2008 Woodie Awards
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: Opinion
Students,
Members of the Associated Students of Boise State University are elected by you to be an advocate and voice of the students. As such, members of student government need to be 100% accountable for every decision and vote they make.
I am very concerned about a practice in the ASBSU senate of secret ballot voting. The senate can make a motion for any vote to be done secretly, which means you and I will not know how our elected officials vote on bills and appointments pertaining to Boise State. How do we hold our representative’s accountable if this practice is continued? This form of voting should not be permitted under any circumstance.
Can you imagine if our U.S. Senators could cast secret ballots? We wouldn’t know who voted for the war, the bailout, or anything that is controversial. Luckily for us, the votes of our leaders in the U.S. Senate are public record. They can be voted out of office for bad decisions, or are kept in office for good ones, based on their record. Americans can, and do, hold them accountable for their decisions.
I can empathize with some student senators who support secret ballot voting. Peer pressure can be overwhelming for our student senators when making tough votes regarding friends, peers, and controversial bills. But this is our job as student leaders, we must stand up for what we feel is right, and then defend why we vote the way that we do.
As President of ASBSU I can do nothing secretly. If I veto or sign a bill everyone will know. And that’s the way it should be. This holds me accountable! The senate needs to be held to same level of accountability, always.
Sincerely,
Trevor Grigg
ASBSU President
Members of the Associated Students of Boise State University are elected by you to be an advocate and voice of the students. As such, members of student government need to be 100% accountable for every decision and vote they make.
I am very concerned about a practice in the ASBSU senate of secret ballot voting. The senate can make a motion for any vote to be done secretly, which means you and I will not know how our elected officials vote on bills and appointments pertaining to Boise State. How do we hold our representative’s accountable if this practice is continued? This form of voting should not be permitted under any circumstance.
Can you imagine if our U.S. Senators could cast secret ballots? We wouldn’t know who voted for the war, the bailout, or anything that is controversial. Luckily for us, the votes of our leaders in the U.S. Senate are public record. They can be voted out of office for bad decisions, or are kept in office for good ones, based on their record. Americans can, and do, hold them accountable for their decisions.
I can empathize with some student senators who support secret ballot voting. Peer pressure can be overwhelming for our student senators when making tough votes regarding friends, peers, and controversial bills. But this is our job as student leaders, we must stand up for what we feel is right, and then defend why we vote the way that we do.
As President of ASBSU I can do nothing secretly. If I veto or sign a bill everyone will know. And that’s the way it should be. This holds me accountable! The senate needs to be held to same level of accountability, always.
Sincerely,
Trevor Grigg
ASBSU President
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Steve Schmidt
posted 10/15/08 @ 8:25 AM MST
As long as ASBSU continues to only pass legistlation that pertains to their Thursday dress code, I don't see a problem with this.
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