The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

SGA holds emergency rule violation meeting

Senators in the Student Government Association (SGA) were called to an emergency meeting Friday morning to address the possibility of a violation of rules by SGA Senator Bob Just.On Feb. 18, comments made by Just were brought to the attention of Seth Corthell, the SGA Elections Chair, by several senators, Corthell said. “They posed me the question of whether it was campaigning,” Corthell said. “I felt that it was not my place to make a discretionary decision.”According to SGA rules, any form of campaigning during the signature period of the election is strictly forbidden. “During the signature period of the election, potential candidates are allowed to solicit the 500 signatures for their candidacy and that’s it,” Seth Corthell said. Director of Student Life Pat Brown, SGA President Jay Taylor, Vice President Emma Kennedy and Corthell discussed the issue throughout the day and decided that the best course of action would be to call an emergency meeting to decide if Just should be held responsible and punished, Corthell said.”The precedent for this emergency meeting was set two years ago when we had a similar situation with former COLA Chair Scott McCarty and his presidential campaign,” Corthell said. The meeting took place at 7:30 a.m. in Kalkin 002. “We called this meeting on such short notice because it was the end of the week and I didn’t want to give this issue a weekend to fester and become something larger than it really was,” Corthell said.”We allowed Bob to speak about his knowledge of what happened and he then answered questions,” Corthell said. “We then discussed the situation and took it to a vote.” It was decided that Just would not be held responsible for violation of the rules. “The main goal of this meeting was to address the issue, shed light on the situation so that there were no rumors and distorted stories floating around, and finally gain closure and come to a collective decision,” Corthell said. “I am considering this issue closed,” Corthell said. “I consider Bob Just a friend of mine and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and I look forward to moving into the campaign period of the election.”Just, who is also the president of the Inter-Residence Association (IRA), declined to comment for this article.

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SGA holds emergency rule violation meeting