The United Alabama Project’S Election Reform Proposal for the 2014-2015 Academic Year

A Step in the Democratic Direction: The Partisan Reform Initiative The United Alabama Project’s Election Reform Proposal for the 2014-2015 Academic Year Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Problems of the Current Electoral System 6 I. Perennial Lack of Diversity II. Chronic Low Voter Turnout III. Lack of Effective, Recurring Electoral Competition IV. Campus Corruption & The Machine Our Solution: The Partisan Reform Initiative 16 I. Goal #1: Legitimization & Organization of Campus Factions II. Goal #2: Increasing Accountability in Campus Politics III. Goal #3: Increasing Turnout by Increasing Competition IV. Goal #4: Making SGA Fully Representative of the Student Body V. Additional Benefits to the University of Alabama Community VI. Implementation Additional Suggestions 29 I. Deductions from Vote Totals as Penalties for Election Violations II. Requiring Diversity Training for SGA Officials The Ultimate Goal: A Truly Democratic System 31 Authors’ Notes 33 About The United Alabama Project 34 Acknowledgements 35 1 | P a g e In summary, this proposal begins by listing, tracing the history of and statistically quantifying the four major problems posed by the current political climate surrounding the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama, listed below: The perennial lack of diversity among SGA executive officeholders, only two of which have identified as a race other than white in the SGA’s entire, one hundred year history. The consistently low level of voter turnout for SGA executive elections, which has shown and overall decline in the last six election cycles. The lack of effective, recurring electoral competition in SGA executive elections, and the high frequency of uncontested races in the last six election cycles. The high levels of corruption on campus, most notably the existence and operation of the Machine and its detrimental effects on campus political activity across the board in regards to ethical behavior. In order to address this problem, this proposal posits the idea of creating a system of campus political parties similar to those in place at the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee and the University of California, Berkeley – a suggestion entitled the “Partisan Reform Initiative.” We believe the Partisan Reform Initiative can achieve the following goals: To legitimize the Machine by presenting it an opportunity to come above ground in a dignified and mutually beneficial fashion, and to organize non-Machine actors into meaningful factions which take substantive roles in campus politics. To increase accountability in campus politics by formalizing and professionalizing the campaign process, legitimizing several campaign practices, creating organizations which are more easily and substantively reprimanded for wrongdoing, and providing direct accountability of candidates to the individual constituencies they represent. To increase voter turnout by increasing the number of candidates participating in each election, which a partisan system naturally accomplishes. To make SGA more holistically representative of the student body via the means outlined above. 2 | P a g e This proposal also elaborates on additional benefits which the Partisan Reform Initiative may present for the University of Alabama community, including potentially higher participation in the political process among graduates, and the provision of a more realistic political experience for students who seek careers in politics post-graduation. It then briefly expounds on the constitutional provisions from which the authority for its implementation is derived. Upon concluding its discussion of the Partisan Reform Initiative, this proposal offers and explains additional suggestions to improve student elections and increase representation in the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama. These suggestions include the incorporation of vote deductions as penalties for campaign violations, and the creation of required diversity training courses for SGA officials. This proposal concludes with a brief reiteration of the motivations and beliefs of its authors, in the hopes that it will begin a sustainable dialogue about the problems and solutions outlined herein. 3 | P a g e “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.” – Charles de Montesquieu A university fulfills many important roles for our society. The education of our professionals, the creation of new knowledge through research, and the preservation, expansion, refinement and, when necessary, replacement of our highest ideals are each objectives of a university integral to the continued function and progress of our nation. Perhaps no role, however, is more important than the cultivation of citizens ready to actively contribute to the betterment of our society in keeping with our nation’s core civic values. The preparation of students for the lives they will carry out through an education not only academic in nature, but social, philosophical, moral and political as well, is indeed a university’s highest purpose. The University of Alabama is, without a doubt, one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning. A plethora of studies, ratings and media articles highlight the University’s success in its endeavors to provide students with a top quality education in a variety of academic fields. However, in one respect, the University falls short: that same goal of cultivating citizenship in its students beyond the classroom. Any number of references could be made here to the continuing issues the University’s Greek system presents as it starts the long, arduous process of integration. Commentary could be offered in excess regarding the barriers between the various demographic blocks on campus that the University’s social structure has perpetuated, and even entrenched, for decades. Analysis after analysis could be provided on the various cultural consequences of everything from rampant substance abuse, to outdated, sexist customs practiced at various social functions, to the various incidences of hazing, harassment and other provocative acts which still occur across the social spectrum at the University. However, we, the Executive Board of the United Alabama Project, feel further elaboration on these subjects would be both redundant and fruitless. The attention and reparatory efforts already expended on such issues by other organizations are more than sufficient to address them. Indeed, we feel that our time, energy and resources are put to better use when focused on an issue that aggravates our nation’s core democratic sentiments: the current state of campus politics. No university can create good citizens without instilling its students with an appreciation for the democratic process our nation now enjoys. It is the opinion of 4 | P a g e this Executive Board that the current political climate surrounding the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama is inherently undemocratic, in that it fails both to provide all of our students with the voice they are promised and deserve, and to engender the lifelong civic commitment to ethical electoral participation so critical to the preservation of the American system of government. The purpose of this document is to elaborate on each individual issue we take with the present condition of SGA politics, and to propose a solution which we believe will solve those issues. The issues we outline hereafter are those we have determined to be important after months of deliberation among ourselves as Executive Board members, and years of discussion with friends, colleagues, fellow students and faculty from across campus. The solution we propose is one we have devised after careful consideration, diligent research and the solicitation of input from a number of insightful individuals with experience in campus politics. Our analyses and suggestions are put forth with the best of intentions, in the hopes that these reforms will be enacted for the betterment of our campus, our student government, and ultimately, the individual students of the University of Alabama. Madelyn Schorr Chisolm Allenlundy Andrew Parks Director of Community Executive Director Director of Political Engagement Advocacy The Second Executive Board of the United Alabama Project 5 | P a g e I. Perennial Lack of Diversity The most basic value of a democratic system is that its officials be representative of its constituents. “Representative,” however, is a term that can be defined in many ways. Traditionally, the representation of constituents has been intended to be carried out in the context of their sentiments, beliefs, values and opinions. The most common factor on which an individual voter decides for whom to vote is the platform on which each candidate runs, and how it appeals to that voter. However, representation in this sense is not the only type of representation which a democracy must achieve. Democratic systems must also reflect the demographics of their constituency. In order to ensure that the interests and perspectives of each segment of a given population are represented, candidates from all different races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds must be elected to office with some degree of regularity. There is perhaps no greater failure of the current system of student elections at the University of Alabama than the consistent lack of diversity among those students elected to executive offices

Load more