ISC members debate new amendments
With its elections coming March 24, concerns about amendments to the International Student Council’s election process were heard Tuesday in the TSC’s Center Colony room.
The purpose of this meeting was to address the outcries from various students about the changes, ISC President Abinash Bhattachan said. The new amendments allow only outgoing members of the seven-student ISC panel could run for the organization’s presidency and only members of the ISC general council could vote in the elections.
An e-mail sent out Sept. 9, 2005 to all international students outlined some of these changes. It also encouraged all of the students from the international student community to participate in the ISC and its general council. But with elections on the horizon, new tensions were voiced.
Some at Tuesday’s meeting said such amendments would not allow equal participation in the council from all international students.
“There should be a structure to allow new blood,” said Bemate Bamboma, a junior majoring in public health from West Africa.
Bamboma said he was concerned the amendments would discriminate against transfer students wishing to run for president of the council.
Others rebutted, saying transfer students could still be involved with ISC dealings without being an elected member.
“You do not have to be president to affect change,” said Djenane Dias, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering from Angola.
Council members said experience and a good track record is necessary to make a good president or council member. This can be measured by attendance to meetings and involvement with ISC events, the council said.
Another change made to the ISC’s structure eliminated limitations on the number of members in its general council. Before the amendment, there was a limit to the number of students that could be from a specific country on the general council. Students used to be required to be a USU student for at least two semesters; now the requirement is only one semester, allowing for the participation of freshmen.
-ariding@cc.usu.edu