Don't take away students' rights

Brian Wallheimer
Editor in Chief

Let me try to clarify a confusing situation.

To recap: The senate passed an $8.60 fee increase for athletics last month. Since then more than 450 students signed a petition to send the increase to a referendum. The senate ignored that petition.

What people don't understand is what I am really fighting for. I not against paying another $8.60 in fees. I support the fee hike. I want our athletics program to excel. I'm fighting for a principle.

The student government constitution states: "The student senate shall hold a campus-wide referendum following either an action by the senate authorizing a referendum, or the receipt by the student senate of a petition specifying the question to be placed on the referendum and signed by a number of currently enrolled students at least equal to 25 percent plus one of those voting in the last general student body election."

Let's look at the situation. A petition was circulated that clearly called for a student referendum on the fee hike. The petition had more than 450 signatures when it only needed 361.

I don't see what the problem is. If the petition followed the guidelines set forth in the student government constitution, then why aren't we having a referendum?

The referendum clause in the constitution is a check the students have on their government. Basically, if the students think the senate is not acting in their best interest or if the students just want to have their say on an issue, the referendum clause gives them the power to do that.

Imagine if the federal government came along and told you that you couldn't practice your religion. That would be a violation of your rights under the U.S. Constitution. On a different level, SIUE's student government has done the same thing. The senators are taking away a right students have. In essence, they are taking away a check the students have on their government.

I don't mind paying another $8.60 in fees. I care about my student government following the rules.

Someone told me that if I don't like the students elected to students government, I should vote against them in the next election. Trust me, I will vote for whom I believe to be the best candidates. But does that give our current government the right to do whatever it wants even if it violates the constitution? What is the point of having a constitution that no one obeys?

Many senators are saying that a referendum on the fee hike would pass. If they really believe that, then why isn't there a referendum? With all this mess, I would like to know where the student body stands on the issue.

There is still time to have a referendum. I want to know what students on this campus want. It seems that more than 450 want a referendum. But I guess they don't count.