It’s time for Morris to go.

On Tuesday, Jan. 4, Associated Students President Cervin Morris was formally arraigned on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery. In the meantime, the student body has continued to pay his full tuition. Morris and his friends seem to believe that students should also be responsible for his legal fees, as they are selling marked up T-shirts to raise cash. There’s little wonder why students once again voted down another A.S. fee hike.

Morris is a disgrace. This supposed exemplar of UCSB has embarrassed the Associated Students, the student body and the Isla Vista community. His actions have further tarnished the reputation that UCSB and its alumni depend upon. After indictment in a drunken brawl and possession of a fake I.D. while on probation from a previous DUI, any leader with dignity would have the decency to resign. Yet, Morris attempts to dodge accountability by arguing, “It’s being blown out of proportion.”

It’s baffling how the administration has remained silent through this whole ordeal. Under UCSB’s extended jurisdiction, the administration certainly has the ability to hold the A.S. president accountable. Morris’s actions epitomize every student body characteristic for which the UCSB administration is embarrassed. Perhaps they believed that they could stealthily sweep Morris’s antics beneath the carpet; however, it is now obvious that swift and stern action would have been more effective. At this critical time, it is the duty of the chancellor and the A.S. Legislative Council to show their commitment to our university with their swift actions, not their evasive words.

James Young and Patrick Dickey are UCSB alumni.