New bylaws pass in ASUWT with a focus on accountability
With the new bylaws, the student government can begin working on new initiatives.
On Friday, October 6, the ASUWT student senate voted to pass the revised and updated bylaws that hadn’t been touch since pre-COVID. These governing documents determine how ASUWT operates.
Included in the Bylaws is a new clause ensuring student government members perform their duties. Especially with a tight budget on campus, ASUWT must be certain every dollar is well spent.
“There needed to be some changes in the realm of accountability,” said President Holly Wetzel. “We need to make sure the fees [students] are paying are put to good use.”
Furthermore, the accountability clause will encourage members of ASUWT to be engaged with their work, a problem faced by previous student governments. A review of last year’s student government reveals three failed initiatives with few other examples of success. The clause is meant to encourage more participation and achievements by the current government.
The opening of the accountability clause states that it was implemented to “ensure the responsible and effective functioning of [ASUWT]” and it will “encourage and maintain productive participation and accountability”.
“We need a committed team,” said Director of University Affairs Roland Heyne.
Hopefully, the new bylaws will prompt the student government to work efficiently throughout the year.
Before the bylaws were passed, reviewing and voting on the articles took up the bulk of meeting time. Now that they have passed, both the senate and the executive board can direct their attention toward new initiatives.
Santino Wong, Education Senator, hopes to find avenues to increase funding for groups on campus and encourage community engagement.
“Students in education leadership are quite disconnected,” said Senator Wong.
Evan Campbell, a Senator representing the business school, looks forward to working to gauging student feelings toward campus security.
“Now that the bylaws are done, I feel that the senate and ASUWT as a whole has a good foundation,” said Senator Campbell. “When it comes to student working groups, accountability can be an issue.”
With the new bylaws passed, members of student government will have the time and accountability they need to work towards the issues impacting students the most.
