the members themselves can accomplish the desired pro- ject without University admin- istration assistance or permission. AUTIOiTYV Officers of the Council would include a president, vice-president, treasurer and a professional administrative secretary without vote appointed by the student affairs vice-president to record proceed- ings. A committee structure would have to be worked out after the Council had been elected to carry on the job of implementing SGC decisions. Service projects would probably be handled by delegating activi- ties to other campus groups or to an administrative wing. FINANCES The Addendum of the SGC proposal calls for financing the govern- ment with an assessment per student per semester, levied on all stud- ents and payable at registration. This would most likely be the 25 per cent tax approved in principle by the campus in a referendum last spring. Unlike Student Legislature SGC would undertake no money rais- ing projects to provide for its maintainence. JURISDICTION Student Government Council would have power to: recognize new campus organizations, approve student-sponsored activities, make eligibility rules for non-athletic Student activities above the minimum grade point average, coordinate and delegate student activities, originate student projects and ex- press student opinion, It would serve as an appointing body for selection of Joint Judi- ciary Council members and repre- sentaitves to other joint student- faculty committees, administer finances designed for its use and from time to time authorize campus forums for purposes of - discussing campus issues. SGC would have final jurisdic- tion over these areas suhiect to Government Council 13O7'Mi. i4wv}h.}r, 7b:.r"Fvg1.?^!?Q F ~e GeN.."" 2 :'.tl" . ;i , . 4 Y :p, .::. ; :. ..,. .. : :: ....:::.... . .,: .::;" ".=rso ,,-,,. ' '"q4<... ;, .. 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