Election Reform Open Forum to be held on September 12
As announced in the previous post, our Election Reform Study Committee (ERSC) is in the process of gathering information and feedback pertaining to potential campaign reform in elections of alumni-nominated trustees and AoA EC members. We have already received many alumni responses via email and as the result of our personal outreach efforts. In an additional effort to promote discussion, the ERSC will hold an open forum in Hanover on Saturday, September 12th at 11 AM in 105 Dartmouth Hall. We invite all interested persons to join us at this forum and to provide input on this very important topic.
John Mathias
John Mathias
posted by John Mathias at
8/21/2009 07:57:00 AM
6 Comments:
As a data point, will members of the reform committee please make public how much of their own personal money they spent getting themselves elected as candidates on the 2008 Unity Slate?
By
Tim Dreisbach '71, at 8/21/2009 10:30 PM
Fair question. I spent $5000. Some spent considerably more, others less. I also spent $5000 on the failed candidacy of Sandy Alderson in the last alumni trustee election.
John Mathias
By
John Mathias, at 8/22/2009 8:36 AM
John:
I do appreciate your response. The reform committee has an interesting history to consider.
The present Association executive committee spent "$5,000" and "considerably more" of their own money in their election. It is my understanding that the 6 majority members of the previous committee spent a combined total of zero, although several of us later contributed personal monies to conduct the business of the Association when College support was denied. During our election, we relied instead on the help of outside supporters, and forever after were burdened with the stigma of being at their beck and call, even though we made our decisions with independent thought.
The present leadership also received outside financial support, yet has not faced such accusation.
So perhaps it is better that candidates must spend some personal cash to establish their legitmacy. Yes?
I see you are answering questions when they are fair. How about this one...
Many alumni still believe in parity; the Board has clearly taken a position that there is no right to parity. While the current committee opposed the lawsuit, what is its position on parity and is it something you are actively discussing with the trustees? If unable to speak for the full EC, what is your personal position as president?
Fairly asked? Obviously I and many others care greatly about this, so it is also sincerely asked.
Tim D.
By
Tim Dreisbach '71, at 8/29/2009 8:49 AM
On the broader topic of election reform, even the Trustees have concluded that many challenges make campaign regulation and restriction problematic, and therefore that no action should be taken. Why this has become the Association's top priority is a mystery.
There might be some lesson to be learned from Federal attempts, as noted today in the WSJ by a former commissioner of the Federal Election Commission:
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1972 is 244 pages of requirements and restrictions.
The FEC's regulations to implement the Act are 568 pages.
These require 1,278 pages of explanation in the Federal Register.
The FEC has issued near 1,800 advisory opinions attempting to clarify this Act and its regulations.
There is a decent argument that McCain-Feingold can be declared unconstitutional. (Citizens United vs FEC)
Better to keep campaigning open, follow the First Amendment, and trust in discerning alumni than to attempt to influence them by controlling how information is disseminated. Worse, to grant such control to the Office of Alumni Relations.
By
Tim Dreisbach '71, at 8/29/2009 5:13 PM
Reform Question #2: "Should candidates in alumni trustee and/or AoA EC elections have to raise or spend a substantial amount of money campaigning to have any realistic chance of winning?"
Answers are meaningless unless the committee first define "substantial"... $5? $50? $500? $5,000? $50,000? Keep in mind that a donation of $5,000,000 is halfway to buying a charter board seat without going through the election process at all, according to the statements of some trustees.
Is asking for clarification fair, or is each respondee supposed to create their own, different definition, in which case the tally of yes-versus-no answers to #2 will be random.
By
Tim Dreisbach '71, at 8/30/2009 1:47 PM
I did not spend more than $100 for hte election. veree brown
By
Mrs. Manners, at 8/31/2009 12:10 PM
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