The chair of the SGA block seating committee has made several decisions without the consent of other committee members.
Emails obtained by The Crimson White reveal Mckenzie Jones conducted the block seating application process without seeking approval from the rest of the committee, having a committee meeting, or holding a vote of any form.
“This is what I’ve decided the application process [will] be like for the fall of 2011,” Jones wrote in a July 28 email to committee members. “It is important for us to accept this application process the way I’ve drawn it up in order for us to move forward.”
Jones also directly dismissed requests by committee member Ryan Flamerich, for committee votes on issues ranging from GPA requirements for applying organizations to a timeline for when applications would be posted and accepted.
When asked to allow the committee to hold a broader conversation on application criteria, including a vote of the full committee on the final application, Jones refused.
“We will not be able to vote on [the final application’s point scale] as the applications are going live tomorrow,” Jones said in an email the day the application was released. The application was posted without a final vote of approval by the Student Organization Seating Committee.
Jones had originally proposed keeping unequal point intervals for judging the GPAs of student organizations that apply for seating, but later emailed the committee a revised GPA scale after continued complaints from Flamerich. “The GPA scale increments and associated points scale will be altered for consistency,” he wrote.
In further emails, Jones responded to Flamerich’s suggestion that organizations be rewarded for their diversity by accusing Flamerich of discriminatory behavior. “It is one thing to get on a soapbox and preach the word of diversity, but it is yet another to actually practice what you preach,” Jones said, saying that the committee members Flamerich appointed were not representative of campus.
Of the Executive Council’s eight selections for the Student Organization Seating Committee, all eight are greek and seven are white. Of Flamerich’s eight appointments, two are greek and five are white.
Flamerich responded to the allegations Jones made in a subsequent email, defending his appointees and saying they closely mirror the demographics of the campus. “I think everyone’s motives on this committee are genuine, and I don’t think vilifying them will advance this process,” Flamerich wrote.
The Executive Council consists of the SGA President, Vice Presidents, Chief of Staff, and Executive Secretary. Jones was appointed as chair by the council despite not holding any other position in the SGA, but his appointment was never officially submitted to the SGA Senate, a possible violation of the SGA Code of Laws.
Although there is no mention of block seating in any of the SGA’s governing documents, Chapter 200.1.3 of the Code of Laws reads that, “The Executive Council shall select the committee chairs for all executive committees and submit these selections to the Senate.”
SGA Communications Director Seth Morrow said student government officials are confident that all actions have been in compliance with the constitution. “The Office of the SGA Attorney General conducted an overview at the beginning of the process and found all actions to be in compliance with our governing documents,” he said.
In an interview with The Crimson White last week, Flamerich declined to discuss the conversations, saying, “I think the emails speak for themselves.”
“My goal is I think student organization seating is definitely something that can improve this campus,” Flamerich said. “If it’s done fairly it can push organizations to be better so that they can have more competitive applications for student organization seating so that then they can get better seating. That’s a way we can improve all organizations on campus.”
Jones did not respond to three phone calls seeking comment, but was quoted by SGA Communications Director Seth Morrow in a statement released over the weekend. “I promise to oversee a committee that operates with transparency and accountability,” Jones said.
