•Pl'Otest halts UCD referendum balloting ·l.____b_y_S_a_I_R_u_i_ba_l_ ____.I
Conflicting interpretati9ns of · · the student government consituttion has led to the postponement of a referendum vore at the University of Colorado at Denver. UCD Student Chancellor John Murray filed a protest with the ASUCD Judicial Board charging that the referendum election scheduled for Feb. 27 and 28 should not be held because the petitioning process was "flawed and illegal." The Judicial Board agreed to postpone the election less than 18 hours before the balloting was to begin. The referendum proposed limitations on the power of the ASUCD Executive Council through a new appeal process. Murray is a member of the Executive Council. . Referendum sponsor Mike Maxwell called the move ' 'a delaying tactic.'' Murray based his actions on sections of the ASUCD constitution that require that "all referenda must be publicized continuously for a period of 20 school days before voting begins." Referendum sponsors posted notices of the pending election in excess of the required period, but Murray said the notices were ''advo-
f
~
Volume 2, Issue
21c.:============
© MetroPress March 5, 1980
cacy statements" and were not "fairly and objectively announced.'' Murray said the responsibility for the election is consitution. ally the province of the Judicial Board, but the ASUCD Executive Council By-laws also delegate specific responsibilities to the Council as far as the operation of the elections themselves. The constitution says simply that the Judicial Board "shall supervise elections as provided for herein." The Judicial Board verified the signatures and scheduled the elections, but did not formally inform the Executive Council of the pending election. The by-laws spell out seven specific areas of responsibility for the council, one of which is publicizing special elections for twenty days before the voting. The constitution is voted on by the student body as a whole. The by-laws are selected by the Executive Council. Murray said that since the Executive Council was not formally notified of the election, they could not perform the duties required under the by-laws. Maxwell said the referendum sponsors acted in good faith and were never informed of the requirements stipulated under the by-laws. continued on page 5
If a proposed bill becomes a new law, the roach clip used to smoke that marijuana cigarette could cost you a stiffer fine than the marijuana itself... and all for'the good of society, according to the bill's sponsors ..
pg.3
When it's·spring time in the Rockies, governmental agencies start jockeying for pole positions in the fiscal year budget plann ing derby. Student government is no different and a few things are beginning to take shape in the stables.
pg.5
Every year we are inundated with hundreds of foreign films but just because It' s foreign doesn't rriean it's good. Metrostyle looks at a questionable Australian film and a record by a band that just might be the Beatles in disguise. John Mu"ay and ballot box: the petitioning process was flawed and illegal.
l
pg.8