The Student Government Association recently passed an amendment to the constitution stating only 100 signatures would be required to submit a legislative proposal to SGA and 500 signatures for a constitutional amendment. This is less than the current 10 percent of the student body, 1,300 signatures, required now. There will be a referendum held for students to voice their opinions online Nov. 12-14 and vote whether or not to approve this bill.
   The senate bill, however, does not appear to achieve much except to encourage students to bypass their senator and sponsor legislation on their own. Students elect senators to represent their needs.
   The current system encourages students to have senators sponsor legislation about topics they would like to see accomplished. The 10 percent rule is in effect for those times when SGA is not keeping up with the needs of the students. It allows constituents to bypass the senators and have a referendum scheduled so other students may vote on an issue.
   Off-campus senator and sponsor of the bill Justin W. Moore said in the Oct. 29 issue of The Appalachian senators are “sometimes seen as unapproachable.”
Perhaps SGA should look in the mirror first to fix this problem. If senators are seen as unapproachable, members should make themselves more accessible. Make sure all senators attend the RSA meetings in their residence halls.
    Begin a campaign with the goal of allowing students to get to know the senators. Before changing policy that works, fix the internal problems.
    This change is not a good idea. If this constitutional amendment passes, SGA could face a strong influx of frivolous legislation taking up more time than SGA can afford to give. Getting 10 percent of Appalachian’s 13,000 students to sign a petition is not difficult if the issue is big among students.
    Legislation is easy to get sponsored if the student uses the right means.
    The job of the senator is to listen and react.
    If there is an issue constituents want brought before the senate, there is almost assuredly a senator who would sponsor such legislation, as long as a majority of his constituents hold the same sentiments.
    It has been almost eight years since students last used the 10 percent rule to try to get legislation before the senate.
    Just because students are not using this avenue as their main way of presenting ideas does not mean that this constitutional rule is not working.
    Senators needs to stop focusing on legislation that is doing little more than tying up the senate.
    This semester is over half way complete. Students need to step up now and tell the senators they were elected for a reason. If legislation is going to be created, it should be by the senators on behalf of the students, not by the students themselves.