In stark contrast to past policies encouraging membership, the Student Assembly has decided to stop accepting new members for the term after February 4.
According to Assembly Vice-President Margaret Kuecker '00, the actual date of the deadline was set in early December by the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee, but last night was the first time it was announced publicly at an open meeting.
The deadline is part of MIAC's ongoing effort to "protect the integrity of the Assembly," beginning with the institution of the "three meetings rule" at the start of last Fall term, Kuecker said. That rule requires students to attend at least three Assembly meetings before becoming voting members.
These moves mark a reversal of a trend begun two years ago, which made it easier for students to attain Assembly voting privileges by first reducing the number of signatures required for applications, and then automatically granting membership to student organization representatives.
After the Initiative announcement last Winter term, a large number of students -- many from Greek houses -- joined the Assembly for the first time. And a faction of new members successfully gutted a series of resolutions on the Initiative working group proposals last spring, removing all but the tamest suggestions for changes to the Greek system.
Despite the new, stricter membership guidelines, students lacking voting privileges who are interested in the Student Life Initiative will still be able to have their opinions heard and recorded in some capacity.
Polls on the subject of the Initiative will be taken before and after every Assembly meeting. All students in attendance at the meetings will be polled, regardless of their membership status.
The results of these surveys will later be taken into consideration as the Assembly prepares its final report on student feedback to the Initiative recommendations, Kuecker said.
The student assembly plans to send information regarding the membership deadline in a campus-wide blitz in the coming days.
