SA members fail to effectively correct faults

The necessary steps to begin rebuilding the Student Association after almost two weeks of inefficiency were not executed appropriately by members of the organization during a meeting on Sunday.

Members provided further disservice to Syracuse University students in two instances: the choice to issue a censure to President Allie Curtis as a form of punishment for several misdeeds she committed, and the decision to not revote on Curtis’ impeachment after the discovery of four fraudulent votes.

A censure does not directly address Curtis’ lack of professionalism during the first half of her term in office. This public document listing her wrongdoings against the organization, and therefore SU students, promotes an idealistic assumption that issues within the administration will not arise in the future.

This form of punishment does not help mend the issues plaguing the organization and is rather self-serving. Instead, a system of checks and balances needs to be placed on the presidency to ensure mishandlings are not reoccurring.

This would better serve SA’s constituency because students could witness their governing body actively trying to repair obvious flaws. Issuing a document does not supply this confidence.

As punishment, Curtis also is not allowed to preside over assembly meetings for the duration of the semester. Members feel this provision will allow them to better operate while questions still exist concerning Curtis’ leadership.

Though this may be viewed as a punishment, it is rather a correction to an existing flaw within the organization. When the highest officer of a group is in charge, it is difficult for members of the organization to criticize that person’s performance. This is one of the reasons Chancellor Nancy Cantor no longer leads University Senate meetings.

This is a step in the right direction because it is fixing an incompetent quality, not because it is proper punishment. But the provision also only applies to the last four meetings of the semester.

The vote to impeach Curtis was fraudulent, as four extra votes were tallied when the ballots were collected. This discrepancy should automatically lead to a revote by the assembly.

The assembly’s choice not to revote leaves the student body with a lack of confidence in its student leadership. A revote would have both supplied assurance and quelled fears of those who now rightfully perceive the result of the six-hour-long meeting with uncertainty.

After the hours SA has dedicated to sorting out the issues surrounding Curtis’ presidency, the organization should have taken the time to properly instill confidence in the student body.