Jason Mann

Students’ Association President Alex Brown says he does not think SA will face an impeachment situation like the one USD’s Student Government Association dealt with on Nov. 12.

The student government president at USD was removed from office after SGA found him guilty of violating the SGA constitution.

Acting Dean of Students Kirsten Compary brought the allegations against Terry Liggins and was also prosecutor during his trial. Compary accused Liggins of misusing state vehicles while on official business and of misusing an account while he was on those trips.

The student senators decided 16-1 that Liggins misused funds and voted 13-3 to remove him from office.

Brown says that if a member of SA were to be impeached, charges would have to be brought by a student. He says that if an SDSU administrator tried to remove a senator from office, the actions would be a “major intrusion into the role of student governments.”

“I feel this type of action would be an overstep of the administration,” Brown said. “For a student government to be effective, the students need to have faith in their elected officials. This type of action takes away that independence and trust.”

“A situation like this can be very detrimental to the relationship between the student body and the student government,” SA Vice President Chris Schaefer said. “The student body may lose respect and confidence in their governmental system, although it also provides an avenue for a new leader to emerge.”

Sam Nelson, SA state and local chairman, said that while he agreed the accusations were grounded, the fact that they were brought up by a university administrator bothers him. He does not like that Compary was both accuser and prosecutor. He says he wonders whom Liggins would appeal to since the acting Dean of Students was so involved in Liggins’ impeachment.

“Any accusation by an administrator would never fly at SDSU,” said Nelson.

The SA by-laws state that anyone petitioning to remove a senator from office must have a petition with no less than ten percent of signatures from the student body-1,171 this year-and 2/3 of the student body-7,726 people-must vote to remove that member.