Association Director Kara Spencer addressed the Student Assembly on Thursday night to explain the reasons behind the merger and to field questions from representatives about the change.

The organization voted to become a nonprofit earlier this semester for tax purposes.

“We are likely not going to be appointed nonprofit status if we cannot clearly identify a decision-making body,” she said.

The alternative to achieving this would be to appoint an internal third body, Spencer said.

“The consequence is the assemblies are no longer decision making,” she said.

“They’d be subordinate to the third party.”

Student Assembly Chairperson Chris Schotten said this third party would have the power to veto any decisions made by the assemblies.

“It’s a better system and might be more efficient for the students,” he said.

“It resolves the whole tax exempt issue, but also increases efficiency within ASMSU.”

The Student Assembly’s Policy Committee passed a bill last week changing the language of the organization’s constitution to mirror government standards for nonprofit status.

The potential merging of the assemblies is another step in helping the organization achieve nonprofit status.

The combined General Assembly also would see minor changes to the number of representatives for colleges, Schotten said.

The only college that immediately would see a change would be the Eli Broad College of Business, changing its four representatives to three.

“It unfortunately would be losing a seat because there is now a higher standard for enrollment,” Schotten said.

“But you actually have the smaller colleges standardized to two representatives instead of one.”

Matt York, Student Assembly internal vice chairperson, said the merger also would clear up confusion among students as to the differences between the assemblies.

Spencer also said changes to the chair position might accompany the merger, although so far only suggestions have been presented.
The representatives are given the break to consider the proposition.

Schotten said he expects the two assemblies to vote on the issue by the end of January.