Dysfunction within ASSOU continues

With the end of the term coming closer, the trials and tribulations of the ASSOU continue to grow.

Former Director of Communications Hayden Perkins resigned earlier in the term and was replaced by Amanda Stucke.

Former Executive Director of Administration and Finance Jordan Marshall also chose to resign, walking out of Tuesday’s meeting after making it official.

Marshall cited the accusations against President Stephen Land and the events leading up to the cease and desist order issued two weeks prior by ASSOU lawyers as reasons for his resignation.

“Our process is under attack by the administration. They’re concerned,” said Marshall, who was a founding writer of the previous ASSOU constitution, “They have a problem with ‘due process.’ The administration is violating our rights.”

“We have been stopped for who knows what reason,” Marshall said, “These accusations are serious and we should be able to work through them.”

The Judicial Branch had been informally investigating allegations of ethical breaches within the executive code regarding Land. The branch met to launch charges against Land on Oct. 29, but were confronted with concerns from the administration regarding due process and last year’s presidential race where Land and Justice Katherine Gohring were opponents. The charges did not result in a trial. A cease and desist order in regards to the allegations against Land and all information concerning the investigation was issued Nov. 2.

Marshall’s resignation is only one sign of the many problems the ASSOU is experiencing.

“ I am not doing enough in this organization,” International Senator Sachta Bakshi said. “We are here to make a difference. I do not see it happening.”

Bakshi said that the organization “spends too much time arguing off-topic and wasting time.”

“We need to be raising more issues that pertain to our job,” Bakshi said, “We need to be doing more.”

Senator Tamara Beardsley expressed similar sentiments.

“It is week seven and we have not accomplished anything.  We need to actually come to meetings and do work,” Beardsley said, “We are getting paid to do nothing.”

Senator Ryan Chaddock attempted to put feelings about the situation into perspective, saying ASSOU always takes time to get going each year.

“We always have this conversation, we are still getting the foot in,” Chaddock said. “We need a full term to get things going.”

Senator Paul Jenkins suggested the group try harder to work together and proposed the senate discusses the new constitution, of which no one within the ASSOU has taken the time to “crack open.”

The ASSOU Senate meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Stevenson Union Senate Chambers.