When voters elect a new Duke Student Government executive vice president this week, it won't be the first time the critical second-in-command position has changed hands this year. In choosing between current Executive Vice President Drew Ensign and Treasurer Henry Ho, both juniors, voters will face much different issues than those DSG addressed this January.
Daryn Dodson-this year's first executive vice president-resigned in early January under pressure from top DSG officials, who criticized his inability to master parliamentary procedures, the rules used by the executive vice president to run DSG meetings. Ensign was selected to take Dodson's place. Now, voters must choose between Ensign, an incumbent who has been praised for his efficient meeting management, and Ho, an experienced cabinet member campaigning on a platform of reform and personal responsibility.
Rather than parliamentary procedure, this year's election will focus on leadership style and skill.
The executive vice president's two key responsibilities are running DSG meetings and motivating legislators to work on their legislator individual projects, or LIPs. Ensign's current term has shown some success at both. "Drew has done an excellent job running meetings," said freshman legislator Alex Barna, who ran for the position in January. Others in DSG offered similar praise for Ensign's work thus far.
Although Barna has declined to endorse either candidate, he said Ensign has been good at motivating
Still, Ensign has yet to complete the task-Barna has not met with Ensign himself.
Ensign has stressed the need for personal contact with legislators this year, but he hopes to focus on institutional changes if elected.
"There's a general accountability problem I want to address," he said.
One way to approach that, Ensign said, is to break the legislature down into groups that address issues such as alcohol, parking and residential life. Ensign also hopes to promote more non-DSG involvement in the organization by expanding the use of task forces and committees that would include student organizations such as the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and cultural groups.
Ensign credits this semester's more efficient meetings to minor rule changes he has made, including a procedure known as unanimous consent, which allows motions to pass automatically without a vote unless an objection is made.
Ho, who also ran for the contested position in January, argues that Ensign's quicker meetings come at the expense of democracy. "[Unanimous consent] completely eliminates the minority voice," Ho said. "The fact that meetings run three or four hours is a testament to the hard work of individuals who want to do things for students.... If you want to do what's best for students, you don't do it by eliminating the minority voice."
Instead of efficiency, Ho stresses the need for DSG members to have a greater personal commitment to the organization.
"If I am elected, I would do things personally," he said. "I don't think creating more bureaucratic measures is most effective for helping student interests."
Ho said he believes that DSG can improve its image by directly communicating with students through voter surveys, publicizing member voting records and using the constituent e-mail system.
"I think our organization is facing critical issues of legitimacy," Ho said. "We don't represent student interests accurately."
For instance, Ho questions DSG's role in divisive social issues such as same-sex marriage, the Confederate flag in South Carolina and the Wen Ho Lee case.
"There's been response from the student body that DSG does not have the mandate to pursue that type of legislation," he said.
Still, he added, as executive vice president, he would support the president's vision for the organization.
Praising Ho as a "self-starter" and "visionary," DSG Vice President for Student Affairs Jasmin French said that Ho's work as DSG treasurer this year, along with his commitment to accountability and efficiency, would make him well-suited to the job.
"He would do well in the executive vice president role because of his experience with writing the house rules we currently have, as well as his ability to identify a vision and then create tangible steps to achieve it," she said.
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