The Student Government Association’s Coordinating Council meeting last night raised the specter of last year’s thrown-out Senate when the fact that not enough Elections Commissioners have been hired to oversee tomorrow’s elections.

Title 8, Chapter 4 of the SGA Constitution states that there must be one Elections Commissioner present at every voting site at all times. There are five voting site across campus; right now there are two hired commissioners. Last year the SGA Elections Commission failed to hire the required five, thus resulting in an invalid election and the political downfall of the SGA. However, if no member of the SGA raises an objection to the lapse, the elections would be permitted to stand.

Members of the Executive Cabinet are planning on going forward with the election despite the discrepancy, saying that it is in the best interests of the SGA and the student body to have the elections on time and hoping that no element with the body will raise the objection necessary to void the elections.

“Last year so much damage was caused… and in turn brought down our entire organization,” SGA President John Sheehan said. “This does pose a problem due to the fact that we have a lack of commissioners due to Area Governments in flux; however, it’s all about doing what’s best for the student body.”

Senate Speaker Aaron Saunders shared similar thoughts on the issue, explaining that the SGA and its members need to look at the situation beyond the rulebook.

“We have to look at the reality of the situation and the fact that we are coming off of the worst year in SGA history,” Saunders said. “We have not even had to chance to build up to the point where we could come in with the proper number of Elections Commissioners, but we have to ask ourselves if this is a valid reason to criticize the SGA. I don’t want to see the greater interest of the student body jeopardized due to people worried about policies over what is best for students.”

Sheehan and Saunders both stated that two capable assistants to Chancellor of Elections Sam Balasiak would be present at each voting site.

“We can guarantee that two capable individuals will be at every table,” Sheehan said. “If people are going to hold that against us, then there is no way that they can say that they are working for the betterment of this student body.”

However, the question of what could happen due to the decision to carry out the planned election date of Sept. 21st without the legal number of commissioners is still on the table.

“I wouldn’t put it past some people to bring this to the judiciary,” Saunders said. “But anybody who does this has absolutely no regard for student life and is acting out due to personal issues with individuals within this body.”

Saunders continued by explaining that throwing out these elections would not benefit anyone and that is the reason the SGA is here is to serve the student.

“It’s all about recruitment, student vote and getting started, and right now we don’t even have the ability to run by all our policies, and that’s what were trying to do, get back to ground zero,” Saunders said. “If we can’t do that by this year’s Presidential and Trustee elections, then we haven’t done what were capable of this year.”

Aside from elections, members of the Coordinating Council also discussed the appointed switch of Gabriel Tavares to Chair of Finance and Mike Marin to Attorney General. After some questioning from council member Mike Taugher, who opposed the move, both changes were passed.

Both Marin and Tavares stressed that they will both be in their new positions until March 31, 2002.

Other issues tackled were regarding a requested $900 to be allocated to ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, Native American) Affairs. Debate arose between ALANA Director Nelson Acosta and Taugher regarding the allocation of funding to the group, with Acosta accusing the SGA of being uninvolved.

“If the SGA doesn’t want to help us out that’s fine. We’ll just do what we always do and go and beg for money from other organizations,” Acosta said.

The issue of funding was tabled until the next Coordinating Council meeting.