PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College student government is ready to move away from democracy for selecting its student leaders and is asking student voters to institute a one-year experiment in appointing leaders through a selection committee.
Student government elections do not work in the college community, and college student governments across the U.S. are abandoning democratic elections for lack of participation, said Associated Student Council President Emma Sackett.
“For democracy to work, people must participate in the system,” Sackett said.
Students will be asked to vote on four ballot measures Thursday, two of which are related to populating the student council.
The first ballot measure will ask students to amend the Peninsula College student constitution for one year “to provide a selection process for choosing its executive officers,” according to an information packet provided to students.
The selection process would include forming a committee made up of staff and student representatives who would interview applicants in formal and public-forum interviews.
It has not yet been determined how that committee would be selected.
The second ballot measure will ask students to reduce the number of credits needed for student council membership from 10 to 6 in order to increase the number of students eligible to take positions.
The third ballot measure is an amendment that would make minor language clarifications and updates in the student constitution.
The fourth ballot measure would increase the cost of a “Pirate Bus Pass,” which gives students access to Clallam Transit buses, from $5 to $7 per quarter.
Elections will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Pirate Union Building.
If passed, the first ballot measure would be implemented this spring for appointment of the 2014-15 school year student council representatives.
If it does not pass, elections will be called to fill the three electable positions — for president and two vice-president posts.
Fewer than 1 percent of students vote in the election, few of them know who they are voting for or why, and it has been difficult to find students willing to run for government positions, Sackett said.
In 2013, student elections had a 10-year record high turnout of 250 students — out of more than 2,000 eligible to vote.
“In 10 years, there have been no fully contested elections,” she said.
According to school records, the student government at one time had 12 elected positions for students.
Many went unfilled, until several director positions were shifted to a selection system.
“We want the democratic process to work,” Sackett said.
However, without the participation of the student voters, it can’t, she said.
Currently there are only three elected positions — the student body president and two vice presidents.
Sackett said she will graduate this June, and while she will return for more classes, she doesn’t plan to apply for the 2014-15 school year government.
Both vice presidents, Briana Estrellado and Cassandra Roland, expect to graduate and are not returning, she said.
For the past five years, the student government has been considering the switch to an appointed student-leadership group, said Rick Ross, director of athletics and student programs.
Students hated the idea of abandoning democracy in a place where students are just learning to use it.
“This particular issue is the reason we have wrestled with whether to move forward with this,” Ross said.
“Democracy is important,” he said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
