Although the Boston University Student Union began the year with a record attendance at the first General Assembly meeting, it spent another year mostly entangled in legislative and structural policy issues, including discussions on amendments and months of debate over funding models that overshadowed other initiatives.
Throughout the fall, the GA passed four amendments to the Union constitution.
The first, which calls for proportional representation, was presented at the first meeting Oct. 5. The GA spent weeks debating the amendment, in which Residence Hall Associations, college governments and consortia are given voting positions based on their size.
After dividing the amendment into three separate parts, the GA passed two parts about proportional representation for college governments and RHAs. The GA did not pass the one calling for consortia – groups with a common interest represented in the Union – to receive proportional representation.
Further into the semester, the Union passed an amendment changing the way committees are formed. Instead of requiring committees to be created at the beginning of each semester, committees are now allowed to continue into the next semester or dissolve when necessary.
After a semester of debate on amendments, at its final meeting of the fall semester, the GA passed an amendment that halted discussion on amendments that had already been voted on previously in the same semester.
Although the amendments took up much discussion, the dialogue was necessary to creating a functional Union model, said Union Vice President Mark DiCristofaro, who was in charge of running the bi-monthly meetings.
“Looking back . . . I think I would have liked the GA to have gone faster with the way they discussed the amendment issues,” the College of Communication junior said, “but also looking back, it was absolutely necessary to spend time on those issues so we could continue on the Union path to the most functioning model it can be. . . . It opened the door for efficiency.”
Similarly, at Union President Brooke Feldman’s State of the Union address Dec. 11, she acknowledged the time spent on internal issues and said the Union needed “a focus or a direction” as it entered the spring semester.
Feldman said with the new foundation, the Union would stray away from legislative issues and would be more focused on her proposed “Windows on BU” forum, in which the GA would discuss student concerns, such as student health and safety.
However, at the start of the spring semester, the Union was presented with a new funding model proposed by the Allocations Board on Feb. 5. The controversial proposal – which called for the AB to have full control of the Community Service Fee – generated debate among RHAs, college governments and the Programming Council, who expressed concern over how much power the unelected students on the AB would have.
After weeks of debate, the Union discussed the proposal at GA meetings and drafted an alternative proposal that would give the Union a bigger budget.
In the midst of discussion on the proposals, Union Treasurer Caroline Cahill resigned from her position, citing health reasons. The GA unanimously confirmed former South Campus RHA Treasurer Ariel Gold to fill the vacant spot.
“They liked the idea that I had a fresh perspective,” the University Professors Program junior said.
To address further constitutional issues, DiCristofaro and other Union members have been creating constitutional bylaws. DiCristofaro compared his efforts to last year’s constitutional committee, which was discontinued at the end of last year.
However, in addition to the policy changes within the Union, DiCristofaro said the Executive Board was successful in establishing good relationships with BU administrators.
“When my E-Board and I came into the Union last May, the Union had little trust and report with the administration,” he said. “We built that trust and report this year and created a successful working relationship with the administration – accordingly, while we have an operating budget of $8,000. When we needed extra money, for outside initiatives, that money was made available to us because we earned that trust and report.”
DiCristofaro said by focusing on policy, in addition to creating six cabinet positions at the beginning of the year, he was able to accomplish his campaign goal of creating a “self-perpetuating Union.”
“They’re going to go full steam into next fall,” he said. “The Union is moving on its own.”
“With the addition of the cabinet, our interns, our chairpeople and our constitutional amendment to keep committees working year to year, we’ve succeeded in our goal to make the Union a self-perpetuating body.”
DiCristofaro ran for president in the Union election but lost by 30 votes to Adil Yunis, the College of Arts and Sciences Forum Class of 2008 president. The three students who campaigned with DiCristofaro were elected to the vice president, treasurer and secretary positions.