The Student Government Supreme Court, which exists to ensure a process of justice within the student body, has not seen many cases this semester — a fact that Sean Ericson, chief justice, finds “dubious” considering the level of power the court holds.
“There is a gap between the level of controversy in SG and the activity of the supreme court,” Ericson said. This semester the court has only seen two cases, both involving the same issue — the nonfunctioning Clean Energy Resource Conservation Commission, which holds $70,000 of unused students fees.
Ericson thinks the court sees so little activity because nobody knows it exists. As a reactive body, the court can monitor the actions of SG but cannot actively police them unless petitioned from the outside.
“If no one is bringing cases to the court, it cannot do anything,” Ericson said.
He wants students to realize that the court has the final say over all SG cases and controversies, including activity and service fees and officer behavior.
A main goal of the court is emphasizing a balance of power so the student body is not overrun by the “noise” of politics and the determinates of whether statutes are being upheld are not being regulated by politicians with ulterior motives, he said.
“It’s very important that students know the standards that allow SG to exist,” Ericson said, adding that students should be aware of the restraints of the school’s constitution to understand what goes on within SG, which controls more than a $1 million of fees that effect students each year.
SG officers can petition the court by either a writ of mandamus, which can force any other officer to perform a duty specified in SG statues that is not being fulfilled, or through a petition for declaratory judgment, which requests the court to interpret a statute in the state or school constitution.
Students not involved in SG can request a trial to remedy an improper action by any SG officer.
Ericson became chief justice at the beginning of the spring semester after the student previously holding the position transferred to the Tampa campus, leaving the court disabled.
The now fully functioning court is working on creating a mobile courtroom that could be used to hold SG trials and mock trials in law classes. Ericson said the court wants to become as official as possible and is working with Mark Lombardi-Nelson, student body president, to get robes and a gavel — things that the Tampa campus’ court already has.
The court is also looking for a fifth justice. Interested students can apply by contacting Ericson at sdericso@mail.usf.edu or by attending one of the court’s open meetings on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Student Center Palm Room. Applications are due March 21.
