2022 Referendum: Please Vote April 4 – 10, 2022
All students are encouraged to visit www.studentelections.msu.edu to cast a ballot.
The following tax collection and major governing organizations will be conducting a tax referendum during the Spring 2022 Semester.
- Council of Graduate Students (COGS) – Tax Renewal & Amendment Approval (More about this on the COGS Governance Page)
- Council of Medical Students (COMS) – Tax Renewal
- Owen Graduate Association (OGA) – Tax Renewal
- University Apartment Council of Resident (UACOR) – Tax Reinstatement – Graduate & Professional Students who live in University apartment housing – this is for you!
- ASMSU General Elections (Undergraduate students only.)
Constitutional Amendment: Article IV, Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the COGS Constitution
On March 16th, 2022, the Council of Graduate Students Full Council affirmatively voted to amend Article IV, Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the COGS Constitution. In accordance with the COGS Constitution, changes to the Constitution must move to referendum and be voted on by the graduate and professional student body.
COGS is seeking to eliminate language from the Constitution that states COGS Officers shall not receive compensation. COGS Officer positions require many hours of unpaid labor that is important to providing academic, economic, and social support resources to graduate and professional students. COGS would like to ensure that there are ample, competitive candidates for each position, and to do so will require allowing individuals holding Officer positions to be compensated for their work. In the 2021-2021 student election, all Officer positions ran unopposed, and the President position remained vacant for a month after elections before being filled while also being unopposed. In the past year alone, 3 Officers have resigned citing lack of ability to pursue the level of commitment required for the positions.
Approval of the amendment to Section 6.3 will eliminate the stipulation that Officers of COGS shall not be provided compensation. Approval of the amendment to Section 6.4 would allow for Officers of COGS to receive compensation in a manner that shall be outlined in the COGS by-laws.
Polls will be open on Monday, April 4 at 8 a.m. and closed on Sunday, April 10 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time).
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