New Legislation Aims to Better Represent Student­­­ Body at Mason

By New Editor Kevin Loker

Student Senator Jared Lewis is planning to introduce legislation into Student Government that, if passed, would revamp the system of student representation.

The plan “streamlines the bureaucratic process” by eliminating the Student Senate for the creation of a student union.

Lewis, along with the help of Student Senator Michael Horneffer, has outlined a process for introduction into the Student Senate that would “legitimize student government at Mason” by a form of representative democracy in which student organizations send delegates or delegations to discuss and vote on issues facing the community.

“The primary difference between Mason and other institutions is that we don’t have a [typical] community,” said Lewis. “We have an untraditional student base, and whether the administration wants to admit it or not, we are a commuter school.

Because of the size of the school, we have a very sectioned student body . . . If you have 100 to 200 factions, each one has their own focus, doing their own thing in the school, their own cause. What happens if we all come together?”

Lewis and Horneffer said they hope their plan for a student union in which student organizations would take an active role as to where money is allocated and what projects are pursued would add legitimacy to the intentions of Student Government.

According to Lewis, the current system of approximately 30 student senators who represent no specified group of students cannot adequately represent the entire student body.

“I don’t think Student Government is a bad thing. I don’t think or want people to think that people in Student Government are doing a bad job. What I think is that their job descriptions are off,” said Lewis. “Their goals are not oriented in a way that truly and positively affects the student body.”

“[A student union] would be a reflection of what Mason is, not what we want it to be,” said Horneffer.

Lewis, a freshman, has also created a group on Facebook with the purpose of creating “an environment where students are better represented, but also whose opinions are actually acted on.” The group’s name is Student Movement for Active Council.

Both Lewis and Horneffer encourage student involvement considering the student union, as well a general active role in Student Government.

“I urge people to participate, to start watching their student government, and if students want this student union and it doesn’t pass, hold them accountable.

Stand up, speak up, say something. And participate,” said Lewis. “We can really change this school.”