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Show Exec Council Constitution Not 'Railroaded' A few students have recently been upset because they think 'that the Exec Council or the Constitution committee or someone else is trying to railroad the new constitution through the ratification process without letting anybody really know what it is about. These people seem to think that the document has been completed for some time now, and that we are just waiting to spring it on the voters the last day. This couldnt be farther from the truth. RICH CANNON and his committee have made special efforts to involve as many people as possible in the decision-making process in their work. After the first studies were made and individual areas had been researched, the committee went before the Student Senate and asked for suggestions 'and observations concerning concern-ing every area of student government. The same procedure was followed with the Exec Council, and as the document developed, they went before IFC, Panhellenic, the RHA President's Presi-dent's Council and other groups to discuss various changes made and ask for any suggestions sugges-tions the students might have. The committee followed the same approach with the faculty and the administration. They have worked closely with the Student Activities Center and the Dean of Students Office, and as the drafting continued, consulted the Law School and the University Administration. AS A RESULT of this continued interaction interac-tion between the committee and the various above-mentioned groups, the revision process has taken considerably longer than it would have if the committee had simply completed the work themselves and then presented it for ratification. However, by using all of these groups for resource material and consultation, the completed draft contains 'the consensus of ideas regarding student government's role and structure of over a hundred active student leaders and many faculty and administrative personnel. The basic document itself has been changed many times, and as the committee went before each new group they presented it to, they added, deleted and either 'accepted or rejected the many proposals and ideas given them. This involved many long hours of analyzing, brainstorming brain-storming and evaluating, that often left committee commit-tee members both mentally and physically exhausted. ex-hausted. But we think the effort has been worth it, for the product that has emerged is potentially poten-tially one of the most far-reaching and revolutionary revolu-tionary advances we have ever seen in the area of student government. STUDENTS SHOULD also be aware of the fact the major structural concepts involved in the constitution are generally acceptable to all the groups involved in the revision. Such things as the format of the document, interrelationships inter-relationships within the government power, dual jurisdictional problems and more definate lines of authority are problems that have had to be revised, and we feel they are now resolved. re-solved. Areas such as these have been the major ma-jor reason for the delay in finalizing the document, docu-ment, which was only completed last Thursday. Thurs-day. In the final analysis, the committee has had not one but two jobs. First, they have had to adequately revise the existing constitution, and in this they have gone much farther than originally planned, doing an excellent job. However, their second job remains to be finished. fin-ished. This is acquainting the studentbody and administration with their finished work, and in this they need the help of not only the Exec Council and the Student Senate, but every interested in-terested student. FOR THIS REASON, the Exec Council and Senate will meet tomorrow in a special combined com-bined meeting, and the Constitution committee commit-tee will present and discuss the new revised document and answer any questions that arise. All interested students, particularly potential candidates for office, are invited to attend. We hope anyone who still thinks the constitution is on the railway express will be in attendance. |