The Undergraduate Assembly is making progress in its quest to increase both its accountability and the involvement of the student body as a whole.
On Sunday, the UA pushed forward by narrowly passing what is known as the "vote totals" proposal. The measure applies to all internal elections, including the selection of the executive board and any appointments the body makes.
Eleven representatives voted in favor of the proposal, 10 voted against and one abstained.
As a result, the UA will record and publish vote totals on its Web site, allowing students to see how much support individual UA members have received for their leadership positions.
"In real life, election results are disclosed. I don't see why they're not disclosed in the UA," said College and Wharton senior and UA member Dan Cope, who wrote the proposal.
He added that election results will come in handy for election winners, who will know how much support they have within the governing body.
UA member and College senior Wesley Nakamura said that vote totals will allow "candidates to know where they stand and work together with everyone, even if they don't know who voted for them."
However, not all members agreed on the merits of the proposal -- some feel it will make leading the body more difficult.
"I think it's a good idea for us to protect our members in case people have ill feelings about how elections went. I don't know if I would want to see the vote totals for an election that I lost," Wharton senior and UA Treasurer Sean Walker said.
Cope said that the cost of hurt feelings does not outweigh the benefits that the student body and the UA will receive by opening the results.
"If the goal of the UA is to add to its legitimacy and make us a truly governing body ... shouldn't people have the right to know what happens during our internal elections?" College senior and UA member Spencer Scharff asked.
Sunday's meeting also featured an open forum before the meeting began. It offered students the opportunity to discuss any issues with UA members.
Only five students showed up this time.
Non-UA members present included representatives from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center, one student who suggested changing the menu of recently opened sandwich shop Tony Luke's and two students who attended just to watch.
UA Executive Vice Chairman Zach Rosenblum hopes that increasing student involvement in the UA will be a gradual process and will become more successful through the year as students become more aware of the UA.
"It was a good start, and the fact that we started early in the year shows we are accessible," Rosenblum said.
He added that the low attendance could also signal that students approve of the UA's accomplishments.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.