SGA Judicial Branch reviews three cases between this year's presidential tickets
Students pack into a room to listen in on three Central Michigan University Student Government Association court cases regarding this year's presidential tickets, Acheampong/House and Ruiz/Barot, during their meeting at the Bovee University Center on Monday, April 15, 2025. (CM Life | Blace Carpenter)
The Central Michigan University Student Government Association’s President-elect Akua Acheampong and Vice President-elect Kathryn House were at the center of three judicial hearings during SGA's meeting on April 14.
The newly elected leaders filed cases against the SGA Elections Committee, outgoing President Carolina Hernandez Ruiz and outgoing Vice President Aashka Barot, alleging they violated campaign rules and that the committee neglected to take proper action against them.
Hernandez Ruiz filed a claim of her own against the Acheampong/House ticket, alleging they violated rules as well and that her campaign endured harassment during the election.
Chief Justice Madison Coleman stated a verdict would be reached the day after the meeting, but stated in an email on Wednesday, April 16, that "a decision won't be out till latest Friday."
Central Michigan University's Student Government Association President Carolina Hernandez Ruiz and Vice Preisdent Aashka Barot speak with students on their decisions to run for reelection. Candidates were introduced during the association's general meeting at Bovee University Center on Monday, March 17, 2025. (CM Life | Blace Carpenter)
Acheampong and House vs. The Elections Committee
In the first case, Acheampong and House stated they had eyewitness accounts who allegedly saw Hernandez Ruiz, Barot and their pick for treasurer Pratham Agrwal, campaigning in unauthorized spots such as Wayside, residential halls and dining halls.
The two said that despite submitting several claims, the committee had not given the party any penalties.
“The elections committee never acknowledged the receipt of this witness statement nor took any action,” House said. “Ignoring clear documented violations sends a dangerous message that rules are optional and enforcement is selective.”
Elections Director Praise Oyimi said the ticket was only speculating and didn’t have any solid evidence to support their claims.
“Our request for evidence shows that you’re actually true to your cause and you’re not just speculating,” he said. “Please take a picture of the act that is taking place.”
Acheampong said her ticket had been submitted properly and there was no requirement to get a photo, video or any other media-related evidence when making a claim.
“We have multiple eyewitness accounts,” Acheampong said. “Is that enough evidence?”
(From left to right) Candidates Jose Medina, Akua Acheampong, Kathryn House and Carnell Poindexter discussed with students the initiatives they hope to implement if selected as SGA's next executive board and cabinet. Candidates were introduced during the association's general meeting at Bovee University Center on Monday, March 17, 2025. (CM Life | Blace Carpenter)
Acheampong and House vs. Ruiz, Barot, Agarwal
Similar to the first case, House and Acheampong filed against the Ruiz/Barot ticket, claiming that they had violated campaign rules.
The two repeated the claims made during their hearing against the Elections Committee, stating the ticket had violated campaign rules by campaigning in unauthorized areas.
“We are here today because we believe that the Spring 2025 Student Government Association Election process has been compromised by repeated violations of the election packet,” Acheampong said.
Similar to Oyimi’s comments during case one, Hernandez Ruiz stated that their claims lacked evidence.
“Starting with campaigning in the dining hall, there is no evidence of it,” Hernandez Ruiz said. “Having a witness without evidence is just speculation. The election committee, as we heard a couple of minutes ago, agreed that there was no violation and for that reason, we were never notified.”
Acheampong said that it was never stated that photo, video or other media evidence is the only type of proof candidates could submit.
Hernandez Ruiz and Barot told the justices that Acheampong and House had reached out to them hours before Monday’s meeting, stating they were willing to drop the case against her if she was willing to drop her case.
“If (Akua) and Kathryn are so passionate about bringing transparency and bringing truth to the committee, then why five hours before the actual hearing, they were willing to drop the case if we drop ours?” Hernandez Ruiz said.
Acheampong and House said they hoped to have a peace agreement and not have to settle issues publicly. The defendants criticized their actions.
“If she is saying that she was willing to have peace if we drop our case, that doesn’t sound like peace, that sounds like conditioning,” Hernandez Ruiz said. “That sounds like coercion.”
House told Central Michigan Life after the hearing that she wished the option of peace had been taken.
“I hope that an olive branch will be received better in the future,” House said.
Ruiz vs. Acheampong, House, (Carnell) Poindexter III and (Jose) Medina
Hernandez Ruiz filed against the Acheampong/House ticket, claiming that their support towards former SGA Speaker of Christian Dunn helped perpetuate harassment towards her and her campaign, caused by anonymous users on the app YikYak.
On April 3, Dunn had said in his letter of resignation that he and other SGA members had endured harassment and hostility from Hernandez Ruiz over the past year. He didn’t provide any evidence of this claim in his letter nor to the public afterwards.
Dunn had sent this letter to the SGA email group, which included over 200 people.
Throughout the day, users on YikYak made several claims against Hernandez Ruiz and attacked both her personal and professional life.
The Acheampong/House ticket asked that the case be thrown out and said that their party cannot control the actions of others.
“We want to be clear, no one from our campaign has posted, stated or spread anything negative about the opposing candidate,” Acheamopong said. “We cannot and do not control what others outside of our campaign choose to post.”
After Acheampong was named the next president of SGA, she had written a note on Instagram stating, “We did it Dunn.”
Hernandez Ruiz said that Acheampong's social media comment shows a connection to the online harassment sparked by Dunn's letter on social media and the president-elect's party.
"This comment was an open endorsement of the same individuals who have been responsible for sustained online harassment and defamatory of my character," Hernandez Ruiz said.
Acheampong disagreed.
"How does this indicate that my ticket has caused anyone harassment, has caused anyone defamation?" Achemapong said. "That has no correlation. Christian Dunn is my friend, however, I cannot force anyone to commit any actions."
In an interview after the hearing, Hernandez Ruiz said that she and her campaign’s public image have suffered from these claims and that evidence for them still hasn’t been presented.
“You cannot just damage someone’s image and, again, harass them without any real allegations or real proof of those things,” she said. “That completely ruined our reputation.”
Hernandez Ruiz said she is working with the justices to see how she can file against Dunn.
In other news
The SGA House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation: the extension of course drop deadlines (96% in favor) and the extension of the university bereavement period from three to five days (94% in favor).
This will move forward to be signed by Hernandez Ruiz at a future meeting.
This is a developing story. Please check in with cm-life.com with more information as it becomes available.
