I encourage you to get the basic facts on the story from Carolyn Potts’ article today. However, let me flesh out the details a little bit.

First point was to elect a Chair. That failed. Jeff Wright isn’t sure he’s staying around for another year and needed sometime to sort out his academic affairs. Because he needed to figure out whether he’ll be able to complete another major (History) he asked the Council to postpone their decision. They agreed and moved onto Vice Chair.

For the purposes of saving time, I’ll paste what I wrote during that time-frame:

Vote for Chair has been postponed. Wright needs to get his priorities situated and figure out if he can return for the whole year.

Right now, SSFC Chair Alex Gallagher is going head-to-head with Leg. Affairs Chair and Badger Herald writer (no bias on our side though) Hannah Karns for the Vice Chair position. While things seemed to be going pretty steady here, Gallagher dropped a bomb stating that he might not be here the whole year, possibly graduating in December.

Let me say this: I’d rather have a good vice-chair for one semester than a possibly mediocre chair for a whole year.

As for their points:

Hannah: need more communication, more involvement from interns, more implementation and utilization of Vice-Chair role to reach out to other committees

Alex: Complete reform is needed, he’s pretty much repeating the press release line. More Presidential, press office stuff.

However, right now Pavlic made the point that just because he’s not Vice Chair, doesn’t mean he’s not going to be involved in leadership. Sounds like a vote for Karns.

Tackett just made a note that Outreach Committee should be abolished. Interesting.

One Rep. (can’t see his name from here) has just said Outreach should be abolished and that reform is not a great position for reform.

Wright is speaking…seems hard for him to committ to one candidate. Says both candidates would be good based on different criteria. Can’t point to any specific victories from UC, so he supports Alex.

And now for the vote:

Karns defeats Gallagher – 15-5 – Karns is new V.C.

btw: Secretary election fell apart after CJ Grosskopf told them he was going to choose the position by putting their fingers on their nose. Last person to get their finger to their nose takes the post? He didn’t really explain.

So after Jennifer Brody was made secretary by ACTUAL Parlipro rules and after taking a brief recess, they got into the nomination of each committee chair.

This is when things get ugly.

Gallagher and Pavlic run for Nominations Board Chair. They both come with the same arguments, basically, but the Dec. graduation prospect scares off everyone and Pavlic wins the chair.

They proceed through a few other committees (such as Diversity, which they postpone because they want to look for more qualified candidates) and eventually arrive at Campus Relations.

At that point Kurt Gosselin motions to postpone Campus Relations Chair appointment indefinately, citing the need to focus on creation of a press office and eventual dissolution of Campus Relations all together.

This prompts some very heated debate where half of the council (let us call it the Gallagher block) argues that this step is needed to ensure the Council moves forward now on reform rather than give any sign of complacency.

The other half of council (Let us call this the Bembenek-Karns block) makes the case for keeping Campus Relations around to ensure a smooth transition to the eventual press office. There are a few who disagree with the notion of a press office altogether, but after some empassioned debate on both sides, the motion came to a vote.

Failure – 9-9-5. Because there is no Chair (and Sol is still presiding) there is no tie breaking vote and so the motion fails.

Goes back to discussion. At this point, someone nominates a woman by the name of Frances Charapata to be chair of Campus Relations. After someone motions to close debate on the subject, another person objects to closing debate after talk of putting in another nomination. The question to close debate is called to a vote: another failure – this time10-10-4.

After this, the floor was once again open to nominations. Gallagher makes a surprise move and nominates me for Campus Relations Chair. I obviously respond by laughing loudly, throwing my pen and frustratingly declining the nomination. Even if I don’t graduate, I like the Herald just fine.

They then grill Charapata for a full 10 minutes and approve her.

After a few more posts are approved, they move on to possible campaigns for ASM, including a VOTE 2008 campaign.

When discussion comes about, Gallagher says he has a “a slight announcement” and says he thinks he’s done all he can do for the organization and will resign effective immediately. Although, apparently he has to submit this in writing to be official.

Many at the table asked him to take it back and reconsider. Wright offered support and Pavlic offered to give up her Nom. Board post. To no avail. On the way out, I asked Gallagher for comment, but he declined.

Everyone else was packing up and Jeff just sat there. His glasses were thrown off, his copy of the ASM constitution and bylaws with it’s “Student Power!” motto displayed in front of him. “I feel like half of our heart has been ripped out.”

Despite his uncertainty about this, he has said he’ll come on the radio show tomorrow and discuss this at some more length.

If you have any questions or need clarification, post a comment.