While most students are organizing their notebooks to get ready for the school year, ETSU Student Government Association is preparing a new constitution that could speed up their action on campus.
SGA held its first meeting of the semester on Sept. 5. During the assembly, several new appointments and confirmations were made as well as assignments for committees around campus. On the agenda for the meeting was to inform members of the new draft of the ETSU Constitution and Code of Laws.
“We needed something that was more precise, more concrete,” SGA President Keyana Miller said. “We needed something that made sense, really…It currently is very repetitive and confusing.”
Miller said she, the vice president and attorney general have been working on revision to the constitution since last fall and completed a lot of it during the summer break. She said she recognized her time as SGA president would be her opportunity to make the changes.
The constitution changes were acknowledged by SGA Vice President Hunter Shipley. He explained how it is currently 67 pages long and is undergoing changes for clarity and simplicity by Miller.
Miller said she has viewed constitutions of similar-sized schools to make revisions and to use as a basis for the changes.
“I looked at different campuses and universities across Tennessee…somewhat akin to our style,” she said.
One difference she noted between ETSU and other universities was ETSU had a 67-page constitution while others had 14 to 20 pages.
Miller said she has been revising the current constitution and taking out anything redundant or repetitive, but she is not adding anything.
“There is nothing new in there,” she said. “We’re just taking things out that might not need to be there.”
Alexandria Wells is attorney general for SGA. She is in charge of knowing, understanding and interpreting how the constitution is used at ETSU. A new constitution, to her, will simplify SGA meetings and help them progress efficiently.
“It will help a lot because 67 pages is a lot to go through,” she said. “President Miller sent me her revised version over the summer. I got to read through it, and I approved whatever she had.”
The draft is 13 pages long and has been distributed to the SGA senate for review. Shipley asked members to familiarize themselves with the draft so it can be voted on at a later meeting.
“We’re presenting you with an entirely new constitution,” he said. “I’m just urging you all to look over it and discuss it…It’s an open dialogue right now.”
