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Show January 22, 1965 SIGNP0S1 Page 2 Neyatire Vote JMay MPenate Majustico In the election held last Wednesday for the student consideration of the three proposed amendments to the constitution there may have been a decided injustice done to the student government of Weber State College. It was good that the students voted yes to the amendment allowing the executive veto power over the senate for without it the power of legislation lies in the hands of a few students who may hold one point of view, that of the legislation. With this amendment in effect the executive point of view may now be felt for the better overall consideration of issues that may be applicable to the studentbody in years to come. When the students voted no on the amendment to remove the presidents of AWS and AMS from the executive council they blocked the way for effective operation of the executive branch of our government. Since it is the intention of the executive branch of government to take care of executive matters there is little place for the AWS and AMS presidents. They are not part of the working institutions looked over by the four executive officers, namely activities, financial, legislative and executive. In amendment number three the students disallowed the admitting of the four class presidents, AWS and AMS presidents as well as representation from the resident halls. There should be proper provision for the point of view of the groups represented by the addition of these senators. Since the purpose of the senate is to look out for the welfare of the students in the best way that this can be accomplished the exclusion of this amendment may have done more harm, in the long run, than may now appear evident. The election has been protested on the grounds that the election by-laws were violated and that the improper presentation of the amendments on the ballot was not carried out. Although the elections committee has ruled against the objections an appeal has been made to the supreme court. The appeal has been heard and the decision is to call a re-vote. As a suggestion it might be wise for the Elections Committee to more properly define the word "poster" and designate the procdure for writing of amendments on an election ballot. It is also seen as a good point that we have students who would have us rule by the letter of the law in the protection of student interests. It is by doing so that we find out the inadequacies of our organizational structure and, if on the ball, strengthen them against further and future circumstances. Views To Be Valid 3Hisst Be Sound In the all too often occurrences of everyday life we the students often run up against an opinion that is sometimes less sound than should be necessary for us to devote our efforts and attentions to it. Nevertheless, the fact that we do is the reason we all may now have no other alternative than to proclaim ourselves the sad victims of the events that we perceive no matter what light we perceive them in. The point is that we have, of necessity, taken the time to write about the problems that exist in our student government for the past two issues of the Signpost. It may now be proper and fitting to take the time to also note the ways in which our student leaders have cautiously lead us to the position of mild etseem that we are now achieving. While our problems are internal and we the students become more aware of them all the time, our counterparts from the outside see us as a group of students who are soon, if not already, to be reckoned with as we vie for leadership of the institutions of this state and the Big Sky Conference. Fortunately leadership is marked by the overall progress that is made by a concerted effort of many leaders and not by the lack of individual effort on the part of a few. The fact that a few dragging feet can easily be overcome by ever makes the success of most institutions. The case is the same for us. From the time of its conception as a four year institution Weber State College has evolved through the processes of ineffective that we can now function with an organizational structure, that is at least .sound m its mtention. Ill: ; The j availability; of ! the .student interest: is the only element that is 'obviously 'lacking and ft thus becomes the problem of the student leaders to lead with his individual interest. He must exercise those others pulling harder than organization to the point SIGNPOST STAFF Editor A. Brent Pulsipher Associate Editor Jack Suttlemyre Managing Editor Camille Ramnarace Sports Editor Winslow Hurst Front Page Editor Carol Valentine Lay-out Gene Carlson, Penny Furness Reporters . . Gene Patterson, Margret Baur, Kenny Ala, Alan Meyer, Johnny Jones, Dennis Read, Rick Hassett Feature Writer Steve Larsen Business Manager Mark Zeller Advisor Reed H. Blake REPRESENTED FOR NATIONA. ADVERTISING BY National Advertising Service, Inc. College Publishers Representative 18 East 50th St.. New York 22. N. Y. CHICAGO BOSTON LOS ANGEI.EC SAN FRANCISCO opinions that he feels will best benefit Weber State both now and in the future. Since the student takes little time nor interest to tell him otherwise his opinions are the best we have and we should support them once they are formulated into law. True dynamics in leadership comes out of the leader who can take to heart the criticisms of his constituents so far as they are valid. The leadership on the campus has proven itself great in this respect. For this we can be thankful and remain in the high hope that all that is done henceforth will be done in our interest and for our best good. The student who reads only the good about a man and judges that to be the complete story is a narrow student. So also of the student who reads the bad and accepts it at face value. He who can read all that there is to read and listen to all that there is to hear and then judge is the student who knows what is going on. Be it known that our student government does for the students what they cannot individually do for themselves and does it in a commendable manner under the circumstances they are subject to. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: Weber State College votei-s went to the polls in answer to the appeal of student officers to show their feelings in regards to three constitutional amendments proposed by the executive officers. The result of this appeal was the acceptance of the first amendment and the rejection of the other two. Having lost "their baby" to the will of the voting students, the executive council's screams have echoed through the halls of the campus so that even the local Ogden paper reported their discontent. In grasping for a final straw, the executive council now claims the voting was invalid because "campaigning through posters is forbidden on election day." The posters in reference was a sheet of notebook paper with the words "Vote NO on amendments 1, 2, 3." Never before, in my recollection has the intelligence of the student-body of Weber State been so underestimated and challenged. It is supposed by the student leaders that the minds of a good number of students were changed with no other explanation than the words "Vote no" on a piece of lined notebook paper. The reason for having amendments No. 2 and No. 3 was declared to be two fold: One it is claimed that the Senate is not functioning as it should under the present system, and two, other schools have a program similar to the one proposed. I should like to speak to the first reason as t h e only one worthy of comment. The constitution now governing the student- body has been functioning for two years. It was observed by the studentbody president that; "his torically these senators have displayed a lack of interest in student government. We feel that LITTLE MAN "TP SAY HE 5HOULP MAKE AN EXCEUE NT COUE " : VZW. THE RLE ON HM 6TATES HE POESNT Firi V the senate needs people like the president, (AMS, AWS, and class president) who will take a greater interest in student affairs." The question arises, does this show a weakness in the constitution or does it show a weakness in the leadership of the Senate and a need for better organization and communication between the executive and the legislative branches of the government. I have yet to see a Presdient of the United States, because he felt the Senate was not working properly, propose that the governors of the several states be add ed to the Senate. I think the students of Weber will again turn this proposal back without the aid of a sheet of notebook paper, should the proposal come up for another vote. Well done voters of Weber State. L. Doug Olson Dear Editor: Because of a statement appearing in last week's editorial concerning the Business and Finance Vice President, I feel it my wifely duty to respond to the following remark: "Although it isn't clear just what the problem is it seems to have something to do with the fact that the young man got married and has yet to set up any kind of a schedule in order to fulfill both callings in a reputable manner." It appears that the editor has taken to marriage counseling and mud slinging rather than printing informative material. Here, may I suggest that the editor cease delving into the private lives of the Studentbody officers and find something constructive to print. As I am not attending WSC this year, I cannot objectively testify as to the duties which my husband has carried out as Business and Finance Vice President, but if the editor is attempting to compare the successful scheduling of the "young man's" domestic duties with his success as a student-body officer, he must be a very great success indeed! Sincerely yours Carol Bennion ON CAMPUS |
