At this past Sunday's Senate meeting, Village Quad Senator Benjamin Beutel '12 proposed several bylaw amendments specifically addressing the confusing process of chartering or recognizing clubs, clarifying the vague duality of purpose clause and working to involve senators more in the process.

Of the bylaw amendments that have been suggested, several serve to provide more structure and instruction for senators and students. As students and the Senate have both found issue with the process of chartering and recognizing clubs over the years, we support the bylaw amendments and encourage the Senate to continue improving the process. As part of the requirements of becoming a chartered club, Beutel has proposed a bylaw amendment to clarify the duality of purpose clause. As it currently stands, the bylaw fails to provide a clear explanation of what would constitute a duality of purpose or what steps, if any, the Senate could take to rectify the issue between the affected clubs.

However, the amendment expands the language of the clause to include that a duality of purpose comprises having similar "on-campus operations, impact and appeal" as other already chartered clubs. Further, being affiliated with a national organization would not automatically prevent duality of purpose. These clarifications not only aid students looking to charter their clubs but also provide stricter guidelines for senators when assessing the credentials of a proposed group. The amendments further encourage more in-depth interactions between the Club Support Committee and students by requiring the committee to meet with the affected clubs before determining whether the prospective club should be chartered.

Along with clarifying the language of the clause to make it easier for students and the Senate to work together, the amendments will also directly involve the senators in the process of chartering and recognizing clubs. For example, after a senator signs a group's constitution to recognize the club, one of the proposed amendments then requires the Club Support Committee and the senator to testify before the Senate as to "the merits and viability" of the club. Not only does this compel the senator to critically consider the value of a club before recognizing it, but the amendment also works to improve the communication between potential club leaders and the senators.

While these amendments would encourage better communication between the student body and the Senate, they were discussed by the Senate in an executive session to keep the amendments confidential. While voting cannot take place during the Senate's executive session, the sessions cannot be recorded, and therefore the public is not privy to the information senators share and the conversations they have during this time.

While we understand that there are circumstances in which an executive session is necessary and when confidentiality is required, this discussion of the amendments should have been an open one because of the effect it will have on club leaders who in the future hope to charter or recognize their clubs. We are disappointed this conversation could not have taken place in public, and we urge the Senate to open future discussions about these amendments to the student body.

Regardless of our reservations about the Senate's procedure, though, we support these amendments and the changes they propose to the currently confusing and vague approach to chartering or recognizing clubs.