Law School Students Discuss Changes in Student Government

Law students voicing their dissatisfaction with the present form of their student government met yesterday to discuss ways of restructuring the government or forming a new one.

The students, many of whom are members of organizations and committees associated with the government, called the structure ineffective both in dealing with the administration and in organizing social functions.

Meeting organizers suggested a number of models based on the Business School, the Medical School, and other area law schools. Each proposal called for more elected representatives and a closer voter-representative relationship.

The Law School Council, which is supposed to be the student voice on campus, is "virtually invisible." Bonifacio B. Garcia, one of the meeting's organizers, said yesterday.

One of the problems with the Law School Council cited by the students is that its members are elected in the spring of their first year and remain in office for two years.

"The elections are held too early and the representatives stay in too long," Garcia said, adding, "Some of them don't even show up for the meetings."

Garcia said that the Dorm Council, another student governing group, had assumed too large a role in campus affairs. The Dorm Council has assumed a campus-wide stature and has too much say in planning student events and activities--this means people living off-campus don't have enough say," Garcia said.

Say Ya Wanna Revolution

Charlotte A. Lowell, another meeting organizer, cited general students apathy as partly responsible for sluggish government, and added that increased student involvement is necessary to bring about any changes.

While most of the 18 students at the meeting said they thought a change in the student government could result in an improved campus social atmosphere, some were skeptical as to whether any student government at all could affect administration policy.

Theodore A. Howard, chairman of the Board of Student Advisors, said "I don't have any reason not to be cynical--I think most students are interested in surviving the academic rigors here and getting a job afterwards, and I think the administration knows it."