Transparency is crucial to this University, especially given many recent events. But what happens when the committee that was implemented to exert transparency within student government fails to comply with the rules?

Until recently, the Campus Student Election Commission, CSEC, acted as a supervising body to ensure student government members were elected fairly and referendum questions, typically regarding student-initiated fees, were carried out.

At least that is what they were supposed to do.

Earlier this year, the commission resigned via email after they were charged with miscommunication problems with the Illinois Student Senate and did not comply with the Student Organization Resource Fee Board’s regulations.

The SORF Board allocated $667 of student fee money to CSEC. However, in its 2014 budget, the CSEC said it spent $500 on an advertisement in The Daily Illini. The CSEC went on to say the rest of the money was used for internal purposes.

But according to The Daily Illini’s records, the commission last bought an advertisement in 2012, not in 2014 as claimed.

Matt Misichko, former chairman of the commission, confirmed that they indeed had not bought an ad in 2014.

SORF also stated in a petition that the commission had insufficiently worked with the board in regard to communication between the two groups.

In an interview with The Daily Illini, Kevin Seymour, senator for ISS, said communication between the two organizations has been poor.

“It always seems like the CSEC has no idea what is going on, even hours before the election takes place,” Seymour said.

With the upcoming November referendum looming, we need to have an independent body in place to oversee the process.

Within the past month, an email was sent to graduate and professional students inviting them to apply for spots on a new commission. Since March, only law students have been involved with CSEC. While we agree that a new commission must be formed, we encourage other graduate and professional students to apply to diversify the commission. As law students have such busy schedules, it make sense that only four applications were received — showing why other students should be included.

Any student should be encouraged to apply to ensure that those on the commission are there with passion, rather than considering the position another chore on their laundry list.

Although CSEC did not work last year, we still believe there is a need for such a transparent body. That said, it needs to be a more diverse mix of students from different majors and backgrounds, so that the commission more accurately represents the student body.

We need a body that will get the job done well.