Acorn

The Senate votes, with ballots in hand, on when to hold the upcoming impeachment hearing. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Meghan Van Dyk President Matt Troy listens to Riker Senator Erik Emdur's concerns over the legitimacy of the SGA. [Click to enlarge]

Student Government Association President junior Matt Troy presided over Sunday's meeting, newly reinstated after the Student Conduct Board's Friday appeal. But he's already slipping on thin ice. The Senate voted 16-6 to hold a second impeachment hearing against Troy on Dec 13 at 2 p.m.

In a contentious four-and-a-half hour meeting, the majority of the Senate felt disenfranchised by the SCB's ability to overturn their decision because it is made up of members appointed by Troy and that it unfairly expunged the "decision of the students,"  Sophomore Class Senator Max Tynan said. "You are not our president in my eyes. Our decision is final in my eyes."

"I feel like you [Troy] slapped me in the face [by appealing]," Riker Senator Eric Emdur said.

Senators also spoke out on their concerns that Troy was still in violation of two of the original charges-Article 6, Sections 3 and 5.

The latter requires that the executive exist of the president, vice president and the president pro-tempore. Thus, all members must attend any meetings of the executive. The most recent meeting was held Sunday at 5 p.m., according to Troy. But SGA Vice President sophomore Dara Goldberg, University Senator senior Jen Hudon, also president pro-tempore, and Elections Chair junior Yassin Abbak were not informed of the meeting until it was too late. Hudon said Freshman Class Senator Stephen Yellin called her around 5:20 and Abbak, who resigned Sunday during the meeting, said he received an e-mail informing him at 5:24 p.m.

Troy said he made "every effort" to inform his cabinet and the executive council of the meeting.

The former charge requires the executive council to consist of an attorney general, director of committees, executive secretary, treasurer and elections chair. Acting President Goldberg appointed Abbak as elections chair last week, but when Troy was reinstated, he fired Executive Secretary junior Sherry Chen and did not find a replacement for the meeting.

Troy said that he "found out about the [executive secretary] opening last [Saturday] night," he said. "I am putting things back as well as I can. Give me more than a couple of days."

Two different members of Troy's cabinet took minutes for the meeting, neither os which have more than a week's experience on the SGA.

The Senate also questioned Troy's decision to fire three of his cabinet members-former Chief of Staff senior Peter Stuart, Director of Committees senior Thomas Gilchrist and Chen.

University Senator junior Ryo Kuroki felt these actions were against feelings expressed in an e-mail Troy sent to the Senate on Saturday.

"Let me first make clear that I do not hold grudges and the thing that we really need to do is to come together and really show the students why we are all here in the first place," Troy wrote in the e-mail.

Troy told the Senate Sunday that he felt he was acting in the best interest of the students by "minimizing conflicts and have a fresh start in some regard," he said. "Two of the members expressed interest in going abroad next semester and one of them expressed interest not continuing with the SGA."

The three former cabinet members said Troy asked them to leave without discussion of their motives.

Chen handed out the e-mail Troy sent her Saturday. "Unfortunately, I no longer feel that after the events that have transpired, that I could trust you to be a part of my administration and be able to work with you in a productive and positive manner. Therefore, I'd like to inform you that I must remove you from your new positions on the SGA executive staff," Troy wrote in the e-mail.

After hearing from Chen at the meeting, Troy asked her to rejoin the cabinet, even though he asked the Senate earlier to appoint senior Jen Dugan, who was not present, to the position.

SGA adviser Dean of Educational Affairs Frank Merckx likened the SGA to a scene from My Cousin Vinnie.

"You're stuck in the mud," he said. "Figure a way out of the mud or walk into court in a clown suit...appeals are not simple...the SGA is not one person. It's time for everyone to do what they were elected to do. Represent the students. If you want to re-try the president, do it."

Both Gilchrist and Stuart asked Troy to "resign and let the students decide in an election," Stuart said.

Tynan asked Troy to respond to issues regarding his character. "Show us you're a leader," he said. "Show us you deserve to be here."

Gilchrist handed Troy a statement and began reading it before he was asked to stop by Goldberg because it questioned Troy's character.

"I don't think now is the time to move on," Gilchrist said. "We can do better without Matt Troy."

Troy laughed and smiled as his recommendation to resign was being read.

"How many times do resignations have to be proposed and impeachments need to be made to tell you that you don't have the support of this organization," Gilchrist said.

Troy disagreed. "I don't think it should come to that," he said. "I have every right to be here. The students already decided last spring when I won as a write-in candidate."

But he plans to think about this more during the week, "'ll weigh whether it's best for student body to fight this impeachment," he told The Acorn after the meeting.

The second impeachment hearing amounts to a re-trial. The Senate will try Troy under the same charges. According to Senior Class Senator Victor Garcia, the SCB overturned the impeachment verdict on the following procedural errors: Troy had inadequate time to prepare for the hearing-eight days for notification and five days to prepare evidence-and there was a discrepancy in the date listed on evidence.

Before Troy's appeal, the SGA conducted business on two occasions, discussing and passing several bills.

"I'd love nothing more than to put this conflict aside," Troy said. "I have persevered and have been through a lot here myself. I am going to make every effort to move forward."

 Click here to see more photos from the December 3 SGA meeting

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