An emergency Student Government Association Coordinating Council meeting was called to order last night to discuss finalizing the creation of only two Senate electoral districts from the traditional three.

After a year of conflict amongst the Senate surrounding the three electoral districts, and more particularly the Greek community, the meeting was held in hopes of permanently resolving all glitches within the SGA Constitution By-Laws regarding the electoral districts.

Last year the incongruity surrounding the three districts and members of the SGA resulted in a thrown-out Senate, and a backlash amongst the SGA and its members. The disagreement centered on the fact that the Greeks (fraternities and sororities) had unknowingly run under the wrong electoral district, being elected to commuter seats rather than the on-campus non-residential apportioned seats that the Constitution requires.

As a result of the turmoil, last April the Senate passed overwhelmingly a motion to change the By-Laws from having three districts (on-campus, on-campus non-residential and commuter) to just two electoral districts, the current on-campus and commuter.

Although the motion passed with more than the two-thirds vote required by the Constitution, Chancellor of Elections Sam Balaziak realized that there was one minor issue remaining, which he then presented to Speaker Aaron Saunders. In Title Two, Chapter Five of the SGA By-Laws it states that any changes regarding elections and the by-laws must also be passed by a referendum question the following election. Referendum questions are included on both SGA election ballots and must pass with a simple majority vote.

Saunders then proposed a motion to the SGA Coordinating Council that would have Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Javier Cevallos approve a motion proposing that only two electoral districts be presented in the upcoming Senate elections. The motion was passed unanimously.

The Coordinating Council is composed of all the chairs of the Senate committees as well as various SGA representatives including Area Government and ALANA (Asian, Latino, African-American and Native American) Caucus.

As a result, the motion will go directly to Cevallos and, if passed, a referendum question would then be placed on the on the election ballot regarding the electoral districts as procedure calls for in the SGA Constitution even though the two districts would already be in effect.

“I take procedure very strictly, but for the sake of the Greek community, the student body and the SGA I feel that this is something that should be taken care of now,” Speaker Aaron Saunders said.

Questions arose from Council members surrounding getting publicity about the two districts out to those members of the Greek community and Saunders explained that this would not be a problem.

“It’s our responsibility as the SGA to make a statement that this situation is remedied and that we want Greek involvement,” Saunders said.

He continued to explain how he plans on speaking with members of the Greek community in order to ensure that the problems of the past do not persist in the future.

“We don’t work in a perfect system and it’s our job to work for the good of the student body and not just for the good of the By-Laws,” Saunders said.