Student Government’s Jan. 25 meeting was the third in a row that the organization spent amending its internal rules. This is despite the fact that, according to its own bylaws, the amendments could not be voted on, and there is question as to whether or not the meeting was allowed to happen to begin with.

According to the bylaws, meetings may not occur unless the meeting agenda is posted publicly 12 hours in advance; the final meeting agenda, however, was not posted until an hour before the meeting.

Elle Lansing ‘26, the communications officer, said that a different version of the agenda was posted on time, a claim that could not be verified.

Bylaw amendments voted on during the meeting were not proposed and discussed at least one week in advance, violating the Student Government rules stating that “proposed amendments are to be voted on no sooner than one meeting after the meeting at which they are presented to allow for study by the Student Government Representatives.”

Student Government President Thania Hernandez ‘25 wrote in an email sharing the unofficial meeting minutes with The Lafayette and members of Student Government that voting on the bylaws was an “honest mistake” and that the group would vote again at its upcoming meeting. 

These violations of Student Government’s rules follow a separate violation of the Student Government Constitution: opening the inclusivity officer position to all students. The group’s constitution states that “Candidates for Executive Board positions must have previously served on the Student Government for at least one semester.”

Student Government executive officers contend that this constitutional provision is rendered null by an amendment to the bylaws allowing all students to run for positions up for grabs during special elections, including that of the inclusivity officer set to occur on Feb. 5.

Wrote Parliamentarian Chris Kirch ‘26 in an email: “I withhold all comment.”

Several Student Government members declined to comment, stating that the executive board advised them not to comment.

Members were encouraged to solicit applications to fill the two vacancies in the 2026 delegation – a second vacancy arose over winter break after a newly admitted representative transferred – and the vacant inclusivity officer seat, positions that have been vacant for a month and for which application deadlines have been twice pushed. 

The situation is “basically an emergency at this point,” Hernandez said at the meeting.