VSA to evaluate by-laws, changes to organization recognition likely

Hayley Tsukayama Staff Writer

After revising the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Constitution, the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) has begun to overhaul the document’s by-laws.

By-laws, according to VSA Vice President Kelsey Woods ’06, are “procedural outlines for how the VSA functions.” The by-laws will affect how VSA operates far more than the
Constitution, since they will completely revamp procedures like organization recognition.

While the student body must approve changes to the VSA Constitution, only the approval of VSA Council is required to change the by-laws. By-laws are subject to change at any time.

The largest change is that the CRC has decided to combine all the by-laws into one master document, according to CRC member Sam Charner ’08. The CRC has also focused on retooling the language of the by-laws to have a more coherent and comprehensive document.

Thus far, the CRC has proposed changes to the by-laws in organization budgeting and authorization. Charner said that several small changes to the budgeting process will ensure that the language will be more accessible to students, and that extraneous and outdated funds will be eliminated.

For example, according to Charner, the General Adjustment Account will be renamed the “Emergency Fund” to better describe the its purpose.

The CRC has also cleared up the purposes for other funds and the rules for eligibility to apply for funds.

Most of the proposed changes are aimed at redesigning the process for VSA organizations to receive funding. Currently, to become a VSA organization, a group must be first recognized and then authorized. Recognition affords a group the authenticity of a VSA organization; authorization makes a group eligible for a VSA budget.

In concert with similar recommendations in a proposed constitutional amendment, the CRC is suggesting that groups instead undergo a one-step process of certification. Certification, as opposed to recognition and authorization, said Charner, will make it easier for students to found organizations.

VSA Secretary Laureen Cantwell ’06 said that under a certification system, groups created out of an unexpected need—such as last year’s Tsunami Relief Task Force—would be eligible for VSA support and funding almost immediately. She added that this system would make it easier for groups to be “absorbed faster” if they no longer fulfill campus wants or needs.

While the CRC still needs to examine the by-laws with attention to the sections on the auditor, Judicial Board, and elections, Charner expects that the proposals would be finalized by May 3 at Spring Convocation, when the new VSA Constitution is also scheduled to take effect.