A Proposal For An

What is the Omega Senate?• The Omega Senate (OS) is a proposed elected body of

Omega men in good standing with the fraternity, whose primary mission will be to elect the national officers of our fraternity.

• The OS shall not vote on any other matter except those matters which pertain to their mission of electing national officers of the fraternity.

• The OS will be comprised of two chambers: The Graduate Chamber and the Undergraduate Chamber.

What is the Omega Senate?

• The Omega Senate (OS) shall serve as an independent entity within the framework of the international organization.

• The OS shall conduct its business in private among its members unless specified otherwise.

• During active proceedings (i.e. voting session) members of the Undergraduate Chamber may attend Graduate Chamber meetings as observers.

• During active proceedings (i.e. voting session) the Undergraduate Chamber is closed to Graduate Chamber members unless otherwise specified by the members of Undergraduate Chamber.

What is the Omega Senate?

• Each chamber of the Omega Senate shall convene in person at least twice during each fiscal year.

• The Omega Senate shall keep up to date information on its members specifically; members’ terms in office; Senate meeting dates; and candidate forums.

• Such information shall be made available to all financial brothers via the organization’s website.

the Omega Senate The graduate Chamber

• The Graduate Chamber shall be comprised of 12 elected Senators. Each representing his respective district. Each Senator shall also have a deputy elected by his respective district.

• Each district has ONE (1) vote. This vote can either be cast by the Senator from a given district or in his absence – his deputy.

• Deputy Senators shall have all the rights and privileges of a Senator. However, a deputy may only act in the absence of his respective Senator.

The Omega Senate Undergraduate Chamber

• The Undergraduate Chamber shall be comprised of 12 elected Junior Senators, each elected by and representing the undergraduates of his respective district. Junior Senators shall be charged with electing undergraduates who serve the fraternity as elected officers at the national level. Each Junior Senator shall also have a deputy elected by the undergraduates of his respective district.

• Each district has ONE (1) vote. This vote can either be cast by the Junior Senator from a given district or in his absence – his deputy.

• Deputy Junior Senators shall have all the rights and privileges of a Junior Senator. However, a deputy may only act in the absence of his respective Senator.

the Omega Senate

The Omega Senator

About The Omega Senator

• A Senator and Deputy Senator shall be elected by a majority vote in his district. Districts shall decide how to conduct such elections.

• A Senator or Deputy Senator must be in good standing with the fraternity for the last five years prior to seeking this office.

• It is the essential duty of Senators to familiarize the members of their respective districts regarding each candidate for office.

• Senators and Deputy Senators may only be removed by a 2/3 majority vote in the district

• If a Senator is removed or becomes incapacitated his deputy shall assume his powers and position and the district shall vote for a Deputy Senator.

About The Omega Senator • Districts shall not appoint a Senator or a Deputy Senator. An

“appointed” Senator may invite yet another layer of “Omega” politics that defeats the purpose of this body.

• A Senator and deputy’s term shall be two years beginning at the start of the fiscal year following the Grand Conclave.

• Senators and Deputy Senators shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. A deputy’s senatorial term counts as a regular Senator’s term.

• Senators shall not serve in any other capacity within the fraternity (local, state or national levels) during their term in office. This includes serving as delegates at a given Grand Conclave.

• A Senator and DS are precluded from serving as a national officer for three full years upon leaving the senate. The idea is to deter political favors being granted to departing Senators and Deputy Senators.

The Omega “Junior” Senator

About The Omega “Junior” Senator

• A Junior Senator (JS) and a deputy JS shall be elected by a majority vote of the undergrads in his district.

• A JS or Deputy JS must be in good standing with the fraternity.

• Junior Senators and Deputy Junior Senators (DJS) may only be removed by a 2/3 majority vote of the undergrads in his respective district.

• If a JS is removed or becomes incapacitated his deputy shall assume his powers and position. The district shall then vote for a DJS.

• It is the essential duty of Junior Senators to familiarize the members of their respective districts regarding each candidate for office.

• Districts shall not appoint a JS or a DJS. An appointed JS may invite yet another layer of “Omega” politics that defeats the purpose of this body.

• A JS’s and DJS’s term shall be two years beginning at the start of the fiscal year following the Grand Conclave.

• Junior Senators and DJS shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. A deputy’s senatorial term counts as a regular senator’s term.

• Junior Senators and DJS shall not serve in any other capacity within the fraternity (state or national levels) during their term in office. This includes serving as delegates at a given Grand Conclave.

• A JS and a DJS are precluded from serving as a national officer for two years upon leaving the senate.

About The Omega “Junior” Senator

The Senate Consuls

• The Omega Senate shall be presided over by two (2) Senate Consuls.

• The Senate Consuls shall come from the ranks of the Graduate Chamber and the Undergraduate Chamber. Each chamber of the Senate shall have a member serve a one year term as Consul.

• The duties of the Senate Consuls shall be to convene their respective chamber of the Senate; preside over its meetings; coordinate and disseminate communications and correspondences to members of the senate.

• Consuls do not have additional voting power. Each consul has one vote.

• If a Consul is removed or becomes incapacitated at any time the deputy from his respective district shall assume the role.

• No district shall have a Senator or JS serve more than one term as consul until each district has been represented at least once as Consul. Thus, Consul seats in each chamber shall be filled based on a rotating basis. Each chamber should decide how a Consul is selected.

About The Senate Consuls

Senate Consul The graduate Chamber

Jr. Senate Consul Undergraduate Chamber

• The House of Delegates shall serve in the capacity that delegates presently serve during the convening of the Grand Conclave.

• However, the task of electing national officers shall belong to the Omega Senate.

• After the Senate elects the national officers the election shall be certified (i.e. process was fair and the Senate has completed its constitutional duty) by a majority of the delegates at the Grand Conclave prior to the newly elected officers taking office.

The House of Delegates

The House of Delegates

The House of Delegates

The Omega Senate Timeframe

• Senators and Junior Senators are elected at the start of the fiscal year following the 2012 Grand Conclave (between November 2012 – January 2013).

• Between March and May 2013 the Omega Senate holds its first assembly to:

* Select Consuls* Explain rules and protocols* Explain duties and roles* Establish the Senate schedules

• Between September - November 2013 Senators Junior Senators from each district should present a slate of candidates from their respective districts for national office.

– Senators should verify the qualifications of candidates from their respective district and sign a letter to this effect.

– Names and completed applications should be forwarded to the Senate Consuls for each Chamber

– Consuls should send eligible candidates a letter approving their candidacy.

• Senators should be presented with all candidate packets by February 1, 2014

• February 1, 2014 should serve as deadline for candidates seeking national office.

The Omega Senate Timeframe

Slate of Candidatesfor Graduate Chamber

• Please note: The Omega Senate makes it impossible for more than ONE (1) Undergraduate Representative (UGR) to come from a single district. Thus, each UGR will come from a different district.

Slate of Candidatesfor Undergraduate Chamber

• Candidates are not precluded from campaigning on their own in a given district utilizing their own resources.

• Senators and candidates are forbidden to have any contact that might raise the specter of impropriety.

• The Senate reserves the right to disqualify any candidate that violates election rules and protocol.

• Senators also reserve the right to censure its members• Between February 2014 – March 31, 2014

• First Senate Candidate Forum (All forums should be video taped)

• Districts are not precluded from hosting their own candidate forums.

• Candidates are only obligated to attend forums sponsored by the Omega Senate

• Candidates should be scored based on a rating in various categories (to be determined).

The Omega Senate Timeframe

• Between April 1st – June 1st 2014– 2nd Senate Candidate Forum– Senators cast votes to create a list of final candidates.

• The final list for each office should be no more than three (3) candidates.

• This does not apply to the Undergraduate Rep. office due to the number of positions for this office.

– Senators are precluded from voting for candidates from their respective district during this initial vote.

• This allows candidates to garner support from other districts. Each candidate still has up to 11 votes he can secure.

• Official ballots should be designed to prevent Senators from voting for a candidate from their respective district.

• Any Senator may request a review of the ballots• A final list of candidates is presented to each district via its

Senator.

The Omega Senate Timeframe

Sample Ballot

• Between June 1st and July 1st 2014– Senate cast final vote for election of national officers

• This vote is done by roll call!• Senators are of course allowed to vote for a candidate

from their own district during the final vote. • The Senate Consuls shall announce the winning candidates

within seven (7) days of the commencement of the 2014 Grand Conclave.

• The election must be certified by a majority of the delegates present at the Grand Conclave prior to the newly elected officers taking office.

The Omega Senate Timeframe

Final Slate of Candidatesfor Graduate Chamber

Final Slate of Candidatesfor Undergraduate Chamber

• Reminder – Each Chamber has a total of (12) twelve votes. In the unlikely event of a tie vote the following rules should govern the tie-breaking process. Each step should be engaged until there is no longer a tie.

• Step 1 – Senate Consul calls for another vote. • Step 2 – Beginning with Senate Consul each district is given the

option to forfeit its vote until there is a total of (11) eleven votes. The Senate Consul can then request another vote.

• Step 3 – Senate Consul calls for an open debate, which allows Senators to put forth an argument for the candidate of their choice. After debate session ends the Senate Consul shall call for another vote.

• Step 4 – Revisit Step 2 and repeat process.

Rules for Resolving a Tie Votein Both Senate Chambers

Why Do We Need An Omega Senate?

• As it presently exists, the method of electing national officers rests primarily with the delegates in attendance at any given Grand Conclave. Eligibility for voting at the Grand Conclave is spelled out in Section 5 Article VI of the Constitution and Chapter 1 Article V of the fraternity’s by-laws.

• Given the language in both sections governing voting it is clear that those districts comprised of numerous chapters with sizeable membership will have a numerical advantage at any given Grand Conclave. Although in theory such a numerical advantage does not ensure the election of national officers from such districts, in practice it generally does.

2004 and 2010 Delegate Count

• While it can be argued that the present system does not authorize “voting blocs” it is widely known that “voting blocs” do in fact exist and are in fact utilized when voting for national officers. These “blocs” are usually established by individual districts (primarily delegate rich districts) and serve as powerful entities which can easily determine the outcome of a given election.

• Those districts which are at a numerical disadvantage are peripheral players at best and in a “decided” contest are ignored altogether. Potential candidates for national office from these smaller districts are often discouraged from running due to the simple misfortune of residing in a delegate disadvantaged district.

• Given this electoral framework the fraternity is undoubtedly deprived of a pool of immensely qualified, hardworking, intelligent and devoted men seeking to serve Omega Psi Phi, Inc. at the organization’s highest level. Such deprivation encourages fragmentation and a sense of isolation among various districts. This state of affairs is counter productive for our organization and more importantly inconsistent with our core value of brotherhood.

Voting Blocs!

The Seventh vs. The Bottom 6

The 7th District,

363, 51%

Bottom 6 Districts, 346, 49%

Bottom 6 Districts The 7th District

6th and 7th Districts vs. The Bottom 8

Bottom 8 Districts

588 48%

6th & 7th Districts

626 52%

6th & 7th Districts Bottom 8 Districts

Top 4 Districts

1051 The Rest

588

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Top 4 Districts The Rest

Top 4 Districts vs. The Rest

Top 4 Districts vs. The Rest

Top 4 Districts

1051

The Rest 588

Top 4 Districts The Rest

• The intended aim of the Omega Senate is to make the selection of national officers in our fraternity a more democratic process. Additionally, the aim is to seek out the best individuals to hold national office – not simply those from the largest districts.

• The OS will invite transparency during the election process and minimize expenses for candidates.

• Senators are accountable to the will of their districts. That is why it is proposed that the final vote for officers be done by roll call.

• The OS seeks to place each district and every financial member in our fraternity on an equal footing with one another as it pertains to elections for national officers.

The Democratic Process!

Final Thoughts!

• In order for the Omega Senate to become a reality the recommendation must be adopted by a 2/3’s vote of the delegates at the next Grand Conclave. It may also require a constitutional amendment, which requires a 3/4’s vote.

• It is only fitting that an idea that promotes fairness and equality within our fraternity comes to light as we prepare for our Centennial Celebration.

• The cost of implementing the Omega Senate is nominal.

• The Omega Senate allows districts via their elected Senators, Junior Senators and the OS vetting process to select the best individuals to serve our fraternity.

• The Omega Senate is a concept whose time has truly come.

Presented By

Michael A. Jefferson, Esq.

FA ’84 XOFirst District

1st Vice District RepresentativeActing District Counselor

E-mail: maj-esq@juno.com