Our Student Government had conflicts, difficulties, and many challenges this academic year.
SGA started the Fall 2006 semester with a full executive board which consisted of Ms. April Davis (President), Mr. Isaiah Valentine (Vice President), Ms. Julie Clarke Douglas (Treasurer), Ms. Sheila Wilson-Wells (Executive Senate Secretary), Ms. Alycia Vasquez (Governess of Social Affairs), Mr. Justin Toro (Executive Staff Officer), and Mr. Chris Dallas (Public Relations Manager). By the end of the spring semester, only Ms. April Davis, Ms. Sheila Wilson-Wells, Ms. Alycia Vasquez, and Mr. Justin Toro were still in their positions.
In November, a motion to impeach Mr. Dallas for failure to carry out his executive duties as public relations manager was passed by the student senate. Mr. Dallas resigned from his position before any further action could take place.
Ms. Julie Clarke Douglas was relieved of all Treasurer duties in the middle of the spring 2007 semester because an investigation. All clubs were able to have events but had to go through Ms. Susanne McLoughlin, Director of Student Activities, for all check requests. At the same time, Mr. Valentine was removed from his position due to academic probation.
An application to impeach Ms April Davis was submitted by Ms. Julie Clarke Douglas shortly after in a student senate meeting. Ms. Douglas stated Ms. Davis should be impeached on grounds of nonfeasance and misfeasance which are both reasons an SGA official may be impeached. The Student Senate passed the motion and scheduled the impeachment trail. They also unanimously voted to submit a request to administration to have Ms. Davis hand in her SGA office keys. In the event that Ms. Davis did get impeached, it was stated that her duties will be distributed to the remaining Student Government Association Members.
The impeachment trail was halted when Dean Wayne Edwards addressed the senators at an emergency student senate meeting. He referred students to Article 11 section 2A of the SGA Constitution which states that the plaintiff must submit the charges in writing to the three branches (Executive Board, Student Senate and Student Court) of the Student Government Association. Dean Edwards stated that there is a Student Senate but the Executive Board is in disarray and there is no Student Court at this time. According to SGA’s own constitution, Dean Edwards explained, the impeachment proceedings can not take place. Dean Edwards stated that SGA has more pressing matters on their plate than impeaching the SGA president.
Dean Edwards further explained that President Butts was developing a campus wide committee to offer oversight for at least the duration of this semester in SGA matters and students woud definitely be on that committee. He requested that the Emergency Student Senate meeting be adjourned until that committee has been established because the committee will help determine the best way for the college to productively move forward.
A petition demanding the impeachment of the Student Government Association current members due to unprofessional, unorganized, and the demeaning behavior of SGA started to circulate during the 2007 spring semester. The petition was signed by over 300 students and set forth a chain of events. SUNY auditors visited our college campus on March 8th and March 9th to investigate SGA financial records. Dr. Butts was advised by SUNY Central to strengthen the colleges internal controls based on the preliminary findings.
President Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III also appointed members to the Presidential Committee to Assist the Student Government Association. The committee was made up of students, faculty and staff with the short term goals of assist in facilitating upcoming elections and to assist with funds programming, events and activities. Their long term goal were to assist in the restoration of SGA to the organization that has long and ably served in the best interest of our student body.
An election sub-committee was formed due to the current executive board vacancies that made the creation of an election committee impossible according to the Student Government Association Constitution. The election sub-committee was given full authority to oversee the spring 2007 Student Government elections after senators unanimously passed a vote in an unofficial emergency senate meeting that was held on March 28th.
The Student Government Association candidate application deadline had to be extended because of a lack of applications. To help encourage students to submit applications, our college president sent a college wide email. Dr. Butts urged interested students to take part in our campus' democratic process and reminded them apathy should not be an option when it comes to the SGA.
The May 7th and 8th Student Government Association elections were not free of controversy. Many Candidates complained that the 50 feet marker was not defined and that administrators were not at the tables at all times during the elections. Other candidates voiced concerns of campaigning rules were not followed by other candidates. All concerns will be addressed to the election sub-committee meeting to held on May 11.
The results of the elections were announced on May 9th. The new executive board has a mixture of new individuals and previous SGA e-board officials. As of now, our Student Government Executive Branch for the next academic year will be Ms. Maziely Crisostomo (President), Ms. Sheri Bailey (Vice President), Ms. Qudsia Osmani (Treasurer), Ms. Chanelle Bland (Executive Senate Secretary), Ms. Alycia Vasquez (Governess of Social Affairs), and Mr. Jimmy Boone (Public Relations Manager).
Donato Palumbo II
(Donato Palumbo II is a member of the Presidential Committee and the Elections Sub-Committee.)