This year's Student Assembly election will be a bit different from those in the past, most significantly in that students will be able to run for the newly formed Organizational Adjudication Committee.
Other positions that will be up for grabs on May 9 and 10 are president and vice president of the Student Assembly, as well as the positions of president and vice president for both the Class of 2002 and 2004.
There are also six positions available on the Committee on Standards and 20 positions for members of the Class of 2003 in Green Key society. Every class may also elect eight people as class representatives.
While the new adjudication committee does not officially meet until next fall, there are six spots available and students are asked to be on campus for at least two terms in the next year.
According to current Assembly President Jorge Miranda '01, the group will function similarly to the Committee on Standards, but for student organizations.
"Different things that organizations do will come before one single group rather than different groups," Miranda said. "We're just trying to have one body for all organizations, rather than holding the CFSC to a higher standard." Currently the CFS system has its own judiciary committee.
According to a letter from Dan Nelson, Group Adjudication Committee Chair, "Dartmouth can and should do a better job of holding all organizations accountable to a higher standard consistent with the educational mission of the college."
According to the letter, the new committee would take over cases from the CFSC Judiciary Committee whenever "a CFS organization ... was alleged to have participated in behaviors in violation of College Standards of Conduct, such as hazing, damage to property, harm or threats of harm, provision of alcohol to underage individuals, etc."
Violations that did not violate College policy would still be handled by the judiciary committee. The committee will also not adjudicate violations of the Principle of Community.
Amit Anand '03, a candidate for Assembly vice president agreed saying "one group shouldn't be put on a different standard."
Miranda said that he thought "student decision-making will play a big role" in the upcoming election, as well as concern over implementation of the Student Life Initiative.
Molly Stutzman '02, Chair of the Assembly Student Life Committee and presidential candidate, said she wants to "help [students] see the SA as a vehicle through which they can make their voices heard."
Ted Smith '02, another candidate for president, said that controversy over freedom of speech and issues raised at the protest last Friday were likely to be key factors in the election campaign.
Anand said that the Assembly should "show the campus that students can get together and do things, we don't necessarily need the administration."
He also said that the Assembly is "focused on too many things" and needs to narrow it's focus to a few major issues.
Michael Newton '04, a candidate for Assembly vice president, said that the focus of the Assembly should be to "make sure that student voice is heard, to make sure that students have an institutional voice on campus."
He added that although the "job of vice president is internal to the Assembly, it's important that the vice president have goals."
Every student interested in running is required to obtain 50 signatures, except for Assembly president and vice president, which both require 100 signatures.
In addition, candidates must attend an information session on either April 19 or 20. Students interested in running may pick up signature forms and information from the Student Activities office on the second floor of Collis.
