ANNE BUIE

Members of SGA have continuously stated that the bill will increase representation for UFOs and for the student body, but I think they're wrong.

SGA's senate seats aren't filled to begin with. Right now, some senators have been moved around to represent residence halls they don't even live in.

If SGA is so concerned with actually gaining representation for students, the current centers need to focus on more effectively reaching out to the student body.

The other problem with the bill is its focus on UFOs.

"These specific UFOs alone hold a great percentage of the student body," Off-Campus Senator Frances Ramos said. "I do want to make it clear that this first step does not mean we are excluding all other clubs on campus."

I appreciate Ramos' assertion that other clubs on campus won't be left out of the equation, but I'm frustrated by the 10 UFOs that were chosen.

The organizations chosen: the National Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, Residence Hall Association, Women's Center, Club Sports Council, Black Student Association, Appalachian Ambassadors, Appalachian and the Community Together and Appalachian Popular Programming Society.

All these groups have plenty of influence and representation on campus as it is.

SGA's new senate seats should be aimed at clubs that aren't funded by the university. They're the ones that need additional representation because they aren't represented by Appalachian.

Anyone can run for a senate seat and could before this legislation passed.

But adding 10 essentially required senate seats will increase the odds of electing apathetic people who don't truly serve a purpose.

Instead of ensuring the election of the best people for the job, SGA has added 10 seats that are basically just a requirement.

At the end of the day, all they've done is decrease their chances of accomplishing anything.

Buie, a freshman English and middle grades education major from Charlotte, is a senior news reporter.