Acting President explains his choices

As Acting President/Interim Vice President, I have the difficult job of filling two jobs with little support from the members of the association. The whole framework of the Student Government Assembly could be called into legal question (if the Assembly approves a Student Court without a quorum) by someone who has a traffic ticket or if the court holds an impeachment hearing.

While I would like to see the assembly move forward, we have to be extremely cautious. The SGA Constitution has to be followed or chaos could occur. Until a new constitution provides a quorum that is less than a majority, I must see that we follow the constitution and bylaws are followed, even if we don't like it.

With one justice of the three member interim Student Court unable to fulfill her duties, I have asked the Chief Justice to give me written notice that it is an emergency so that the Executive Committee can approve a full court until such time as there is a quorum to vote on the Court. It is easier for me to get a quorum of the Executive Committee together. However, the Chief Justice has not given me written notice and I have called two Executive Committee meetings that did not have quorum.

Nowhere is it stated that the court has to be approved at an assembly meeting. The constitution only states that it has to be approved by the assembly. That does not mean that I cannot have assembly members (or first the Executive Committee) approve the nominees by written ballot. This is not the most ideal way but I will have the office staff send out a mailing to all Assembly members to vote on the Court.

Impeachment does not have to be done at an assembly meeting. Once a petition with the signatures of two-thirds of the representatives or 5 percent of the student body is collected, then the Student Court has to hear the impeachment. There is nothing stated in the SGA Constitution that states that the articles of impeachment have to be voted on by the assembly.

The Election Committee is responsible for having an election for a permanent vice president as well as filling the at-large seats of the Assembly. I have told the committee what needs to be done. It is their responsibility to take care of the procedures. Since I have stated that I plan to run for the office, it would be a conflict of interest if I got involved in the elections any more than telling them what needs to be done.

The work of the Student Government Association cannot be done by just one student. While I have devoted more time to the office than others in the past, I am only human. Problems of the association must be dealt with by all students, not just me.

-Steven Wolfe