The ASSU Undergraduate Senate has tried three times this month to hold a meeting or committee meeting without the advance notice required by the group’s bylaws or the ASSU constitution.
The ASSU constitution’s freedom-of-information section says meeting locations, times and agendas “must be made available at least 24 hours before the meeting is to be held.” The Senate bylaws indicate 72-hours notice is required for meetings: “All rules that apply to actual meetings should apply to online meetings, such as giving 72 hours public notice and providing previous notice for all bills.” Senate Chair Michael Cruz ‘12 says 72 hours’ notice is only required for online meetings.
The latest two incidents of short notice came Sunday, when members of two committees sought to call meetings for later that day. Senator Robin Perani ‘13 sent an e-mail to the advocacy committee on Sunday morning calling a meeting for that day at 4 p.m. She said if committee members were not available then, the group would meet Monday afternoon; that time would have met the 24-hour requirement. After The Daily contacted Perani and Cruz asking if the committee would abide by the 72-hour rule, Perani told the committee “we can’t do the meeting right now because of 72 hour meeting notice” and said the meeting time would be changed to later.
On Sunday afternoon, Senator Deepa Kannappan ‘13 asked the Student Life, Housing and Education committee members if they could have an “informal,” 30-minute meeting at Stern Late Nite that evening. After The Daily inquired about advanced-notice rules, Cruz said Sunday evening the meeting did not happen.
On Sept. 1, Cruz called an online, “unofficial” meeting of the Senate for the next day at 6 p.m. After The Daily asked Cruz and Deputy Chair Madeline Hawes ‘13 whether or not they would go ahead with the meeting, Cruz announced the meeting would move to Sept. 6. The reason, he wrote: “Seems like a lot of people are back at Stanford already for SoCo [Sophomore College]. We’ll move the unofficial meet-up…so everybody can make it.”
The first regular Senate meeting is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Nitery.
-Elizabeth Titus