The meeting began with the words, “this is not a hearing,” and continued with “this is not a witch-hunt,” from Chairman Al Cordero, and the Charter and Rules Committee meeting was underway.
On Tuesday, March 13 in an hour filled with more questions than answers, one resolution was rejected that would have repudiated emails sent by several SGA senators that accused the Socialist Club of violence and aggressive actions during past demonstrations.
Another resolution will result in the SGA drafting a letter to the university to find out if there is any investigation of the Socialist Club ongoing.
The meeting was called by Cordero, who asked members of the Socialist Club to speak about the arrest of two students at a CIA recruiting event hosted by the Placement Office on Feb. 28.
Cordero’s email to the Socialist Club requested their presence at the meeting: “In light of recent events, I find it necessary to request that your group appear in front of the Charter and Rules Committee so that we can hear your side of the story. This meeting will allow us to decide whether or not the SGA should be involved, or if we are going to leave it in the hands of the administration of NEIU.”
At the Feb. 28 incident, there were members of the Socialist Club present, though the club did not organize the event in its capacity as a registered student organization, according to the group’s president, Keeanga Taylor.
Taylor called the meeting a “witch-hunt” and questioned why her group was being singled out. “You should know those activities were not the actions of the Socialist Club. “
Cordero said that the meeting was called “accidentally” as a result of an e-mail mix up and that there would be no attempt by the SGA to discipline the Socialist Club.
Throughout the meeting members of the Socialist Club asked senators why the meeting was taking place. Speaker Kimberly Murphy admitted that the SGA had no jurisdiction over the CIA event, and several senators agreed.
At one juncture, Senator Richard Morris became outraged at the proceedings and began to shout at members of the Socialist Club, accusing them as a whole of harassing students and injuring Robin Wagner. “If it looks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck,” said Morris.
Wagner is the Chief Clerk of the Placement Office who signed a complaint with Chicago Police for battery against students Ken Barrios and Matt Larson during the incident at the CIA recruiting event.
The Charter and Rules committee is allowed under the SGA constitution to review the actions of officially registered student organizations, if there is a petition signed by 25 or more students asking for such a review. Murphy said that no such petition existed regarding the Socialist Club.