Last winter's impeachment effort sparked the creation of the Governance Task Force, which was responsible for recommending how to revise the constitution. The new constitution changes the rules for impeachment, now requiring a petition signed by 500 members of the student body to depose the president. Impeachment will still also require a vote by three-quarters of the General Assembly and the presentation of articles for impeachment. This change, however, does not come into effect until next year.
The constitution also eliminates student organizational representatives to the Assembly, which some students believe were used both in attempts to impeach and protect Andreadis.
The new constitution was marked by revised rules on the allocation of funds. In the past, the president of the Assembly could allocate $300 for a project without the approval of the General Assembly, the main representative body of the Assembly. The executive board could approve $500 for a project. The amounts have been moved up to $500 and $1,000, respectively. Amounts greater than $1,000 must be approved by the General Assembly.
The circumstances under which the president may allocate these funds were also altered. In the past, the president could only grant money for an administrative project. Now, this power covers all projects arising under the Assembly's authority.
"You need to think about the future, and when you put trust in the future, sometimes this causes problems," Student Body President Travis Green '08 said. "However, there are times when you're in a meeting and you need to give a 'yes' or 'no' answer [regarding funds]."
Green said that the Assembly parliamentarian, Jeremy Siporen '08, was looking into alternative funding systems and would present plans for these within the next two weeks.
Nathan Bruschi '10, the Assembly's treasurer, questioned the new funding rules.
"It's better to err on the side of caution," Bruschi said.
Bruschi expressed confidence in Green but was concerned that future presidents might not follow the rules as wisely.
"I think we need more checks and balances," he said, calling into question whether the role of the General Assembly in allocating funds was being narrowed too significantly.
Academic Affairs Vice President David Nachman '09 echoed Green's view.
"Last year, we spent too much time debating small amounts of money," he said.
Green vowed that the constitution would be ratified within the next two weeks, allowing time for students to take part in fraternity and sorority rush.
Following debate on the constitution, the Assembly also passed a resolution commending the Mentors Against Violence program and the Inter-Fraternity Council for their efforts to eliminate sexual assault at Dartmouth. The resolution passed with no objection.
Laura Little '08, a former member of the Governance Task Force, said that while she supports the resolution, she considers "just saying that sexual assault is wrong" to be a "moot point." Rather than making broad statements, she expressed a desire to explore new channels for decreasing the incidence of sexual assault.
"This resolution should have been passed 15 weeks ago, were it not for the events of last winter," Green said, referring to the impeachment efforts. "This is just a way of recognizing these groups and showing them that we're behind what they're doing."
The Assembly also considered a proposal for a new College mascot, the Dartmoose, which made a surprise appearance. Although the moose costume initially appeared intimidating, the student who wore it experienced difficulty seeing and had to be escorted up and down the stairs.
