The referendum to end all referenda

Despite my efforts, I recognize that neither the outcome of this referendum or that of the one put forth by the Equality Action Network will actually affect student life or University action. Indeed, no referendum in my four years here has had a real impact in terms of University policy.

A previous referendum on a "student bill of rights" (SBOR) was similar. In spring 2006, the College Republicans put forth a SBOR based on David Horowitz' "Academic Bill of Rights." That referendum prohibited faculty from attempting to "indoctrinate" students. The basic idea was that professors here are too liberal and that students have the right to a wider range of opinions. This would have theoretically asked professors to give equal weight to both sides of an issue even if they believed one side to be wrong. Like the current referendum, the SBOR used liberal language to promote a conservative cause. When the SBOR passed, campus progressives feared that professors would be subject to censure from students; their language would be restricted to the realm of the politically correct. But neither of these things happened.

This is partly because most students are not proactive enough to act on the SBOR. Other students are unaware of their so-called "rights" either because they never paid attention at the time or because of a lack of institutional memory. When a referendum passes, it's discussed in this newspaper, by the interested parties and their friends and then largely forgotten. There is no mechanism for the Class of 2009 to know about referenda passed in 2000. Even if we did know about it, there might be little will to act on it now. If a referendum is only actionable for a few semesters, is it really actionable at all?

These are only the problems with referenda directly addressing student action. Most referenda - including the current ones - don't lend themselves to direct action. This second type of referendum merely requires the USG Senate to inform the administration of the results. If both current referenda pass, the Senate will send both statements to the appropriate parties, and that will be that. A third type of referendum, such as last spring's one asking student opinion on administration, doesn't even claim to be more than an opinion poll. The only actionable item was to place the referendum on the ballot again in spring 2009.

Despite their inability to affect University action, referenda are used in the realm of public discourse. They can influence the way the student body talks about issues. Even if the administration is dismissive of the SBOR, any student can point to it as "evidence" that the student body "agrees" with restricting faculty freedom of speech. With the current election, I worry that the supporters of the CIL's referendum will use a "yes" vote to argue that students don't want the University to take any positions on a wide range of issues in which the University has a vested interest.

At the same time, a referendum is merely an opinion poll. Knowing that referenda only carry that much weight, perhaps it's time to change the standard for referenda appearing on the USG elections ballot. In the real world, referenda don't simply advise on the law, but make law. USG referenda should also shape the "law," i.e. the USG constitution, instead of merely asking the USG to publish the results of an opinion poll. A more useful referendum question, for example, might ask the student body whether the USG should abolish the freshman-sophomore council created last year. Asking the student body to constantly take ineffective polls with the implication that they are actual referenda is disrespectful.

Polls can provide valuable information, but they should not be on an election ballot, presented as referenda. Instead, the USG could solicit poll ideas from the student body at large and present them in direct e-mails or on Point. In fact, the USG already uses these methods to poll the student body on a number of issues from recreational facilities use to library hours. Princeton students can also use a variety of non-USG methods to poll the student body, from using their own student groups to poll people to submitting Point questions. These other polling formats are just as good as the USG ballot. The new USG should consider updating its definition of what a valid referendum is.

Cindy Hong is a Wilson School major from Princeton, N.J. She can be reached at cindyh@princeton.edu.