Associated Student Government’s judicial branch will hold two hearings Sunday to investigate conduct by student leaders that charges say violated ASG’s laws and guidelines.
Mitch Holzrichter, chief justice of ASG’s Judicial Board, notified senators Wednesday night that two petitions were filed and accepted.
The first petition, written by Jason Warren, the former ASG rules chairman who resigned Jan. 29, challenges how the group revealed its 2003-04 operating budget.
Warren said ASG leaders failed to show the budget to senators by the mandated date. He also said ASG did not present the budget either online or to The Daily two weeks before it became new business, as required in the bylaws.
“The rule is in place to create campuswide discourse on the budget so people can deliberate,” said Warren, a Communication junior. “(The petition poses) a question of why they can circumvent their own rules. This is about keeping government accountable.”
The 2003-04 operating budget was introduced as new business Wednesday at the Senate’s weekly meeting. Article V, section 1 of the ASG bylaws stipulates that the budget must be presented to Senate three weeks before the last meeting of the quarter.
ASG President Rachel Lopez defended the way officers handled the operating budget procedure this year but said ASG Treasurer Edith Rivera is the authority for all budget issues. Rivera, a Communication junior, did not return calls Thursday.
The budget will become open for debate at a meeting during Reading Week, which will take place March 12 — just 14 days after the budget was introduced as new business. Traditionally, ASG does not hold Senate meetings during Reading Week.
Warren made no recommendation for a penalty, but the board could decide to make a recommendation, such as asking for an apology or policy change. The petition could not directly result in the impeachment of Rivera because the board has a separate impeachment process.
In the other petition case, Amnesty International Sen. Gia DiGiacobbe asked justices to probe ASG Executive Vice President Nicole Mash’s methods of appointing senators to her executive committee. The petition claims recent appointees were not confirmed by the Senate, as the student group guidelines mandate.
Holzrichter said DiGiacobbe’s petition alleges that “confirmation processes were not followed” by Mash when appointing senators to vacancies within the executive committee.
Neither DiGiacobbe, an Education sophomore, nor Mash, a Weinberg senior, could be reached for comment Thursday. DiGiacobbe recommends in her petition that Mash confirm the appointments with Senate and apologize for not following the guidelines.
A third petition was filed Thursday against Holzrichter, the Weinberg sophomore confirmed. The Judicial Board would not reveal the details Thursday night and has yet to decide whether it will hold a third hearing.
Holzrichter, who is also a Daily ad representative, said he would recuse himself from that process, which would occur at the same time as the other two petitions. The hearings are open to the public and will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Norris University Center’s Penn State Room. Any student can submit an amicus brief supporting either side of a case.
During the hearing, each side is given one hour to present its case, and justices may ask questions. However, debate is not allowed, and justice deliberation is closed.
“We like to have other input from students who might have had a role in it,” said Holzrichter.
Lopez said the petition and hearing process is a part of engaging in student government.
