The Student Government Association (SGA) discussed a bill that would change the number of representatives to the legislature during their meeting on Feb. 17. The bill, sponsored by SGA Attorney General Ryan Murray (19Ox, 21C), is categorized as an Issue of Significance because it seeks to amend the SGA Constitution. All Issues of Significance must undergo two readings and be discussed in a town hall before they are voted upon and codified.
Proportional Representation in the SGA Legislature
The bill would allocate two representatives to each of the four divisional councils — College Council (CC), Oxford College SGA, BBA Council and Emory Student Nurses Association (ESNA) — and allocate the eight remaining seats proportionally across the councils based on their student populations. SGA will determine the number of representatives allocated to those seats each year.
According to Murray, the current student enrollment in each divisional college would result in an allocation of six additional legislators to CC and one additional legislator to Oxford SGA and BBA Council each. ESNA will not be allocated any additional legislators.
The current constitution allocates six representatives to CC and three each to Oxford SGA, BBA Council and ESNA.
According to Murray, the change seeks to address complaints that CC is underrepresented in SGA, adding that since students of the College far outnumber students in other divisional councils, representatives cannot be allocated on a strictly proportional basis.
“If you look at the student population numbers … College Council would have 16 seats and then Oxford would have one and everyone else would have zero,” Murray said. “Obviously that wasn’t going to work.”
Murray called this method a “good compromise” because it ensures a more equitable allocation while ensuring that no divisional council has an outright majority.
While legislators supported the system of proportional allocation of representatives, SGA Vice President Lori Steffel (21B) and Sophomore Legislator Mo Singhal (22C) spoke about adding legislators that would represent their class year, as under the proposed structure, legislators will represent separate divisional councils and not students across divisional councils.
Changes in Executive Authority Clause
Under the proposed amendments, non-elected members of the executive branch can be removed “if for any reason they cannot perform the duties of their position.” Dismissed officers will be allowed to appeal the decision with the Constitutional Council.
This change was proposed in light of 52nd SGA President Dwight Ma’s (17Ox, 19C) dismissal of former Chief of Staff and current SGA President Ben Palmer (18Ox, 20C). Palmer’s dismissal was criticized by members of Ma’s executive board. Palmer, however, admitted that Ma could have removed him even under this amendment.
Murray said that, under the amended constitution, members of the executive branch should only be dismissed for not attending meetings or not performing their duties, and not due to a disagreement between the executive board member and the SGA president.
“We didn’t want to be put in a position where we have someone who is a rogue executive who is not accountable,” Murray said.
The current constitution states under Article V, Section 4 that “all non-elected members and officers serve at the pleasure of the President of the SGA.”
Discussion of the executive authority clause was postponed until the next meeting on Feb. 24.
