Your student government is beginning the process of evolving, and hopefully growing, and it needs your input and support.

At the Undergraduate Student Senate meeting on Feb. 7, the USS voted unanimously to pass bill SP-07-02, legislation that has begun the process of proposing amendments or changes to the USS charter. That vote was the first of three important steps that must be completed to make changes to the charter.

Per the USS charter, we are now entered into a phase dubbed as a “Constitutional Convention” which will consist of a series of public meetings open to the entire undergraduate student body and university community to attend. There will be four meetings during the course of this process. The first was held Wednesday. The following are the dates and times for the next meetings:

– Friday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. in the Student Center Room 319

(special meeting to consider proposed changes)

– Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. in the Student Center Room 319

(special meeting to consider proposed changes)

– Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 3:45 p.m. in the Student Center Governance Chambers

(during USS meeting to consider proposed changes, and final USS vote to propose the changes)

Any changes that the USS votes to pass on Feb. 28 will become a referendum issue on the ballot of the general USS election on March 14. A majority vote to approve these changes in that election will be the second step necessary to amend the USS charter. The third and final step requires the approval of any amendments by the University Board of Trustees.

Your Undergraduate Student Senate needs to hear from you! Please attend as many of these “Constitutional Convention” meetings as you are able, and please spread the word to about this important upcoming vote.

I am looking forward to what should prove to be some exciting, thought-provoking, and beneficial discussions about improving our undergraduate student government in the coming weeks.

Contact executive director of the Undergraduate Student Senate Ross Miltner at [email protected].