A.S. Council senators were right to table legislation proposing the reduction of the number of college-based representatives in favor of general representatives not connected to any particular college.
Thurgood Marshall College Junior Senator Kate Pillon was correct — and brave — in pointing out that the quality of current senators is a larger problem than the method by which they are elected. Altering the people within the system is a much more effective and less drastic solution to problems than altering the entire system.
The proposal was not without merit, however, and for this reason it should be up to the students to decide whether they want to change the structure of the council. The A.S. Council should have gone ahead with a referendum allowing students to vote on how they are represented.
The very introduction of this proposal shows a well-placed concern that current councilmembers aren’t representing their constituency as well as they should. Since, at present, half of the senators have been appointed rather than elected, it is apparent that students lack representation to begin with. Freshman representation is a particular problem; Revelle College Senior Senator Ted McCombs made a logical argument that the proposal would elbow out freshman representation, but it can also be said that freshmen don’t know enough about the school or the council’s procedures to be effective.
A fair solution to this dilemma should be hammered out, and students should vote on it. In the meantime, the quick and easy way to improve student representation on the council is for current representatives to be proactive and persistent in gauging students’ desires.