The state legislature could change Associated Students presidents’ ability to veto policies beginning next fall.
“As your A.S. president, I don’t like it,” said CSUN’s student government president, Amanda Flavin, during Tuesday’s senate meeting.
According to CSUN’s Internal Affairs senator Nicole Corlett, AB 1233 was passed a couple years ago and is targeted at non-profit organizations and corporations.
Since Associated Students is incorporated, its current policies are not meeting state regulations.
“Right now, the executive director has a little more say because she can veto a senate’s decision,” Corlett said.
AB 1233 does not allow non-voting members to serve in any corporation’s board. The new bill would force the senate to change the titles of its current non-voting board members, such as Attorney General John Blitz, General Manager David Crandall, University Advisor Tom Piernik, Faculty Advisor Veda Ward, among others.
They would have to be referred to as staff, instead of their current titles, in order to meet state mandates.
The law would also give each A.S. senator more voting power due to the elimination of the president’s veto. This was placed in order to have a more balanced level of power amongst the senate.
“Basically in a nutshell we had to change some titles on our board and eliminating the Presidential veto just to give the senate more power to exercise the voice on behalf of the student body,” Corlett said.
In order for any changes to be made, A.S. must first conduct a referendum with the students, who will have the final say on whether the senate may change the language in its constitution.
If students vote not to change the language in the constitution, the senate would face unknown repercussions from the state, as it must take away the veto and change its constitution in order to comply with AB 1233.
“I hope it doesn’t harm the ability of senate to get work done,” Flavin said.
The referendum will be taken in Spring 2012 and the new regulations will be set by Fall 2012.
“Sacramento likes to pass laws to control other organizations, and I think this was in an effort to control the abuse of non-profits,” Flavin said.
