Salem Still Wants "Community Clause"

Back in March, I expressed concern about Student Assembly then-president-elect Rammy Salem's idea to increase student participation in the SA. Salem had proposed that any student who attended three consecutive SA meetings would receive voting rights, essentially having power equal to any elected member of the SA.

I applaud the spirit of the initiative, but I explained in March why this is a bad idea:

Imagine if this policy had been in place before the S.A.'s ultimately meaningless vote last spring on whether to allow the concealed carry of firearms on campus. Supporters of the resolution could have brought 15-20 like-minded students to S.A. meetings earlier in the semester, and then used these ringers to overpower the actual Assembly members and force passage of the resolution. We could see situations in which an active, yet small, minority of students, force generally unpopular resolutions through the S.A.

In theory, this is an interesting concept and a well-intentioned attempt to get students more involved and interested in the Student Assembly. However, I'm afraid that it will be a tool used by specific interests to railroad legislation which would not otherwise be passed by the democratically elected members of the SA.

Today, Salem took to the pages of the Sun to push for his policy:

The students you elected to serve on the S.A. are no different from you. I am confident that any student on this campus can fulfill my role on the S.A. just as well, if not better, than I can. All it takes is a familiarity with the processes and procedures as well as an understanding of the roles and powers of the Assembly. And the only way to get a real grasp of how we operate is by attending meetings.

The SA will be voting on the resolution at tomorrow's meeting. It's a difficult resolution to vote against (not that there's any real accountability for SA votes), but I'm hoping SA members will proceed cautiously on this issue.

Update: I've read the text of the resolution and it doesn't go as far as I'd expected. Non-elected students wouldn't be able to vote on funding issues and would be excluded from all "executive sessions."

iv. The community clause may only be exercised on final votes of sense-of-body resolutions pursuant to Bylaw 1.3.a.4, which excludes (1) funding and budgetary decisions, (2) amendments to the SA Charter and Standing Rules, (3) the ability to make motions, (4) creation/dissolution of committees (5) selection of officers, committee members, and liaisons from the popularly elected SA (i.e. allocation of the Student Activity Fee, SAFC appeals, approval of Parliamentarian, Liaison to the Provost, etc.).