Unicameral proposal officially taken off SGA ballot
The Student Government Association has decided to remove unicameral Proposal 1 from the general elections ballot following an emergency meeting Thursday.
"Our administration is open to working on a proposal to reform the SGA with the student body, and anybody who wants to take part in that process is welcome to, but we will not be pursuing putting any proposals of this kind on the ballot,” said SGA President and Shelby Township senior Vince Cavataio.
Cavataio said his administration's decision to remove the proposal from the ballot is the proper response to the backlash the bill has received.
The proposal would have dissolved the House completely and placed governmental affairs into the hands of the student-elected body of senators. It has been criticized by some students for potentially taking away the voice of the student body, especially Registered Student Organizations, and creating a lobbying system within the government.
According to the SGA, new stringent requirements on House members will be put in place in response to the dropped proposal. SGA officials have said these rules are still being deliberated on and will be revealed on the House floor Monday night.
Cavataio said although SGA is open to further reforming the unicameral proposal, the proposal will only be used as a suggestion for the future administration.
"Based on the feedback we got from students on Blackboard and reactions from students in the House, we believe this is the best possible way for SGA to move forward," he said.
Cavataio said during the next several weeks, his administration will harness the new-found energy in the House the proposal has created to use it for the betterment of the campus.
"I think we have an opportunity to galvanize this new energy in the house and in the SGA and use it toward making SGA a stronger, more active group,” Cavataio said. “This is something that my administration is looking forward to taking advantage of."
Romeo senior Kevin Richmond, president of Students for Service Learning and leader of the protest group Students Against Proposal 1, said removal of the proposal is an unexpected but encouraging move from the SGA.
“I am definitely excited,” said Richmond, who is running for SGA President. “I didn’t expect this, especially this early, but I feel this is the right move for this proposal. I am pleased that the SGA has listened to the student body on this issue.”
SGA Representative for Alphi Phi Omega and Port Huron senior Bryan Shelby said his fraternity is ecstatic the proposal was scrapped.
“As far as the decision to stop the unicameral proposal, I think this is a great step toward improving our SGA the right way,” Shelby said.
Shelby said it is important to continue to work with the current bicameral system.
“Those of us that stood against the proposal have always felt that the current system provides the best venue for RSOs and the student body at large to voice their concerns and share events that are being put on at CMU,” Shelby said.
Students Against Proposal 1 is also focusing on issues beyond the proposal itself.
"Students Against Proposal 1 is working on ideas to help increase the importance of the house and create a better bicameral system that doesn't heavily favor either branch,” Shelby said.
“I think that the way that President (Cavataio) and the executive board of SGA engaged the students really helped to increase the fervor in the house and that we really need to build on this momentum going into the elections and the discussions in the House and Senate,” Shelby said.
