Features Editor

Associated Students Inc. proposed various changes to its bylaws in the Feb. 16 board of directors meeting.  

The proposed changes consist of creating a third branch of government, renaming multiple positions, eliminating five director positions and adding nine new positions.

The third branch of student government is the Judicial Affairs Council, which would provide a neutral committee in ASI, that ensures the board follows its bylaws and making sure funds are going to the correct items.

ASI President Alex Dominguez said that the executive directors looked at the executive vice president position and realized the position had the potential for bias.

Dominguez used a hypothetical to describe how a position such as the executive vice president has the possibility for bias.

He said if there was a problem between the executive vice president and another member of the board the executive vice president could remove that member even if it was unwarranted.

“We wanted to take it out of the hands of one executive and put it to a council, and that’s one of the big reasons why we [thought of] the Judicial Affairs Council,” said Dominguez.

The council will be comprised of four justices and a chief justice, who will be voted in amongst the council.

ASI will take no part in the voting of the chief justice because it will be an internal matter.

ASI will vote on the Judicial Affairs Council at its March 3 meeting.

Along with adding the Judicial Affairs Council, the proposed bylaw changes would add four new director positions: Director of Student Athlete Relations, Director of Greek Relations, Director of Housing Student Relations and Director of International Student Relations.

By adding those new positions, large student body organizations will receive better representation, according to ASI.

Five ASI director positions will be eliminated if the bylaw changes take effect. Director of Corporate Structure, Director of Facilities and Commercial Services, Director of Campus Pride, Lower Division Director and Upper Division Director are the five that would be eliminated.

“It’s really the overall task of the ASI to do that, not just one position,” said Dominguez on the positions being removed.

There will also be a school council, which will consist of all the directors from the schools around campus. The council will be chaired by the vice president of university affairs.

The council will ensure that all student voices will be heard.

ASI voted in senior political science major Michael Esqueda as its director of legislative affairs. Esqueda will be working closely will ASI President Alex Dominguez to shape the director’s duties for future directors of legislative affairs.

“I’ll be honest, me and Michael don’t agree on a lot when it comes to politics, but I think all of you would agree that that’s what I need,” said Dominguez of Michael Esqueda becoming the new Director of Legislative Affairs.

Esqueda will be sworn in during next week’s meeting.

ASI meets every Friday for its weekly board of directors meeting from 3:15 to 5 p.m. at the ITV Studio Center C.