Page 4
Editorial
Students' interest or
student interest groups?
Student Government has more than its share of problems
this year.tScc feature on page 7.)
But the actual problem with Student Government runs
deeper than personality conflicts and petty issues.
SGA’s primary problem lies in its structure. Student
Government consists of 24 voting members, representing the
students of this college.
There are nine senators representing commuter students
(seven at this time, two commuter slots are currently vacant);
five senators representing resident students; two senators
representing freshmen (one currently vacant); and the vice
president of SGA holds a voting seal.
The president of Commuter Council and the president of
the Joint Residence Council are also voting members.
Additionally, the presidents of the following special
interest councils hold voting positions: Interfratemity Council,
Multi-Cultural Council, Panhellenic Council, Student
Programming Council, and Studept Organization Council.
If it isn’t already obvious, the problem is that certain
students have more than one representative to voice their
concerns to Student Government.
For instance, if a student lives on campus, is a fraternity
member, and belongs to Multi-Cultural Council, that student,
in effect, has three representatives.
Theoretically, one student could have as many as seven
different voting representatives in SGA! That is clearly unfair.
Student Government needs to realign so that no student is
represented by more than one senator. Every student is either a
resident or a commuter. Representatives could be elected on
that basis. For every x number of students, one senator is
elected.
Another possibility would be for each class (freshman,
sophomore, junior, senior) to be represented by a certain
number of senators proportional to the number of students in
that class.
Either of these breakdowns would be more equitable than
the current setup. As it is now, the members of special interest
groups have an unfair advantage in that they are doubly
represented, while nonmembers have only one representative.
This dual representation for special interest groups can
never result in fair government for the students of this college.
The Collegian
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, PA
Editor
Todd J. Irwin
Business Manager
Adrienne Shrawder
The Collegian’s editorial
opinion is determined by the
editorial staff, with the editor
holding final responsibility.
Opinions expressed in The
Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or The
Pennsylvania Slate University.
Features Editor
■ BdbfrFMw** ' . .
News Editor
Mark Owens
c _,right to edit letters for length and
Entertainment Editor lo rc j ect i etters> Letters should be
unnsti Luaen submitted to The Collegian
office no later than noon on the
Tuesday prior to the desired
publication date.
Sports Editor
Greg Geibet
Photo Coordinator
Craig Breter
Copy Editor
Dawn Brenneman
Ad Layout A Design
Rob Pfendter
Distribution Manager
doe Mycka
Advisor
Dt. Mike Simmons
Postal Information: The
Collegian (814 898-6488} is
published weekly by the students
of The Pennsylvania State
University at Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J.
Elmer Reed Union Building,
Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
Op inion
(felufcaidi
From The Hip
Hey you summer
people -- Chill!
I've been taking quite a bit of heat lately.
Blame it on the heavy sweaters and the extra
pair of socks. Or maybe the "hand-in-the-cookie
jar" grin I've been wearing as I trudge through all
this snow on my way to class.
You see, I'm a winter person, and when the
wind picks up and the snow starts to fall, I'm
definitely a minority around here.
For two weeks, I've listened to friends,
roommates and even professors gripe and whine
about the snow. They complain about slippery
roads, chapped lips, and cold, numb ears. They
whine about salt-stained boots and hair flattened
under dorky wool caps. And they grumble at me
in passing, just because 1 go out of my way to
walk through snow banks.
These are the people who have never stepped
into a pair of downhill skis, never removed a
bolster cover for a jaunt down the Science
Building hill, and never trekked into the gorge for
a cross-country ski workout.
These are the people who gave no thought to
Erie's weather patterns when they enrolled here;
people who figured the Indian Summer of last
semester would last forever.
But I'm catching on. I remember many of these
same people bellyaching about the September heat
that turned classrooms into industrial-strength
ovens and made car seats feel like tanning beds.
These are the people I’m waiting on. Because
the next time I hear them complain about all this
snow, I'm going to have a surprise waiting.
A nice, round, well-packed surprise.
How about some mail?
If you would like to voice
your views on an issue, why not
write a Letter to the Editor?
The Collegian encourages
letters on news coverage, editorial
content or University affairs.
Letters should be typewritten,
double-spaced and signed by no
more than two persons.
Letters should be no longer
than 400 words and should
...Japanese pies better
quality...
include the semester and major of
the writer. All letters should
provide the address and phone
number of the writer for
verification of the letter.
The Collegian reserves the
right to edit letters for length and
to reject letters if they are
libelous or do not conform to
standards of good taste. All
submitted letters become property
Thursday, January 30, 1992
Robb Frederick is
a senior
communication
major and the
Features Editor for
The Collegian. By
the way, the
hippie hairdo is
history
of The Collegian.
Letters should be submiued to
The Collegian office, first floor
of the Reed Union Building or
The Collegian mailbox located in
the SGA suite also on the first
floor of the Reed Building no
later than noon on the Tuesday
prior to the desired publication
date.