The Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) Assembly unanimously voted for an initial approval of changes to the BSG’s bylaws at their meeting on Wednesday night. According to the BSG’s constitution, a two-thirds majority of the assembly must approve the changes again next week to put them into effect.
Among other things, BSG’s bylaws govern the roles of the elected student representatives, regulate election procedures and determine the structure of important student government bodies, such as the Student Organizations Oversight Committee (SOOC).
Last week’s elections moved several whole articles from the BSG’s constitution to the bylaws, including articles delineating responsibilities of the President and Vice Presidents on Student Government, discussing the student representatives on the trustee committees and the final approval of Judicial Board nominations. None of these articles have actually been modified, just shifted to a different section of the constitution.
A new section including stricter rules for representative attendance was added, exceeding the limit of three unexcused absences for meetings of the BSG Assembly or subcommittees. Going over the limit (or a total combination of five absences from both types of meetings) will result in an automatic expulsion from the assembly without a vote. Expelled members may however be reinstated by a two-thirds vote of the executive committee.
Changes to the SOOC’s guidelines have now codified some of the organization’s new roles, such as its stewardship of the Orbit, organization of the Student Activities Fair, and holding club leader training sessions. Some of the changes contained in this year’s reassessment of the SOOC’s guidelines are also mentioned here.
Vice President of the Treasury and SAFC Chair Megan Massa ’14 also presented an initial set of changes for the SAFC guidelines, arguing that it was more effective to change the guidelines at the end of this year, rather than at the beginning of the next academic year. Massa stated that her proposed changes came from a desire to save money next year.
One change Massa proposed was to cut down the amount of off-campus meals the SAFC supplies for clubs that travel. Calling the practice “unsustainable,” Massa explained “we give you the means to go, we give you the transport, food is a luxury that you have to pay for.”
Massa noted that under her proposed changes, there would still be ways to fund meals for club trips, such as board transfers—each club would still be allowed two per semester, although certain athletic clubs could get permission for more additional funds from Associate Director of Dining Services, Ken Cardone. Massa’s proposal also adds an additional $50 of travel snack money to supplement food funds.
Since BSG has no meeting next week, the Assembly will vote on these proposed changes at their meeting the week after.