Show a S Student Senate needs to tidy up their mess HE ballots from the Nov T THE 13 1990 smoking referendum were counted by members of the College Center Center Center Cen Cen- ter staff and members of the student executive council This was only a referendum meaning a vote to discover the general will ll of ot th the student student student stu stu- deciding dent population The Te deciding deciding ing body was the College Center Board Did the referendum have any impact on the decision in favor of a smokeless College Center The student senate originally told students that an independent source would count the ballots Rather than have another referendum the student senate has decided to recount the existing ballots This decision was made on Jan 8 one day before the student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent body was aware of any problems How then can it accurately accurately accurately ac ac- ac- ac reflect the will of the students And isn't that the purpose of the student senate The Horizon staff feels while the student senate did didan didan didan an excellent job of informing the students about the referendum and organizing the voting they failed to follow follow follow fol fol- fol- fol low through on their responsibility responsibility responsibility to obtain an impartial count of the ballots Admittedly Admittedly Admittedly Admit Admit- their only mistake was in trusting their advisor however however however how how- ever an advisors advisor's function is isto isto isto to advise not to participate actively in the process If the people who counted the votes lied to the students about who did the counting can the students believe wholeheartedly in the integrity integrity integrity in in- of the ballots We think not Is a new vote necessary It is a part of the educational educational educational process usually learned at the kindergarten level that when you make a mess you clean it up This situation is definitely a mess and we feel that the student senate has the obligation to tidy up their part in it if for no other reason than to restore their credibility with the student body |