Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series about operational difficulties in the Student Association Senate.

Changes in the structure of the Student Association or in the attitudes of the SA members are needed if the senate is to be an effective force working for students.

SA Welfare Adviser Julie Stege said this year’s senate is not self-motivated. “Four or five years ago the senate was more active. They worked on issues of the day that didn’t necessarily affect students—politics on the national and state level,” she said.

SA President Jim Fischer said this year’s senate is not much different from past senates. “I agree there are some problems in the senate. In working with the legislature, I’ve found most large governmental bodies act the same way,” he said.

Fischer said the staff will start working with individual senators to motivate them. “Personal interaction is one of the most important things we can do.”

The executive staff is planning a mandatory retreat for senators before the fall semester, Fischer said. Robert’s Rules of Order, used as a guideline to control the order of the meetings, will be explained at the retreat.

At each senate meeting, President Pro Tempore Todd Kuzma stops to explain rules and procedures after most comments. He continually has to explain what a “point of information” is and has to tell senators they cannot make a motion directly after they have spoken on an issue.

SA Sen. Dave Emerick said senators are given an outline of Robert’s Rules after they have been sworn in. He said each senator should know Robert’s Rules.

Questions have been raised regarding the high number of greek senators. Stege said greek representation should be reduced to reflect the percentage of greeks on campus. Fraternity and sorority members comprise about 10 percent of the NIU population. They have about 45 percent representation on the senate.

The greeks run for senate in large coalitions, with the support of fraternities and sororities. Stege said other off-campus candidates do not have the money or the large support group to get elected.

Lack of motivation in the senate could be because of the reasons people run for senate. Most greeks run for senate on a greek platform—they want to help the greek system. Other than budgets for the InterFraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, there is not much the senate can do to benefit greeks.

Only three senators signed a list at the Feb. 7 senate meeting to help the SA Mass Transit Board conduct a phone survey. Some of the senators asked if the survey results would affect the implementation of a 3C bus, which would run through the Greek Row area.

Sen. Mike Cassman, a member of the SA Mass Transit Board, said he later received about 40 names on the list, but the board opted for a mail survey.

Stege said the senate should consider being redistricted to reflect true representation. There are 16 on-campus and 32 off-campus senators. The senate was redistricted a few years ago and the number of senators dropped from 62 to 48. Stege said the Greek Row area definitely should be changed.

Fischer said the percentages might have to change but did not name Greek Row representation as a problem. He suggested making senate districts similar to those of a few years ago. Greek Row did not have as much representation then.

One senator said the senate does not need 48 senators because senators do not work together to get things done. Fischer said cutting the number of senators “is definitely not the answer.”

Stege said the present system is not working. “Something incredibly progressive has to happen. The senate reflects the administrative structure, so we can’t have an effect on the administration.”