Residence Life is pushing back against Student Government’s efforts to create residence-based represenation.

In an e-mail, Residence Life Director Dave Rozeboom asked SGA to rescind legislation creating eight senate seats for the eight residence halls on campus. That is unlikely to happen, however as the residence-based represenation is now part of the SGA constitution, which was approved by students by an overwhelming margin in week-long election which concluded on Monday.

Residence Life, however, was reluctant about the idea from the beginning because, among other things, the office already has a paid staff and an elected Residence Hall Association intended to address resident concerns.

Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs Chris Duke said that Residence Life wanted SGA to rescind the bill after Duke missed two scheduled meetings with Rozeboom and his staff regarding the legislation.

SGA President Meghan Kuentz, a former Residence Hall Association officer, said that not working with Residence Life or failing to rescind the bill could have negative consequences for SGA.

“[Rozeboom] can prevent us from using their space to do any sort of meetings,” Kuentz said during the April 8 senate meeting. “He can forbid us from marketing. He can stop the resident assistants from advocating on our behalf.”

Duke said that he has no idea how he would go about rescinding the bill if it were to come to that.

Duke said he apologized to Rozeboom on April 9 in person and hopes the conversation will move forward.

“Mistakes have been made on my end and the associations end and I hope we can move forward,” Duke said.

Rozeboom could not be reached for comment.

Duke also apologized to SGA during the April 8 meeting for not fulfilling his obligations.

“In senate, I wanted to explain what was going on, on the record,” Duke said. “I hope that my failures don’t become SGA’s failures.”

But then things got heated. After Duke’s apology, Management and Business School Senator Robert Price said that he did not support rescinding the bill.

“I want to say that I will never rescind this bill, so Rozeboom can stick it up his (expletive,)” Price said.

Afterward, SGA issued a press release condemning Price’s comment.

“Senator Price spoke up to express his dissatisfaction with the conversations between SGA, RHA, and Residence Life,” the press release said. “Senator Price spoke out before considering how his opinion would be received by his fellow senators, the directors, staff, and students working with Residence Life, and the entire student body. The Association as a whole does not agree with or support the statement or opinion of Senator Price.”

Price later said that he was not thinking and that the comment just slipped out.

“It was not an attack on [Rozeboom], who I do not personally know,” Price said.

Price said that he plans on apologizing to Rozeboom, but said he will not apologize for stating his opinion.

“I am not apologizing for my opinion, but for the words I used,” Price said. “It was an unprofessional thing to say in a professional setting.”

After making these comments, Price is considering resigning from SGA.

“In my mind, I’d rather resign than apologize or redact my statements,” Price said.

 

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