By Amanda Riddle
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 15, 1997

ASUA to add more senate positions, create new constitution for 1997-98

Tonight, the final revision of the proposed constitution will be presented for discussion during the Undergraduate Senate meeting at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Student Union Santa Rita Room. The Senate will vote on the revised constitution Jan. 22.

The proposed constitution increases the Senate body to 12 seats, but that number can be amended at the time of the vote, Senate Chairman Gilbert Davidson said. The current Senate is composed of eight seats plus one chairperson.

The number of Senate seats in the new constitution was an area of debate during a two-day constitutional convention ASUA held at the end of last semester.

"I think 12 (seats) is a good start. We don't want to open up too many seats and not have enough students to run. Last year only 12 students ran for eight seats," Davidson said.

ASUA President Rhonda Wilson said eight seats is too small for the Senate, but some schools with 20 or more seats have problems filling the positions.

"I think we need to focus on making the Senate more accountable. I think going higher than 12 at this point would be too dramatic of a change," she said.

Davidson said ASUA has one of the smallest legislative branches of all schools similar in size to UA.

Florida State University in Tallahassee has approximately 31,000 students and 71 senate seats divided up into various colleges, Florida State Senate President Edward Dandrow said. The UA, in comparison, has almost 35,000 students.

"The more students you can get involved, the better, because you get more ideas that way. If we could have 100 people I think that would be great," Dandrow said.

The Associated Students at Arizona State University has 24 seats, two from each of the colleges.

ASASU Senator Joshua Carr said dividing the senate seats into colleges is important because different colleges have different interests and it makes sure all the colleges are represented.

"With our system, we're trying to get a good representation of the student body," Joshua Carr said. ASU has about 45,000 students.

He said more senators are better because it also increases the representation of the student body.

Davidson said he doesn't think ASUA will ever use a system that elects senators from the colleges.

"I don't always identify myself as from a certain college," he said.

ASUA Elections Commissioner Anthony Hill said nominee petitions for all student government offices will be available Feb. 3.

Primary elections will be Feb. 25 and 26, and general elections will be March 4 and 5, he said.