Hi everyone,
Thank you for listening to us during class today and providing great feedback. I know we didn't have enough time in class, so here's a blog post where you can make the rest of your point heard, or bring up something new.
For convenience, here is the general gist of the amendment:
- Leg reps are now recruited through sign ups with a minor screening process (to prove dedication)
- Ideally, leg reps would be assigned 2-4 homeroom classes to be in charge of. Once a week, the leg rep would alternate between their assigned rooms to relay information as well as get feedback from the students.
- If we do not meet the needed number of sign-ups in order to assign a max of 4 rooms to each rep, we will revert back to the old system (we will probably change this clause to include a broader range of scenarios in which the new system will fail)
When you comment, please make sure to keep in mind feasibility, as well as the probability that we will be able to find a way to implement changes you feel need to be made. Also, in addition to concerns you have, please try to also include ways we could possibly address these concerns in the new amendment.
We will come back on Monday with something we are all, hopefully, happier with!
15-16 ASBOs
First off I want to personally apologize for being so hesitant to pass the amendment a second time even though I had already passed it with the asbo team.
ReplyDeleteOverall, the discussion left me with a feeling of uncertainty and unease, and I think that there are some areas that we hadn't fully talked about. I'm not directly opposed to the amendment - but seeing how many different angles that we missed in our initial discussion, I just want to make sure we think this thoroughly the second time.
To start off, I don't think the class is on the same page on the answer to this important question: What is the purpose of leg?
I think that needs to be answered.
One of my primary concerns again, is student to leg communication. I can see this new system avoiding some of the problems we face this year - not being able to pass clubs, outdated budgets being passed, etc. However with this new system I see many gaps that communication might fall through in.
To Ms.Kraemer's point someone responded that there would also be a large amount of communication through other means such as email.
1) I think we need to specify what these other means would be, and outline the training we are going to give the representatives.
2) I don't think email would be effective, given the tendency for both students and staff to filter out email.
With the leg reps too I can imagine instances in which the leg rep would not fulfill their duty. ie. If they have an important test during a third period, how many of the students would themselves want to leave the classroom? Even if we specify that the extra 5 minutes is our time, the students may consider it in their best interest to not go out and present.
What is keeping the leg reps motivated? Are there incentives? And how can we keep the leg reps accountable to showing up to the homerooms they are assigned? (especially if the reps will be arriving on a variable ratio).
In addition I would like us to also discuss/think about how leg can benefit the student body and really help us hear what the students have to say. I think that's always been missing (albeit to varying degrees), and although the new amendment would not make the problem worse, it doesn't directly address it.
A very good point was brought up, that is that leg isn't the only means of communication between asb and the student body, and that other avenues, such as the PR commission could be leveraged to ameliorate that. I agree 100% that we need to branch out our communication, however I think that the "other means" need to be outlined. I don't want to pass this amendment through just under the assumption that we'll find other ways to communicate.
The most immediate/concrete things I would like added to the amendment:
-Rewording it so that if the asbo's find problems with the new system before implementing it fully (other than just a lack of leg sign ups), that they can revert to the previous system or pursue another plan.
-Making sure that the wording does not limit us to year-long terms for leg reps (so that in the case we choose to pursue it, a semester system can still be established)
Everything else is a concern of mine but we would need more perspectives to determine whether/how they would fit into the constitution.
If anyone has any thoughts please reply so we can have a discussion!
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteCan i talk in bullet points LOL
-I think we should consider having a semester based term for leg council reps but still give reps the option to continue again for another semester. Some people may not feel enthusiastic of being a leg council rep a month into the school year, and we may see a decline in motivation if they are locked in for a whole year.
-I personally don't think student's connection with ASB will be hindered by this amendment. IN FACT, I think it'll increase. There are a lot of leg council reps who don't even go to meetings and the students in those classrooms go without any information or representation. I feel like with a sign up process, we would have leg council reps who are more proactive and motivated to do a good job, and the homeroom classes would benefit from a representative who reports regularly.
I will post more later this weekend LOL i just have a lot to do at the moment but yeah guys please feel free to comment