In a bid to give USFSP students a greater voice in the university system, the Student Government is shifting election dates to coincide with Tampa.
The move stems from an agreement signed in May 2011 by the four USF system student governments that made the process of electing an overall student body president more democratic. In order to be eligible, however, a regional campus must elect its president by the end of March.
“It is a high priority for Student Government to lead an amendment to the Constitution that synchronizes our General Election with Tampa’s, thereby giving our next elected President the opportunity to represent student interests at a significantly higher level,” the amendment bill states.
In order to change the election timeline, the USFSP Student Government constitution will need to be amended and statutes detailing how elections are managed need to be suspended.
Any potential confusion this change may bring will be worth it in the long run by giving St. Petersburg students a stronger role in the university system, said Student Government President Courtney Parish.
The Senate passed a bill suspending date-specific election provisions in the SG statutes and a bill calling for an amendment to the constitution. Parish intends to sign both bills.
The amendment will be finalized pending a vote by the student population on Feb. 27.
Student Life Director Matt Morrin expressed some concern about the earlier election, saying a lack of notice may exclude students interested in running.
“I have strong concern about us … giving everybody a chance and everybody an opportunity to run,” Morrin said. He pressed senators on how they plan to publicize changes to the election schedule.
The Senate has reserved space on Harborwalk on Mondays to spread the word about the changes.
“If we’re going do this we’ve got to make sure our T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted,” Morrin said.
“This is in the best interest of the students,” Sen. James Scott said, insisting that the shortened election season is a result of strict time constraints.
While SG president, Scott signed the four-government agreement that gave the regional campuses a shot at the system student body president. This bill represents the culmination of that decision, he said.
The student body president of the university system, traditionally the Tampa SG president, has a seat on the Board of Trustees, the university’s governing body. The board is responsible for top-level decisions including the hiring of the university president.
The USF student body president, currently Matthew Diaz, also represents the university system in the Florida Student Association. The association chooses which student government president will serve as a member of the Board of Governors, which manages the state’s 11 universities.
Michael Long of New College in Sarasota is the current student representative on the Board of Governors, elected by the Florida Student Association, a group comprised of 10 of the 11 state university student presidents.
