The student government’s current legislative term ends Sept. 3, so the Rules and Policies Committee met to discuss future statute revisions and ways to increase student involvement.

The student-run Rules and Policies Committee oversees all university programs and legislation that abide by the FAU student constitution and its statutes.

At the Aug. 27 meeting, a proposal for revising the university’s 700 statutes was a top priority for the committee.

“I would like to do an entire revision of the 700 Statutes,” said Kyla Flannery, the Rules and Policies Committee Chair, “That’s going to take work with the GAC [Governor’s Administrative Cabinet] and work with more House Representatives than just Rules and Policies.” 

The revision will be designed to clarify and expand upon the specific duties of the elected individuals within the student government.

The 700 statutes describe the responsibilities and powers of various members within the student government as well as the processes for the standards of legislative meetings.

Representatives intend to familiarize themselves further with the current statute enacted on Sept. 17, 2009. 

The information outlined in the 700 statutes consists primarily of the eligibility criteria, powers, and duties for the various positions to which individuals can be elected.

Each position is described by bullet points listing who to report to, the number of hours they are to work each week, as well as their specific procedures to be followed which allow legislation to be edited, created, or removed.

Specific guidelines found in the 700 statutes vary by position and detail procedures for legislation, terms of office, and removal processes for each position. 

Elected positions explained include the Boca Raton campus governor, chief of staff, treasurer, house secretary, house representatives, and liaisons for both the Boca Police and the freshman class. 

In February, the student government’s elect Pro-Tempore Taj Dahshan acknowledged technical errors within his own election. This realization led to a focus on revising the statutes.  

The committee also discussed plans for Fall 2021, such as Environmental Week and Domestic Violence Awareness Week, both of which are being created for the student government to increase involvement and engagement within the student body.

Kayla Ortiz is a Political Reporter for the University Press. For information regarding this story, email her at [email protected]