Despite low attendance, the first informational meeting about the proposed new Associated Students of Madison constitution did not lack criticism.
The two students who attended the meeting, both current graduate representatives on student council, asked why the committee that drafted the document did not let students know it was creating a new constitution.
Committee chair Alex Brousseau said if too many people were included in the drafting process, it would have been difficult for the committee to make progress.
“40,000 people can’t write a document,” Brousseau said.
Under the proposed constitution, student government would consist of an executive, legislative, judicial and appropriations branch as opposed to the current model containing student council, Student Services Finance Committee and Student Judiciary.
Current ASM Nominations Board Chair Zach DeQuattro said the committee’s plan to propose the constitution to student council on Feb. 29 does not give students and council members enough time to read and interpret the 70-page draft.
“I haven’t read it, I’m not even talking about the merit of it. In the brief overview, some of the aspects that you’ve mentioned sound really strong on the surface,” DeQuattro said. “But without having the chance to comb through a document of that length, of that magnitude, with the largest student government in the country, in the world, it seems dangerous and malfeasant to push that kind of timeline.”
Brousseau said the students who want to be involved will become involved and delaying the process would not help the committee gain student interest.
The committee will hold more informational sessions nearly every weekday until Feb. 5.
