The University Senate will decide today whether to request equipment for a new voting system that would make recording votes easier and faster.
The Senate has not looked into any specific systems yet, but Bruce Hozeski, chairman of the governance committee, said the Senate wants to update the voting system with the ability to vote electronically.
"It's how they vote in Washington and Indianapolis, instead of having to use paper ballots," Hozeski said.
Governance committee member Frederick Suppe said voting orally, by a show of hands or by paper ballots can get confusing and lengthy.
If the resolution passes, the Senate will recommend that the Office of Technology begin to look at options for choosing and installing a system. The resolution says that the system could be used in academic lecture situations and might be installed in a lecture hall.
Because Senate is working under a new constitution, it will also vote on whether to allow elected representatives from academic colleges exceed a three-term limit.
Right now, senators are elected for staggered three year terms, but with the new election system, they will be elected for two-year terms. Half the senators would be up for election every year.
To transition into the new system, Suppe said half the senators elected this year will only be elected to a one-year term and will be up for re-election again next year. If the Senate passes the governance committee's motion, the one-year terms will not count toward the term limits, ultimately allowing some senators the possibility of serving for seven years.
In addition to term changes, the new University Senate constitution also allows for each academic department to have its own delegate to the Senate. With the current system, representatives are elected by college and not by department. Some departments have not had Senate delegates in the past, so the people in those departments didn't know what was going on, Suppe said.
"The reason why so many people wanted to go to the new system is that there is no guarantee in the current system that the academic departments will be represented," Suppe said.
The Senate will also vote on a resolution to include a bicycle pathway in the master plan for the university.
University Senate will meet at 4 p.m. today in AJ 175. The meeting is open to the public.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
