Why vote no on ASM's proposed constitution?

The problems with the new Constitution can be divided into two categories:

1) FUNDING FOR STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS WILL BECOME JEOPARDIZED.

- One of the proposed changes will give the new President the power to veto all budgets. An override of the veto requires the support of 3/4 of the Student Council, to be renamed Student Senate. Viewpoint neutrality will become much easier to violate, and groups which have had funding for years could be cut off from seg fees due to the whims or opinions of a single individual.

- A two-month notification to groups of changes in the financial code was removed from the Constitution in one of many last-minute, insider changes. This leaves groups, particularly GSSF, subjected to any hastily implemented changes by the SSFC (to be renamed Appropriations Committee), Student Senate or the President.

- Members of the Student Council have stated that certain protections should be placed in the bylaws, instead of the Constitution. But changes to the bylaws can only occur after the constitution vote, by which time any leverage we have with ASM will have vanished. The Constitutional Committee had the opportunity to protect student groups and they didn't.

2) THE MONUMENTAL POWER OF THE NEW EXECUTIVE POSITION PRESENTS A MAJOR THREAT TO STUDENT INTERESTS, EMPOWERMENT AND DEMOCRACY. The powers embedded in his/her authority include:

- A veto over all legislation and bylaws requring, respectively, a 2/3 and 3/4 override from the Senate.

- Appointments of the positions in the new Cabinet, Finance Committee, Student Judiciary and the chair and vice-chair of the Student Elections Commission.

- The Executive Order Power, an "emergency" provision which can be enacted at any time give the president de facto dictatorial powers over the entire ASM until the Senate chooses to revoke it (the body only meets every other week), or up to a six-week period.

- As stated above, veto power over all budgets, requiring a 3/4 override from the Senate.

- A 2/3 impeachment requirement for the executive position. Accounting for the inevitable absences in the Senate, this means the executive could commit illegal acts, like refusing to implement legislation he/she dislikes, so long as about 8 Senators show up to side with him/her.

- A close connection to the administration that is likely to leave him/her subservient to their interests before those of the student body.


In this context, the "vote no" coalition is currently asking for all UW student organizations to give their endorsement in opposition to the new constitution. Please contact one of the adminstrators of this group if your group is interested in sponsoring.

We plan to have many more endorsements with the beginning of the next semester as groups meet up once again. For now, the following RSOs have signed on:

Campus Women's Center
Student Progressive Dane
Working-Class Student Union
Student Tenant Union
Student-Labor Action Coalition
International Socialist Organization
Campus Antiwar Network
Action for Environmental Justice