The attention surrounding the upcoming DSG referendum has been misplaced.  

Although much of the recent public discourse has been focused on the relationship between DSG and ICC, the major issue on the ballot is the planned reform of Young Trustee selection. The vote for the Special Secretary for the Young Trustee Process will have more lasting implications, and it is simply more important than whether or not ICC becomes independent of DSG.  

Handling the Young Trustee position is among the most important responsibilities carried out by DSG, if not the most important. As a full member of the Board of Trustees, not only does the Young Trustee hold voting power over major University governance decisions, but he or she is also the only trustee to play the important role of connecting trustee-level oversight with student-level day-to-day experience.      

Reform of the currently flawed Young Trustee selection process is necessary. But the proposed plan to enact change is deeply flawed, and for a number of reasons, it is unlikely to bring legitimate, long-term reform.

First, the timeline of this process is rushed. Such a hefty task—re-envisioning the Young Trustee by-laws in accordance with extensive student feedback—will be nearly impossible for one individual to accomplish over the course of six weeks. An extended period to solicit opinions and consider future designs for the process is critical to ensure lasting reform. Successful overhauls are not done overnight, and the Young Trustee selection process is no exception.  

Moreover, it seems unwise to place the full weight of this major responsibility on the shoulders of just one person, the Special Secretary. A deliberative process with more than a single author would yield a more thorough and nuanced reform design.

Second, it is extremely problematic that such a powerful position is being selected during the Fall freshman Senate elections. The people most likely to participate in Monday’s election and cast their vote for the Special Secretary are first-year students—those least qualified to weigh in on Young Trustee reform. In addition, the more knowledgeable upperclassmen are less likely to participate if they are only selecting fillers for the few vacant Senate seats.

Due to low turnout, low publicity and low public interest, this is simply the wrong election to vote for a position as important as the Special Secretary.  

Third, the objectivity of the leader slated to design and run the process has yet to be established. Neither candidate for Special Secretary has yet committed—nor were they required by executive order—to recuse him- or herself from running for the Young Trustee position. This silence carries with it serious concerns about conflicts of interest that loom over the legitimacy of the process.

The Young Trustee selection process has been broken for long enough, and we should take the time to create real reform.  Students can all agree, it’s a job worth doing right.  

Will Robinson and Chelsea Goldstein recused themselves from this editorial due to ties with ICC and DSG respectively.