In what should have been the second of three meetings to discuss impeachment proceedings on Student Body President Whil Piavis, members of the Student Senate’s Government Operations committee were stunned by a memorandum delivered by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford last night.
Stafford’s memo, which was copied to administrative members including Chancellor James Oblinger, informed the Government Operations Committee that the University was reviewing “due process considerations afforded by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Consititution” in reference to the committee’s impeachment proceedings.
Following his delivery of the document to Government Operations Chair Tracy Hutcherson, Stafford left the second floor Witherspoon meeting room without entertaining questions from committee members, prompting a smile and joke from Sen. Erich Fabricius.
“Dust the damn thing for anthrax,” Fabricius, a graduate student in economics, said in a lucid example of recent tensions between the Senate and Stafford.
With just a single copy on hand, Hutcherson then read the memo aloud, drawing mixed reactions from committee members.
“That’s funny,” Sen. Matt Walton, a technology education sophomore, said. “I’m laughing.”
Hutcherson quickly attempted to assuage concerns voiced by his peers concerning the status of the impeachment.
“This does not mean that President Piavis’ impeachment is invalid,” Hutcherson, a senior in microbiology, said. “It is obvious they are pulling a stalling tactic on us.”
It was unclear to committee members on what grounds of due process University administration was scrutinizing, but they did voice disapproval at the timing and possible implications of what Hutcherson said was an “unprecedented” action.
“What’s the point of Student Government if we are going to be crippled by someone [in the administration]?” Sen. Sara Yasin, a sophomore in textile and apparel management, asked. “Whatever side of the impeachment you are on, it is Student Government, it has the word ‘student’ in it.”
Although review of impeachment evidence did not proceed at last night’s meeting, committee members also raised concerns at the absence of Piavis, who had promised to attend.
Mari Matsumoto, a graduate of the University and Student Government office assistant, said Piavis wasn’t present at the meeting because he already had a commitment for Thursday night made weeks before news of the impeachment, something she said was her mistake.
“Unfortunately we didn’t look at his planner prior to tonight’s meeting,” she said.
Matsumoto, who works closely with Piavis, said she had no prior knowledge of Stafford’s actions.
“I am just as shocked about this as you all are,” Matsumoto said.
Hutcherson said he was “disheartened” with Stafford, a prominent supporter of the student body constitution.
“Currently we are being halted, stonewalled in the process Vice Chancellor Tom Stafford believes the Student Senate should follow,” Hutcherson said.
Piavis, who attended the Senate’s emergency meeting hours after the close of the Government Operations Committee meeting, said he was also unaware of Stafford’s actions.
“I learned that from WRAL,” Piavis said of the local broadcast medium, whose employees were filming outside Senate chambers when he arrived. “I am very happy to have my time back.”
