[mit-habitat-exec] [ASA] Meeting to Redefine the ASA
asa-exec@MIT.EDU
asa-exec at MIT.EDU
Sun Dec 5 23:45:10 EST 2004
Dear Student Group Leaders,
As discussed at the most recent ASA General Body Meeting, the ASA is
beginning to be redefined so that it might better fulfill its role as a
voice for student groups and a joint committee of the Graduate Student
Council (GSC) and Undergraduate Association (UA). The goal is to
complete this process by April. We will be holding an open meeting to
begin discussing the relevant issues and invite all those interested to
attend. The meeting will be held:
* NEXT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8 *
* 5:30 P.M. *
* ROOM W20-400 *
For those of you who were not able to attend the General Body Meeting, a
brief description is given below of exactly what we are trying to fix
and why, and proposed ideas. If you have any questions or comments,
please email asa-exec at mit.edu
Thanks,
Barun Singh & Harel Williams
GSC President UA President
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INTRODUCTION TO THE RELEVANT ISSUES
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1. What is the ASA? Issues of vagueness and contradictions
2. How can the ASA be given more support from the GSC and UA?
3. How can ASA get things done more efficiently?
4. What is the effect of any of these changes on student groups?
1. What is the ASA? Issues of vagueness and contradictions
The ASA is a joint committee of the GSC and the UA. As such, it is bound
by the constitution and bylaws of the GSC and the UA. Yet it has its own
independent constitution as well. The ASA's constitution says nothing of
its role as a committee of the GSC and UA. It is also currently very
much possible for the GSC, UA, and ASA constitutions to contradict each
other, and it is undefined exactly what to do in this case. There are
many additional issues that arise because of either vagueness or
contradictions.
2. How can the ASA be given more support from the GSC and UA?
Currently, it is difficult for the ASA to get the type of support it
needs from either the GSC or the UA. This is due mostly to the vagueness
issues partially described above. For example, if the ASA makes a
decision about something, neither the GSC nor the UA are able to provide
any support for that decision, since neither of them are involved at all
in the process by which decisions get made. By better defining the role
of the ASA as a committee of the GSC and UA, both student governments
would be able to better hold ASA accountable. This accountability would
then allow the GSC and UA to give ASA as much support as would be given
to their other committees.
3. How can ASA get things done more efficiently?
Part of the efficiency problem can be solved by giving it more support
from the GSC and UA, as described above. The other major issue is that
it is extremely difficult for the ASA to make any sort of changes at all
to how it operates, even when making these changes could increase its
effectiveness immensely. This is because it must rely on General Body
Meetings - which are held only once every semester or so, and which many
student groups do not attend - to make any such changes. These
infrequent meetings do not give students the ability to reasonably
discuss things and vote on them, and most groups do not wish to be
forced to attend more meetings.
Perhaps a different approach is called for. The guidelines for how any
of the GSC's or the UA's committees should operate are written in their
respective Bylaws. Since the ASA is a joint committee of the GSC and UA,
a change to its constitution should require something similar to what
would be required to change the bylaws of the GSC and the UA -- that is,
approval by the GSC General Council and the UA Senate. In addition, the
ASA executive committee should also have to approve. In order to
maintain some checks and balances, certain additional rules can be put
in place. These rules might include (among others): (1) Changes can
originate from student groups; (2) Student groups could have veto power
over decisions made
4. What is the effect of any of these changes on student groups?
None of the things described above would cause any procedural changes to
what ASA does on a regular basis (things like recognition of groups,
allocation of space and resources, etc.). What they would do is:
* Allow for more efficient and useful General Body Meetings
* Increase the resources and support for the ASA and student groups from
the GSC and UA
* Increase the ability of student groups to hold not only the ASA, but
also the GSC and the UA accountable for decisions that affect them
* Allow the ASA to operate more effectively by making it possible to be
more dynamic in reacting to student group needs while maintaining checks
and balances to assure accountability
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