To the Editor:

I am writing to offer a response to the editorial entitled “Completing the Constitution” which appeared in the Feb. 24, 2005 edition of The Mirror. First, I agree that FUSA’s existing written policy concerning public and media access to its meeting was insufficient. With that said, it is important for the university community to know that FUSA’s meetings have always been open to both the media and the public. The Constitutional Convention has taken important steps to clarify this policy in the new Constitution, including specific provision for the application of Robert’s Rules of Order. Second, the editorial claims that the student body has been divested of “power” because under the revised Constitution, students will no longer be able to vote for the director of FUSA programming. I disagree with this assertion. No FUSA official, whether elected or appointed, can promise students that a specific band or performer will come to campus. The critical point to make here is that a student will be able to express the same, strong feelings he or she has about concert choices to an appointed official as to an elected one. Your editorial notes that under the new Constitution, the Vice President of Programming is no longer an elected official. Interestingly enough, the VP of Programming and the VP of Senate were not popularly elected until 2000. In 2000, they were placed on the general ballot in an effort by FUSA to increase its notoriety and enhance its credibility. The difficulty with that approach is that neither the VP of Programming nor the VP of Senate is truly “representative” in nature. They do not have a direct, representative/constituent relationship with voters. By taking these two positions off the popularly elected ballot, the Constitutional Convention acknowledged this important distinction, and reaffirmed the principle that a student government gains credibility through its actions; not by the number of positions it offers up for popular election. I commend the work of the Constitutional Convention. The changes to the Constitution will strengthen FUSA as a representative body, and promote the important relationship FUSA shares with The Mirror.

Sincerely, Thomas C. Pellegrino, Ph.D. Office of Student Life and University Activities

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