Most people probably don’t think much about the Student Code. But this past election’s drama is a prime example of how abusing it can cause conspicuous controversy.
To that end, it’s great to see Student Congress jumping on reform quickly to clear up lingering issues in the Code’s conflict of interest restrictions on student elections.
The section that caused the most stir, and that Congress seeks to clarify, deals with certain officers of student government running for other offices or making public endorsements.
That section didn’t seem that unclear before, to be honest. But somehow, the Board of Elections found a way to construe it in a way that warped its meaning and the original intent of Congress.
It was the reason the elections board said Ian Lee — scandalously — was allowed to remain student body secretary and still run for student body president.
So props to Congress member Evan Ross for producing an even clearer version of the section that might actually be impervious to ineptitude by the BOE.
The bill passed out of the rules and judiciary committee on Tuesday. There’s absolutely no reason why the full Congress should not pass it when it convenes again.
The bill still contains the litany of offices in student government that are prohibited from participating in a campaign or making a public endorsement. It’s hard to get clearer than a lettered list.
Entirely stricken is a confusing and seemingly contradictory section that was a cause of concern.
