In 2000, controversy prevailed on the national election front, and the Government of the Student Body election was no different. This fall, GSB is adjusting to the implications of that election.

Students went to the polls that spring to decide who would win the executive race and what would become of specialty seats in the GSB senate.

Four specialty seats representing minority students were eliminated from the senate. Those seats were American ethnic minority, disability, international and nontraditional students. The representation was transferred to the cabinet.

When the election results were originally counted, the election commissioner said the amendment failed because there was no majority.

The results were then challenged in 2001 in the GSB Supreme Court. The case, Casey L. Harvey v. the Government of the Student Body Election Commission, argued that to pass a bill in an election, more “yes” than “no” votes are needed. The result of the 2000 specialty seat vote was overturned.

Rick Cordaro, GSB chief of staff, said the way senate works is students are represented by where they live, as well as what college they are part of.

He said the elections and results were controversial because some students felt minority students were being represented three times, while others were only being represented twice.

But the controversy has long since settled and those involved are happy with the change.

GSB President T.J. Schneider said with this new setup, those directors can go directly to the president with issues or ideas.

“Their voices need to be heard, and a better way would be throughout the cabinet where everything is not controlled by votes,” he said. “They just need my approval, not the vote of the senate.”

“These positions, regardless of the controversy, are here to stay,” Cordaro said. “We’re in the process of making the director of student diversity a position in the bylaws.”

He said the president can create cabinet positions as he sees fit, but the next president doesn’t have to keep them around. By putting the position in the bylaws, the position will always exist.

Cordaro said in issues dealing with race, ethnicity or culture, many things are to be considered.

Schneider said he believes one of the biggest concerns was that students thought they were losing their voice in the government.

“We have a lot of diversity on campus,” Schneider said. “Maybe not as much as people would like to see, but these people need to be represented.”