Associated Student Government’s Executive Committee will recommend that Senate derecognize Exigent Theatre Company after a financial misconduct hearing Monday, Executive Vice President Srikanth Reddy said.
Although the financial misconduct charges were against the group’s president and not the group itself, Reddy said the situation illustrated serious organizational problems within the group that warrant its derecognition.
“There have not been elections since (Exigent’s founding in) Spring 2000,” said Reddy, a McCormick junior. “There has not been a treasurer since January 2001.”
But Exigent members denied the committee’s findings.
“We disagree with ASG’s recommendation and we plan to appeal on Wednesday, ” said Teddy Dunn, a member of Exigent’s executive board and a Speech junior.
Senate will vote on whether to derecognize Exigent at its meeting Wednesday. The group cannot be demoted because demoting a B-status group to T-status would violate student group guidelines.
The charges stem from an incident in which Exigent President Alex Burns, a Speech junior, forged the treasurer’s signature to use Exigent funds for an Arts Alliance production of “Angels in America” that he directed in the fall, Reddy said.
“(Arts Alliance) was underfunded by $500,” Reddy said. “He unilaterally had Exigent pay $500.”
Burns declined to comment, but admitted last week to forging the treasurer’s signature on the voucher to transfer funds to the Arts Alliance account.
In addition, Reddy said, Burns forged the treasurer’s signature on a voucher to reimburse himself for money he spent on set materials for “Angels in America.”
Former Exigent Treasurer Vera Lester, who did not attend the hearing, said derecognition is not the answer to the group’s problems.
“They’re punishing the organization for something Alex did, so I don’t think that’s reasonable,” said Lester, a Speech senior. “In the fall there were organizational issues because it was just Alex. Since then they have gotten organized.”
But Reddy said the group’s lax organization allowed Burns’ actions go unchecked.
“The fact that this was allowed to happen created a mindset within the committee that the group had to be derecognized,” said Reddy. “Symptoms like that make it necessary to derecognize the group.”
Reddy said the committee also recommended that Burns not be allowed to serve as the president or treasurer of any ASG-recognized student group and that Burns pay back the $724.28.
Burns has said he hopes to graduate this fall, and that he hoped the consequences for his misconduct would not affect the group.
Although Exigent is a B-status group and therefore does not receive funds from Student Activities Finance Board, all money in the group’s account is subject to university policy, Reddy said.
Exigent plans to produce a show in Shanley Pavilion in May. But if the group is derecognized, they can’t produce the show, Reddy said.
“That group of people doesn’t need recognition from Associated Student Government to do what they are doing,” said Lester, who is slated to produce the show. “Recognition only gives them space. They have space for a show in the spring. If (derecognition) revokes their space in the spring, that’s a crime.”
