In a democracy, the current government does not elect the next government. It doesn't exist anywhere else in the world except for Drexel University. Although “election” season is upon us, it is important to note that Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) senators are not actually elected.
After a student senator candidate receives 50 nominations from undergraduate students (approximately 0.36% of the entire faculty), the senator candidate must be selected by at least two-thirds of the current members. This means that in the case of spring elections, the only people who actually vote are non-returning students and senior citizens who do not have to endure the consequences of future government decisions.
The USGA claims its mission is to “fairly represent the Drexel student body and foster relationships between students and the university community.” This organization exists to serve as the official spokesperson on behalf of the undergraduate student body to the administration of Drexel University. ”
It is somewhat ironic that an undemocratic government claims to be the official spokesperson for the undergraduate student body. After all, Senate candidates are primarily campaigning among government graduates, not undergraduates. If you had to choose someone to replace me, who would you choose? I would probably choose the student who I feel best reflects my views. Therefore, even if the mindset of the student body as a whole changes, the mindset of the student government remains the same and will not change from year to year. Over time, opinions can become so divided that the USGA can no longer represent all students and become unjust. Student senators who disagree with other students' opinions can jeopardize their future chair positions and even re-election.
wait a minute! The President and Vice-President are elected directly by all students. The president has the power to veto bills and speak up for students. But just because 2 out of 52 students (3.8%) are elected does not make the government democratic. Most of the USGA's work is done through initiatives initiated by her single student senator seeking change, rather than through formal USGA action, so a veto usually doesn't matter anyway. Most importantly, the president and vice president must have experience having served at least three-quarters of his time in the USGA. This means they are still on the same page as other members of the government.
We can see the effects of disenfranchisement spreading. For example, the USGA's bylaws require student senate members to meet requirements for public engagement events. These events will be held in person. This would deny Drexel's thousands of online students access to representation in government and prevent the USGA from advocating on their behalf. The USGA has also been relatively superficial in its advocacy, typically working on small initiatives like putting chalk in recreation centers and spreading awareness about keeping doors open, but following took no action to challenge Drexel's administration on larger campus issues that draw the attention of many students. Unionization of RA.
Undergraduate students at Drexel University need to demand improvements from their government, and the USGA needs to fix its selection process to allow students to democratically elect their government.
