The officers of the Student Government Association’s outgoing administration reflected on its accomplishments during its last official meeting of the semester.
All officers were in attendance as senators and members from the president’s cabinet gave speeches commending the job they had done as a collective group.
“In essence, what we have achieved this year is tremendous and it did make a difference for the students we serve — for example especially with events at the Cat’s Back, the Campus Accessibility Tour and Walk in the Dark,” Chief of Staff Jeff Syptak said. “All the work we have achieved could not have been done by one person, but many, so thank you.”
The same sentiment was not found throughout the night.
The beginning of the meeting was interrupted by a displeased student upset with the results of the presidential run-off.
Incoming President and Vice President Michael Harding and Craig Premjee were convicted of establishing an illegal polling location by a 3-2 vote of the elections commission.
Upon appeal, the original punishment of disqualification was reversed by SGA’s Judicial Branch, which felt that, although the violations were of the highest degree, the 24-hour campaign suspension handed down during the appeal was time served.
The student who interrupted, later identified as Brendan Laws by classmates in the audience, expressed his feelings that the punishment was not severe enough, and that he would like to see Harding and Premjee step down.
Laws also stated that he was disappointed with the power of SGA as an engine on campus.
After making the comments Laws walked out, leaving many of the senators upset over the comments. Some addressed the comments in their speeches.
“Due process was given and due process was followed,” outgoing President Prince Wilson said to the SGA Senate and audience in the gallery. “We followed the rules set by the bylaws during this past election.”
Wilson also stated that a copy of the entire report by the Judicial Branch would be available later this week.
The inauguration for Harding and Premjee will take place Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the University Center’s Houston Room. The ceremony is by invitation only.
