The pending rewrite of the Student Association is long overdue … and the senators would be wise to approve it.

“As the constitution stands now, we get so tangled in our own rules that we end up taking the long way around in getting things done,” said SA President Pro Tem Dave Ivers.

Ivers is right. Senators have long complained that they are confined by their own bylaws. The group used to linger through seemingly endless meetings until the last dog was hung—many times because the guidelines made them.

Some internal elections, such as for senate speaker, could drag for hours if the vote wasn’t decisive. Senators who wearied of lengthy discussions and tried to call a vote often found themselves stymied by others who wanted to talk more.

As a senator, Dave Ivers tried to lead his colleagues toward a more efficient system of student government.

He tried to show them how troubled their system of rules were, often being that senator who called the question to vote because discussion had dragged long enough. He tried to improve the sometimes vague language about positions; in one case, the title of city council liaison.

Now Ivers is leading the SA toward a brighter tomorrow, trying to leave it better than he found it. If he’s successful, the group will work more smoothly and efficiently, passing meaningful measures quicker.

Hopefully, the senators will listen. Ivers has hit the nail on the head and it just might be the first nail needed toward building a better SA.