Today University students can vote in the Student Government elections through their PAWS accounts. Along with both University Court and Senate seat decisions, voters will decide on four amendments and one referendum. We encourage students to make their own decisions on the issues and to voice those decisions in the polls. After careful consideration the Editorial Board has taken a stance on the following amendments: We support the first proposed amendment, which would allow part-time students to vote in any SG election. These students will not be able to vote on fees that do not affect them. This allows for representation of a more diverse student body. We do not support the second proposed amendment, which would abolish the University Trial Court, the lower SG court. This would give excessive power to the seven University Court justices. We feel changes should be made in the trial court system. Past trial court judges have proven to be ineffective, but the weaknesses of the past judges do not warrant the position to be abolished. The appeals process makes the system more just. We do not support the third amendment, which would expand the number of University Court justices from seven to nine voting members. It would also allow the Senate to amend the rules of the court in the future. We find no real justification for increasing the number of justices when seven can do the job. The U.S. Supreme Court functions with nine members, but they represent millions of people. We also do not want to merge the powers of the legislative and judicial systems. We do not support the fourth amendment, which would allow two senators for each 1,000 students per college. This would skew the power in the Senate to groups such as the University College Center for the Freshman Year, a group with less University experience. UCFY holds more students than any other University college, according to the Office of Budget and Planning. A referendum on the Freshmen Residency Requirement is also on the ballot. While this gives students a voice, it gives them no real decision-making power. It is, in effect, a poll on whether students support the possible requirement. The decision still rests with the University administration.
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