Student Government Board elections code may change

Pending a vote next week, the Student Government Board’s elections code may become more… Pending a vote next week, the Student Government Board’s elections code may become more explicit about candidate and campaign protocol.

At Tuesday night’s SGB meeting in Nordy’s Place, Kari Rosenkaimer, chair of the Elections Committee, announced a proposal to add provisions to the elections code that would disallow a candidate who had been found guilty of certain crimes from running for SGB.

“We want students who are in good standing with the University,” Rosenkaimer said.

If the vote passes, students guilty of theft, assault, perjury or any violation of the academic integrity code will not be eligible to run for any SGB office. Also, if a student is guilty of multiple violations of the judicial code, removal from the ballot at the discretion of the elections chair may occur.

In the past, the elections chair would review the application and choose to either deny or approve the applicant. Now, the decision will be more objective, as students will automatically be removed from the running if they are guilty of the listed infractions or if they fail to disclose the information in their application.

Rosenkaimer also proposed restrictions on where students can “chalk.” The restrictions, if passed, will limit the spots where SGB candidates can write messages in chalk. They will be limited to areas that can be washed clean by rain or snow, such as sidewalks. The walls of campus buildings will be off limits.

There are currently no restrictions on where candidates can write in chalk.

At next week’s meeting, the Board members will also vote on a proposal that, if passed, would curtail the ability of slates to work together in an election. The candidates make up their election slate with three potential board members or two board members and a presidential candidate. The proposal does not include specific changes to the elections code, which governs SGB elections.

Currently, slates are allowed to verbally and electronically endorse each other. However, they are not allowed to officially run together.

Rosenkaimer said that by eliminating the ability of slates to work together, they would not be able to dominate an election, but she said, “we are trying to tread lightly on this issue.”

On the upcoming November ballot, students will have the option to vote for a referendum that will allow voters to vote for eight board members and a president in future elections instead of the current five-member voting limit.

In the unfinished business segment of the meeting, board members split in a 4-4 vote to make the “ad hoc” governmental and environmental committees permanent standing committees. The motion needed a two-thirds vote to pass, and the issue was tabled.

Prior to the vote, Board member Ryan Gayman said the group had a deep discussion on the issue.

“It was a philosophical look at the organization and how it will affect future boards,” Gayman said.

SGB president Molly Stieber utilized the president’s remarks segment of the meeting to voice her thoughts on the matter.

“There is no question that the environmental and governmental committees have done great things for the 2011 board,” she said.

Moving forward with his initiative to add more general education courses, Board member Alex Zimmerman announced that the History of Sports course will count toward the historical change general education requirement.

Check out the Allocations notes online.

Allocations

Panther Judo was approved $1,897.05 and denied $218.35 for a regional competition at West Point.

Panther Judo requested $4,256 for three hotel rooms and transportation to a competition. The Board approved $2,382 and denied $1,874 for one hotel room, individual registration fees and additional transportation.

The Allocations Committee approved $450.90 for the Pitt Roller Hockey Club.

The Board approved $933 to send members from Pitt Open Books to a national conference.

The Allocations Committee approved the Scientists, Engineers, and Mathematics for Service request for $192.17 in full.

The Allocations Committee approved Zisha’s request for $462.08 in full.

Women’s Ultimate Frisbee requested a $1,234.32 budget modification that would allow the group to participate in a tournament at Penn State University, and the request was approved in full.

Panthers 4 Israel requested $1450. The request was postponed one week because no representative from the group attended the meeting.