Voters will have more to decide than just who to elect at the Student Association elections in October. They will decide the fate of the Student Association’s modified Constitution.The Student Association (SA), the student government at Castleton, has drafted a new Constitution that will be voted on in the upcoming elections.

The revised Constitution is more condensed than the current one, said Victoria Angis, asistant director of student life and advisor to the SA.

The current Constitution operates with three bodies, the Executive Board, the Senate and the College Court, Angis said, referring to her copy of the Student Association’s Constitution, which is housed in a three inch binder and over flowing with pick post-it notes.

Under the new constitution there will be two bodies, the College Court and Congress, and various committees according to the modified Constitution.
The improvements are expected to make the overall system work more efficiently.

“It will make it easier for people to become fully-involved and it will improve communication,” Angis said.

Under the current Constitution the executive board and senate have separate meetings. Some issues are discussed at both, but sometimes issues are not be heard by both groups, said Rebecca Merrow, the current Student Association treasurer.
With one body all issues will be heard by at one meeting, as opposed to two bodies hearing separate issues.

“It will be more efficient for everyone. There will be more people working together,” said Merrow.

Under the current constitution it can take up to three weeks for all boards to meet and hear concerns. To do anything it must go through about three different groups, said Edward MacEnulty, student association president.

The time-consuming process was the catalyst for change. There was a movement in the Senate to change procedures. The goal is to create a one-week system, MacEnulty said.

The changes will provide direct answers right away. This will give the student body more power and hopefully encourage them to be more active, he said.

“It’s such an ordeal. A lot of clubs are unsatisfied because it takes so long,” Vice President of Activities Samantha Greeno said.

The former Constitution was not designed specifically for Castleton’s needs.

“It was a good Constitution,” said Evan Vomacka, the Jam Chair for the SA. “But it was written for a bigger school — a school with more interest.”

For the government to be fully functional under the current constitution 50 people would be needed, said Angis.

The new Constitution cut the number of positions. There will be a minimum of 11 members of Congress made up of six officers and five delegates, according to the redrafted version.

Every student who pays the Student Activities Fee is a member of the Student Association and eligible to vote.

The Constitution changes will be voted on at the elections to be held on October 20th through October 24th.