On The Inside GSU candidates announce platforms page 6 Ellsberg, takes the stand ...P age 5 Vol. VII, No. 112 THEserving the notre dameOBSERVER - st. mary's community April 11, 1973 New HPC constitution defeated by David Rust much power, that there were no effective checks,” Senior Reporter explained Howard Halle President Robert Chong. “They couldn’t understand the titles or positions, and Notre Dame’s residence halls voted last night they thought the HPC was trying to cram this down through the hall Presidents Council to throw out by the their throa ts,” said Keenan Hall President Charlie narrowest possible margin the constitution the hall Cardillo. presidents had agreed at their last meeting to present President Joseph Powers of St. Joe’s Hall told the to their halls, and in another vote decided to retain the HPC his council had considered that “the various present HPC constitution. campus factions, including student government, had This last vote took the HPC completely out of the gotten together to draw up Constitution A, “and that its constitutional government issue, at least for the rejection by one of the factions was “wr~ present. Jesselnick urged the HPC members to forget the Although the second vote was a simple consensus of issue which began the whole debate. the hall presidents, with 11 ayes, eight nays and two “Every Hall President should somehow in his mind abstentions cast, the first vote was merely a develop a proposal so that next year when we go to the recapitulation, by each hall president of how his hall SLC for funds we know what we want to do,” said council had voted on the constitution. Jesselnick. “Just because this constituion didn’t pass With each hall council given one vote, the final tally is no reason for us to do nothing.” was 11 for, eight against and three undecided. “I am fully in support of the Councils decision not to Proponents of the new constitution would have needed involve itself further in student government,” con­ one more vote to obtain the two-thirds vote necessary tinued Clarke. “Any compromise would cause the for ratification of any constitutional change. HPC to lose the L entity i has built up for itself over the Dillon Hall cast the deciding eight vote against past five years.” passage of the constitution, and it was Dillon Hall He announced his intention not to pay the student President Mike “Animal” Cunningham who proposed activities fee next year, “excpet for $7.00 to the Student retention of the present HPC Council constitution and Union.” He\urged all students to do the same. an end to involvement in further disputes over student government constitutions. - Hall Presidents discuss constitution veto Cunningham, who had been the unofficial leading terested students,” including Kersten and Clarke, spokesman for sentiment against further HPC in­ hammered out a compromise constitution which would Judicial Boar volvement in student government during the Council’s give the' HPC legislative power over the government month-long debate on the issue, told the Council it was budget. the “same motion I presented a week ago.” This constitution, soon labeled Constitution A by The The Student Government Judicial Board rejected That motion was defeated at the HPC’s last meeting Observer, found itself opposed by Clarke’s Constitution last night a petition from Matt Kubik, Rick Gering and by a narrow vote. B at a meeting of the HPC. T.C. Treanor to give consideration to the con­ This final action by the HPC ended a debate that had Compromise Constitution C, written up by Grace stitutionality of a constitutuional convention, judging begun last October, when the HPC disagreed with Hall President Kevin Griffin and Pangborn Presidnet the present constitution “valid, effective and student government officials over the amount of funds Pat McLaughlin, failed to get the necessary consensus legal.” allocated to the Council from the government treasury vote in the Council to pass it on to the various hall But the Board did recommend that the present and the method of allocation. councils for ratification, and a committee of the HPC student government president consult the Hall It was at this time that some hall presidents began to was appointed to draw up Constitution D. Presidents Council on the advisability of adding voice their belief that the HPC was the most It was this constitution which finally won approval amendments giving the HPC a “formal voice in representative body on campus and should be allowed a from the HPOC at its meeting prevous to last night’s student government and control over a portion of the greater-to-majority role in student government. vote, and, after an effort which failed to get the Student budget.” This sentiment crystalized into sharp controversy Life Council to interview by calling a “Constitutional The Board also extended the terms of office for during the March student government presidential and Convention” it was Constitution D which went down in present student government president Robert Kersten, vice presidential elections, when student government the hall councils. vice-president Dennis Etienne and the Board of veteran junior Jim Clarke ran with Chris Singleton on Following the vote HPC Executive Coordinator Steve Commissioners until April 30, or until the conclusion of the platform to abolish the whole structure in favor of Jesselnick asked the presidents of the halls whose government elections, which ever comes first. the HPC. councils had chosen not to ratify the constitution to President Kersten was directed to call the Board of After a primary election and then a controversial explain their councils’ reasoning behind their decision. Commissioners into session immediately to make runoff, the “blank ballot” vote counted 52 per cent of Cunningham spoke for most of the hall presidents plans for student body-wide elections, and it barred the votes cast, widely intepreted as a mandate for then- whn he said that his council members believed “The Board from delegating any of its authority to run the president Robert Kersten’s government, against 29 per HPC’s business is in the hall.” election to any other new or existing board or com­ cent for Clarke. While echoing Cunningham, other presidents added mission All elections were suspended in a government different reasons. The government is to continue normal operations in declared “martial law” while a “committee of in- “They thought the constituion gave this body too the interim. McKiernan wins SBG by Leo Buchignani insure fairness. staff reporter Junior Barb McKiernan stated that the basic goal of the four new officers was to make the the newly Late last night the final St. Mary’s student govern­ created Student Board of Governance effective. The ment election vote was tabulated, ushering in the first purpose of the Board, which she co-desegned, is to set of officers under the new Student Board of distribute the duties and powers of the Student Body Governance system. President and Vice-president. Barb feels that in the The Board, which is a one-year experiment in a new p ast “the SBP had to decide whether to be a good form of student government, was co-designed by Barb President or to go to school.” McKiernan, its newly elected chairman. The Board system divides the overwhelming duties Under the St. Mary’s election system, a student must of the SBP into four parts. The Student abstain or vote for one of the candidates in a contested Board of Governance Chairnance Chairman, who reeeeace, and m must abstain or vote yes or no in one- coordinates and directs the Board is Barb’s new office. candidate races. Sophomore Tess Lehman is newly elected Academic Lisa Kinney, who assisted irf supervising the elec­ Affairs Commissioner. She will be the student body tion, revealed that an abstention vote counts as a part representative to the administration and will work of the vote total of the person getting the basically “in planning the future of SMC students.” majority of the rest of the vote. Barb McKiernan Joanne Garrett, newly elected Student Affairs further explained that the option to abstain presented Commissioner, will chair a committee of the four class on the ballot was for those who feltt they did not know presidents at SMC. She will have the job of “coor­ enough about the candidates, but who wished their dinating the various classes in order to bring student votes to wount with the selection of the majority of government closer to each student.” voters. She further hopes to bring more lectures, concerts, In the only contested election, Monica Stallworth’s and movies to SMC, and to bring information on ac­ 281 votes were not enough to overcome 27 abstentions tivities to both campuses. Sophomore Joanne, and 414 votes for Joanne Garrett, giving Joanne the New .Student Board Chairman Barb McKiernan whose race was the only contested election, Student Affairs Commissioner spot. predicts success in coming year. expressed her thrilled appreciation to her supporters. Barb McKiernan, running unopposed for Chairman Sue Oglesbee, who headed the election commission, of the Student Board of Governance, won over­ asserted that some ballots had to be invalidated either Sophomore Anne Smith, who will be the new Hall whelming approval with 601 yes votes, 15 no votes, and because the poll-watchers failed to initaal them or Life Commissioner, must coordinate the four hall 99 abstentions. because the voter left the ballot blank. However, the presidents. She hopes “to bring the halls and student Tess Lehman coasted in on a 569 yes-vote with 14 no­ number of ballots invalidated was insignificant with - government closer together so that they can do more votes and 154 abstentions, taking the position of respect to the final vote count.