Associated Students Judicial Council will decide today whether to approve or overturn A.S. Elections Committee’s May 6 recommendation that 14 current or former members of Associated Students — eight of whom were sworn in to the 2011-12 Legislative Council on Wednesday — be charged with serving alcohol to minors during Spring Elections.
A.S. President Harrison Weber, Internal Vice President Chloe Stryker, External Vice President of Local Affairs Tim Benson and Executive Vice President of Statewide Affairs Ahmed Mostafa — all of whom ran with Open People’s Party — were given the option to either resign or serve their terms and complete 45 hours of A.S.-related community service each during the 2011-12 academic year.
OPP Off-Campus Representatives Danielle Foster, Reena Fram and Drey Liautaud and OPP Representative-at-Large Nathan Walter were told they could either resign or serve their terms without receiving honoraria. Former Legislative Council members Yeni Nguyen and Kellie Hartl were also asked to either step down or serve without honoraria, but neither ran for positions in next year’s Association and may not be under the purview of Elections Committee as they are no longer student government representatives.
Pending Judicial Council’s decision, four elected OPP members — Representatives-at-Large Kelly Gandee and Chelsea Parrott and Off-Campus Representatives Lauren Begleiter and Alexa Cover — were not sworn in for their elected positions on Wednesday as they face either disqualification or forced resignation if Elections Committee’s recommendation is approved. Democratic Process Party Off-Campus Representatives Xenia Mendez and Marlene Moreno and DPP Representatives-at-Large Danielle Stevens and Danielle Bermudez were sworn in to the council instead.
Elections Committee holds only closed meetings and, according to Stryker, does not have its minutes approved by Legislative Council. Several attempts to contact the chair, advisor and members of Elections Committee were unsuccessful.
According to Stryker, the case began with an anonymous complaint to Elections Committee that several OPP members had distributed alcoholic Jell-O shots to fraternities around Isla Vista during elections week. However, Stryker said, because none of the implicated representatives are privy to the proceedings of Elections Committee, the case appears to be based on one student’s word against another.
“We don’t know what evidence they have at this point,” Stryker said. “I have no idea what their reasoning or consideration was behind this. They don’t put the Elections Committee minutes on record — that’s another issue altogether. If they have all power, they can disqualify anyone for anything that they think of; I’m guessing that’s their interpretation at this point.”
Stryker said the group will petition to appeal the committee’s decision if Judicial Council chooses to hear the case. Additionally, Stryker said the recommended punishments were not proportionate to the students’ charges and are much stricter than in years past.
“We’re fighting the fact that [Elections Committee] says that disqualification is the highest punishment and last resort,” Stryker said. “This is my third year running and, in the past, things that were way worse were done. People either did not even get in trouble by Elections Committee or they were fined.”
For example, on April 16, 2010, OPP Presidential candidate Josue Aparicio was cited by Isla Vista Foot Patrol for furnishing alcohol to a minor during an election-related party. Elections Committee took no publically disclosed action against Aparicio.
Mostafa, who does not drink for both personal and religious reasons, said the committee’s recommendations are an attempt at retroactive justice to punish past OPP members and extend far beyond the committee’s jurisdiction.
“The way it is, it’s almost as if they’re the leviathan of A.S. where they technically can have more power than the president,” Mostafa said. “If they’re able to force a legislator to resign from office that didn’t even sign any paperwork, you might as well make Elections Committee run A.S.”
Mostafa said Elections Committee’s closed meetings and undeniable bias skewed their ruling on the case.
“I think I trust their intentions in Elections Committee; I just don’t trust the fact that there are other individuals in the room, like Paul [Monge-Rodriguez], who can influence the whole entire committee,” Mostafa said. “You have the A.S. president, who happens to be the leader of our organization as a whole, and he also happens to be the leader of DP Party and I just think that his very presence in that room is not fair.”
Stryker said she feels that OPP’s success in the recent election explains the Committee’s prejudice against them.
“Because we swept, we’re going to get targeted,” Stryker said. “We expect to be targeted because we’re who got elected but I do think there’s a correlation between the fact that we did sweep and that there are such harsh penalties this year.”
I think this is really absurd. Whatever happened to being unbiased? I strongly think that a group such as a committee that oversights elections, I would at least think that they would gather evidence over such allegations. From the article it doesn’t look like they have anything but a word of mouth from a student, who probably just doesn’t like OPP. STUPID. If an unbiased group is practicing politics…oh man. Imagine how bad it must be to practice real politics in AS.
Agree
Obviously you are not involved in Associated Students AT ALL. You should be! They take $150.00+ dollars from you. The statement you posted is completely ignorant of how Elections Committee works or the MANY amazing people who work in AS.
To whomever said that I am not involved im sorry to say that I am. And I’ll be frank, they take more. We have lock-in fees for specific BCCs. I do know what is up so don’t tell me otherwise please. I even know people on elections committee. So please. Don’t preach to the choir.
the word idiots is what this is about.
this is a word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on such nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
How can this be biased? Elections committee has not release any information, the Nexus is doing what it can to inform the students of immoral actions. They have no information from the other side, therefore it is IMPOSSIBLE to be “unbiased” as you all might say.But I may be wrong, what would you have had the Nexus say? OPP is a bunch of elitist, Greek, rich white kids who only get through life on trust funds? I’m 100% positive if the Nexus had the other side of the story they would put OPP on blast, but the evidence has not… Read more »
A former roommate of mine ran with OPP last, and I can say that he was not elitist, Greek, rich, or white and I’m pretty sure he never had a trust fund. Check yourself. . .
growup kids for the word idiots comes to mind here.
this is a word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on such nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
No let me tell you what is “really absurd.” What is truly absurd is the ignorance of the processes and realities of Associated Students as posed by this article. This is honestly one of the most biased articles I have seen and I am so tired of the Daily Nexus so blatantly creating article after article with such obvious favoring. Let me point out some inaccurcies and overall blantant bias. First of all, EVERY SINGLE QUOTATION in this article is by a member of the very party that is in fact in question. NO students were interviewed YET AGAIN. Just… Read more »
I Agree.
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE HAS EVIDENCE. THIS IS LITERALLY AN ARTICLE OF QUOTES FROM OPP EXECUTIVES TRYING TO SCAPE-GOAT.
SWEEPING DOES NOT COUNT WHEN YOU WIN BY ILLEGAL MEANS.
PERIOD.
FUCK POLITICAL PARTIES. I HATE ALL OF THEM. BUT SERIOUSLY OPP THIS IS DISGUSTING.
LEG COUNCIL HAS BEEN RUN BY OPP FOR TOO LONG. THE REAL WORK GETS DONE IN THE BCCs. AND IT SEEMS THE NEXUS IS JUST AN ARM OF OPP.
Wow, as a student who does not know much about AS I can still clearly see how this article is biased.
I really wish there was an alternative to the Nexus.
There’s The Bottom Line.
You mean A.S.’s own newsletter? The one that’s run completely off student funds? That won’t be biased at all!
The Bottom Line isn’t the A.S. newsletter. Read the paper, just because it’s run off student funds…. WAIT SO IS THE NEXUS!
Obviously, you have never read The Bottom Line, or you would know that it isn’t the A.S. newsletter. They criticize AS probably more so than dah Nexis.
Dude, Associated Students is plastered all over their pages and website. Hell, it’s even in their web address.
http://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/contact
Also: Nexus makes almost all of it’s money (minus a $3.85 quarterly lock-in fee) from advertising, hence why it’s an -independent- student newspaper. Bottom Line’s straight up student funds and hosted by A.S.. Also, I have read it, and it’s pretty shitty (do they even have proofreaders?), hence why I don’t think it’s worth a cent of student fees.
Not saying the Nexus is perfect, far from it, but I don’t see a sufficient alternative in the Bottom Line.
http://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2011/05/opp-candidates-disqualified-from-holding-office
what about tbl being an AS newsletter?
Uh, an article without any interviews that looks like it was written from someone involved with the groups within A.S. who aren’t fond of OPP. Wow. So unbiased and fair. Doesn’t help that the article jumps to conclusions about the candidate’s guilt (they also didn’t resign LOL) just to hype up the story. I swear, the BL is like the Fox News of UCSB.
Be present in AS and you will know there truth
“For example, on April 16, 2010, OPP Presidential candidate Josue Aparicio was cited by Isla Vista Foot Patrol for furnishing alcohol to a minor during an election-related party. Elections Committee took no publically disclosed action against Aparicio.”
OPP has been doing this for years. Saying that well they haven’t caught us in the past, is in no way justification for allowing it this year. That is the most ridiculous article ever.
Josue resigned from Finance Board.
False- check your facts ^ you have no clue what you are talking about so stop spreading lies
I remember seeing an article saying he did resign from finance board in the middle of the year, so it probably had nothing to do with that particular instance of breaking the law. I’d bet he got caught up in something else.
I am a 1st year and I know many amazing people work on the Nexus and I love them. But honestly this article is really biased and even I can see that.
I really hope we can all work together to create true investigative journalism. Together we can uncover the truth.
Yea I agree. This is redonkulousss
Well said. And yes this childish talk is just blinding us from the truth.
The truth is that there is no evidence of anything- just a few sore losers trying to make other people miserable. You all love the gossip, and will latch on to anything you hear. How sad is it that these student’s lives are affected because of poor sportsmanship
the word idiots comes to my mind.
this is a word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on such nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
“Because we swept, we’re going to get targeted,” Stryker said. “We expect to be targeted because we’re who got elected but I do think there’s a correlation between the fact that we did sweep and that there are such harsh penalties this year.”
Yes there is a correlation between sweeping and the penalties. IT’S CALLED: OPP SWEPT BECAUSE OF THESE PRACTICES.
Haha. Amen.
Gosh i voted for these people….guess I should research more
hahah!
HOW CONVENIENT!
THIS ISN’T ON THE FRONT PAGE!
Break the story and then put it on the 2nd page! Daily Nexus, you intentional bias is gross
B) Elections Committee Composition: 1) The Election Committee shall consist of a composition of the following: a) Voting Membership: 1) Five (5) At-Large Representatives b) Non-Voting Membership: 1) Chairperson 2) A.S. Advisor 3) A.S. Controller(s) 4) A.S. Committee on Committees Chair 5) A.S. Executive Director 6) Two (2) A.S. Legislative Council Members 7) A.S. President 8) A.S. Attorney General 2) Selection and Term of Office of the Chairperson and Voting Members: a) The Chairperson and the five (5) At-Large Representatives shall be recommended by the A.S. Committee on committees, then nominated by the A.S. President and appointed by the Legislative… Read more »
idiots.
A word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
yes yes yes yes There are a lot of committees in AS that work on precisely human rights campaigns like those you mentioned. And yes there has been a serious lack of activism on those matter from previous years leg council(s) because it has been dominated by the same people year after year (OPP) while the committees like I mention above havd been dominated by actual activists on this campus. I agree with your concern. Student government is not about resume building it is about having the institutional support to have what you mention changed.
Our “elected official” Chloe Stryker says “This is my third year running and, in the past, things that were way worse were done. People either did not even get in trouble by Elections Committee or they were fined.” For example, on April 16, 2010, OPP Presidential candidate Josue Aparicio was cited by Isla Vista Foot Patrol for furnishing alcohol to a minor during an election-related party. Elections Committee took no publically disclosed action against Aparicio. OMG No Fair! We’ve been able to cheat and get away with it in the past, why cant we keep on doing it?!?!?! Are you… Read more »
idiots.
this is a word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on such nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
yes yes yes There are a lot of committees in AS that work on precisely human rights campaigns like those you mentioned. And yes there has been a serious lack of activism on those matter from previous years leg council(s) because it has been dominated by the same people year after year (OPP) while the committees like I mention above havd been dominated by actual activists on this campus. I agree with your concern. Student government is not about resume building it is about having the institutional support to have what you mention changed.
get a life is what these people need to do for idiots is a word that can be assigned to people who waste their time on such nonsense matters while others die of lack of water, food, and medical attention in the world and we all know that if the time was spent on worthy matters it would be better rather than wasted.
There are a lot of committees in AS that work on precisely human rights campaigns like those you mentioned. And yes there has been a serious lack of activism on those matter from previous years leg council(s) because it has been dominated by the same people year after year (OPP) while the committees like I mention above havd been dominated by actual activists on this campus. I agree with your concern. Student government is not about resume building it is about having the institutional support to have what you mention changed.
I whole heartedly agree No let me tell you what is “really absurd.” What is truly absurd is the ignorance of the processes and realities of Associated Students as posed by this article. This is honestly one of the most biased articles I have seen and I am so tired of the Daily Nexus so blatantly creating article after article with such obvious favoring. Let me point out some inaccurcies and overall blantant bias. First of all, EVERY SINGLE QUOTATION in this article is by a member of the very party that is in fact in question. NO students were… Read more »
What a complete joke. I personally feel bad for the OPP members that didnt have anything to do with this, but honestly, at ucsb, AS elections are nothing more than a glorified high school popularity contest.
upvote
UCSB Redditors Unite!
I’ve always gotten the popularity contest vibe, too. It’s the main reason I never became active in student government at UCSB. People are too focused about meaningless political parties and electing their friends, and not about representing the students. What a shame, we need strong student government in these times…
Some people do really good work in AS
you should see for yourself
In all my years at UCSB both major parties have always thrown a party to get out the vote (usually on the same day on DP). Both parties are guilty of this in the past (I no longer attend UCSB so I can’s speak to this years events). It seems a little off that all of a sudden these people are being sanctioned for something that has come to be expected. Its not right that only the party elected is getting singled out for serving alcohol to minors when both parties are guilty of it. Is there bias in this… Read more »
Actually they have received years of complaints of OPP but elections committee has done little over the past years. Finally, people were so fed up with inaction….
For the record-
Multiple non-OPP representatives involved in the case refused to comment. Elections Committee refused to comment. Multiple representatives from Judicial Council were unresponsive to over a week of communication attempts.
It would be extremely unprofessional and counterproductive to cite representatives from other parties within A.S. who were not involved in the case and could only report hearsay on OPP reps’ alleged involvement.
For our next installment on this issue, our reporters are yet again attempting to contact Elections Commitee, Judicial Council, and multiple OPP and non-OPP representatives involved in the case.
I did not say you should cite others from parties. You only quoted OPP members. That is just incomplete and biased. You should have quoted students. How THEY feel about THEIR representatives actions.
And I feel like you framed this entire article to convey an opinion and it is so blatantly biased. I am really disappointed in the Nexus and its coverage of elections. Enough is enough.
Honestly, I am really disappointed. I know the people you interviewed and I know what questions were asked and they were looking for a certain opinion
What are you talking about. There are NO non-OPP representatives quoted AT ALL. And plenty of students are part of AS or are even concerned. Communication attempts do not justify the bias of this article or of the others concerning elections.
I AGREE! No let me tell you what is “really absurd.” What is truly absurd is the ignorance of the processes and realities of Associated Students as posed by this article. This is honestly one of the most biased articles I have seen and I am so tired of the Daily Nexus so blatantly creating article after article with such obvious favoring. Let me point out some inaccurcies and overall blantant bias. First of all, EVERY SINGLE QUOTATION in this article is by a member of the very party that is in fact in question. NO students were interviewed YET… Read more »