2008 Woodie Awards
Changing Structure at Annual Retreat
New Rules and Voting Regulations Set to Better Represent Student Body
By Casey Morse
4/11/07 - News
At this year's ASCSM Retreat, the officers brainstormed goals for the Organization to accomplish in the 2006-2007 academic year. One goal established at this retreat has been a recurring goal over the past five years at least: increased outreach and representation. ASCSM formed an Ad-hoc Redistricting Committee to address this paramount task.
The Redistricting Committee reviewed the current Council structure and structures of several other benchmark schools and identified several opportunities for improvement. This was further clarified after separating our targeted areas of representation into three silos: Community, Institution, and Faculty/Academics.
The current structure allows great representation within the institution on committees such as the Calendar Committee, Diversity Committee, Tech Fee Committee, Board of Publications, Alumni Association, and several others. The structure did not give the students significant representation on Faculty Senate committees or Golden Chamber of Commerce groups.
Additionally, the Redistricting Committee analyzed the purpose of ASCSM, which includes but is not limited to budgeting of the student activities fee, oversight of clubs and organizations, and representation of the students to the faculty, community, administration, and alumni.
Taking these into account, a new structure was formed with two different legislative bodies, the Senate and the Club Council. The Senate is comprised of 25 voting members: 4 votes from each undergraduate class, 4 votes from the Graduate Student Association, 2 votes from the international student population, and 3 votes from the At-Large Representatives. The Club Council is comprised of 25 voting seats, which will be filled by an application process every year.
The Senate will address the part of the purpose statement regarding representation to each of the three silos we identified. Each class now has a President, a Treasurer, and three Class Representatives. Each Class Representative will be assigned to specific committees within each of the silos. The At-Large Representatives will oversee each one of the silos. For example, in the Faculty/Academic Affairs silo, ASCSM will have a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and At-Large Representative sitting on various Faculty Senate Committees.
This set-up will improve representation, retention, and respect on those committees. The Club Council will address the part of the purpose regarding club oversight and budgeting of the student activities fee.
The Executive Council remained almost unchanged, with the exception of the removal of MAC President. The Executive Council oversees both Senate and Club Council meetings, which will occur on alternating Thursdays. Each legislative body has the ability to call to question decisions made by the other body.
The ASCSM Council is confident that this new structure will better suit its purpose and therefore better serve the students. For any additional information, please email me at cmorse@mines.edu.
The Redistricting Committee reviewed the current Council structure and structures of several other benchmark schools and identified several opportunities for improvement. This was further clarified after separating our targeted areas of representation into three silos: Community, Institution, and Faculty/Academics.
The current structure allows great representation within the institution on committees such as the Calendar Committee, Diversity Committee, Tech Fee Committee, Board of Publications, Alumni Association, and several others. The structure did not give the students significant representation on Faculty Senate committees or Golden Chamber of Commerce groups.
Additionally, the Redistricting Committee analyzed the purpose of ASCSM, which includes but is not limited to budgeting of the student activities fee, oversight of clubs and organizations, and representation of the students to the faculty, community, administration, and alumni.
Taking these into account, a new structure was formed with two different legislative bodies, the Senate and the Club Council. The Senate is comprised of 25 voting members: 4 votes from each undergraduate class, 4 votes from the Graduate Student Association, 2 votes from the international student population, and 3 votes from the At-Large Representatives. The Club Council is comprised of 25 voting seats, which will be filled by an application process every year.
The Senate will address the part of the purpose statement regarding representation to each of the three silos we identified. Each class now has a President, a Treasurer, and three Class Representatives. Each Class Representative will be assigned to specific committees within each of the silos. The At-Large Representatives will oversee each one of the silos. For example, in the Faculty/Academic Affairs silo, ASCSM will have a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and At-Large Representative sitting on various Faculty Senate Committees.
This set-up will improve representation, retention, and respect on those committees. The Club Council will address the part of the purpose regarding club oversight and budgeting of the student activities fee.
The Executive Council remained almost unchanged, with the exception of the removal of MAC President. The Executive Council oversees both Senate and Club Council meetings, which will occur on alternating Thursdays. Each legislative body has the ability to call to question decisions made by the other body.
The ASCSM Council is confident that this new structure will better suit its purpose and therefore better serve the students. For any additional information, please email me at cmorse@mines.edu.
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