SRC proposes student parly

Bate Felix

THE SRC is set to ask Council to approve plans for it to become an independent government, complete with an executive cabinet – ministers included – a student legislature and a judiciary body.

If a new proposed constitution is approved by the university council, these reforms will see lesser control by the dean of student affairs over the student governing body.

Floyd Shivambu, SRC president, said these reforms were long overdue. “We intend to restructure the student body in order to make it more accessible and inclusive to all students.” Shivambu said a policy unit had been working since last year, in consultation with other student organisations, to prepare a new constitution.

“The new constitution will give the SRC a complete overhaul in its functioning and structures,” Shivambu said. In the proposed constitution, the new SRC will have three branches; a 15-member executive elected by suffrage, a 50-member parliament elected or delegated by various student clubs, societies, councils and organisations, and a student tribunal.

The executive cabinet will continue its normal day-to-day functions, but will have to report quarterly to the student parliament that will serve as a policy formulation body.

The executive will be answerable to the parliament, said Shivambu. The parliament will formulate policies and propose them to the executive. The student tribunal will serve as a conflict resolution body, resolving disputes between the SRC and other student organisations.

The process, Shivambu said, will “effectively dissolve the SRC being concentrated in the hands of the six or seven people who manage the day-to-day affairs currently”.

The constitution also proposed a complete change in the electoral procedures of the SRC. Shivambu said the SRC was proposing that university oversight be removed from the election process. “We no longer want the dean of student affairs as the chief electoral officer following last year’s dispute,” said Shivambu

The new by-laws propose that only candidates endorsed by organisations or with at least 200 signatories be allowed to stand for elections. “This is because we have noted that most independent candidates are not serious. They just get the 25 signatories from their friends, as required by the current electoral bylaws, and waste election funds.” Shivambu said students had been invited to comment on the new constitution and make suggestions.

Prem Coopoo, dean of student affairs, said the constitutional review was a welcome process which she had started to look at last year. As with every institution, there was a need for constant evaluation and improvements, but this needed to follow a process, said Coopoo. “I welcome the amendments so far as the due process is followed,” she added. The SRC plans to table the proposed constitution in a special session of council next week.