Student Government is about to modify the document that guides its every decision.

The Committee for Constitutional Oversight (COCO) is beginning the process of revising the Student Body Constitution and the Bylaws governing Student Government actions.

COCO was passed unanimously with a vote of 25-0-0 during the Nov. 5 Student Senate meeting.

“We are revamping it cover to cover,” Student Body President Levi Bulgar said.

Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin is the chair of the committee.

Griffin said the time and place for the first public meeting of COCO, which will be on a Monday, will be announced at Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting.

A vice-chair will be appointed at the first COCO meeting.

COCO is open for any student to join.

There are about 10 senators currently on the committee, Griffin said.

He said the idea for COCO started when he and other student senators reviewed Article IV of the Student Body Constitution regarding the Judicial Branch when the Student Supreme Court was re-instated.

Article IV gives the Student Supreme Court the power of original and final jurisdiction in cases of constitutionality, lists the number of justices and how they are appointed, the appointment and duties of the Court Advisor and the removal process of justices before the Student Senate.

“We started to question things like if seven justices were too many, if that was the right way to appoint them and if their terms were too long,” Griffin said. “Then we began to review the whole document.”

Revising the constitution, Griffin believes, will help Student Government run more smoothly in future sessions.

“It is kind of messed up and contradictory in certain places,” Griffin said.

“Some students think it’s not important, but we need a working legal document in order to govern efficiently,” Griffin said. “We want to have a good document revised in the spring for future senators not to worry about this.”

Ryan Kerch, student vice president for student affairs, said one possible bylaw change would be how student senators are elected.

He wants the option of having write-ins. This past election, 17 senators ran for 25 seats.

“What I and others discussed is that in elections with less people than seats, we should allow the possibility of write-ins,” Kerch said.

Student Senate member Isaac Sandidge, former Student Senate speaker, said the Student Bill of Rights, which consists of Article X-XIV in the Student Body Constitution, needs to be made known to the student body for them to care about their rights.

These rights are related to student academic freedom, freedom of association for student publications and the implementation of these rights.

Sandidge thinks with constitutional change, students have to understand the process in order to protect their existing rights.

“We need creative ideas to spread the Student Bill of Rights to students,” Sandidge said. “Levi should make it a priority.”

According to Article XIV, Section B of the Student Body Constitution, “It is the responsibility of the Student Government to inform all students regarding the Student Bill of Rights.”

Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.