Every year, the transparency wagon rolls through campus and droves of students hop on in a sudden wave of concern about the Thelomathesian Society. I have watched this dance happen for four years now, and I’m still perplexed by this perennial concern.
I want to shed some light on the Thelomathesian Society, or as it is more commonly known, Thelmo. For starters, Thelmo has a budget of $50,000 per semester for all students to draw from in order to help fund an event, trip, etc. This budget comes from the student activities fund, which you have contributed to as part of your tuition. The budget is allocated under the discretion of the Senate by majority vote.
For many, unelected Senators monitoring $50,000 is often cited as the most egregious violation of Thelmo. Many fear that the Senate possesses too much power and might act in a manner that does not reflect the wishes of the student body. I have two responses to this concern. The Senate acts with broad intentions in order to appease the majority of the student body. Inevitably, this leaves someone unhappy. The second response is this: we would not have a Senate if every single Senator were elected by popular vote. The Senior Executive Board members of Thelmo are all elected by popular vote, and the process takes several months as a result of the logistics involved in running such an election. In order for business to be conducted in a timely manner, it is more practical for the Senior Executive Board to select candidates from a large pool of applicants on a basis of merit. This process involves the submission of a resume, accumulation of signatures, and an interview with the Senior Executive Board.
Another transparency concern that is frequently voiced by my fellow students is that they do not know what the Senate is voting on. I frequently hear from friends, albeit after the discussion in the Senate has been closed, that they have a strong opinion on a particular topic. Fortunately, there is a solution. Come to the meetings! There is nothing stopping students who do not serve in the Senate from attending meetings on Wednesday nights in the Hannon Room. If you can’t make the meeting, the minutes are posted on the school website for all to see. If you see something that interests you, but a vote has already been conducted, come to the next meeting and voice an opinion during second approval. Second approvals exist so that everyone has a chance to reconsider their actions from the previous meeting.
I hope this blurb offers a little insight into our student government and helps alleviate any concerns about its function or design. I encourage everyone to attend the business meetings on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. Democracies can only thrive in a community educated on the topics, which the governing body must discuss. Help fix the “transparency issue” and check out the system for yourself.
-Chris Hyde ‘16
9/29/15