A year after the Undergraduate Student Government Senate reduced its size, senators disagree on whether it was an effective move.
USG Senate President Mike Gillespie originally thought fewer senators would result in a less powerful senate, but after a semester, he said he is pleased with the reduced senate’s output.
Under the Mark Stewart administration, the USG senate voted to reduce the number of senators from 34 to 25 to remedy numerous vacant senate seats.
Gillespie said he backed the idea after he discovered that a senate staff would be created. The staff helps senators and committees work on projects. Senate staff members can see for themselves the work required of senators.
But Andy Ovies, West Halls senator, said he thinks more senators are necessary to be effective.
“I think the senate staffers help out and are effective,” Ovies said. “I don’t think, however, they should be left doing the job of a senator. If we had more senators, this wouldn’t be a problem.”
Ovies and Town Senator Marc Van Camp both believe the senate should be returned to its original size.
“It is effective now,” Van Camp said, “But I feel it could be much more effective if it were at full strength.”
By eliminating senators, Ovies said USG is eliminating perspectives.
“I think the size is restricting,” he said. “I know last year when there were two senators from West Halls, and we had different perspectives for what was right for West Halls. Now it is just me.”
USG Vice President Beth Schneck said the current size works well and senate meetings and projects run much more smoothly with the reduced senate. Schneck presides over senate meetings.
“I don’t think it is necessary to increase the numbers,” Schneck said. “Many of the senators have done quite well with personal projects, and as for the senate, most of its work is internal. So I feel that increasing the numbers would only complicate things.”
But Van Camp said the reduced numbers are hurting committees and if the ranks were restored, the committees could be more efficient.
“If one person misses a meeting we stand a chance of not making quorum,” he said. “If we had more people, conflicting schedules wouldn’t hurt us as much.”
A quorum is the number of senators needed to vote on issues. The number depends upon the size of the committee.
Ovies and Van Camp want to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to return the senate to its original size, but not all senators think bigger is better.
“I think we should stay with this size,” said East Halls Senator Wendy Hurst. “This is the first session with the reduced senate, and I think there are more good things to come with this size.”