Hang in there Simpson; amidst the latest flurry of mass e-mails addressing student senate disgruntlement, there is some real democracy at work.

There are some important concerns that have been brought to the surface by what may otherwise be the dumbest thing senate has done since denying Sequel a re-allotment of its funds last fall. But before getting to the important concerns, what about the fiasco?

It seems to consist of two equally bone-headed moves. On one hand a number of senators were increasingly angered by the senate’s lack of respect for accepted guidelines for order. Understandable. However, they chose to voice this concern through not showing up, thus hobbling the senate’s ability to vote. This is dumb. Silence in this case doesn’t do much to get a point across.

But get this: Senate went ahead and found people to fill the empty seats, in the process bypassing rules set out in the constitution for accepting substitute senators. Also dumb; and senate should know better.

The whole fiasco points directly to two overarching concerns:

u The student senate has serious problems with its constitution in terms of clarity and interpretation. A review committee is currently looking into this. Whatever the committee finds, the senate needs to commit itself to following the rules it sets out. Knowledge is power, and if the senate can simply know its own system little better, most of the squabbling that the college community has endured lately would be eliminated.

u The college’s student government is not getting enough representatives to show up. This is inexcusable, and students should demand more from their representatives. Next year every single Simpson student will pay $174 so the senate can operate. Consider the enrollment, and that is a lot of money. It seems a conscientious student might be interested in whether their money is going to fund literary magazines, rock band fan clubs, better meal plans or the curling team.