ASB Senate Adapts to Represent a Growing Student Population

In light of the growing student population, Ole Miss’s Associated Student Body Senate has made internal changes aimed at adapting the university’s legislative body to accurately represent the influx of Rebels.

In the spring 2014 semester, the ASB Senate passed a bill adding 10 new seats for student representatives. According to Vice President Emerson George, the additional seats reflect a shift to proportional representation of the number of students in each academic school, as opposed to the set number of seats of the past.

“Out of the 60 senators that we have, it’s whatever percentage of the population is from say, the school of liberal arts, then liberal arts get that rounded off percentage of seats and that many votes,” George said.

Hannah Haley, freshman senator and chairperson of the Governmental Operations committee, is supportive of the changes and the vision behind them.

“Expanding government is not always the best, but being able to expand to be more representative is good because we are able to accurately represent in Senate,” Haley said. “We’re able to say that our school is increasing and so is our senate.”

According to George, the newest adaptations of the ASB Senate also include adding two at-large seats, meaning that candidates can run to represent the university as a whole rather than their year, residence hall, or academic school.

“We want to make sure as many groups ass possible can be added and represented,” George said.

George and Haley agree that as campus population increases, the ASB senators must become more proactive in problem solving and connecting with their constituents. Haley believes that students and organizations have a responsibility as well to make their voice heard on a growing campus.

The ASB office serves a hub for students to get information about various campus activities.

“We are all a part of ASB in a way,” Haley said. “People sometimes don’t care until it influences them after the matter, but I think if people were more proactive in going out and telling their senators their thoughts, then things would get more efficient.”

The ASB Senate’s “Let’s Talk” tent is put up in front of the Union several times each semester. It is intended to be a way for students to get to know their representatives and share ideas. Members of the legislative body value this opportunity as a means of getting both feedback and ideas.

“We have the tent to get student’s opinions and hear what they think about what we’re doing,” George said. “Hopefully that provides a chance to hear about the problems that might arise with the growing number of students.”