The Associated Students of Madison showed support for ex-housefellow Matt Morin, voting Thursday night in favor of a resolution condemning University Housing’s decision to fire him.

Matt Morin was terminated, pending three appeals, Oct. 14 of last year, allegedly for lending out his room key to a friend. The related ASM resolution, penned by Segregated Student Finance Committee chair Roman Patzner, reproached University Housing’s handling of the matter.

“Everything that happened in this case is unprofessional,” Patzner said.

“They just relied on the information of the people that were upset with what Mr. Morin said,” he added, referring to comments Morin made in reference to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Society.

Morin had questioned the validity of increasing the group’s funding at an SSFC meeting and was fired by University Housing approximately three weeks later. Patzner believed Morin’s comments were ultimately the reason he was terminated.

“His supervisor told Mr. Morin to watch his mouth and shut up,” he said.

ASM member Dave Presberry, who abstained from the vote, said he disagreed with the resolution, however. He said the council was wrong to ignore the fact that when Morin lent out his key, he was breaking the rules.

“University Housing has the legal right to terminate [Morin],” Presberry said. “That should have been in the resolution.”

ASM member Jacqueline Helmrick, on the other hand, expressed frustration with University Housing and spoke of her attempts to contact Housing supervisor Jenni Adams on the issue.

“I’m a Witte resident, and she refused to talk to me about an issue in my community,” she said.

Helmrick said it took four tries to even speak with Adams, who then allegedly refused to speak on the Morin issue.

“They completely ignored what the residents wanted,” she added.

However, ASM member Phil Ejercito expressed his misgivings.

“I basically agree with the resolution. My only concern is that there’s been a lot of scapegoating going on,” he said.

Ejercito referred to a local talk-radio personality who had said Morin was being attacked by “militant gays.”

“Your target should really be University Housing,” he said.

ASM member Paul Weiss, along with Patzner, assured ASM the complaint was not with the LGBT group.

“People employed by the university are trying to scare the students into supporting what they want,” said Weiss.

ASM also discussed a resolution against affirmative action, a topic that sparked intense debate on the council.

“It’s extremely critical and stupid that we should be taking up against affirmative action,” Camacho said, expressing his support for the program.

ASM member Joe Heigel disagreed, however, and said the reason he supported the resolution was that he had a desire “to ensure the fundamental guarantees of freedom and equality. A majority of students oppose affirmative action.”

Affirmative action was apparently not the only hot topic up for debate Thursday night, however, as chaos and noise permeated the entire meeting.

University of Wisconsin student Michael Jackson perhaps summed it up best.

“I’ve never seen such a display of rudeness,” he said as he addressed ASM. “People are having their own conversations, laughing, you name it. I don’t know if it’s an issue with the Student Council, but you should still sit there and listen to what people have to say. You should still show respect.”

Because of the council’s antics, Jackson refused to speak on affirmative action, his original goal in attending the meeting.

Throughout the meeting, catcalls and laughter from both sides of the table, along with voices involved in other conversations, interrupted the debates. ASM members Carl Camacho and Jacqueline Helmrick were both issued warnings by chair Brian Gadow.

Camacho was warned for threatening another member and Helmrick for speaking out of turn.