Recall Rodriguez Constitutioin Doesn't Matter Anyway

Author: Andrew Gustafson

Perhaps in our small corner of Vermont we can garner some important lessons from the events of the past few weeks in California. Raging incompetence. Severe apathy. Disregard for constituents. These were charges that Republicans like Tom McClinkock and Arnold Schwarzenegger leveled against outgoing Governor Gray Davis. The issue of The Middlebury Campus three weeks ago first compelled me to put forward these remarks, but I chose to give the Rodriguez administration the benefit of the doubt. Now, with three weeks worth of revelations about the competency - or lack thereof - of Mr. Rodriguez and his carefully selected cabinet, I feel I must make my disappointment known.

What I hear coming from the Student Government Association (SGA) cabinet is excuses. Frankly, I found it appalling how not one of the members of the SGA took real responsibility for the election foul-ups these past few weeks. They have a simple job - to organize Senate elections. It's what they've been mandated to do, and placing all or most of the blame on Information and Technology Services (ITS) was entirely disrespectful and inappropriate. The people at ITS work tirelessly to accommodate the needs of students and faculty, and they should not be held responsible because Mr. Rodriguez could not get his act together enough to give them the compulsory one week notice to set up the election Web site. He preferred to frantically ask them to do it the night before, a request ITS was unable to grant.

Mr. Rodriguez came into his office with promises of change, claiming the privileged status of an "outsider." Yet he has failed entirely to appreciate that it takes some degree of familiarity with the SGA and the College administration to get substantive things done. An info table and an online grievance forum hardly constitute any real change, and judging from the performance so far this semester, we have little to look forward to from the SGA this year.

So what I propose is a simple recall election. I doubt we will run into similar problems that California did in writing the ballot and mobilizing voters. We doubt 137 hopefuls will come forward to run. What we do have is a pretty good online voting system, when it's used correctly, and growing discontent among students. So I ask that someone step forward with demonstrated ability and realistic goals for the SGA and challenge for the top spot. Even though there is no recall provision in the SGA constitution, Mr. Rodriguez has flouted said constitution throughout his term thus far - namely, in creating and abolishing cabinet positions and in trying to stuff committees with his own appointees, in addition to these electoral follies - so this should be no real stumbling block. Mr. Rodriguez need not fear a recall, either. If he loses, he will be "listening to the needs of students," as he promised to do. If he wins, perhaps it will motivate him to actually get something accomplished with a new mandate.

The most unfortunate thing is that if we were to arrange any sort of recall election, it would most likely be up to Mr. Rodriguez and his cohorts to organize and administer it. There's transparency and separation of powers for you. And how can Mr. Rodriguez even begin to talk about carrying out his agenda when he has no Senate to work with or to represent the interests and concerns of the student body?

His rhetoric and demeanor clearly betray his hidden assumption that simply because he was elected, it gives him the mandate and authority to push forward whatever agenda he and his cabinet have concocted behind the closed doors of "The Plenum." The SGA President is not an enlightened autocrat who hammers together some populist rhetoric, pretends to be open for suggestions from his constituents, but then governs as he sees fit without compromise or consultation with other elected officials.

So, Middlebury students, it's time that you ask for some real change. Take Mr. Rodriguez to task, make the SGA take responsibility for its actions and behavior, and support the SGA recall election. Mr. Carnabuci, the SGA Press Secretary, put it all too well when he said, "You will be sick of us before the year is up." We will indeed.