Letters to the editor
Inaccurate AS reporting
To the editor:
I would like to address the incomplete and inaccurate articles regarding Associated Students in your most recent issue.
There are a number of factual errors in your reporting. Allegations were made that AS opted to use online voting to save money. However, online voting systems cost more than paper voting. I can assure you that AS would never put students' security in jeopardy to save money.
Furthermore, low voter turnout was attributed only to the use of online voting. However, the constitutional election in spring 2004 had very similar voter turnout and was conducted by a paper ballot, leading to the conclusion that the voting method was not the cause of low voter turnout.
The Santa Clara reporting seemed to be based on a premeditated judgment about the usefulness of e-voting. AS executive officers were never asked to explain or comment on the election. The approved constitution was never consulted, as proven by inaccurate statements on the constitutional changes. This lack of research resulted in The Santa Clara publishing an opinion based on inaccurate statements and conclusions.
While I respect that people will have differences of opinion, a healthy dialogue on campus requires students to make judgments based on accurate facts. I am disappointed that The Santa Clara staff was not more diligent in reporting on important issues like AS elections and student fee allocations. The student body needs The Santa Clara to give us accurate facts, not the narrow view of incomplete reporting.
Annie Selak
ASSCU President
Political science/religious studies, '05
* Editor's Note: The Santa Clara disagrees with the author that elections officials weren't contacted, and that the editorial board suggested AS' motives were to save money by voting online. The editorial criticized AS officials for using a cheaper online venue than other services available.
AS election legitimacy
To the editor:
In the last few weeks, Santa Clara students received at least six e-mails about ASSCU's constitutional election. The e-mails stressed the importance of voting and pointed to an online service students could use to cast their ballots. But after this inbox barrage, a lone, lonely e-mail arrived late Tuesday morning. Surprise! The online service didn't work and paper balloting would occur, but only until 5 p.m. that day. And so the election became moot, resigned to popular irrelevancy and an almost certain nonexistent turnout.
This debacle of democracy raises some eyebrows and even more questions. Why didn't the polling system work? Why did AS press on, after the hosting site warned vehemently that the system was unreliable? And, once the errors were detected, why did AS and the Center for Student Leadership choose to hold the election that same day, giving students only seven hours to vote (much less time if a student didn't check his or her e-mail until later that day)? The answers likely won't be forthcoming.
There's no doubt that the proposed constitutional changes were important; they amounted to a reorganization of AS. You wouldn't know it, though, because they are not in any of the e-mails and are buried in the AS Web site. They're troubling: the near abolition of class officers centralizes power and reduces accountability and representation. But AS bureaucracy aside, the bait-and-switch of the voting site, time, and format stopped students' voices from being heard. This disastrous "election" seriously undermines the legitimacy and credibility of ASSCU.
AS has shown reckless disregard for the people they're supposed to represent. This, combined with Senate's abject failure to assist clubs (a topic for another post), should make Santa Clara students begin to question their "leadership." If AS can't hold a decent election, who are they to make guidelines for the rest of us?
Roey Rahmil
Political science '07
Senate comic accuracy
To the editor:
I am writing in response to the comic by Landis Lau published in the April 14 issue. There are a number of uninformed and overly simplistic statements made in that comic that I wish to challenge, primarily, the statement concerning funding of cultural clubs.
I understand that some comics are meant to be funny and not necessarily factual; however this one was based on a deliberate lie that stigmatizes and smears the Senate.
Suggesting that Senate "didn't give any money" to cultural clubs is blatantly incorrect. There are nine cultural clubs registered with the Senate out of roughly 75 per quarter. Between the fall, winter, and thus far in the spring, cultural clubs have received over $7,200 dollars out of a total $24,500. The fact that 12 percent of the clubs are getting about 30 percent of student fees demonstrates that this conclusion is completely false. So yes, Senate does give money to cultural clubs.
The Senate meetings are held every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Benson, and are open to the university community, not only to attend, but to participate in. Moreover, the Senate agenda and minutes are posted in the downstairs Benson hallway, documenting the conversations, votes, and funding decisions each week. Simply looking at these postings would offer great insight into "what senate does."
I am unimpressed with the lack of research and basic writing in The Santa Clara. I would encourage students who have the responsibility of public press to do more than merely speculate when they insult an organization.
Becky Regan
Senate Chair
ASSCU