e student newspaper of the University of Prince Edward Island
"e N etted Gem
March 15, 1984
ume 1, Number 15
“‘I‘mflv . .u s. NW... . .~
as; ’3“)1hm|EMu—“ News}! 9
You have three more nights to catch the UPEI Theatre Society’s version of Rosenerantz and Guildenstem are Dead, at the Steele Recital Hall at 8 p.m. Above, Jamie-Brehaut and Nancy MacLure enjoy themselves in the title roles of this comedy of death, written by Tom Stoppard and directed by David Moses. (Photo: Grimmer)
Word of adv/Ce:
Never frighten a flower arranger. After all, what good is a be rifled florist? _
March 15,1984
Stay tuned to the Netted Gem for thrills (seriously!) and chuckles and free heenee. Just wait until next week!
Our Student Unio
»' r-
M r. f 2.3“. x
constitution revisited
By Carolyn Ryan
The UPEl Student Union Council is discussing a new constutional package.
The condensed, clarified, and pruned constitution is chiefly the work of current SU President Jack Keefe and past ‘ Councillor Ronalda Murphy, who have been examining the old constitution forayear.
That document, which is still in effect, has been described as “a mess”, “a patchwork of amendments”, “full of redundancies”, “illogical”, “inconsistent”, and “poorly written”.
When Keefe was elected last year, a rewritten con- stitution was one of his main priorities.
Murphy too believes in the importance of a defining document for the SU, having called the constitution “(the SU’s) reason for existing”.
The new document will be discussed and refined by Council over the next few months, and then must be approved by a two-thirds majority at a general assembly of the UPEISU.
in places major changes are proposed for the structure of the Union; for example:
0 Class representatives
on Council will be dropped. Council will attempt instead to re- present students through the faculties, with one rep for each 200 students in a faculty, and not less than one per faculty. 0 The Vice-President po—
sitions will be altered drastically. Instead of the present VP lntemal and VP External, we will have a VP Aca- demic and VP Opera— tions.
The VP Academic will coordinate research, sit on Senate, coordinate sub- organizations, and generally promote the involvement of the SU in academic matters, a function which Keefe calls “progressive”.
The VP Operations will oversee the newspaper, radio station, yearbook, external and internal advertising, Panther Lounge operations, and Social, Fall fest, Orienta- tion and Winter Carnival Committees.
0 Student representatives elected to the Senate and Board of Govern- ors will be automati- cally impeached for missing three consecu- tive or four total meetings of their re- spective bodies, a clause which now applies to Councillors regarding Council meet— ings.
O The position of
» Ombudsman will be established, tentatively as an elected posi— tion, to “endeavor to aid any member of the
UPElSU who en— counters difficulties with the University and/or with the UPElSU.”
O The membership cate- gory of “honorary
members” of the SU
will be Aidroppcd, leaving only? “active
, members”, who are taking more than two courses at UPEl each semester, have paid
SU fees, and can vote
and hold offices in the UPEISU; and “asso-
ciate members”, who
are enrolled in less
than three courses per semester and can neither vote nor hold
an elected position. Many more changes are included in the new con- stitution, and will soon be dealt with by Council. Stu- dents are encouraged to take an interest in the process and suggest ways to improve the
new document, through Councillors or at Council meetings.
To conclude, here is a list of objectives of the UPElSU, as proposed by Keefe and Murphy:
a) To represent its member— ship as required.
b) to promote and direct artistic, literary, educational, social, recreational, and sporting activities at the University of Prince Edward Island.
c) to promote unity and goodwill amongst its members.
d) to advance the cause of higher learning in Prince Edward Island.
e) to afford a recognized means of communication and co-operation between the students of the University of Prince Edward Island and all other bodies acting within the University and the munity Lli large
{Hill~
Student Disciplinary Committee
Judged by a body of your peers
By John Pendergast
'Student Disiplinary Com- mittee Chairman Mike Trainor wants to remind stu- dents that the S.D.C. is still a functioning organ of the student body.
Since January of this school year, the S.D.C. has been in operation with four newly-appointed members: Ronalda Murphy,. Robert Hanf, Karen Blacquiere, and Steve Zakem.
The Committee's duties consist of providing a judicial aspect to student discipline. It works in conjunction with floor dons, campus police, head residents, and campus security — any of whom
The Netted Gem
might bring before the S.D.C.
A typical hearing includes the Chairman of the S.D.C. and four student representa- tives (two of whom live in residence and the other two being non-resident students).
Cases heard by the S.D.C. concern anything that deals, for example, with property damage on campus, rude behaviour at student events, or abuse of floor dons and head residents.
Anything involving the Canadian Criminal Code is out of the jurisdiction of the S.D.C.
Fines and penalties given to an offender might include
complaints
a suspension of priwlcgcs or anything up to a Ki100 line.
However, the offender can testify in his own defence and is able to appeal his CitKC beforethe S.D.C.
Mike Trainor would bike It remind the student body “21: appearing before th. S.D.C. does not carry an at'tomtn‘.‘ stigma ofguilt.
ln his opinion. at: the are weighed before .hc Com mittee issues a verdict.
Spectators are welcome view a hearing in "lt't’g".\\,
The basic aim o, " ‘ S.D.C. is to keep law :.u-‘ order among [“e sin 'crw body and thereby "rout. ‘1 service to the student.
A.
~ puns ‘ w