The annual student government election is over, and Coughlin Donahue was elected unopposed. slate The selection of student body president and executive vice president was announced as the official winner on March 26th. Students also voted on his four referendums, which included everything from sustainability education to club budget transparency.
Over 13,600 students I voted In this year's election, 45% chose to abstain from the direct election of the Student Government Association (SGA), the process that elects the positions of president and executive vice president. Excluding abstainers, approximately 36% of students directly participated in the election.
Of the 13,673 students who voted, approximately 38% voted for Coughlin-Donahue's schedule, 14.26% cast a vote of no confidence, and 2.06% issued a write-in vote.
Voter turnout this year was higher than previous years, 25.72% of the undergraduate student body voted. 2023 Voter turnout was 25.95% 2022.
The vote ensured that Matthew Coughlin, a third-year mechanical engineering major, won the position of student body president, and Cassidy Donahue, a sophomore political science and psychology major, secured the position of vice president.
Students also voted in favor of all four referendum proposals on the ballot, including banning plastic water bottles and adopting the MBTA. University acceptance programrequires transparency from the SGA Finance Committee; sustainability Requirements to NUPath.
All four referendums passed with a majority, but Northeastern is not obligated to implement the proposals. SGA said the referendum vote reflected the views of the student body and was “a call to action from the North East Government”. election manual.
No plastic bottles allowed
The proposal to phase out, and then ban, the use of single-use plastic bottles on campus passed with a “yes” vote from about 60% of students eligible to vote.
SGA and the D’Amore McKim School of Business Sustainability Committee to promote environmental sustainability on campus. was suggested A referendum asking students whether Northeastern should ban the sale and distribution of plastic bottles. If enacted, universities would begin phasing out the purchase of single-use plastic bottles and restricting their distribution on campus.
The referendum also proposed requiring universities to promote sustainable alternatives to plastics, such as aluminum, in future consultations with drinks companies.
The proposal pointed to the impact single-use plastics have on the environment and aimed to reduce waste within communities in the North East.focused on education The role of educational institutions in shaping the values and behaviors of students and communitiesHe criticized the “culture of convenience and throw-away'' that has arisen due to the normalization of single-use plastic bottles.
The Committee also cited: harmful effects Number of bottled water companies extracting water from water-scarce areas. only 29% The committee writes that many single-use plastic bottles are recycled each year, with the majority ending up in landfills or oceans, posing a threat. public health and nearby Ecosystem.
The proposal also cites several successful examples of similar policies. Executive Order of 2023 Gov. Maura Healey signed a bill that prohibits government agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles that hold 21 fluid ounces or less. The referendum also emerson college The northeast Auckland city aims to reduce its use of single-use plastics, showing that such efforts are not only possible, but effective.
The referendum garnered support from the local community, with more than 200 students, faculty and staff signing a petition calling for a ban on single-use plastic bottles.
Tohoku region ticket
A proposal asking the university to give students unrestricted access to the city's MBTA subway and bus system passed with support from 93% of voters.
of Initiativeis proposed by Sustainable Transportation @ Northeastern (STAN), which encourages Northeastern to opt-in to this service. MBTA University Pass Program, students have unlimited use of the subway and buses. The funding will come from a $50 per semester “transportation access fee,” with co-op students and those taking classes remotely given the option to opt out.
Northeastern is currently 11% student discount on 4-month MBTA passes, STAN believes that the University Pass Program plan can more effectively address sustainability issues and student transportation needs. This proposal not only reduces the financial burden on students, but also allows Northeastern University to build strong partnerships with the MBTA and the City of Boston to increase public transit use and reduce road congestion. It claims that it can reduce pollution levels and promote a community-based economy. growth.
Other universities around the country have begun implementing similar admissions programs, including the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of South Florida, and George Washington University. STAN claims the proposal provides Northeastern an opportunity to establish itself as a leader in transportation access and sustainability in Boston.
SG&A budget transparency
“We call on the Finance Committee to increase transparency in budget allocation.” referendumis Upvoted and Voted by Senator Devyani Anand, Vice President for Academic Affairs Misha Ankudowicz, Vice President for Student Success Sebastian Chavez da Silva, and Executive Director of Student Engagement James Chan-Davidson It was passed with almost 95% support.
This proposal highlighted the urgent need for greater transparency within Northeastern's student government. This highlights the significant financial contribution of full-time undergraduate students, amounting to approximately $2 million to $4 million annually through student activity fees. Despite this significant investment, the referendum notes a lack of transparency in how the undergraduate SGA Finance Committee allocates these funds to recognized student organizations. .
To draw attention to the Treasury Board's historical inconsistency in providing transparency and the absence of recent reports on budget allocation decisions, the referendum draws on precedent from peer institutions, including: . boston university, Cornell University, american university and auburn university, publishes student activity fund allocations. It also points out that the Finance Commission has a constitutional obligation to submit biannual reports on its activities, but this obligation has not been met.coming soonAccording to the proposal, the status will be posted on the website of the Finance Commission from September 2023.
The referendum emphasized the need to hold the Finance Committee accountable for the prudent management of these finances, and proposed a resolution guide that would require the annual publication of a detailed report on budget allocations.
Rethinking ticketing policies
Student group led by the Live Music Association seeks to overturn new ticketing policies enacted by Event management in the Tohoku region. This policy requires ticketed admission to all student organization events (even free events funded by student activity fees). Sponsors argue this creates unnecessary barriers for students to participate in campus events.
The proposal was not included on the school-wide referendum ballot because the authors did not collect the required 187 signatures, SGA told the News.
The reform proposal identifies several problems with the new ticketing system. According to the proposal, many students make last-minute decisions to attend free events based on their own schedules and perceptions of the event. The requirement for advance ticketing makes this difficult. Sometimes students reserve tickets that they don't end up using, resulting in empty seats. In contrast, major university events such as hockey games allow walk-in admission with a Husky card.
The proposal also cited technical issues the Live Music Association encountered with its ticketing website, including incorrect dates and the inability to transfer tickets. Because the student activity fee funds these events for all students, the bill's sponsors felt that maximizing attendance should be a priority.
Supporters argue that the policy causes more problems than it solves with free events aimed at involving the entire community.
The reforms proposed either completely eliminating required ticketing for student organization events or introducing a student ID walk-in option similar to athletic events.
If it had been on the school-wide ballot, the proposed referendum question would have been, “Will the new Northeast event ticketing system act as a deterrent to participation in these events?” Dew.
