The Associated Students Inc. Senate passed a modification to the Policy on Shared Governance on Feb. 23, granting the ASI president authority over appointing students to Academic Senate and university committees.
Previously, the policy called for the entire ASI Senate to appoint students to these positions.
However, in the past, only the president and his or her staff have been making the appointments, officials said.
ASI Executive Director Richard Haller said that this trend was simply a matter of practicality, and that it would be much more difficult for a group of 21 people to interview candidates than it would be for just one person.
“It’s just not doable,” Haller said.
Until now, the process would begin with the government office, who would recruit by sending out flyers to indicate vacancies.
The president and his or her staff would then set up interviews to decide who among the applicants was best for the job, then take those decisions to the Senate for confirmation.
According to the revised policy, if the Senate doesn’t confirm those appointments by the first day of the fall semester, then the authority to appoint and confirm falls to the president.
“We’re modifying the policy to reflect what the actual practice has been,” Haller said. “The original was flawed.”
During the meeting, a senator asked what would stop the president from simply appointing his friends.
Current ASI President James Ahumada told the Daily 49er after the meeting that within the policy, there is a statement that says all appointments by the president are subject to Senate confirmation.
He went on to say that because recruitment takes place in the summer, during which the Senate only meets once a month, it only makes sense to let the executive office handle appointments.
Even with appointment authority granted to the president, the Senate still retains the check and balance of final confirmation.
Members of ASI sit on dozens of committees across campus that require a voice for student representation.
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