About 20 students attended the Associated Student Government open forum on Thursday night in the Norris Lake Room. The crowd was made up mostly of ASG members who debated a proposal to amend ASG’s constitution, restructuring the organization and adding three positions to the executive board.
ASG President Neal Sales-Griffin, a SESP junior, proposed the amendment at yesterday’s Senate meetings in response to concerns about ASG inefficiency.
All four of ASG’s elected executive board members are sponsors of the amendment. Sponsors said the changes are necessary to ensure that executive board officers will be better able to carry out their duties.
“This isn’t a call for power, this is a call for help,” said Executive Vice President Vikram Karandikar, a McCormick sophomore.
Opponents of the measure repeatedly questioned the necessity of the changes.
“The constitution is a sacred document,” said Weinberg junior Harry Vijayaraghavan, a Rules Committee member. “You should err on the side of caution.”
At the end of the two-hour meeting, many in attendance said they were willing to compromise on the issue, with several suggesting changes within the ASG code instead of amendments to the constitution.
“We’re not trying to bring up conflict or bad blood,” Sales-Griffin said. “We will consider whatever the best way is to get this done.”