One of the shining stars of Alverno is its student government. In 1989 the government of Alverno along with the Administration, ratified the constitution of the Alverno Student Union, modeling the government and the constitution after that of the United States of America. From that point on the campus became a Union, the classes became States, and the school was governed by a President who had a Vice-president and a cabinet, as well as, a Congress. Over the years it has adjusted to the many changes that have occurred at Alverno, but we always stay true to our philosophy and to the spirit of our founding sisters.
The Tickets
Each February we put out the word that if students want to run for President or Vice-president they must get their petitions signed. In order to run for these offices, the girls must run as a ticket. They need to find a running mate that they can work with for a year and hopefully one who has strengths in different areas than themselves. They must then find a maximum of 8 girls to work their campaign and a faculty member to be their moderator for the campaign and the convention.
The Campaign
Just before the campaigning begins, and while the tickets are being formed, each student registers for a political party based on a different platform. The platforms are created from concerns and issues of the students in that particular year. The candidates are then put with a particular party that gives them a platform from which to work. After naming their party, assigning colors, slogans, and creating songs, the students in each party break into two groups: the Steering Committee and the Platform Committee. The Steering Committee prepares for the convention by making all the paraphernalia for the convention day, and the Platform Committee creates the planks for their particular party.
Delegations are also formed. On Convention Day, their job is very important.
The Convention
The day of the convention is very exciting. Each party holds its convention in a separate room that has been decorated by the Steering Committee. Delegates are in the center roped off from the rest of the attendees. There is a student Party Chair who runs the convention with the aid of her Sergeant-at-Arms. Each ticket is assigned to a classroom which has closed-circuit TV to the respective convention floors, and may send runners to speak to delegates if there are concerns on how the delegates will vote. The first part of the convention is voting on planks of the platform, followed by resolutions. After these have been voted on, there is a Whistle Stop for each of the candidates. Then the voting for the tickets begin. “Madame Chair, the Holmes Delegation would like to cast all of its votes for the Oscar Meyer ticket.” The ticket must get a two-thirds + one vote in order to win. It can get stressful, because after the first vote, the delegate chair can cast her vote however she pleases, and does
not have to vote the delegation’s wishes. They may want the Jennie-O ticket and delegation chair can still send all of their votes for Oscar Meyer. This is when caucusing becomes very important. When each convention is over and there is one ticket representing each party, the students have a 20 minute break. During that time, those tickets who were not chosen by a recognized party, may choose to run as a third party ticket. They must get a petition signed by 50 students saying they would support them. The students then gather as one large congregation and congratulate the winners and the third party tickets. It is a very exciting day!
The Cabinet
The winning ticket must then appoint its cabinet. Appointments and interviews are set up and once the President and Vice-president have decided, they must send their first choice to Congress for approval. Congress may ask some tough questions of the candidates, but usually approve the President’s choice. There are 15 cabinet positions available.
Congress
Before any activity can take place on our campus, it must be approved by Congress. Representatives of the organization must present a bill or resolution to Congress through a Congresswoman. Congress also has power of the purse when it comes to clubs. They are in control of how much each club is budgeted for the following school year. All bills, resolutions, and budgets must be approved by the President. She does have the option of the line item veto.
The States
Once the Federal Executive branch is in place, then those interested in state government run for office. On the executive level there are the following positions: Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary, Treasurer. On the legislative level there is an Assembly, and those interested in running for Congress. These are all elected positions.
Each assembly consists of nine members, there are three members of Congress from each state, and two Supreme Court Justices, appointed for a life-term. Conceivably, if all positions are filled in each state there are 18 students involved in government. If you add the federal positions on ASU, there are 87 students participating in total.
We are very proud of our government and the many things it has achieved, as well as the opportunities it provides for young women.
