When Associated Student Government’s Rules Chairman Jason Warren resigned last week, he became the third executive board member to leave this term, raising questions about why ASG’s top positions have such a high turnover rate.
While some ASG executive board members and senators said the organization attracts students whose widespread campus involvement later forces them to quit, others blamed internal tensions and a lack of chemistry among executive board members.
Tiffany Berry, who was elected Spring Quarter as student services vice president, resigned over the summer, and J.D. Robertson, former ASG treasurer, resigned in May.
Warren said he had a full class load and was involved in other extracurricular activities. In the end, he simply did not have the dedication to continue his position.
“I figured someone else could give 100 percent time and energy,” he said.
Warren also said the the executive board lacked the camaraderie necessary to make the organization productive.
“Each one has their own projects,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Here’s what I did this week. OK, bye.’ I think (the multiple resignations) say something about the organization: Something has gone wrong.”
Warren declined to comment further.
Some current and former ASG officers attribute the resignations to other issues.
“Most of the pressures … weren’t external pressures,” said Berry, a Weinberg senior. “When you’re elected to a position, you put a lot of pressure on yourself. I would hate for other students … to think that all these people are resigning because of the board. That was not the case.”
Many executive board members are involved in other campus activities that might take time away from their commitment to ASG, said President Rachel Lopez.
“(Warren) is perhaps over-committed,” said Noreen Khalid, who was appointed last Wednesday night to replace Warren. “That’s true of a lot of our exec board members. The problem we’ve had has been the type of people we’ve attracted to our exec board (are) over-committed.”
The three resignations have raised the issue, however, of why participants step down after initially showing enthusiasm for their positions.
“Certainly the sorts of people who get selected to be on the ASG leadership are also people who are involved in demanding positions with many other groups and activities, so the balancing with all of that and classes can be a little much,” said Mark Witte, an economics lecturer and ASG advisor, in an e-mail to The Daily.
Bassel Korkor, the Middle-Eastern Students Association senator, attributed the resignations to tensions within the organization and on the executive board.
“There seems to be a specific type of character on the executive board this year,” said Korkor, a Weinberg senior and former speaker of the Senate. “It seems like there has been less cohesion this year, as evidenced by, if not part of the reason for, this ‘triple play.'”
Khalid, a Communication senior, said she hoped controversy at last week’s Senate meeting over amendments to ASG’s constitution and bylaws had nothing to do with Warren’s resignation.
The rules committee decided on a list of amendments some deemed controversial and presented the changes to Senate. But the proposals were sent back to the committee because senators said they were unclear.
“The main problem was that we had a dispute over the rules,” Khalid said. “It was just two different ways of interpreting.”
Senators said they were surprised and u set by Warren’s resignation but added that they admired him for being honest with the organization.
“We were totally surprised,” said Medill freshman Eva Byerley, a Foster-Walker Complex senator and member of the rules committee. “It’s sad because he always seemed so dedicated to everything we were doing. But if it wasn’t in him, I could see why he would feel he would have to (resign).”
Similarly, senators said they respected Warren’s decision to step down so that someone else could give more time to the position.
“I think he did a fantastic job, but I also admire him for recognizing that his heart wasn’t in it and that he thinks someone else could do a better job,” said Weinberg sophomore Christina Appleton, a sorority senator.
