In a situation without precedent, the removal of two leaders stands to cast the student government into a period of uncertainty.
After the Associated Students of Madison Student Judiciary removed Vice Chair Beth Huang and Nominations Board Chair Nico Magallon from office for an elections violation, the judiciary body ruled in special session Thursday that a temporary stay on the decision would not be extended.
As a result of the ruling, two members of ASM leadership are no longer official members of Student Council.
Chief Justice Kathryn Fifield said Huang and Magallon were charged to complete 20 hours of community service for canvassing in the dorms during the spring 2011 election season.
She said because the records were submitted late in the day on the Sept. 15 deadline, they were notified that their candidacy had been disqualified, but the two were granted a stay lasting 24 to 36 hours because of their prominent positions in ASM.
During the Thursday night session, Fifield said she put forth a resolution to extend the appeals deadline, which had long since passed since the original decision was released in the spring.
The appeal is scheduled for Oct. 4, giving Huang and Magallon until noon on Sept. 30 to submit an appellate brief outlining their case. Fifield said while the violation is not uncommon, the current crisis for ASM has no precedent.
“People violate rules all the time and the only sanction we usually have is to revoke candidacy, which isn’t supposed to happen many months down the road,” she said.
While the appeals process gears up, Huang said she would continue her involvement in ASM’s grassroots recruitment and training campaigns, which she said stand to lose the most in the time of transition.
Huang also said she fears for the future of the Student Council moving forward.
“I’m unsure that [Student Judiciary] recognizes the implications of this decision,” she said.
ASM Chair Allie Gardner said she would call on other council members to dedicate additional time to the roles that now stand vacant.
She added her main concern would continue to be ensuring that ASM serves its mission to students.
“I think we’re all a little bit worried right now as to how to do that right now without these people,” Gardner said.
