IUSA needs fresh start

Title VI, Section 609, of the IU Student Association Elections Code states "no campaigning shall occur within fifty feet of any polling site." Title IV, Section 402, defines an online polling site as "any computer that is located in an Indiana University or Residential Programs and Services computer lab or other Indiana University-owned computer." Section 402 also prohibits any online advertising visible on any part of the computer screen that has accessed the online ballot. Section 407 states "the ballot shall not favor any one candidate over any other candidates."\nThese sections of the IUSA elections code were clearly disregarded during this year's election…but not by any of the tickets running. On the ballot for the referendum to replace the IUSA constitution, someone decided to provide a summary of the document instead of the document itself, and instead provided a link to the new constitution for those who would like to view it. Among other key points, the summary declared the new constitution was "generally thought to improve upon the old constitution."\nThis phrase represents a clear bias in favor of the adoption of the new constitution. Three years ago, tickets were levied fines based on similar activity, which consisted of placing advertising "frames" over the online ballot. How can IUSA expect candidates to follow rules that the organization itself does not abide by?\nAs everyone on campus is well aware, the IUSA Election Commission has had quite a bit to deal with over the course of the past month. As these events have unfolded, a ticket was found in violation of the elections code for intimidating greek pledges with misleading threats about a non-existent Vote Tracker System. How can a judgment not find it necessary to disqualify a ticket when it finds that the use of vote tracker system is "misleading and intimidation thinly veiled" and that "the Election Commission finds it highly improbable that some form of intimidation and coercion was not meant to be exerted on pledges?" This sets a horrible precedent that rules need not be followed, only fines be allocated for. \nBy the way, this ticket eventually managed to win the election, with a 44.1 to 28 percent victory. This, coupled with the unethical means of adopting a new constitution, has delegitimized IUSA's credibility on the IUB campus, in addition to alienating an already apathetic student body.\nI have been around the IUSA organization a long time. I have spent a term as Wright Quad senator, two terms as a director and have worked on the staffs of three different IUSA election campaigns. I've been around the block.\nDuring my first campaign, there was an opposing ticket that called itself the VRWC whose sole issue was the abolition of IUSA from campus. At the time, most thought of the VRWC as a joke; two of the ticket members were stuffed animals. However, I believe the time has come for action on the issues of the VRWC. I am not calling for an abolition of IUSA. I think that would be foolish and would destroy the advocacy capabilities of the student body. What I am calling for is an overthrow of the system we have and a fresh start for student government at IUB. Change always has to start somewhere, and I think it needs to be here and now.