Senate

The Sept. 27 senate meeting ended with chaotic open agenda complete with yelling students, a banging gavel, and a quick dismissal of the meeting by Undergraduate Student Government Executive Vice President Nathan Shapiro.

At the September 27th meeting of the USG Senate, as several club officers were still in line waiting to express their displeasure with the newly proposed off-campus travel policy which would force clubs to fundraise 15% of their off-campus travel costs,

Senator and President-Elect Joseph Antonelli apologizes for what some called a hasty adjournment of Tuesday's Senate meeting.

Never before have I been witness to such a blatantly fragrant act of arrogance and hubris from an elected body, which having been dissatisfied with mild criticism from their constituents, decided instead to put their proverbial fingers in their ears and scream “la la la la la la.” These Senators are all given the option of being paid for their services, an opportunity that most Senators take, and it is shameful that they would not do their duty of listening to their electorate by adjourning prematurely.

USG President Romual Jean-Baptiste and Junior Representative Michael Cohan were both impeached by the senate of the Undergraduate Student Government Tuesday night. The impeachment resolutions approved by the senate accused the two of conspiring to plant offensive campaign fliers to look as if they came from another candidate, USG Sen. Joseph Antonelli.

USG President Romual Jean-Baptiste faces a possible impeachment at Tuesday's senate meeting, along with Michael Cohan, Jean-Baptiste's mid-year replacement appointee for Junior Class Representative.

Ralph Thomas, vice president of clubs and organizations for USG, submitted a letter of resignation tonight at what was suppose to be his impeachment hearing. After submitting the letter to the supreme court justices, Sen. Nathan Shapiro on behalf of the USG withdrew all charges against Thomas. The meeting lasted all of one minute.

The USG senate impeached the vice president for clubs and organizations, Ralph Thomas, on four articles Tuesday evening. Senators voted 19-3 to lay the charges before the judiciary.

The accusations include responsibilities that Thomas allegedly failed to complete, such as the organizing of events and holding sufficient office hours.

Seeking to finally approve the Undergraduate Student Government budget for the 2005-2006 academic year, the USG met this past Tuesday night, where a series of budget proposals were presented. These proposals were aimed at providing a new, balanced economic plan for the upcoming academic year, but are each in their own way controversial and problematic to many campus clubs and organizations.