Clegg escapes impeachment

CAMPUS POLITICS

What began as a trial for Texas State Student Body President Connor Clegg’s impeachment turned into a sitin at the LBJ Student Center which, at press time Thursday, had been going on for more than 20 hours.

A joint meeting of the Texas State Student Body House and Senate on Wednesday failed to meet quorum when almost half of the student senators did not show up. One member of the House was absent.

“We are at, for the senate attendance … we have 21 present and 19 not in attendance,” Student Body Vice President Jackie Merritt, who presided over the meeting, told the audience. “... So we do not meet the two-thirds quorum for impeachment.”

Senators are allowed one unexcused absence; a second could lead to impeachment. An early list of the absent senators showed that seven of the 19 who did not attend the joint meeting had unexcused absences.

Merritt announced that she would have to adjourn the meeting but would provide a list of the senators who were absent. The crowd began chanting, “Shame, shame,” as Merritt banged the gavel. One student confronted Clegg as he stood up to leave the meeting, asking him why he wasn’t making sure that the senators were there. Another student holding up a sign tried to block Clegg’s exit from the room. A group of students surrounded President-elect Brooklyn Boreing and asked her what she plans to do to represent the student body next year. Eventually, the University Star reported, Texas State University Police escorted Boreing to another event she had to attend on campus. They had agreed to escort Merritt from the hearing, but she opted to stay and answer questions, the Star reported.

“We are not leaving until Connor Clegg walks back into this room,” student Tafari Robertson said. The University Star reported that Merritt had called Clegg to return, but he did not plan to come back.

“We need Connor Clegg removed,” Robertson said. “We are prepared for that vote. … But since they chose not to have that vote, we are no longer interested in having that vote.”

Because Clegg’s term ends next week, impeachment is no longer feasible, university officials said. However, other options could be available.

List of demands

Clegg’s removal was just one of the demands the students made. In a press release issued on Thursday, the students asked for a denouncement of the senators who failed to be present at the impeachment trial. They also asked Texas State University President Denise Trauth and her administration to “establish tangible action that will address the needs of students of color, which include: a published timeline for the establishment of a diversity requirement to the general core curriculum; a published timeline for the establishment of Black Studies; a published timeline for the hiring of a full-time immigration attorney; the assembly of a task force of cabinet members, student leaders, and relevant faculty to address any other campus climate issues.”

On Wednesday night, Vice President of Student Affairs Joanne Smith and other members of the administration attended the sit-in to hear student concerns and answer questions. Robertson called on them to give a list of concrete actions that they would take that night and the next day. As students spoke to Smith, many voiced frustration with both student government and the administration and the seeming futility of attending meetings and working within the system.

“We don’t know what to do,” one student said. “We’ve tried to talk to the administration.”

Sherri Benn, assistant vice president and director of student diversity and inclusion, told the students that they have common goals.

“The same issues that y’all have on your agenda are on our agendas,” Benn said, indicating herself and Smith. She said the university’s Coalition of Black Faculty and Staff would be meeting Friday and has been discussing many of the students’ concerns already.

“Quite frankly, I’m proud of what you’re doing,” she said. “... We will continue to communicate these issues and push these issues. We will do our part.”

‘No more meetings’

Sen. Claudia Gasponi, whose appeal to the dean of students led to the impeachment trial that was expected to happen Wednesday evening, emphasized the importance of having statements in writing. Trauth held a town hall meeting in response to the protests during the lunch hour on Thursday, but Gasponi and many other protesters said they were done with meetings and want action.

“We responded to her, ‘No more meetings. You know what we want,’” Gasponi said. “Anything she says in a meeting is garbage to us.”

Trauth began the town hall by stating, “We convened this town hall today so that we can hear from our students. We also want to share some updates about some things that are happening at the university. … The feedback that you give us is extremely important to me.”

Trauth and other members of the administration heard questions and concerns from a group of students. Most of the sit-in participants were not at the meeting; a few representatives were sent, but as Gasponi said, the group is tired of “frankly bull**** meetings.”

During the town hall meeting, Dean of Students Margarita Arellano – whose opinion led to the impeachment trial that was scheduled for Wednesday – addressed concerns about the impeachment process and about Clegg.

“We’re still investigating some things about the process, and I promise you I have some next steps,” she said, adding that she considers the situation a “constitutional crisis.”

Arellano said she will be meeting with the leader of the graduate house, the chair of the senate and the supreme court chief justice on what the next steps regarding Clegg might be.

“I want to bring out a discussion on this because I think there may still be something we can do,” she said.

University officials said no one had been arrested and that the students had been well-behaved.

As of press time, Clegg had not responded to a Daily Record email asking for comments, and Smith was unavailable.