Katie-
The MH outlines the things that have to be in a DST report, and many ofthem cannot be covered by a VST report, such as recommendations for the VST's Prestige. That's also why it can't just be a random member who writes up the report, though the willingness to do so is creditable. The officer sending up the report has to be a representative of the Domain, usually elected, but appointed if necessary.
The reporting officer has to not only make Prestige recommendations, as noted above, but also be aware of all the games that are going on, all the plotlines that are going on (in all venues) and be able to present them in an integrated fashion (not just a venue-by venue fashion; if the venues never integrated, there'd be a lot less need for a DST, but also a lot less of a "World of Darkness" and more of several separate "Venues of Darkness"). There needs to be someone with the power to handle Domain-level investigations and disciplinary actions, and those have to be reported. The VST's can do some of that, but not all of it. A DST is required to do those things, and to report on what was done.
In short, there needs to be someone whose job it is to get the VST's on the same page with each other, and with the Regional/National/Global plotlines that come down, policies that affect the game, etc. Doing all that stuff means that there is a functional DST, regardless of what that officer is called. If DST reports weren't important, and all their functions could be handled by the VST reports, then I'd happily lead the charge to reduce the paperwork... but that's just not the case.
Hope that clarifies-
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Jon "Do one thing; say one thing" Herrmann, US2002021241
East Central RST
GENCON '05 ST Lead (Indianapolis, IN, Aug 18-21)
"If the thrill is gone, then it's time to take it back" - Jim Steinman
"We must be the change we wish to see." -Gandhi