The Associated Students of Portland State University student elections are just around the corner, but a continuing disagreement about whether orientations for prospective candidates should be mandatory may halt the elections process.
A senate resolution introduced March 13 that overturned the judicial board’s previous ruling to remove mandatory orientations from the constitution was passed at a judicial board hearing during finals week on
March 21.
ASPSU Communications Director Anthony Stine said the resolution maintains that orientations will indeed be mandatory for prospective candidates, noting that to the best of his knowledge orientations have always been required.
After the hearing, members of the ASPSU executive branch urged the judicial board to not object to the senate’s resolution in a collection of memorandums addressed to the justices, most of which cited senate support far beyond the necessary two-thirds majority.
“[T]he mandatory orientations are the first steps in hiring someone for the whole year, where there will be meetings,” ASPSU Metropolitan Affairs Director Linda Hoppes wrote in her March 21 memorandum. “[I]f they cannot go to the first meeting to find out about the job…that is a red flag that they might not be as serious as we need them [to be].”
Hoppes also wrote that support for orientations has been “unwavering in each session.”
“I am deeply disappointed in the actions of [the board] for not heeding the input of those students most experienced in elections,” ASPSU President Tiffany Dollar said in a March 21 memorandum.
“Unfortunately, it appears that [the board] would rather see no election than to respect the intentions of the senate,” Dollar said.
While members of the senate pointed to their experiences participating in student elections, the judicial board, which serves as the elections board during election season, cited its experience running elections as reason to do away with the orientations.
Judicial Board Chief Justice Aubrey Hoffman said the orientations are a waste of time and resources, and that they do little to prevent campaigns from turning unfriendly.
Hoffman also expressed concern over the limited time the board has to prepare for the orientations, and said that the board is unable to move forward on orientation without the language from the senate.
Stine said orientation dates are currently being decided, while Hoffman said she was told she would have the necessary information by Friday of dead week.
Candidates are expected to submit their applications by Thursday, April 11.