The Student Assembly last night unanimously passed a resolution that amended its constitution to include a new attendance policy.
The resolution allows members three absences before the Assembly takes action. Last year's Assembly voted against a similar attendance resolution after six weeks of debate and tabled resolutions.
"I think it's a really good sign that people this year are dedicated to the positions they were elected to," Assembly President Jon Heavey '97 said.
Under the new policy, the Assembly will take attendance at the beginning and end of meetings to record differences between half absences and full absences. The Membership and Internal Affairs committee will review members who acquire three full absences.
Case Dorkey '99 was the resolution's main sponsor both this year and last year.
"Last year we had the votes," he said, "but we never had enough people at the meetings."
A constitutional amendment requires the approval of three-fourths of the entire Assembly, while normal resolutions require only a simple majority vote when a majority of the members are present.
"I think the most important thing that came out of this meeting was the attendance resolution," said Jonah Sonnenborn '99, vice president of communications. "It's something the Assembly needs to be successful."
The resolution passed this year because several of its opponents left and the resolution was modified, Sonnenborn said.
Dorkey said the amendment started out as a "three strikes, you're out" policy last year and was gradually changed to include the recording of half absences as well as more allowances for meetings held at times other than the usual meeting time.
In addition, the resolution changed so that members who violate the attendance policy may only lose their opportunity to vote instead of being removed from the Assembly, Dorkey said.
Dorkey said the difference between this year's resolution and the resolutions offered last year is the referral to the Membership and Internal Affairs committee for action after the third absence. One objection to the earlier resolution, he said, was that it could infringe on the Membership and Internal Affairs committee's authority.
The new amendment puts the decision regarding infringements in the hands of the Membership and Internal Affairs committee, which will "determine whether they will remove [the] member from the Assembly or allow them to remain on without voting privileges," according to the resolution.
"I don't anticipate any problems putting [the resolution] into effect," Heavey said, citing its simplicity. "You miss three meetings and you're up for review."
The Assembly named Steve Salemi '97 the new vice president of the Student Life committee at the start of last night's meeting.
Dominic LaValle '99, vice president of the Student Services committee, said Student Advantage discount cards will be distributed next week and free copies of Mug Shots will be delivered to freshman rooms.
In addition, LaValle said, telephone directories listing academic departments and students living on campus will be made available to students in the Collis Center this week.
Sarah Cho '97, vice president of the Academic Affairs committee, said this year the committee will examine the education department and explore the possibility of a premed minor at the College.
The Assembly will name its vice president of the Community Service committee next week.
Representatives from the Class of 2000 did not attend the meeting because their election results had not yet been tabulated, Assembly Vice President Chris Swift '98 said. The new members will attend next week's meeting, he said.
