Zeig halts resolution with veto
Student Government Association President Mike Zeig vetoed a resolution to support the administration and Pam Gates.
The resolution, which was approved by SGA's House and Senate, supports the administration and Gates, interim dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, in an Oct. 15 incident between her and Topinabee junior Dennis Lennox II.
Zeig, a Sterling Heights senior, said in an address to the House and Senate, the resolution lacked factual information and evidence.
"The purpose of SGA is to represent student issues and concerns. I have no doubt recent events on campus have caused great concern to many students; however, these concerns must be addressed through the proper channels," Zeig said. "SGA is not the place to determine right and wrong in specific university conflicts."
Zeig said the resolution's second resolve clause cannot be supported because it is based on factual error.
"I'm not saying, give me facts and I'll sign it. I'm saying that any factual information that's out there isn't available to us as students, so it would be inappropriate to say we support the administration because we're not apart of the investigation," he said.
Zeig said the first resolve clause also is unnecessary. The first resolve states that SGA declares, if freedoms of students, faculty and staff are infringed upon, violators should be reprimanded. Zeig said the Student Code of Conduct specifies that.
SGA's Senate and House approved the resolution Monday.
In addition, Zeig said the title of the resolution, "Supporting Administration and Faculty Against Student Harassment," implies Gates was harassed by the student, and since no SGA member was present for the incident it would be inaccurate to say this without seeing it.
The resolution can be re-voted on in both houses to override the veto.
SGA's next meeting is Nov. 12.
SGA senator Andrew Verburg, Grandville senior, created and submitted the vetoed resolution.
"I do respect President Zeig and I see where he's coming from, but I still disagree with the rational he made," Verburg said. "I am going to push it forward again. This kind of thing kind of proves that point," he said.
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