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Show 4ASWC ASWC Continued from Page 1 Other institutions do it. Why cant we? Are their decisions too controversial? Raoux said that even if only one student vote was gained on the Board, it would still have a tremendous impact. Michael Toomey, ASWCs Director of Public Relations, said that Raouxs idea of having a student representative on the Board of Trustees was good, but that our past liaisons have been varied in their effectiveness. Some representatives to the administrators have been better than others. We will ask for a responsibility like that when we feel weve earned the right to, when we feel responsible enough for it, he said. Toomeys sentiments were echoed by Leslie Brown, the Director of Academic Affairs, at the inauguration of Ben Wilkinson. She said that ASWC would begin sending more liaisons once it feels it can produce representatives of consistent personal responsibility. This entire event taught me one thing, Raoux said. Westminster wants us to go do great things... just not here. Raoux was reviewed by the senate and by the school for two alleged violations, both of the constitution and of the student code of conduct. The first was arriving to a event having consumed a large amount of alcohol. The second was a charge of having alcohol containers in the ASWC office, and drinking while in the office. Raoux denied the latter allegation at first, but said he did so only to protect his coworkers. Everyone has consumed alcohol in that office, he said. I dont mean to sell anyone out, but its true. I thought other people would get in trouble if I spoke up about it at first. Raoux also alleged that all but two members of the executive cabinet have arrived to an event intoxicated. He said that he complied with all of the other sanctions and punishments given to him, and apologized to all of the parties involved. Im hoping that ASWC can school-sponsor- FORUMFORTNIGHTLY.COM ed move past all of this, he added. Im appalled by how the Office of Student Life handled this. They egged everyone on, and made all of this a show trial. Im thankful to the students for what they elected me to do, he said in closing. I hope that my work here helped make every experience for the students better. I think we laid good groundwork for the future of ASWC. Raoux denied claims that he was behind the Rally for Representation on Nov. 6, but was pleased that students were standing up for representation. Mark Feme, the Dean of Students, refuted the idea that his removal of Raoux was in retaliation to the ASWC senates decision. Its been implied that I acted because of the senate, Feme said. Thats not true. I was looking at Nick Raouxs violations against the code of conduct, which anyone can violate. Feme said that ASWCs impeachment hearing, and his own investigation into Raouxs violations, were two entirely separate processes that were not at all linked. The timing is whats caused the misunderstanding, and I can totally see that, said Feme. But my own process was entirely separate from ASWCs. I was not overturning their decision to keep him in office. I was looking into his violations of our code of conduct. Feme explained that whenever a student has garnered enough violations, a judicial board consisting of students, faculty and staff are assembled. The student with the violations has the opportunity to change the board members if he or she feels they would be biased against him or her. Raouxs board consisted of Feme, ASWC Chief Justice Chris Gibbs, education profese, sor Tim Carr, and Traci an athletics administrator. The student would then need to pick a date for meetings and hearings with the board. Raouxs hearing schedule, Feme said, fell in such a way that the removal happened directly after his impeachment hearing in 0 1 fD 3 O ft 4 r Sirip-rathan- v L I f 12 V- J' -vT J f "- T V Z " 3 ASWC. ? 4J Sr - in. Feme also spoke at ASWC President Ben Wilkinsons inauguration. A lot of students have said they feel like theyre no longer being heard, and that makes me feel sady he said. You have a voice. Im not taking it Senate listens as Levin-Stankevic- Levin-Stankevi- ch addresses concerns about student voice. ch Trustees and other administrators take student representation very seriously, and invited students to participate in a roundtable meeting with him later this month. away and neither is anyone else. Feme encouraged any students with additional concerns to visit him in the Dean of Students office in the Shaw center. h, Dr. Brian the college president, also spoke at the inauguration meeting. I have a long track record of empowering student voices, he said. The college does not seek to reduce yours. reassured the students that the Board of Levin-Stankevi- . Many students began addressing the issue during and after the meeting. ASWC senator Jonathon Pierce introduced a bill that would improve student representation to administrators at the college. On Nov. 6, a group of students gathered in Richer C'VS1J.AJL111110 lUi, 1UU CL ly for Representation in which they sat in a silent circle, with duct tape on their mouths, in protest of what they saw as underrepresentation. The rally, and everything around that, was intended to answer questions about representation, said Toomey. Its disappointing that students feel this way unrepresented, he said. But, ASWC is not going to argue the dean of students decision or Nicks violations of the code of conduct. Toomey said that ASWC intends to continue many of the projects that Raoux began. Were headed in the same direction, but with a change of management, he said. Were going to keep working and keep improving. Our decision was not in reaction to that of the students, said Feme, but Im glad that students are so impassioned about their representation. |