Editorial: Richmond College student government has a transparency problem

The Richmond College Student Government Association has been abusing its “closed floor” protocol for years, leaving students in the dark on important votes and discussions.

A typical RCSGA meeting goes as follows: The RCSGA speaker calls to commence the meeting, representatives and Richmond College Dean Joe Boehman deliver reports and then all unelected persons must leave.

The meeting continues into what is known as a “closed floor” session. Collegian reporters and any unelected University of Richmond student can't hear what gets discussed, debated or voted on. Any budget allocations, elections of new members or changes to the constitution are secret unless the RCSGA chooses to share it.  

Richmond College’s student government claims one of its six core values as “accountability,” which its senators are supposed to uphold. Right now, there’s no way to ensure that they are.

It can be hard to tell why an election fell through or why a budget shrank if the student body can’t hear the reasoning and debate behind RCSGA’s decisions. Students don’t see how their elected senators have voted on anything, making it impossible to know whether RCSGA representatives are staying true to the promises that they campaigned on. 

In addition to being secretive and undemocratic, this practice doesn’t follow RCSGA’s bylaws. 

The association’s constitution states that RCSGA meetings should be open to Richmond College and University of Richmond students. 

“The entirety of the meeting, including deliberations and votes, shall remain open to Richmond College and University of Richmond students, except in exceptional circumstances,” the organization’s constitution reads. “In exceptional circumstances, the General Senate may declare a part of the Senate meeting closed.”

Under RCSGA’s current use of the “closed floor,” every Richmond College student government meeting this year has been under “exceptional circumstances.” 

The body has evaded public votes, open debates and ultimately, accountability from the students that it seeks to represent.

To find further proof of RCSGA’s overreliance on closed-door voting, all you have to do is cross Westhampton Lake. 

UR has a two-college system with separate institutions historically — but no longer — divided by gender. Westhampton College, whose policy gives more excuses for a “closed floor” than Richmond College’s, rarely uses it. 

“Any member of the Senate may call for a closed Senate meeting if seconded and brought to a vote by the full Senate,” the WCGA bylaws read.

In recent years, the Collegian has never seen the WCGA employ the policy. We have watched meetings from beginning to end, with senators voting and discussing budgets, elections and amendments. WCGA is still a functional, active student government. The extensive use of “closed floors” is not necessary for student government to work.

The Collegian calls on RCSGA to obey its bylaws and only enter “closed floor” sessions in the extraordinary circumstances that the protocol was designed for. Students deserve to know how their Richmond College student representatives vote and what they discuss. RCSGA cannot fully uphold its own core value of accountability without this.

Contact the Collegian Editorial Board at stories@thecollegianur.com