Senator
reclaim seat
By Todd Leland
On-line Forty-Niner
Sen.
Brian Roberts reclaimed his Senate seat
Wednesday after the Associated Students
Judiciary decided by majority opinion Monday
that Associated Students Inc. President
Danny Vivian’s veto of the October senator-at-large
election violated the A.S.I. by-laws.
Also present at the meeting was the other
candidate for the position, Alejandro Negrete.
In comments made to the Senate about the
Judiciary ruling Negrete accepted the decision,
but was clearly agitated by the Senate’s
refusal to listen to its constituents.
“We are fed up to here,” Negrete exclaimed,
speaking on behalf of the Latino Student
Union and other cultural groups. “You [the
Senate] are hiding behind the Judiciary’s
decision. You have truly messed up.”
Negrete then proceeded to tell Roberts that
he will not adequately represent his constituents
and requested that Roberts step down from
his Senate position.
Now the only alternatives left for Negrete
and his supporters are to fill a petition
with signatures of 15 percent or more of
the entire student body or have the Senate
vote in two-thirds favor for a re-election.
Cal State Long Beach has a student population
of more than 34,000. Negrete’s petition
must accumulate at least 5,100 signatures
to be recognized by the Senate and the A.S.I.
by-laws.
“You will get your 15 percent,” Negrete
informed the Senate. “This board has failed
the students.”
In response to Negrete, A.S.I. Vice President
and Senate Chairman Shahrokh Sheik said
the Senate must abide by the Judiciary’s
decision.
“The matter in front of us is procedure,”
Sheik argued to Negrete. “It is unfortunate
that you have to come in front of us and
respond in this way.”
Sen. Ricardo Carlos took exception to the
matter of procedure standing in the way
of the Senate.
“We are putting procedure higher than student
opinion,” Carlos announced.
Faculty Adviser Harvey Morley reminded the
Senate that procedure and law are the foundation
of government.
“Organizations, states, nations are based
on law created by the people,” Morley told
the Senate. “You govern, you rule by law
and procedure. Be aware you are senators
and are here to rule by law.”
Also in defense of the Senate, Sen. Joshua
Nettinga reiterated the fact that the choice
to present the case to the Judiciary was
made by an individual student.
“It was taken out of our hands by a student,”
Nettinga explained. “What is there we can
do as a Senate, if anything, to fix this?”
Both Sens. Adam Anderson and Jorge Reyes
voiced their frustrations with the situation
and commented to the Senate that it must
stop wasting valuable time and move forward.
Vivian said he respects the decision of
the Judiciary and will stand by it.
“I appointed those justices so I know they
made their decision without bias,” Vivian
said. “I do believe that our cultural groups
and their students are not being listened
to.”
Vivian also said he believes Negrete and
the cultural groups will get their 15 percent
and return to the Senate in the spring semester.
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